Traditionally, the makiwara board is a training
tool
for the karate practitioner. Most fighting sports that involve gloves
of some kind tend to use a traditional punching bag. This article will
explain how makiwara training can benefit the MMA fighter.
Most
MMA fighters practice punching using hand targets and heavy bags. A
good way to get a leg up on the competition is to start working on
creating iron-like fists without the gloves. This way, when the gloves
are on, the other guy will have no idea what hit him.
Makiwara
training is basically the act of punching a makiwara board repeatedly
using a set workout routine. The makiwara is a board that is mounted to
a base and attached to the ground in some fashion. Every time you punch
the board, it flexes without damaging your hand, but provides enough
resistance to make the bones more dense and calloused the knuckles.
When
you begin makiwara training, you must train very slow, and not at
full
force. You have to get your hands used to punching the makiwara and
that takes time. do not use wraps or any type of covering on the hands.
You are trying to toughen the fists themselves. It may take 1-3 weeks
of slow training to be able to hit the makiwara with full force.
With
time you will be able to create drills and striking patterns that you
would use similarly in training for an MMA tournament. It is critical
that you hone your punching skills in an arena where so many MMA
fighters only concentrate on grappling.
You can purchase a custom
makiwara from various sites, or you can easily make your own from
simple supplies that you have around your house. Make sure that you do
not use a wall mounted makiwara that is just a pad mounted to a solid
surface. These types of makiwaras are dangerous to your joints because
they do not allow any resistance.
