The makiwara is a Okinawan training board that
was originally used to train the fists of karate practitioners. If you
practice any kind of martial arts, you too can benefit from makiwara
training. Not only will it train your fists to make your opponent feel
as if they got hit with a cinder block, but it can also be a great
stress reliever. Read on to learn more about the benefits of a makiwara
board.
No matter what style of martial arts you practice,
including MMA, you can benefit from makiwara training. No amount of bag
training will help your bare knuckles become forged into a punching
machine more than this tool. However, this is not just a training tool
to learn brute force. There is a lot of philosophy behind it as well.
If
you incorporate the makiwara in your daily training routine either in
the morning or at night, you can also use this rhythmic punching time
to train you mind. You can channel the pain in your fists away from
your knuckles and out from your body. Concentrate on a daily stress in
your life. Use the training post to punch your way through the stress.
Visualize your fist going all the way through the problem, no matter
what it is. It may help if you close your eyes during this exercise,
just make sure that you don't miss the makiwara.
You don't have
to purchase a factory-made makiwara for over $300 in order to reap the
benefits. You can easily make your own board at home with just a few
supplies from your local home supply store. You will be able to create
your own space for a private dojo to make sure that you get consistent
training when you are away from your main practice area. There are even
people that have created portable makiwaras to take with them when they
are on vacation.
This type of training tool will really give you
the edge against any opponent, whether in the ring or on the street.
You can't shadow box your way into toughening up your fists the way the
makiwara board will. This has been a tool that has been used in Okinawa
for many year. Every dojo on the island has one. There is and old
saying that says "a dojo without a makiwara is nothing more than a
dance school." There is much truth in that statement.
