the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

I heard of two really interesting training methods to develop penetrating power this morning that I thought I'd share with you..

The first is digging holes and putting twelve planks of wood in a row, 2/3 sticking out of the ground, much like dominoes. The first plank in the row is then struck with a palm strike and the goal is for the planks to it each other all the way to the last plank, the faster the better. If it sounds like two loud crashes (the second on the way back), you are ready to hit it as the energy returns (like hitting a heavy bag when it's still swinging).

The second is to lean a wooden board against a wall and strike it. As your power increases, decrease the angle from the wall - eventually it will be parallel with the wall.

I hope that some of you will try them out!

Dont think there's many places I can just go digging holes in Shanghai :-(

Sure there are! It's called the pavement and they are digging it up for one reason or another all the time. Have a go, it's a favourite pass-time around these parts!

The boards in a hole seems interesting.

How far apart should the wooden boards be? What kind of wood? How thick? Why 12?

The board on the wall seems silly, it would just spring back from the wall each time you hit it and you'd have to put it back. Why not just strike a bag or a post or thing? What makes the board against the wall good training? I don't get this one.

Board on a wall is demonstrated at 0:20
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fqip0rw5q3A

I can't help but think that hitting a heavy bag would be a much quicker way of developing penetrating strikes.

Sure, maybe not as 'exotic' as these other methods - but surely efficiency is more important than how esoteric the training method is?

bailu wrote:I can't help but think that hitting a heavy bag would be a much quicker way of developing penetrating strikes.

... but surely a bag is not as effective for shaking vibration non-penetrationg force developed solely for show ...

....


.... or to be fair ... for short power...

Hit people, much better feedback and they get to learn impact management

RobP2 wrote:Hit people, much better feedback and they get to learn impact management

Do you put the people into punch bags, or dig a series of holes and plant them in a row?

How do you get them to stay it he bag? (Just spent 10 mins looking for the bond film scene with the guy in the punch bag)

Naw, silly, you put the bag over their heads. Ya don't put them in the bags. Sheesh.

thanx S>!
gonnna have good day !!!

There is a difference between developing short power and demonstrating it. Developing it means programming internal muscles to be synchronized and produce a shock wave. Demonstrating, one could use a plank fixed at one end
[I believe Dr Ken Fish had one of those] or a sprung board[I made up one of these when I was studying] They have to be struck with no windup

Punching boards can be a good way to train by yourself; never liked heavy bags though I have used them and focus mitts can be helpful as well; but, in the end, RobP summed it up very well. +1

Contact training doesn't have to be unrestrained to be valuable... use boxing gloves and headgear or limit contact to head. Particularly for the latter you need decent partners to get the most out of such training and beginners rarely have the courage or the experience to restrain themselves and still do necessary things like "aiming" and delivering some force the right way as opposed to "I'm going to tear your head off cause it's easier than taking my time and doing it in a mechanically sound way."

Learn to aim, learn to hit the same target repeatedly and keep in mind that hitting a moving target with skill [even in playful training] makes both objectives somewhat more realistic than punching the air or practising your "fast hands" against stationary targets.

Get all this ugly stuff out of the way and someday you can learn the real secrets of New Age Kung Fu - practise endlessly by yourself with a noble and lofty look pasted on your puss, preferably while wearing an antique outfit.

In my mind there is no way to safely hit your partners whilst learning these types of skills properly. Only after achieving it and learning timing and distance, Tingjin, can one begin to safely use Fajin with a partner. The power generated is scary. Even when in a very passive state, the body will function the way it was trained and efficiently create the maximum damage. A month ago someone basically knocked themselves out on me as I was stepping forward and emitting a slight Anjin force. It was ridiculous, as my intent wasn't even there (OR was it subconsciously??).

Regardless, I believe that Fajin should be worked on separate from sparring until a dangerous level is achieved (no reason to hold back if it's not a person), after which it should be slowly integrated in a very controlled way. Especially in Tuishou, this is possible, and they can be mostly done as a push, rather than a devastating strike that sends your partner to the hospital. Eventually, as you and your partner can dish out, as well as take such a hit in normal sparring, the force can be increased. If you come up against a more challenging opponent or a real fight, by all means let loose. The reason I really like the idea of the first training method I mentioned is because not only the force can be trained, but also the speed. The force can be measured by how many planks you can penetrate and the speed by the interval of the sound of the hits. It is the latter which is most practical in a fight.

I'm also too powerful for my own good.
It's such a drag.