starting iron hand training, desperate for help!

[Raitaro]

"Even" proper nutrition? My friend proper nutrition is probably one of the most important things for martial artists. If they eat and drink well they will be more flexible, alert, fit and of course strong.

[psimaster70]

amen! that is the gospel!

[Hero]

yep lol it is but i've seen tkd schools that had soda machines and candy bars sold.. in the lobby.. lol their students would buy a soda instead of drinking water during breaks..etc. while overweight soccer moms had black belts and barked orders at the kids..

I know that a little fat intake can be okay while doing exercises that stress the joints..
but this is well regulated even Shaolin monks have been recorded saying that, they often supplement training with eating some pork.. as no protein or fat at all, such as a strict vegan diet. can be detrimental to strength and joints, from taking the hard physical labor... lol plus alot of iron palm  qigong etc. systems actually have specific dietary guidelines for practice... I will not give info because I'm not to knowlegeable on the subject plus asking a good teacher personally would be better.

[donjitsu2]

I don't really understand why people want to do iron hand training, surely you loose dexterity in your hands which will make it harder to perform more delicate manoeuvres.

That is a misconception. Proper training will not cause you to loose any dexterity in your hands. In fact, proper Iron Hand training can increase the dexterity of your hands.

Iron hands isn't about toughening the skin. It's about conditioning the bone

Well...there is a good bit of work at toughening the skin. Often, when punching an aggressor in the face you will make contact with the teeth. Untrained fighters don't usually keep their teeth clenched and, instead, keep their mouths open. A full contact strike to the teeth will deeply cut the un-toughened skin of the palm or knuckles. Deliberately toughening the skin of the hands is an effective way to prevent a need for stitches.

[Raitaro]

I never realised that despite having the problem before. I imagined it was more about punch placement and it was just something that had to be dealt with sometimes.
 Ultimately though, the immense striking power (evident in breaking) comes from conditioned bone, does it not? (aswell as technique and what have you)

[Steve]

The immense striking power comes from constantly hitting very solid objects, and your entire body becoming used to this such that when you hit something much squishier (ie humans) then you feel less resistance as it seems easier. Much like how working out with progressively heavier weights means that the lighter weights feel progressively lighter and provide less resistance.

~Steve

[Raitaro]

That makes it sound like a matter of perception. As if you're merely adjusting to a certain impact. This cannot be true. There must be a biological process involved.

[Steve]

Uh, yeah, the biological process is your body becoming more solid and intensifying the muscles required to hit the object as you punch it more and harder.

~Steve

[Raitaro]

What I mean Steve is I think there's more to it than just how good your muscles are at hitting shit.

[donjitsu2]

What I mean Steve is I think there's more to it than just how good your muscles are at hitting shit.

If the bone structure and the musculature in the hands, wrists, and forarms are weak your body will unconsciously put the brakes on your striking power - no matter how strong the rest of your body is.

Also consider that the more your practice striking and adhere to a strength and conditioning program that (among other things) is designed to improve striking power, your musculature under goes myriad biochemical and neuromuscular changes.

[Steve]

What I mean Steve is I think there's more to it than just how good your muscles are at hitting shit.

Of course. Your bones and the rest of the little bits and pieces within each section that you're training will also strengthen as they are forced, just like the muscles, to either adapt to the impact training or be ruined.

(for the sake of anyone reading this thread who doesn't already know the warning, that's why people should not go overboard in their training; training breaks down your body and forces it to become stronger as it recovers. If you don't give it proper time and nutrition to recover, you screw yourself).

Seeing as I'm not a biologist specializing in the human body, I couldn't possibly tell you all of the biological effects and changes that occur, but I'm sure if you go to your local university professor(s) they should be able to help you learn the details.

~Steve

[Athiril]

What I mean Steve is I think there's more to it than just how good your muscles are at hitting shit.

Bone density increases and structure does alter over time from the physical aspect of iron palm chi kung.

[HADOUKEN]

http://www.karatebreaking.com/main.html

Ska-doosh! I typed in "tameshiwari" ("breaking") on Google and this is the first result I got. A good site, too!