Makiwara Training: A Two Week Beginner’s Guide to Fists of Steel

Once you get a Makiwara board, you will be very excited to use it and you will want to have fists of iron right away.

 

Well dude, it just doesn’t work that way. If you’re just starting to whine with your makiwara and your hands aren’t used to hitting very hard objects, chances are you’ll break your knuckles or damage your hand.

 

The best approach is to make it easy.

 

If you hurt your hands it can take a few weeks to get back to normal and then you have to start over.

 

The first day you get your makiwara, stand in front of it with your knees slightly bent and your shoulders squared with the front of the makiwara board.

 

Extend a fist and adjust your body so that you have the proper distance to make contact, but not so close that you cannot fully extend your arm.

 

SLOWLY begin to tap your makiwara board very gently to feel the board hard against your knuckles.

 

When you make contact with the makiwara, do not remove your hand. Hit the board and keep your knuckles in contact with it for a second, as if the board had a magnet.

 

If you take your hand away from the makiwara, you’ll break your knuckles.

 

So, for the first day, just hit it slow and easy until you find your own rhythm. Do not hit the board more than 25 times per hand during the first day.

 

Here’s a simple training chart you can use for the next two weeks to make it easier:

 

Day 2 – Once you have your position, hit the makiwara board harder only 5-10 times for each hand. Then stop for the day.

 

Day 3: Hit a little harder 10-20 times on each side, then stop. You’re not using full force yet. Your knuckles may be red and swollen, but it shouldn’t bleed at all, or you’re hitting too hard too soon.

 

Day 4- Rest

 

Day 5 – Warm up your hands with 25 lighter strokes per side, then hit the board with 5 heavy strokes. Then it stops.

 

Day 6-Rest

 

Day 7 – You will now start to hit the makiwara hard. Start with lighter, harder blows until you’ve reached 20 hard blows per side, then stop.

 

Day 8-25 heavy blows

 

Day 9-Rest

 

Day 10 – Work up to 30 hard shots per side (board should be flexed at least 1-2 inches back when you hit it at this point)

 

Day 11- Move up to 40 strokes per side

 

Day 12- Rest

 

Day 13: Start light and work up to 50 strokes per side alternating sides as you strike

 

Day 14 – As your stamina builds, aim to work up to 100-200 strokes per side, with rest periods in between. This could take a few months, so go seed and don’t get hurt.

 

If your hands start to hurt when you are not using the makiwara board, take a few days off. You should not feel like you have arthritis all the time.

 

If your hands hurt a day after training, take more time off. Hand injuries take a while to heal, so there’s no point in going crazy with punches. Remember to consult a doctor if you have any problems and of course stop practicing until the problems are resolved.

 

Good luck and may your knuckles turn to steel.

-Joshua Black