How to Make Martial Arts Training Equipment

Martial arts training is intense and fun. It provides a means of achieving various things for various people, be it physical fitness, the ability to defend oneself, confidence, peace of mind or competition. Despite all of martial arts training's benefits, training equipment can be expensive. If you know how to make your own, however, you can have decent quality training equipment that is much easier on your pockets.

Things You'll Need

• Canvas or denim Mung beans, split peas or other soft peas or beans Needle and thread 4-by-4 board about 8 feet long 2-by-4 board Hammer and nails Shovel Concrete Soft cushion Herbs listed in Step 3

Instructions

1. Obtain a piece of canvas that is approximately 10 to 12 inches long and 5 to 6 inches wide. If canvas is unavailable to you, denim works just as well. Get an old pair of jeans, measure 10 to 12 inches from the upper thigh and cut them. You want to use the thigh section because it is wider and can hold more beans. Sew one end of the denim closed, or if you are using canvas, sew the sides shut, leaving one open end. Fill the pouch with mung beans, split peas or any other soft pea or bean. You don't want anything hard in the bag in the beginning stages, as beginning with too hard of a material can cause long-term damage to your hands. Once the pouch has been filled, sew the open end closed.

2. Go to your local hardware store and purchase a 4-by-4 that is about 8 feet long, and a 2-by-4. Have them cut one end of the 4-by-4 so it is only 1/2 an inch thick. The wood should now taper outward into the thicker, uncut portion. The 2-by-4 will need to be cut into two 12-inch pieces; you may discard the rest. Nail one of the 2-by-4s to the wide end of the 4-by-4, about 6 inches from the bottom. Nail the other 2-by-4 to the wide end of the 4-by-4, approximately 24 inches from the bottom. Be sure to fix the 2-by-4s on opposite sides of the bottom of the 4-by-4.
   Next, you will need to dig a hole that is approximately 12 inches wide and 3 feet deep. Stick the wide end of the 4-by-4 into the hole. The two 2-by-4s should be in the hole with several inches of room above the top 2-by-4 and the top of the hole. Fill 12 inches of the hole with concrete, and replace the dirt into the remaining part of the hole.
   The top part of the 4-by-4 is where you will attach a striking surface. What you use is up to you. In the old days, the striking portion usually consisted of a thick bundle of straw bound to the board by a rope. Today, you may wish to use some sort of soft cushioning, or perhaps a bundle of straw and a rope. The striking pad must be attached to the same side as the lowest 2-by-4. This will allow the board to have proper support when struck.

3. Dit da jow is a Chinese liniment used for various purposes depending on the formula. Jows can be used for skin toughening, healing cuts, aiding in bruise removal and relief of sore muscles and joints. There are thousands of recipes for dit da jow, as it was not uncommon for a school to have its own formula. The base for most dit da jow is alcohol, more specifically rice wine. Today, however, vodka and gin are both very common. You will need the following items, which may be obtained from any Chinese herbal specialist. One website in particular is www.1stchineseherbs.com. The herbs in this list will be available on Western herbal sites as well:

   1 bottle of vodka or rice wine
   5 g Artemesia
   1 g Borneol
   5 g Carthamus
   8 g Catechu
   5 g Arnica blossoms
   1 g Cirsium
   30 g Calamus Gum (Dragon's Blood)
   5 g Mastic
   1 g Musk
   5 g Myrrh
   5 g Pinellia
   Combine the herbs into the bottle of alcohol and let sit for at least 3 months. Dit da jow gets stronger with age, so the longer you allow it to sit, the stronger it will become. Be sure to store it in a glass bottle, as plastic will eventually break down and the chemicals released into the jow will ruin it. Also, be sure to store it in a cool, dark place. This particular formula is similar to Ben Gay: It provides relief for sore muscles.

Tips & Warnings

• Iron palm and makiwara training should only be performed under the supervision of an experienced teacher. The dit da jow is for external use only.