mikiwarra a question about?

Question

i dont know if i spelled that right

but anyways is punching a punching bag similar to using one of these

i have a heavy bag i just wanted to know

also dont people find punching something made of wood kind of breaky i have a tendency to break thro wood even thick wood and no im not saying im good im just big

Answer 1

Mount your makiwara boards to a hard surface like brick, and cover them with scrap carpet. A heavy bag teaches you how to punch through a target. I.E. The bag moves properly, you threw a good punch. Makiwara boards are meant to damage and deaden the tissue and bone matter around the striking areas of the hands/knees/elbows/feet. This creates calluses and bone scars, and reinforces these areas. Also, if it isn't already, cover your heavy bag in rough canvas/burlap. This will teach you to throw a straight puch, instead of sliding off the target.

Answer 2

I personally use a Makiwara, but large punching bags are also good for strengthening the muscles in your wrist, fingers, hands and even building up some muscle strength, as long as you don't use a wrist wrap or bag gloves. Learn to punch how hard you'll be able to punch in a fight. Then increase the hardness until you can punch full hardness without hurting your wrist or hand.
Makiwara do not break. Get the board wet if you're afraid it will break. I guess I still break a makiwara every now and again, but not often, and usually because I didn't make it well. Normally people have to dry wood out though to break it. Makiwara can also use thicker board. But, flexible wood is best for Makiwara. Flexible wood does not break.

Answer 3

Yes and no. The makiwara board is for a person to develop some things that a punching bag does not do as well in some ways. First it develops your accuracy and aim and toughens your hand, ball of your foot or elbow and finger tips and strengthens the muscles, tendons and joints that help control and support those parts of your body. As your aim and accuracy gets better you can gradually increase the speed and power with which you can hit, strike and even kick it with. A good makiwara board or target is designed to give but not break-even when hitting it full force. Since the target is so small and has nothing surrounding it that is padded it sends you direct feedback right away that you missed the target or your aim was off or your technique was thrown off by not being able to control the technique while executing it with speed and power. A punching bag does not do this as well since the striking surface is much larger and if you don't put your techniques on the spot you are aiming at you still make contact and hit the bag. They do make some makiwara type targets that are very good but the wall behind them will need some attention if it is plaster or painted dry wall so that there is no cracking or breaking of the wall.

A sloppy fighter or martial artist who follows the shotgun approach to fighting and throwing his techniques will not be as accurate with them and just comes close or gets lucky. Karate by it's very nature relies on accuracy so that a person can hit a small, vital, or "sweet" spot with a punch, kick, or strike for maximum effectivness. The makiwara will do this to a much finer degree. Also with some bags like your canvass covered ones you can rip and tear them by hitting them on the same spot repeatedly in a work out depending on what they are filled with.

Answer 4

A heavy bag is an OK substitute to a makiwara although it lacks in some areas.
The premise behind a makiwara board is the "give", the board should be at least a third to a half of the length in the ground. This gives it a a spring so it doesn't break or injure your joints. The give acts like a resistance to build strength and the board is covered with rope or leather, this surface is to be struck with pinpoint accuracy thousands of times. It strengthens the skin on the striking surfaces as well.

Answer 5

Makiwara and heavy bag each have their own benefits. The primary benefit of the makiwara is that when used properly it will help build bone density. How? Bone responds to stress by getting denser, that's why a healed bone break appears darker on x-ray than the surrounding bone area. Heavy bag will help with muscle, tendon building but does little to help the bones.