Three warnings for anyone considering training with the iron palm

Iron palm training is one of the great skills of Chinese kung fu. It is about conditioning the hand so that one can deliver strong blows without pain or damage. Someone who is proficient with the iron palm can hit something hard with the palm of their hand (for example, a pile of concrete blocks or an opponent’s head) and the blow will not only cause much more damage than the blow of untrained person, but also will not hurt the practitioner’s hand.

The training typically involves slapping a duffel bag filled with different materials for a certain number of repetitions every day for the duration of the training (months, years, the rest of your life). Over time, the material inside the bag changes as the practitioner becomes more conditioned. It usually starts with mung beans, then after a few months progresses to small rocks, and then if you want to go to the more advanced stage, use small steel shot.

But someone who wants to learn this skill can’t just start hitting a bag every day and hope to safely develop iron palm. In fact, here are three warnings that can save you from injury:

Drop your hand on the bag; don’t hit it hard – A mistake some people make after seeing iron palm training but not really receive instructions is to start hitting the bag. In correct practice, the hand is dropped from shoulder height onto the bag, which is usually at waist height. The hand is dropped and dropped with gravity; one should not use additional force. This helps the practitioner relax and helps prevent injury during training.

Don’t try to progress too fast. – Slower is better. Less is more. Some people start out with too much volume, often hitting the iron hand bag for up to 30 minutes a day, which is too much for a beginner. Depending on the program, starting with around 30 strokes per hand per day (which will take much less than 30 minutes) is usually sufficient. Sometimes people also try to progress their training too quickly, such as adding more reps too quickly or going from the starting bag (mung beans) to the middle bag (steel shot) too quickly. As a general rule, if you’re bruised or in pain after your workout, you’re going too fast. And if any of that happens, you have to cut back on training until you heal, which slows down your overall progress. Also, trying to test your skills by breaking bricks too quickly can also lead to injuries.

Do not neglect the healing aspects. – Proper iron palm training involves the use of liniment or ointment to help the hands heal after each training session. There are some workout programs that involve running your hands under hot water for a while after your workout to aid circulation and healing. There is also a self-massage component, which also helps to promote blood flow and break up any bruises that may be forming. This part of the training is very Importantly, however, some people don’t do it because they aren’t aware of it or because it’s not as exciting as hitting the bag. Over months of training, neglecting this healing component of training can not only slow your progress in conditioning, but can also lead to injury.

The iron palm can be a great tool to add to your martial arts arsenal, but you must practice it safely to reap the best benefits. As always, practice under the guidance of an experienced instructor who can show you proper technique and correct your mistakes promptly.