Iron palm
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Iron palm is a term describing a body of techniques in various Chinese martial arts. These techniques are typically meant to condition the hands to allow a practitioner to throw very powerful blows without injury to his or her body. Often, the demonstration of these blows is performed using concrete bricks and other stone materials.
Iron palm is a broad term, as there are various methods used to achieve these results. Martial artists who practice iron palm training are not unified in their training and techniques. Some teachers treat their iron palm methodology as a valuable secret with the training, herbal tools and specific pratices only taught to those deemed advanced, worthy or dedicated enough to accept them.
Iron palm is not a martial arts style unto itself, but a general concept common to many Chinese martial arts. Some non-Chinese martial arts, such as Muay Thai and many schools of karate, also emphasize conditioning body parts used for striking; however, the term "iron palm" is not normally used to describe this training.
As a general rule, iron palm training involves three primary components. The first is to strengthen striking limbs themselves. This can be achieved by repeatedly striking hard objects, breaking the bones in the hands so they heal stronger, or chemically treating the hands, usually with plant derivatives. The benefits of some iron palm training exercises, such as intentionally breaking bones, are often controversial. To purists, damage to the hands is not necessary on the path to aquiring great skill.
One variant of iron palm training consists of months or years of repetitive downward striking with all surfaces of the hand upon rough cloth bags filled with increasingly harder materials. The trainee begins with mung beans (a small Chinese green bean about half the size of a pea), then proceeds to tougher substances such as gravel, stones, and steel shot. Leather bags are also used for the later stages of training when full force strikes are used.
The second component of iron palm training involves using proper technique to draw power from the body, and more specifically the hips, in order to strike with more force. Muscle strength and proper body motion are developed over the course of a training period to hone to ability to derive as much power as possible for a strike or break.
The third component is to engage in Qigong (Chi Kung) exercises in order to strengthen the Qi, or internal energy. This training, done in conjuntion with the physical training, opens the energy pathways and develops awareness of those pathways and allows the practitioner to focus their Qi during a strike. It also helps with mental focus which is useful during the training itself as well as during a break.
Method
The exercises used in iron palm training are often divided into "internal" and "external" exercises. External exercises consist of striking hard surfaces using different hand positions depending on the trainee's particular style of kung fu. One common method uses bags or containers filled with beans; the trainee strikes the bags or thrusts his hands into the containers. As training progresses, the bags are filled with increasingly resistant substances such as sand, gravel, or steel shot. Trainees frequently measure their progress based upon how long it takes to perform a given number of strikes on the bag or the number of strikes they do in a particular training session.
Internal iron palm exercises usually consist of therapeutic and meditative exercises, often intended to offset the potential negative effects of external exercises. Massaging the hands with a special liniment called dit da jow is usually considered an essential component of iron palm training. This massage aids in preventing calus build up, draws Qi into the hands and helps to remove any damaged tissue. Trainees also usually follow their external training sessions with meditation, breathing exercises, and other chi kung (Qigong) exercises. A common belief among trainees is that failing to practice these exercises after iron palm training sessions has negative effects on long-term health and psychological well-being.
Nutritional considerations include use of supplments and dietary limitations to aid in liver support. Due to subtle tissue damage and then the subsequent massaging out of that tissue from the hands into the blood stream, causes stress on the liver. Limiting liver toxic foods such as fried foods and alcohol as well as supplementing with Milk Thistle, Carrot Juice and other natural nutrients ensure that health is maintained during the arduous training cycles.
Uses
Many systems of kung fu use a wide variety of open-hand strikes, and iron palm training is designed to condition the hands in order to prevent injury and make the techniques more effective. Hardening the hands is also supposed to make up for the loss of speed and strength which martial artists experience as they age.