| This article will walk you through the basic | | | | that the top 10 inches are in your correct |
| components of creating your own makiwara with | | | | punching zone when you are standing in a proper |
| parts you can find around the house or purchase | | | | stance. |
| at a local building supply store. The makiwara is | | | | You will need some kind of pad for the striking |
| critical to the development of the martial artist's | | | | surface of the makiwara. You can go the |
| fist. Makiwara training strengthens the bones in | | | | traditional route of wrapping the makiwara board |
| your hands as well as creates tough callouses, so | | | | with rope, or you can use found objects from |
| that your fists will be ready to punch at any time. | | | | around the home. |
| The makiwara is a traditionally Okinawan training | | | | You will need to create a base out of a heavier |
| instrument for karate practitioners, but recently | | | | board and mount this to the ground, attaching the |
| many different styles of martial arts have found | | | | makiwara board to the base with some basic |
| the benefits of makiwara training. The gloves | | | | hardware. Mount the entire makiwara in a location |
| come off, and the bare hands are conditioned to | | | | that is convenient for you, so that you will use it |
| punch hard surfaces (like a face) so that it more | | | | consistently. If you have a home dojo, or spot in |
| closely resembles a real-life situation. | | | | your basement, mount it there. Some people |
| To create your own makiwara, you will need | | | | place them in their basements, while if your |
| some kind of striking post. It should be a fairly | | | | climate is warm enough all year, they can even |
| flexible board, such as a 1 x 6. Cut the board so | | | | be mounted outdoors. |