Jan 30, 2021: Iron Conditioning Workshop with Moy Tung in Fredericksburg

Iron Fist, Palm, Forearm and Shin Conditioning Workshop 

With Grandmaster Moy Tung at Kung Fu Fxbg – Sat, Jan 30 from 1-5p

Saturday, January 30, 2021, Kung Fu Fxbg will host Grandmaster Moy Tung for an Iron Conditioning workshop in Fredericksburg, Va. Workshop participation is open to Moy Tung-lineage students with at least 3 months experience, or permission of your sifu.

*IMPORTANT* By registering, you acknowledge and accept the risk of injury, and agree to follow all instructions, and refrain from participating in any exercise you feel would not be beneficial to you. Start slow.

The cost is $100 for in-person or Zoom. Video is included. Register today to reserve one of the limited number of in-person places. Masks, heavy sanitizing and social distancing will likely still be required.

Chung Choi Fist

Even if you’ve done Iron conditioning, begin preparing, now. Practice holding your fists tight and palms strong in forms and drills. Breath deep to the belly.

If you don’t have access to a Jong and Sao Bao, you can use walls and hard objects, and fill heavy plastic or cloth bags with suitable material. Before beginning, please review the material outlined below.

History of Iron Conditioning in Kung Fu

Iron Fist and similar conditioning is ancient Shaolin Temple Kung Fu training, also practiced in many other martial arts systems. The utility of this type of practice has been confirmed by current Western scientific research.

Theory

Kung Fu masters long ago intuited and observed that practicing forms and drills with tight fists and strong palms, as well as by hitting hard objects with same (also with forearms and shins), develops Kung Fu muscle, hardens bones, and builds pain tolerance.

Modern research proves that stressing and challenging muscles with exercise sharpens the mind, builds muscle, and trains the mind and muscles to support the requested function, developing physical and mental form.

Other experiments have shown that hitting objects causes bone micro-fractures, which stimulates new, denser bone growth and stronger structures. Repetitive impact toughens skin and reduces nerve sensitivity, raising the threshold at which pain signals are sent to the brain.

Basics of training productively and reducing risk of injury

• Form and use tight fists and strong palms in Ving Tsun Kung Fu training, and in fighting. Doing so in the forms is necessary before beginning contact Iron conditioning. Crunching the hand muscles and knuckles, with relaxed intentional effort, into a strong palm or fist builds these muscles and trains them to hold the proper form, with Kung Fu, when hitting objects.

  • This training also improves energy and blood circulation in the hands and body, and micro-stresses the bones, making them stronger.

  • Keeping attention on hand and foot form when bone-hardening forearms and shins assists that process as well. Try the forearms with tight vs. loose fists, and feel the difference.

• Breathe deep to the belly while practicing Kung Fu. This builds internal energy for Iron conditioning, and for healing and new bone growth afterwards.

• With Iron conditioning, start slow. No energy, just pressure from contact. Build up from there. Place your fist/palm/forearm/shin on an object, and then apply energy/force. Experiment with using strength, relaxed Ging power, horse and a combination; see what you notice and learn.

• Don’t overdo it; take breaks if your body is telling you to. Continue after rest and recovery.

• Dit Da Jow (healing linament) may aid recovery, but it’s more important to play a lot of Siu Nim Tao before and after Iron conditioning.

Body parts used in bone hardening

• Fingertips

• Fists – Bottom 3 knuckles and pinkie-knuckle

• Palms – Flat base/pinkie-corner, and pinkie-side edge

• Forearms

• Shins

Materials used in bone hardening – Zoom participants: have these on hand, or try when accessible.

• Sao Bao: Wall-hanging hand training bag, filled with pebbles, sand, beans, BB’s, pellets, sawdust, etc.

• Jong: body and arms/leg

• Walls or stable, hard objects: Brick, wood, stone, etc.

• Buckets with sand, rocks, beans, BB’s or beads/pellets

• Various flooring surfaces – wood, vinyl, linoleum, carpet, stone, sand, etc.

Exercises – Start slow, build up energy

• Pressure from contact; no distance

• Pressure from striking slow, with muscle control

• Pressure from striking relaxed, with ging

• Pressure from striking with horse power

• Pressure from striking with horse and ging

• Knuckle and fingertip planks and push ups