Makiwara (巻藁) A makiwara is a punching board. The head usually has layers of straw padding, bound with rope and covered in canvas, while the other end is buried and held in place by the earth. When struck the makiwara provides some give as the board moves because the head isn’t secured. Usually it is a seven or eight feet in length and stands vertically in the earth. Typically, the board is thicker and wider at the base. Approximately four feet of the makiwara stands above the ground, so the top is level with the chest when in your punching stance. The remaining length is anchored below the ground. The head of the makiwara is cushioned and forms the impact point for hand and sometimes foot techniques. Makiwara is made up of two words, maki literally meaning “wrap” or “roll” and wara meaning “straw”. The result – “wrapped straw”. – Historically the wrapped straw was used on the head of the makiwara as the cushion at the point of impact.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 02:45:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015