Using The Makiwara?

Question

If im too young to use a makiwara because my bones haven't fully developed yet, would I be able to use gloves while using the makiwara?

Answer 1

That is not a good idea. Best if you wait until you are older and your bones have matured. Even then 99% of the people using the hard training methods like the makiwara are training incorrectly. They risk serious long term damage. Many of the problems with using these hard training methods does not show up until many years later. By the time it is to late to do anything about it. There is not only the health risk of training incorrectly. Training incorrectly will teach you the wrong method for transferring power in your strikes.  What you should be working on at an early age is correcting and perfecting your technique and form.

As for a kicking Makiwara......  That might be OK if you follow a few rules

1) the maki you kick should be stiff but not to stiff. It should flex a little.

2) You should have some kind of pad on it.  A few pieces of carpet stacked can be used. You can use old blue jean material to cover the carpet pad.

3) You do not train by kicking the maki to hard.

You start off by standing in kicking range. (I'll use a front kick as an example.)  Place the ball of the kicking foot against the maki. The support leg should be bent. You will push against the maki. At the same time you slightly lower your body and think about sinking your weight. This allows you to push the maki without being pushed back off of it. Each push is held for only a few seconds (say 1-5).  When you get good at pushing fairly hard without being pushed backward, then you can start light kicking. Kick slowly and just as your foot reaches the maki lower as you did in the pushing exercise.  Slowly the maki will teach you how to kick so that you transfer power to it without the maki pushing you back.  Go slow and be sure to follow the steps I've give you. If you do you will develop a strong kick. Always follow the maki practice by doing a few kicks without a target.  The maki is not about hitting it as hard as you can or developing calluses. It is about letting the maki teach you the correct way to deliver power.

NOTE: My kicks look like they don't have any power. when others kick me they may knock me back a little. When my kick hits them they are not knocked back. Instead they just crumble and drop to the ground.  That is because most people train their kicks by kicking a heavy bag. I do not allow my students to kick a heavy bag because it teaches people to push hard instead of exploding the power into the target.