Forging
tools are as many as human imagination may invent. Although,
along hundreds of years of trial and error, Martial Arts
experts of all ages and origins, developed certain types
of conditioning tools that best match our anatomy and
physiology. They vary form Art to Art and School to School.
Even though, they follow the same principles.
Rough and hard enough to produce controlled injury and the
formation of skin calluses, hardening bones and cartilages;
Flexible or loose, to permits full-power
blows, without damaging bones and cartilages (by partially
absorbing power to diminish reaction force).
Permit attacking
from different angles, using technical variations and positions.
They are:
Forging post (Dallyon Ju):
the most common conditioning method to train hand weapons. It
also enheances balance, accuracy and focus. Dallyon Ju are wrapped with rice straw or jute (Hwangma,
黄麻) rope. There is no need to use rice straw;
there is no scientific support to any healing effect in Oryza
sativa (rice) leaves. Use Hanbang
liniments instead.
Sand pans or sand
boxes (
Dallyon Tong): may be filled progresively with rice, beans,
sand, small stones and iron pellets. Used to condition fingertips
and hand pressing (for grappling, holding and pressing vital
points).
Forging pendulums (Dallyon
Gune): can be horizontal or vertical, and can be designed
in different shapes and sizes, depending on the body parts
being trained and your level of conditionig. they are usually
used to condition feet, shins, forearms and hand parts (not
the knuckles). Vertical Dallyon Gune are made of steel pipes, wrapped bamboo, or
tree trunks wrapped with jute rope.
Other tools: pillars, stones, logs, and
other hard objects, depending on availability and level of
conditioning.
Bags: fiilled with different
materials and of different sizes. Used for endurance,
stamina, increase hittting power, focus and speed (lighter
ones). Small to mid-size bags filled with sand are used to condition finger knuckles and fingertips.
Dallyon Ju. This
tool is made with flexible hardwood (Jatoba(1) is
the timber of
choice in Brazil, and one of the best in the world).
You
can train almost everything
in it.
Vertical Dallyon Gune. This tool
is made with an iron rod or steel pipe,
wraped with juta rope.
At the bottom, you can add an
extra wrapping to diminish impact during warm ups or
to train softer body parts.
Use it to train knifehands and forearms.
Vertical Dallyon Gune.
This tool is made of wrapped bamboo or a tree trunk wrapped with
juta rope.
Used totrain shins,
insteps, heels and metatarsus. Can be used to condition
forearms, knifhands, backfists and and inner knifehands.
Wall wooden pad. It may be filled
with a folded tissue and coverd with leather.
This is an alterantive
to train in a restricted space (do not use permanently
- it may reduce your speed).
Dallyon Tong, or sand box.
It can be filled with beans, sand, small rounded
stones (as seen here) or iron pellets.
Good for training fingertips
and hand strengthening (squeezing) to apply
Ji Ap Gi and Tu Yok Gi techniques.
(1)Found in Central and South
America, Hymenaea courbaril tree (Jatoba)
is very flexible and shock resistant, and 125% harder that oak
(Quercus glauca) or cedar (Cryptomeria japonica),
traditionally used to build Dallyon Ju in the Orient. If you want
to hit hard and get the feeling of it, this is the timber of choice.
