Make Your Own: Conditioning Stick!

[Dana Sheets]

Really cheap, really great for beginners or those who want something softer than wood wrapped with cotton rope.

I can't claim credit for the invention -- I read the description on another website. However, I have to say I'm pleased with the final product.

Supplies: Newspaper and Duct Tape


Step 1: tightly tightly tightly roll first section of newspaper


Step 2: When you're about 1/5 or less down the page - add the next section. Thinner sections work better than thicker ones.


Step 3: Keep adding sections until your roll is the right thickness that you can still hold in it easily your hand.


Step 4: Start wrapping with duct tape


Step 5: Once you wrap up one way, wrap back down the other


Step6: Start conditioning!

[CANDANeh]

Ahhhh...duct tape

[TSDguy]

About how much would you say your final product weighs? Does it feel like kicking the bottom of a heavy bag in terms of resistance and hardness?

[Dana Sheets]

Proabably weighs a little under two pounds. I gave the two I made away to two women in the dojo. I'll make another today (since the paper just came) and see how dense I can make it. I've got a jammed knuckle on my good hand that's keeping me from really cranking down on the paper.

As for hardness... it is much softer than a heavy bag if hand-rolled. Unless...

Wow - little flashback memory. My folks used to have this weird machine when I was a kid that would take old newspapers and roll them, page by page, into an unbelieveably tight roll that we would then burn in the fireplace. The newspaper logs would burn for an hour each.

Heh. I guess nobody was thinking that it might be a bad idea to breathe ink fumes back then.

Which also brings to mind a memory of someone telling me that Mr. Nakahodo would crumple each page of the newspaper into a tiny tight little ball as he finished reading it every day.

Let me go see if I can find that newspaper rolling contraption on the web someplace.

[Dana Sheets]

Here tis:

Old Newspapers as Fuel
Stay warm while recycling

Our newspaper log roller will give you a way to use up those old newspapers in a useful and constructive manner. Tightly wrapped newspaper burns slowly and provides extended periods of heat. Insert folded edge of paper into slot and start winding. Once started, keep adding sections of newspaper until log is desired size (3 1/4"OD maximum). With practice a log can be rolled in about 5 minutes. Pull center rod out of log to remove. Attractive bronze and black painted cast alloy and sheet metal, wood handle. 23"Lx7 1/2"Wx13"H, 8 lb, imported.
Note: Paper logs should not be used in a catalytic stove as the ash will damage the catalyst.

So I guess it's still OK to breathe newsprint fumes. The same site has logs made of old coffee grounds too "Java Logs". Now that's just a brilliant idea. People are so clever sometimes.

[diegoz_ar]

Dana, for better result, consider wrapping the ducted stick with some kind of rope made from fibers (not nylon or plastic). I do not know the name in of this material in english.

The wrapped with fiber rope sticks must be plain, not just round like any stick. It is better to use a board about 8 centimeters wide, and 70 centimeters long, and cover it firsts 20 centimeters with paper, duck tape, and finally with the rope.

I had this kind of "wrapped board" (joke: the argentinian home-made version of the iron-arm ) I had been using it by almost two years and the results are very good (for arms and legs). Now I am able to tolerate far-better the extreme kote-kitae from Carlos Ciriza (mi sensei).
And this kind of device, helped a lot to my students to progress in "hardening" their arms and legs.

Just make sure that this kind of training should be done easy at first, and advancing in repetitions and strength veryslowly for not injuring the muscles, tendons, joints and bones. Trying to "do more" when you "can not" will slow the process and will hurt your limbs making them more weak against blows.


Saludos,
Diego

[RACastanet]

Neat idea. I make something similar using 1" pvc pipe. Buy the matching size foam rubber insulating sleeve to cover it with. Then wrap it in duct tape. It is firm but not too hard, and they hold up well. You may remember me bringing a few to camp and using them in Raffi's kill shot tournament.

For about $10 you can make 4 or 5 of them out of one standard 10' piece of pvc pipe and 10' piece of foam sleeve insulation.

(By the way, Raffi told me how to make them.)

We used them a few weeks ago as a weapon of opportunity in a self defense class.

They will leave a mark.

Rich

[Willy]

interesting thread. it's remarkable what one can utilize or create to assist in training.

I've heard some pooh poo plastic jars vs the special vessel straight from the island of karate.

I think it;s cool people strive to find a way to train .

I like RA's foam wrapped concept, I use something similar to make punyo training sticks. foam pocket sticks if you will.

they are okay for introducing the concept, but I do most of my training in steel door frames and against cinderblock walls with a dowel because when the dust settles I just like the feed back of hitting something with full intent and I can't do that with trainers , people or bags.

I do my leg and arm conditioning on a pair of 2x4's covered in a thin layer of cork. The cork stops the sharp corners from cutting me. I use 2 because one breaks now and then and it takes forever to re cork a new 2x4.

I like the idea of conditioning while striking vs just striking myself. Think I'm getting a piece of both worlds. hope I'm not deluding myself.

Still I know in the real world there are times where I'm just hanging at the house and I could be just striking away with the rolled up duct tape thing and benifiting from it. Thanks for the ideas.

Will

[Dana Sheets]

Cotton rope is what I wrap my conditioning sticks and bats in.

There is definintely a difference between being struck by something and striking out at something. However as I live in an urban area - most folks don't have a backyard or a garage where they can set up something outside. And if you try to do any kind of makiwara training in an apartment building you'll quickly anger your neighbors.

So this is definintely a "starter" device. Wood is sometimes too hard, even when covered with cotton rope, for some people. (Sounds crazy after you've been conditioning a few years, but it is true.)

I also like the idea that newspaper and duct tape are plentiful and nearly free and no special equipment is needed.

Another person cheap, at home training device is to poke a hole all the way through a tennis ball and run a cotton rope in one side and out the other. Hang the ball off a doorway or a tree and then shoken the ball and try to keep hitting it with shokens as it is moving.

Just be sure to use a nice big knot on the other side of the tennis ball so it doesn't pull through when you hit it.

[John Giacoletti]

consider wrapping the ducted stick with some kind of rope made from fibers (not nylon or plastic). I do not know the name in of this material in english

The earliest Virginia colonists made rope from hemp or Jimson Weed.

The historical record reports that after smoking the Jimson Weed the settlers acted like "perfect fools."

Whack you shins, brother. You will feel no pain

[Dana Sheets]

Diego - thank you for the description of your conditioning stick. That's and excellent idea. I've got a softball bat wrapped in cotton rope - but your idea of adding the layers of newspaper and duct tape underneath is GREAT!

happy training,
Dana

[dean harnum]

so is a conditioning stick like a pad or post that you strike or is it something you use to strike you or your partner kind of like pounding arms or leg conditioning to build up tolerance?


thanks
dean

[gmattson]

Most of the regular posters do not visit this section. (mostly for new members who wish to catch up on interesting topics posted in the past) I recommend you post to one of the active forums below. Van and Bill's are a good place to start.

[emattson]

Ahhhh...duct tape

Duct tape is wonderful. The Apollo 13 astronauts used it to fabricate a life-saving lithium hydroxide canisters adapter to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Apollo 17 astronauts used duct tape with 28 lunar maps to replace a lost fender for their Moon buggy.