Give me that olde style karate!

I wrote this on 05/09/1975 : Discussed Okinawan karate training with an older Okinawan 7-Dan. The first part dealt with the machiwara (makiwara). Ideally, the machiwara should lean towards the individual and NOT stand straight up. This is because when one strikes a straight machiwara, the force will push the board back and put pressure on the lower part of the fist rather than the knuckles.

Point 2 : The Shuri style machiwara is different from Naha style punching board. The Shuri style was as low as the breast bone and as high as the shoulder. The Naha style punching board was as low as the belly button or as high as the solar plexis. The Shuri style used a short, high stance while the Naha style used a low horse riding stance to place emphasis on the twisting motions of the hip.

Both styles of machiwara are good and should be considered.

Nowadays, it is a machiwara for the masses - all the machiwara are the same height. Back in the early 1960's when I started, all machiwara were custom made as were all bo's. Nowadays, all bo's are six foot (roku shaku bo) and made for the masses. To this day, all my punching boards and bo's that I use are custome made by a little Okinawan from Jackson, MI. My precious - my HANZO BO is 8 foot long and two inches in diameter and it is make from a Brazilian hard wood.