A Makiwara is a flat wooden striking board used by some of the more traditional Karate schools. It is often part of a school’s Hojo Undo training. The Makiwara is a training tool used for practicing strikes & punches. It is also used to toughen a student’s hands and elbows (because students are striking a harder surface than a thickly padded heavy bag). The round post version of the Makiwara is known as a Ude Makiwara.
The Makiwara is a vertical wooden board about 5-7 feet in height. At the striking height, the Makiwara will generally have a pad of rice straw or foam rubber padding. This is done in order to lessen the impact on a fist or elbow strike.
All stretches and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. For information on other traditional training tools, please visit Black Belt Wiki’s sections on Martial Arts Training Equipment and Hojo Undo.
Makiwara Variations
- Makiwara
- Sagi Makiwara – Hanging version
- Ude Makiwara – Round version
Video Demonstration of a Karate Makiwara