Ironbody/ herbal medicine

You don't need it no, but it sure helps from what I hear.

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If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

Just work on your normal arm and leg conditioning, strength training, and work on proper form, technique, and power generation. Make sure everything is clean. Don't ever rush things; that never yields good results.

You've got many years ahead of you as well, I wish I was 15 again. It's a good time to be a kid - enjoy it.

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

“	Originally Posted By: CLF Devil You've got many years ahead of you as well, I wish I was 15 again. It's a good time to be a kid - enjoy it.	”

Heck yeah, it'd be nice to be a youngun again.

Gotta agree with all the advice, if you want to do Iron Palm, the best thing at this point is get some Jow(from PlumDragon ) and a Makiwara board, and just do some soft hitting on that using the Jow before and after.

Before you start the hitting, do 100 jumping jacks in a relaxed loose muscled manner and breathe with the movements(in as the hands go up, out as they go down).

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Oh THAT'S how that works!

The thing is his body is still growing rapidly - I think he should wait until 18 at least before starting seriously iron palm (which I fully presume to be an internal method). He can do stuff like arm and leg conditioning in moderation (mostly routines to build up pain tolerance and mental toughness), which would be nice if he got in a little scruff here and there.

And anaerobic and cardiovascular exercises should be really encouraged as well IMO.

And yeah, being young is good . . . every kid wants to be 18. Trust me, being 18 isn't all just fun and games . . . . . .

Regards,

Miluo

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

Ah, Makiwara training is just conditioning, not Iron training.

And jumping jacks done the way I describe get qi flowing into the hands.

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Oh THAT'S how that works!

That's true.

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

Just saw this post, and it probably will sound repetitive. Doing any kind of iron body training without an instructor's help is dangerous. Also, again repetitive, get some jow ASAP! This stuff really works. I make it myself, but I don't usually sell it. There are plenty of places to get it from, so again ASAP! Anyway, other than that, talk to your instructor before you hurt yourself. And again, you really should wait to do heavy duty iron palm training. Hope this helps!

"He probably thinks I'm too young to try it.
I'm only 15, and he's one of those "No advanced training until you're --- age"
people. No matter how skilled I am, how mature I am or anything.
He believes that age is everything, which I know not to be true.

Answer: girls have softer hands, therefore would take longer to train?
Plus, most girls wouldn't like the pain."

Seh, it is not that he doesn't recognize your skill, or potential, or maturity, it is because doing iron palm training before you are around 23 will cause calcification between the phalanges of your finger joints and deform/damage your hands PEMANANTLY. And I am not speaking of simply bigger hands and moosey knuckles, I am speaking of nerve damage-uncontrollable shaking, joint dysfunction-not able to fully close or open, or lack of dexterity needed for things anywhere from holding a scalpel,wrench, hammer, or pencil to write your name. Serious stuff, don't you agree?
And simply rubbing jow does next to nothing, unless you know the proper way to massage it-which depends upon the injury. Ask Plum.
If you follow the advice given, you have already ceased this training-good for you. (If you are simply giving lip service.....well, I really have no responce for that.) I would start massaging jow into yur hands, palms, fingers, working on the joints primarally. I would also soak my hands in hot water , and work them, opening and closing, and massaging.
I would then do many dexterity exercises-opening and closing, wiggling,snapping, etc. You might also take one ounce of natural apple cider vinegar,a tablespoon of honey and some warm water and drink it daily to help your body absorb the calcification you have already developed. Use a straw, as prolonged use of cider vinegar can wear the enamel on your teeth.
BTW-there are many, many health benefits attributed to apple cider vinegar. Pretty amazing stuff.

Girls usually don't train IP for several reasons:
1- not as many women take Martial Arts seriously-it's a numbers thing. Not as many women take it, not as many people in general take it seriously, making the number of serious women in MA even less.
2-women being lighter in stature, don't gravitate towards this type of training. Although, women of stouter body types might, not on the whole.
In the past, there were specific arts that were taught to women. Ngor Mei P'ai is known to have had a separate system specifically for women. Many techniques focused on close in vital point striking, strangulation, reversing of joint-locks(such as balancing of teacups-a drill often seen in Bot Kua) fingerlocks, as well as concealed weapons, such as darts,hairpins,sashes with wire sewn into them,blades, etc. These arts are mostly lost to time.