Benefits of IP linament - or not

Dingo983 · #1 (**permalink**) April 26th, 2008, 04:15 AM

My intention is not to start an argument, but to get more detailed answers on the benefits of IP linaments and jow, how it works, etc.
If iron palm training is started in a slow, low impact and working your way up to more forceful strikes and harder material, is there really a neccessity for the linament? Doesn't your body adapt to the impacts over time without it?
Take into account studies done on runners as their feet hit the ground over and over. X-rays show a substantial increase in bone density in the feet, but I don't know of any runners applying any liniment to their feet.
What are the effects to the body not using linaments? How does iron palm linament work/benefit the user that anti-inflamitory medicine and muscle rub can't?
I have also heard of people using warm/hot water and nothing else.

Thanks for your input and patience. I could have probably split this into several threads.

**Mei Hua** · #2 (**permalink**) April 26th, 2008, 04:34 AM

Well, I'll let those who have more experience with the Jows explain the benefits better, but from my experience using IP does help with a lot of things.
When I first started training, I did it on my own without any liniment, and while you can do it fine over a slow period, there will be a time when your hands will take a hellish beating, look marred and disfigured and hurt and feel like they have bad arthritis(which is probably what you're giving them.)
With the jow, all the bad effects are significantly lessoned if not stopped completely, the hand feels stronger and more stable using IP and it takes a lot less damage when doing harder levels of training and what damage it does take is cured quickly and easily with the IP and DDJ.

So, yes you can train without it, but you really are better off with it in the short term and long term.

PlumDragon · #3 (**permalink**) April 26th, 2008, 01:08 PM

Ill try to keep this short and sweet...

Iron palm jow has the specific purpose of drstically increasing local circulation to help protect from injury and heal any injury that may occur. It accelerates the bodys ability to heal/strengthen bone and sinew and fight off arthritic/rheumatic symptoms from occuring and drive out any stasis or blockage that might impair healing or bloodflow, so you can continue training without injury. Without jow, if you go slow enough to not get injured, it will take you a very very long time to progress. If you speed up so that progress is quicker, orare on a hard medium such as pebbles or shot, you will injure yourself in the short and long-term, and not be able to train. Doing iron palm training without liniment is asking for trouble.

“	Originally Posted By: Dingo983 If iron palm training is started in a slow, low impact and working your way up to more forceful strikes and harder material, is there really a neccessity for the linament? Doesn't your body adapt to the impacts over time without it?	”

On softer mediums like rice or beans, you *might* be able to do *some* conditioning without the use of jow, but progress would be very, very slow if you went slow enough to not become injured. If you want to condition without jow, hit something softer like a thai pad.

The body does adapt, theres no question about it, adaptation from load on the various pasrts of the body has been well studied. But the body can only do so much on its own. Would you run a 10k without carbo-loading? Would you lift weights in a serious manner and not increase protein intake? Would you hike through the dessert without extra water and some lip balm? No...so why would you partake in iron palm training without providing your body the esential ingredients that set you on the path to success? Nothing that your body does is on its own--your body needs nutrients and varioous things to get the job done, whether it be somethign obvious like a healthy diet for basic health fitness, or something more esoteric like jow for iron palm training.

“	Originally Posted By: Dingo983 Take into account studies done on runners as their feet hit the ground over and over. X-rays show a substantial increase in bone density in the feet, but I don't know of any runners applying any liniment to their feet.	”

Not that it matters, but I do. I sold jow to a barefoot runners club--they reported positive results in their training progress. Either way, Wolffs law still applies--it just applies faster with jow.

“	Originally Posted By: Dingo983 How does iron palm linament work/benefit the user that anti-inflamitory medicine and muscle rub can't?	”

Neither of those things drastically increase local circulation; neither one has compounds that help to strengthen bone and sinew; and neither one helps fight off/prevent arthritic types of symptoms.

Dingo983 · #4 (**permalink**) April 27th, 2008, 12:37 AM

I really appreciate the detailed reply. I am very "western" minded, so being ignorant about how the herbs actually work contributes to my belief there may be an alternative. Ultimately it comes down to listening to those who know, and that's why I asked. Thanks again.