Kodawari Hombu Dojo Ryusei-ha Ryukyu Kempo Karate-jutsu
Kodawari Hombu Dojo
Ryusei-ha Omoi Te
Heavy Hand/Iron Palm
The Ryusei-ha Omoi Te (龍精派重い手) or “Heavy Hand” system that we teach has a very interesting background. In Chinese, this would be termed as iron palm (鐵掌 – tie zhang). We have worked hard to develop what we think is an extremely effective system that students of any art can add to their training. This includes a full range of Chinese herbal medicine concepts (中藥學 – zhongyao xue) and products such as dit da jow (跌打酒 – hit fall medicine), medical wines (药酒疗法 – yao jiu or yaojiu liaofa), etc.
Warning!
Warning!
I do warn you all now that the overwhelming majority of what you find online about iron palm as well as iron body, golden shield, golden bell is worthless. And, a large component of that information even falls into the category of dangerous (long term). This also includes almost all of the accompanying information on herbs, dit da jow for iron palm, herbal soaks, medical wines and elixirs and iron bone pills or capsules. More on this below and much more is coming in a longer article on the subject.
The Origin Story
Back in the early to mid 1990’s, I started seeing a very well know traditional Chinese medicine (中医 – zhong yi) or TCM doctor and acupuncturist. Additionally, he is also a very highly ranked martial artist. To keep the story short, he was very interested in my knowledge of TCM and the points that he was using on me. This lead to some very interesting conversations about the martial arts in general and specifically what I was studying and practicing. Eventually, he recommended that I go meet an herbalist friend of his. He would not get into specifics beyond that. Just to go see him. When I agreed to do so, he wrote a letter of introduction for me to give this traditional Chinese herbal medicine practitioner (传统中草药学 – chuantong zhongcaoyao xue) or owner of the small herbal pharmacy (中藥學 – zhong yaoxue). It was in Chinese and I never did find out what it said. Again, skipping some long details, this herbalist is also a martial artist who specialized in not just iron palm, but a complete iron body system (铁衫 – tie shan – literally, “iron shirt”). After some discussion, I let it be known that I really was not interested in the complete iron body system, but that I was very interested in the iron palm component. Shortly thereafter, he did agree to teach me iron palm. But, there were some restrictions placed upon me as to what I could teach or “publish”. I guess a better way to say it is what I could “make known”.
This was a very interesting situation that I got in the middle of. As I understood it, this Chinese doctor/herbalist (who was from the mainland of China originally) was a lineage holder in some form of kung fu or gongfu. I was never told the name of the art. Nor was I ever really taught the art. Or, at least the whole art. At the time, this gentleman’s only living son had no interest in the martial arts, even though he had been heavily trained since childhood. Therefore, this sifu or instructor was worried that his art would die unless he was sure to pass on what he could of it to someone like me. But. there were limitations placed on me that restricted what I could show or make public. Basically, I was allowed to make videos of the training material. But, I could not and cannot publish it. I was specifically told to “make this information my own” and teach it from that standpoint. That is exactly what I am doing with Ryusei-ha Omoi Te.
I know it should like the script for a bad Chinese movie, but it is what it is. Stranger things have happened.
I do, however, acknowledge that I made a couple of mistakes in regards to all of this. I chalk it up to youth and inexperience.
History of Iron Palm
Grandmaster
Gu Ru Zhang
ironplam
Iron Palm Breaking With Rod Morgan and Josh Walker
In the video directly above, you will see Josh Walker sometimes using a ream (or close to a ream) of printer paper on top of the bricks that he is using. Again, we will have a much more in-depth article on Omoi Te or iron palm soon. However, it is probably a good idea to reference the use of the printer paper here as it might stand out to some.
Ryusei-ha Omoi Te
Heavy Hand/Iron Palm
Training Methods
The Ryusei-ha Omoi Te system contains three (3) separate levels of training that are taken in sequential order.
The only prerequisites for Level I or Gate One is that you be in reasonably good health prior to beginning training in this method. If you have a serious health issue, there could be mild to serious side effects in training this method. If you do have a health issue, you should reach out to us prior to starting. We certainly cannot and would not give you medical advice. However, we can share with you what our experience in this area has been as well as make potential suggestions to you that you can then discuss with your own personal medical professional.
While there is some minor variation in the hand formations, the Level I training utilizes the following hand methods.
Slapping
Throwing
Cutting
Stamping
Dotting
The Level I training is done using a striking medium such as mung beans (the traditional medium). Level II training uses small gravel. And, finally, Level III training uses steel shot. It is our plan to issue a training course for each of the three (3) levels.
Each level of training encompasses approximately 100 days of daily training. Besides striking a training bag (as shown above), the following is included in the Level I training:
- List item
- List item
- List item
A Fire and Water Method
- Don’t hit things that don’t have give – this will damage your joints. Whatever is stuck must have some give.
- Don’t train sporadically – make sure you keep a regular, consistent practice.
- Don’t be in too much of a hurry – if you damage yourself it will take a long time to repair and you can’t train with an injured hand. If you develop fluid in the joints they will become weaker not stronger.
- Don’t strike with a tense arm – the arm should be relaxed and a conduit for force. If you strike a hard object with a tense arm the force goes back into the body and may, over time, even cause a stroke.
- Don’t train without herbal medicine and accurate qigong – these things are important to aid the healing and development process.
- Don’t live an irregular lifestyle – As with any body development process make sure you are getting enough sleep, good nutrition etc so the body has the resources it needs.
Breaking or Testing
Tameshiwari
試し割り
Makiwara Training
巻藁
Old Makiwara Training video
Introduction to Makiwara-Geiko
This is NOT
Omoi Te or Iron Palm
The process of how the Ryusei-ha Omoi Te Renshu1Renshu (練習) translates to being practice, training, drill, (an) exercise or workout. The kanji 練 translates to practice, gloss, train, drill, polish or refine. The kanji 習 translates to learn. works is really not all that difficult. I know that not everyone reading this believes in “qi”.2The Chinese for qi is 氣 and it translates to a number of potential results. In this case, we are looking at it from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective. In this case, it is the intrinsic energy in all living organisms. But, Omoi Te/Heavy Hand/Iron Palm is well defined with Modern Western Medicine (MWM). And, it is truly amazing how the two work together in a synergistic manner. We will outline and discuss both methods below.
Before going too far, let me ask you all a question. Without looking anything up on the interwebs, can you tell me what the process is to build muscle? That is, the scientific principle that defines what it is and how it works? Think for a second if you need to, but no phoning a friend (am I showing my age there?!?).
HYPERTROPHY
If you knew that off of the top of your head, you are either a bodybuilder of some sort, a physical therapy or trainer or you are like me and you need to get out more!
Wolff’s Law
Davis’ Law
When it is ready, the Ryusei-ha Omoi Te (龍精派重い手 – Heavy Hand) Level I course (課程 – katei) will be available by using the link below. Be sure to keep an eye out for the release and we will also post about it as soon as it is ready.
If you join the Dojo Insiders email notification list (at the bottom of the page), not only will you be among the first to know when the course is released, but you will also receive a massive discount on the course that
- 1Renshu (練習) translates to being practice, training, drill, (an) exercise or workout. The kanji 練 translates to practice, gloss, train, drill, polish or refine. The kanji 習 translates to learn.
- 2The Chinese for qi is 氣 and it translates to a number of potential results. In this case, we are looking at it from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective. In this case, it is the intrinsic energy in all living organisms.
(Just Scroll To The Bottom Of The Page)
- 1Renshu (練習) translates to being practice, training, drill, (an) exercise or workout. The kanji 練 translates to practice, gloss, train, drill, polish or refine. The kanji 習 translates to learn.
- 2The Chinese for qi is 氣 and it translates to a number of potential results. In this case, we are looking at it from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective. In this case, it is the intrinsic energy in all living organisms.
