Home made makuwara

I was trying to sleep last night and I started thinking about makuwaras (as you do) and was deciding on how one would make one for the house if one didn't have a garden....

It hit me.... I have a disused tyre lying about the place (I've stripped the wire from the rim to make birembau wires from) I was going to use it to make some Warhammer 40'000 scenery from or perhaps some kick pads but then I occured to me:

Fill it with cement, stick a plank of wood in it and bob's your uncle.

This morning on the way back fro mthe Post office to pick up that book you recommended and by happy coincidence my BCA instructors certificate (sorry couldn't resist mentioning that ) I went by the DIY shop to scout for materials. Looks like the entire project would cost less than 20 quid...

Why am I telling you all this???? I have no idea

AXE
Jagunco

Mate,

Grab a trad Goju guy, or one of the old trad books on how to make a makiwara because there's an art to it. You can't just sink a piece of wood into concrete mate.

It's buried in the ground and, at the base has a rock placed in front of it. As the whole gets filled in, another rock is placed behind it, near the surface. That causes the striking post to be sprung loaded so it rebounds when it's hit.

I found some instructions here that might help you get started...

http://www.karatetips.com/articles/howtomakeamakiwara.asp

Nick

I've just read you don't have a garden...

It's going to be noisy but the other method I've seen is to bold wood horizontally to a wall at about shin height, and another piece, horizontally again, at head height. Now you bolt your two by four to them vertically so when you punch it, it springs. Can't imagine your neighbors being very happy about it though

Nick

Thanks mate after the inspiration hit me I did a google search on makiwaras and came up with a few good sites and some impressive demos. They did as you say immediately cause me to re evaluate the whole concrete thing.

Also I remembered that there's a veritable forest of willow saplings less than 20 yards from my house and I know for that fact they're very bendy. Anyone's allowed to chop a few so I might go there for some wood. Not sure how good willow is for it mind, I would have to gaffer tape a few bits together.... I'll experiment.

http://ctr.usf.edu/shotokan/makiwara.html

This is the site I found. I'll put some plans I've been toying with on in a little bit