A Hojo-Undo Checklist

It is my opinion that every serious practitioner of Okinawan karate should have a decent (if not fairly complete) set of hojo-undo equipment (called "kigu" 器具). Frankly, I think making frequent (ideally daily) use of this type of equipment is one of the things which sets the very serious practitioner apart from the endless legions of hobbyists. I also believe hojo-undo is one of the things which sets "old style" Okinawan karate apart from watered-down "modern karatedo".

Kakete-biki 掛け手引き  / Kakiya カキヤー

1) WEIGHT RESISTANCE TOOLS (THINGS TO LIFT OR SWING)

Chii-ishi 鎚石 (stone clubs) [ ]

Ishi-sashi 石錠 / Tetsu-sashi 鉄錠 (stone pad-locks / kettlebells) [ ]

Nigiri-game 握り瓶 (large weighted jars) [ ]

Makiage-kigu 巻揚器具 (wrist roller) [ ]

Tetsuarae 鉄亜鈴 (dumbbells) [ ]

Tan 坦 (wooden handled barbell) [ ]

Sashi-ishi 差し石 (large round stone with two handles) [ ]

Kongoken 金剛圏 (very large metal oval) [ ]

Tetsuwa 鉄輪 (iron rings) [ ]

Ishi-geta 石下駄 / Tetsugeta 鉄下駄 (stone or iron foot-weights) [ ]

Ishi 石 (large heavy rock) [ ]

Suburito 素振り刀 (heavy wooden sword) [ ]


2) IMPACT TOOLS (THINGS TO STRIKE)

Makiwara 巻藁 (flexible tapered punching board) [ ]

Sunabukuro 砂袋 (punching bag) [ ]

Kakete-biki 掛け手引き  / Kakiya カキヤー (one-armed dummy) [ ]

Taketaba 竹束  (large bamboo bundle) [ ]

Jari-bako 砂利箱 (container of pebbles) [ ]

Ishi 石 (slapping rock) [ ]

Ude Makiwara 腕巻藁  (round slatted striking post) [ ]

Tetsusabukuro 鉄砂袋 (iron shot bag) [ ]


3) SELF IMPACT TOOLS [DAKO-KIGU 打功器具]

Ko-taketaba 小竹束   /  Te-taketaba 手竹束  (small bamboo bundle) [ ]

Tesutaba 鉄束 (steel bundle hitter) [ ]

Mamebukuro 豆袋 (mung bean bag hitter) [ ]


Illustrations from the "72 Skills of the Shaolin" illustrate that Okinawan Hojo-Undo originated from hard Qigong and Chinese Iron-Body methods. It shows training with Ishi-sashi, Nigiri-game, Tan, Makiage-kigu, Ude-Makiwara, Sunabukuro, and Jari-Bako.

Hojo-Undo/Ko-Kiko (Supplementary Training/Hard Qigong)

A Chinkuchi Makiwara Exercise

Chinkuchi (チンクチ [cognate to Kinkotsu 筋骨]) is an Okinawan word meaning "Tendons/Muscles & Bones". It refers to the last instant before contact is made when the skeletal structure becomes correctly aligned, all the agonistic muscles are very suddenly and sharply contracted, and the muscles which stabilize the relevant joints are engaged to an appropriate degree. It differs from kime in that it doesn't involve all muscles equally and depends on structural alignment and stability from connective tissues.

A chinkuchi exercise: Starting with the fingers in contact with the pad, without drawing the relaxed hand back at all, the goal is to punch the machiwara with enough speed, force, and penetration to send the plumb-bob smashing into the ceiling. If done well, enough mechanical energy may remain to make the plumb-bob ricochet back into the board a moment later.