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)