Iron Palm: 7 facts to know before starting
Iron Palm development
A lot of people write us asking how to develop the Iron Palm skill:
- Sometimes they have already started (eg. after having watched a Shaolin movie)
- Sometimes they have already bought training tools (in most cases very expensive, useless or even counterproductive)
- Sometimes they have already damaged their hands (in many cases seriously)
- …
Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).
Instead of repeating the same things thousands and thousands of times privately by e-mail (etc.): we have decided to write this article, to give the right information (hopefully) before wasting time, money and (in some cases) health.
The 7 truths about Iron Palm that everyone should know
Let’s start (if we do not know what this skill truly refers to, let’s read Iron Palm conditioning (for beginners)):
- What is it for – The (complete) Iron Palm is an advanced skill that, in combat, allows us to hit more freely and better (improving the performances and reducing our risks of damage); another possible application is to embark on a meditative path (but for this, we do not necessarily need to reach the highest level)
- Never rely on those who have not deeply worked on it – On such a delicate and dangerous subject, the only people worth listening to are those who have truly trained it (for years); the others should not be listened to, also because, it is not uncommon that the few scant knowledge often derives from none other than martial arts movies (!)
- No miracle ointments needed – The famous Dit Da Jow is simply an ancient liniment that (as many other) helps to heal bruises, sprains and other injuries; it is not necessary to develop Iron Palm, on the contrary, if we feel to need it, it probably means that we are following a wrong path (and we should stop immediately)
- Do not buy useless training tools – Before spending our money on the wrong training tools, we must know that, first, 90% of them are counterproductive (they get our muscle memory to do wrong movements, far from the idea of combat); second, most of them can be built / recovered for free; third, we need a precise path (we cannot read one thing there and another from a totally different source)
- How the skill truly works – We must understand that Iron Palm does not make us invincible nor our hands indestructible (in no case); without all the other combat skills (spatial intelligence, technique, timing, resistance, etc., read How to learn to fight: all the steps), even the most advanced preparation leads nowhere; acquiring this skill without a serious martial path at our shoulders is like buying the wing of a Ferrari without having a car (it is completely useless); another important thing to stress is that most martial arts experts do not possess this capability (not at its highest level) and do not need it
- We must have a precise goal – If our goal is to reach the highest level of Kung Fu, let’s start from the beginning (and not the end, read How to start practicing from scratch); if the goal is to deceive our friends to possess a “supreme ability” or be able to break (apparently) very hard objects, it is better to stay away from this path (there are infinite tricks that can be learned in a few hours)
- Never start alone – We are strong supporters of the value of home study (read Online learning and martial arts: is it possible?) but not without an interactive guide (especially when we talk about training that can truly hurt us, well before our conscious understanding); on the internet, there are plenty of exercises that are completely useless and other that are only harmful
A note by Master Kongling – I know that what you have read is not what you probably wanted to listen but I must say these things, even if it economically damages our school. Let’s be clear: we recognize the value of Iron Palm and we have a video course about it but we will never say that it is for everyone or that it will make you invincible (see Iron Palm: complete development path). For years, that course (as for many others) has remained accessible only to our advanced practitioners: we have decided to make it public precisely to give (with the right premises), a path to those who are serious about understanding how to develop this capability (in the 6 Dragons Kung Fu school’s way, we do not pretend to talk for the others).
In-depth video courses
- Diamond Finger conditioning – How to prepare our fingers to be effectively used in combat
- Iron body: the development path – How to condition our entire body from impact
In-depth articles
- Conditioning to pain: hitting our body – How to start a serious conditioning path
- How to train without risks – A simple path to study Kung Fu avoiding the most common risks
Questions
Reply in the comments and share your experience:
- Are you interested in Iron Palm development?
Author: Master Kongling
Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.How to master 6 Dragons Kung Fu?
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