SteyrAUG
04-12-11, 18:00
Much to my wife's general dismay our home often conforms to my practice of the martial arts rather than the other way around.
But up until this point things have not been much more than a makiwara planted in the ground, a punching bag hanging from a tree (it came down when training ended) and a variety of sword and weapon racks in the home.
But I have finally completed my own little Shaolin. Been wanting to do this for years despite my wife's objections. I keep trying to convince her it is a gazebo (you can tell by the bench in there) but she isn't quite buying it.
In any case I know a lot of you guys do some kind of at home garage/backyard training so I figure I would share so you might get some ideas.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000430.jpg
The basic structure is a 12'x12' slab with a basic low pitch roof supported by 4"x6"s. During construction inform your wife you are building a back yard gazebo.
From there I installed a home made Mook Jong (Wooden Dummy).
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000431.jpg
It is a simple, efficient and study design made with simple dowels for arms that are easily replaceable when you break them. Short of using 2x4s for arms you will always break them and if you do use 2x4s then you will ultimately crack the dummy near the supports. It is supported by 4x4s which are four feet below the surface and cemented in place with about 10 bags of concrete. Really takes a beating.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000434.jpg
I hung a speed bag at a height of six feet on a heavy chain. This is of course not used like a conventional speed bag but is simply a head target for developing snap focus strikes and a bobbing and weaving target. I prefer this to the double end speed ball for many reasons. If you use this target to develop kicks at this height, they will be very formidable when you use them at middle level targets. A few 5 minute reps of continuous head level kicks with focus can be quite the workout.
And here is the crowning touch. Hanging a 80-100 lb. heavy bag at home can be problematic. Even if you do hang it properly in a garage from the trusses, a good pounding can quite literally shake the living room inside. Hang it improperly and you can pull a good part of your roof down which costs money. Metal heavy bag supports can be expensive, clunky, noisy and they usually don't last long.
So I created the Gaijin Makiwara
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000432.jpg
Basically it is the same idea as a basketball hoop support. I took a 6x6 and dropped it 4 feet below the ground and cemented it in place with about 12 bags of concrete that actually goes 4" above the ground creating a nice little pad. Remember to pitch it to the rear a few degrees to offset the weight of the bag.
I then drilled a hole and bolted an 8" (1/2" diameter) eye bolt in place. The heavy bag was then suspended at the desired height with rope (distributes the weight more evenly than chain and makes less noise) and then secure strapped the bottom so you don't have a swinging effect.
But what you do have is a very dense striking bag that really develops the power.
And so things aren't all work and no play (lest you become a dull boy) I added a shuriken target so I have something to do while I'm sucking air between reps during my rotation from one stage to the next.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000435.jpg
But up until this point things have not been much more than a makiwara planted in the ground, a punching bag hanging from a tree (it came down when training ended) and a variety of sword and weapon racks in the home.
But I have finally completed my own little Shaolin. Been wanting to do this for years despite my wife's objections. I keep trying to convince her it is a gazebo (you can tell by the bench in there) but she isn't quite buying it.
In any case I know a lot of you guys do some kind of at home garage/backyard training so I figure I would share so you might get some ideas.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000430.jpg
The basic structure is a 12'x12' slab with a basic low pitch roof supported by 4"x6"s. During construction inform your wife you are building a back yard gazebo.
From there I installed a home made Mook Jong (Wooden Dummy).
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000431.jpg
It is a simple, efficient and study design made with simple dowels for arms that are easily replaceable when you break them. Short of using 2x4s for arms you will always break them and if you do use 2x4s then you will ultimately crack the dummy near the supports. It is supported by 4x4s which are four feet below the surface and cemented in place with about 10 bags of concrete. Really takes a beating.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000434.jpg
I hung a speed bag at a height of six feet on a heavy chain. This is of course not used like a conventional speed bag but is simply a head target for developing snap focus strikes and a bobbing and weaving target. I prefer this to the double end speed ball for many reasons. If you use this target to develop kicks at this height, they will be very formidable when you use them at middle level targets. A few 5 minute reps of continuous head level kicks with focus can be quite the workout.
And here is the crowning touch. Hanging a 80-100 lb. heavy bag at home can be problematic. Even if you do hang it properly in a garage from the trusses, a good pounding can quite literally shake the living room inside. Hang it improperly and you can pull a good part of your roof down which costs money. Metal heavy bag supports can be expensive, clunky, noisy and they usually don't last long.
So I created the Gaijin Makiwara
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000432.jpg
Basically it is the same idea as a basketball hoop support. I took a 6x6 and dropped it 4 feet below the ground and cemented it in place with about 12 bags of concrete that actually goes 4" above the ground creating a nice little pad. Remember to pitch it to the rear a few degrees to offset the weight of the bag.
I then drilled a hole and bolted an 8" (1/2" diameter) eye bolt in place. The heavy bag was then suspended at the desired height with rope (distributes the weight more evenly than chain and makes less noise) and then secure strapped the bottom so you don't have a swinging effect.
But what you do have is a very dense striking bag that really develops the power.
And so things aren't all work and no play (lest you become a dull boy) I added a shuriken target so I have something to do while I'm sucking air between reps during my rotation from one stage to the next.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/00000000435.jpg