IRON HAND TRAINING

the term “Iron Hand” refers to a properly developed
human hand which can generate tremendous power. It is not known exactly
from whom or in what dynasty the art originated, though it is believed
to have originated in the Orient thousands of years ago and is still
found today, in one form or another, in many martial arts systems. The
only difference between the “Iron Fist” of karate
and Iron Hand of kung-fu is the priority of striking surfaces. As their
names imply, Iron Fist prefers hitting with the knuckles, whereas Iron
Hand strikes with all parts of the hand. Many karate masters have
calluses on their knuckles or ridge hand where as a good kung fu Iron
Hand master will have none. Taoist masters years ago would say
“Beware of a man with soft hands.”

You should not begin the Iron Hand training
until you learn patience;
your hand cannot be conditioned overnight! Meditation and chi kung
exercises will help you achieve this. There are some Iron Hand
techniques which are closely guarded secrets shown only to those
involved in the actual training and who show superior moral character.

Throughout the duration of training, one must
always use “dit da jow” or Iron Hand liniment. This will keep the hands from
becoming disfigured. The impact of continuously striking hand surfaces
makes the blood stagnate, which in turn affects the vital organs and
causes the hands to become permanently callused. This liniment is made
in the traditional way by combining Chinese herbs with alcohol or
vinegar and then letting the mixture soak for a period of a year or
more. The Taoists believe in preserving the hands, not destroying them.
If the liniment is not used, there is the risk of internal hemorrhaging
and severe arthritis in the hands. Many practitioners have ruined their
hands for life by neglecting to use the liniment on a consistent basis.

With the ease of access to firearms and other
weapons, the martial
aspects of the Iron Hand may now seem obsolete. However, the sense of
accomplishment and self-confidence that proficiency in this art can
bring is second to none. If done correctly and for a sufficient period
of time, the Iron Hand training will help you develop exceptional
strength and power in your hands and body. It will also greatly enhance
and develop the sensitivity of your hands and their ability to transmit
energy for the purposes of healing and giving pleasure. While the focus
of this training is on the hands, the entire body, the mind, and the
chi must be conditioned and developed if maximum power is to be
achieved.

A powerful grip complements and enhances Iron
Hand training.
Several exercises improve grip strength, including simple push ups. Do
them on the knuckles and the finger tips starting with five fingers and
gradually decreasing to one. Another good drill is to hang from a tree
limb and swing for as long as you can. If you don’t have a
tree available, you can hang from the top of a door. Another
grip-strengthening exercise, one that is very traditional, is to fill a
jar with sand and carry it around as long as you can. The
jar’s mouth should be narrow enough for you to grip with your
fingertips, yet wide enough so that your hands are stretched. Increase
the length of time every day, then add more sand and start over.

Before and after the Iron Hand training, it is
necessary to do a breathing
exercise that will put energy into the hands and make them stronger. A
true Iron Hand practitioner or chi kung instructor should be able to
put energy into any part of his or her body at will.

Advanced levels of Iron Hand training entail
learning how to penetrate the skin of a human
or animal. In the old days, slaves were used as guinea pigs. However,
since this barbaric practice is no longer acceptable, a large barrel is
used with a piece of leather stretched across the top. Inside is a
tomato or other soft fruit. The practitioner must penetrate the skin
and grab the tomato without damaging the fruit. His hand must be solid
then soft with feeling. All of this must be done with lightning speed.

An authentic Iron Hand master does not need to
resort to tricks when
performing demonstrations. His skill should speak for itself. Next time
you witness a demonstration consider the following:

+ In a breaking demonstration, are spacers being
used between slabs?
The use of spacers will make breaking a stack of bricks, tiles, or ice
considerably easier; the first slab will break the second, the second
will break the third and so on. + A large slab may look impressive, but
is actually much easier to break than a smaller, more compact version.

+ Is the demonstrator raising the slab/brick off the supporting
surface? If more then one item is broken from being held is there a
slight gap between them? In either case if even a millimeter gap is
there then the break is being largely done by the slab/brick colliding
with the supporting surface/other brick and not the strike.

+ Hitting a sheet of ice will shatter on impact. If it makes a clean
break, you will know that it was pre-cut then frozen again.

Like anything worthwhile, mastering these Iron
Hand techniques will only
come through intense hard work and dedication to training. But if you
are willing to pay the price, the rewards will be beyond your wildest
dreams. It is very important that Iron Hand methods are learnt from a
qualified teacher. I still train after more that 35 years of practice
and my hands are still soft and without calluses or arthritis. Sifu

James W. McNeil

www.littlenineheaven.com

(949) 636-1573