Dale Dugas Demonstrates his Iron Body Skill
Iron Palm Training
Iron Palm/Iron Hand training has long been held within most Chinese martial arts systems as an advanced program of training. One that is rather specific: To develop the hands, and the body connected to it, to deliver stronger penetrating strikes than a normal, untrained person. Many Chinese martial arts systems(CMAS), do not even offer said training to anyone who has not completed a certain amount of training in foundational material.
No matter the system from hence it appears, the training system can be viewed as having the ability to condition not only the hands, but to develop the internal energy of the body and learn to move it and use it for defense or healing. As with most training within the Chinese martial arts systems, there is both a positive as well as negative manner with which to view applications of material.
Iron Sand Palm or as some refer to it, Iron Hand(T'ieh Sha Zhang) uses a systematic conditioning program consisting of exercises to warm up and strengthen the arms from the shoulders to the fingertips followed by various internal Qi Gong exercises to strengthen as well as move the Qi of the body. Next in the program would be the actual striking into some form of hard medium to train the anatomical weapons. Most systems use a canvas or leather bag containing anything from rice, all manner of beans(many insist on using only Mung beans), rocks/gravel, and metallic shot in the advanced stages.
Not only are the physical aspects of the training important, but one must utlize the correct medicinal components to succeed as well as keep from seriously injuring oneself. Many of the programs offered on the market today offer some sort of medicinal aid in the form of premade liniments and/or the actual herbs to be made into Iron Palm medicine.
Many people make the erroneous assumption that basic Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm medicine are one and the same thing. Though one can use Iron Palm medicine as an injury formula in some cases, one cannot use a basic injury Dit Da Jow designed for simple injuries and expect to develop the true power potential within their Iron Palm training. Striking a bag of steel shot in the advanced levels of Combat Iron Hand© training, can produce micro trauma to the hands and the practitioner needs the highest quality medicine to heal any injuries that occur during the training regimen. Failure to do so increases the risk of serious injury.
The two formula are quite different in action and effect and contain different herbs designed to do different things. Most injury formulae are designed to kill pain, remove dead blood/blood stasis, and reduce swelling. They do not have many if any of the herbs which open the energy pathways of the body nor the herbs which actually help to move the Qi out of the Dan Tian(located three of your own fingers down below your navel, the "center" of your body) to your hands for healing and/or combat. There are also herbs to help tonify and strengthen the kidneys, in essence strengthening the bones of the hand as well as a host of herbs to strengthen the tendons and relax the sinews.
As a result over the years, many people have been taught incorrectly and have injured themselves or not developed their power potential in Iron Palm training to the utmost. Combat Iron Palm Iron Vest Association (CIPIVA)© was founded to further research, catalog and teach these ancient skills to interested students of the combative arts.
Iron Vest
Iron Vest also called Iron Shirt/Jacket or the Copper Body shows up across a wide cross section of Chinese martial arts systems. It appears in two distinct forms with some schools performing external exercises combined with some internal exercises; mostly Pai Da Gung the hitting of the body with sticks and canvas tubes filled with various things like beans, gravel and steel shot very similar to what one would find inside an Iron Palm bag, as well as using a serious amount of Dit Da Jow on their bodies to heal the trauma of striking it with hard objects. This is a Wai Gong practice. Wai Gong means external practice.
Many Shaolin based schools call this form of specialized training Iron Body or Small/Big Golden Bell Cover.
The internal version of this training is the Iron Vest set. There is no hitting of the body with sticks or bags. It is a series of exercises that are designed to stretch and strengthen the bodys fascia. It is combined with a serious amount of standing meditation that is built into the set. Your fascia will thicken and strengthen over time. The stretching and the standing added together create a stronger body able to absorb more punishment.
The first 100 days sees the student avoiding sexual intercourse as well as not ingesting any fried food, nor alcohol. There is an herbal medicine that is used to help the student start his foundation in this program. This herbal medicine is specifically used in the Iron Vest set to help cool down the rather hot energy that the set can build during practice. The student will ingest this medicine for the 100 day period.
It is considered a high level Nei Gong set. Nei Gong meaning "internal work/practice". This lengthy set is performed with little or no residual body tension except for holding yourself upright in many of the postures that are held for varied amounts of time.
Compared to Iron Palm training this type of training is a little more sedate, some would say even boring. The benefits that are accrued from dedicated training on the Iron Vest material are not to be ignored by those who are serious in their training. Many find that not only the amount of abuse and punishment they can accept is much greater after working on this set for a year, but their health as well as energy levels are affected in a truly positive manner.
What is Dit Da Jow?
Dit Da Jow literally means Fall Strike Wine or Iron Strike Wine depending on the Chinese Hanzi characters used to write it. Bruise or injury liniment is usually the term used in English to describe this integral part of Chinese martial arts training. There are many formulas available.
Some use rather exotic herbs and others use rather mundane ingredients. The preparation of said formulae also varies with a collection of different processed involved. Some herbs need to be treated before adding to the rest of the formula. There is no such thing as one best formula. Many schools had a variety of formula to treat wide cross sections of injuries that are seen in hard training.
Most schools would have a few liniments on hand, from basic bumps and bruises and others made for serious strains and sprains. Many of these formulas contain herbs that are toxic if ingested. Dit Da Jow's are not meant to be taken internally for any reason. Exercise caution when using these therapies in your training routines. Keep these medicines away from children and pregnant or nursing women as well as family pets.
What is Iron Palm Medicine and how is it different from Dit Da Jow?
Iron Palm training utilizes a very specialized form of Dit Da Jow, that is commonly referred to as Iron Palm medicine to differentiate it from the more common bruise liniment Dit Da Jow. Iron Palm medicines are formulated with different herbs to facilitate healing as well as strengthen the bones/tendons/ ligaments of the hand as well as help open the energy channels of the body leading the Qi from Dan Tien to the hands.
Different alcohols are used to create this form of medicine as well as totally different proprietary maturation methods to ensure that CDIA© Supplies Iron Palm medicine is the best pre made Iron Palm formula on the market.
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