Thread wherein I make myself look like an idiot... Probably.

**cyril** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 6:49pm

Why hello there. (tl;dr included at the bottom)

I essentially want to know if my current "exercise program" is a bit stupid, or if it's actually useful to a newbie at this whole consistant training thing.

My current exercise list goes something like this:

1. Warm up with Jump Rope
(I hate running, but if it's necessary, I'll suck it up)

2. Punch tree
(I'm trying to build up knuckle density. I'm using thick wraps, but because it's a tree it still hurts like a bitch... I don't have unlimited resources, so this is the cheap way out of getting a bag. I do a couple of combonations, luckily I already know how to punch pretty well from a teacher who wasn't an idiot.)

3. Push-ups, squats, and crunches
(I'm a wuss. No use lying about it. 50 push-ups sepparated by 25 a set. 100 crunches in between push-up sets. 100 squats without weight after that.)

4. Rub shins
(Okay, now things get weird. I want to start kicking with my shins, since MT seems to do a pretty good job at beating people up, I'm trying to work my shins into useable condition. Keep in mind I have a tree that I hit. That's going to suck on my shins, so I'm rubbing them with a thick stein-ish glass in order to kill off some of the nerves and make this workable. When I think they're fit, I'll start trying them out.)

I already do TKD (part of the reason I'm so poor. Curse you contracts. Curse you!) So my legs get a good work out. I really wanted to ask about the rubbing my shins deal, but I also want to know some advice from more experienced people than me. Some guy I know and work with did JJ for about 7 years, and he said that a good way to build up shin callousness was to rub a beer bottle on the front of your shin to kill of nerve endings or something. Is this an idiotic idea? Is it the best thing since grilled cheese? Why do you sign a contract when you're so poor? I don't know these things. But I'm hoping someone here can help me out.

tl;dr : I'm a wuss and explain my exercise program. Is good lulz? Need helps plz!

**Uri Shatil** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 7:53pm

punching a tree is a bad idea, methinks, but I could be wrong.

**MSphinx** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 8:07pm

Please stop hitting trees; you will only hurt yourself. Even old Muay Thai fighters did not kick trees. They kicked banana 'trees' which are actually a large plant with a stem about as hard as a regular heavy bag.

Just buy a bag.

**cyril** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 8:12pm

Originally Posted by MSphinx

Please stop hitting trees; you will only hurt yourself. Even old Muay Thai fighters did not kick trees. They kicked banana 'trees' which are actually a large plant with a stem about as hard as a regular heavy bag.

Just buy a bag.

How bad would this tree hitting be, though? I can understand it being a pain on my joints, but I'm not yet kicking the tree. I'll find something else by then, but until the kicking commences is it really bad for my hands?

(there's gotta be something around here that I can effectively kick....)

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 8:14pm

Yes, it's bad for your hands. No yield = you punch slightly wrong and something will break. Not the tree.

**cyril** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 8:20pm

Originally Posted by JKDChick

Yes, it's bad for your hands. No yield = you punch slightly wrong and something will break. Not the tree.

Then it's time to learn how to bite a bullet on that one. College boy salary is a cruel mistress....

In the mean time, what does anyone think of the bottle rolling on the shins? I want to know before I end up damaging something stupidly.

Thank you for the quick replies, everyone!

**ironlurker** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 8:29pm

Originally Posted by cyril

Then it's time to learn how to bite a bullet on that one. College boy salary is a cruel mistress....

In the mean time, what does anyone think of the bottle rolling on the shins? I want to know before I end up damaging something stupidly.

Thank you for the quick replies, everyone!

Here are four good threads on shins:

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54981

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54981

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50110

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35768

I believe the general consensus from the knowledgeable MT folks here is that the heavy bag is the safest and most practical way to go, and that bottles/bats/trees etc. only reach a small fraction of the surface at a time and can cause future problems.

**cyril** · Posted On: 9/22/2007 9:15pm

Originally Posted by ironlurker

Here are four good threads on shins:

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54981

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54981

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50110

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35768

I believe the general consensus from the knowledgeable MT folks here is that the heavy bag is the safest and most practical way to go, and that bottles/bats/trees etc. only reach a small fraction of the surface at a time and can cause future problems.

Thanks for the links, I probably should've done more of that searching myself. I particularly failed in that respect, but these have helped. Now I just need to find a space to fit a bag...

**MastaFighta** · Posted On: 9/23/2007 12:37am

Originally Posted by cyril

2. Punch tree
(I'm trying to build up knuckle density. I'm using thick wraps, but because it's a tree it still hurts like a bitch... I don't have unlimited resources, so this is the cheap way out of getting a bag. I do a couple of combonations, luckily I already know how to punch pretty well from a teacher who wasn't an idiot.)

Punching a tree on a frequent basis can result in irreversible damage, permanent deformity, frequent breaking of bones within your hand and wrist, loss of feeling, decreased mobility of your fingers and wrist, flattened knuckles, and the list goes on.

The best thing you can do is make your own punching bag, which is fairly cheaper than buying one.