Last week I uploaded an article to the site that I'd wrote about makiwara training, which was originally published in Combat Magazine in early 2012...

To supplement this piece, I also added a video to my new YouTube channel that showed a some clips of my personal hand conditioning routine...

In the dojo the other day, the subject of utilising the 'non-striking' limb came up with respect to Choki Motobu's famous reference to the term mefutode 'husband and wife hands' (also commonly referred to as 'meotode'). We had an interesting discussion and I thought I'd summarise some of the main points here.

The 'non-striking' limb is often connected to the term hikite (pulling hand), however this pulling action of the limb to help accentuate the accompanying strike is only one of a number of combative functions that the non-striking limb can undertake.

Many people overlook the huge importance of water. An adequate supply is vital for our body and mind to undertake day to day activities and we need to make sure that we drink enough of the stuff in order to function at our peak levels.

If you think about it for a moment, our need for water really comes second only to the air that we breathe. We are comprised of around 70% water and it is required for almost every bodily function including digestion, nutrient absorption, circulation, removing toxins and regulating temperature.

So it stands to reason that if you're undertaking any form of regular physical exercise then the need for water becomes far greater.

In the dojo on Tuesday we had a discussion about performing kata with the correct attitude and the difference in 'faking it' or really 'meaning it'. The consensus was that the attitude with which you perform kata is what makes it uniquely your own and without it, the kata is devoid of any life - it is simply a bunch of movements.

My day started early at 5.30am with some joint mobility, yoga and light stretching. I usually also practice hitting the makiwara in the morning, but I have a knuckle that's still recovering from a tough session a few days ago. Even though it's pretty uncommon now that I fail to pitch the severity of my training correctly, I always make sure that my hands are recovered and free from cuts before striking again - otherwise its counter-productive.

I always enjoy joint mobility training in the morning. It really helps to keep your body healthy and awakens the mind for the day ahead. A focus on joint mobility is rarely emphasised in much of modern day training, but I consider it to be a integral part of my daily regime and essential to the long-term goals of karate.