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Homemade Hojo Undo Equipment Guide

Chi’ishi

Chi’ishi are a fairly simple matter to make: drive nails through a thick dowel, embed in a cup full of concrete. The cheapness of materials is offset by the tremendous benefits of regular use.

Commonly available directions call for the can or cup to be peeled off of the concrete. With the concrete left exposed, the weight tends to chip and crack over time and the business end eventually crumbles.  Coating the exposed concrete with some type of sealant is one option, but this only prolongs the inevitable.

The following recipe is slightly more expensive in time and cost than the stick in concrete method, but the results are worth the trouble and will last far longer.

Materials:
-Empty plastic protein supplement/food service jars
-Hardwood dowels, various diameters
-2 inch screws (treated if possible)
-1 60lb bag quick setting concrete, or concrete patch mixture (Rockite is recommended)
-Drill, drill bit, Phillips head driver

Container
To avoid the problem of chipping altogether, form the chi’ishi in a thick plastic container to provide a durable plastic jacket around the entire mass. Empty protein supplement jars, or bulk condiment containers (used in cafeterias, restaurants) work best and are easy to come by on the cheap. Removing the labels is simple.  Instead of peeling the container off after the mixture sets, leave it on to protect the weight. The lid can be fitted back on around the handle, sealing any loose particles inside.

Weight
Concrete will work fine, but a vinyl-based concrete patch mix is better. It’s formulated to patch holes in concrete floors and set fast enough so that heavy machinery can be moved back into place in a couple hours. It is more resilient than regular concrete and makes a smoother mixture- no lumps of gravel. The stuff pours right in like a milkshake. Rockite is recommended. Visit http://www.rockite.com/default.htm for more info.

Handle
Hardwood dowels are available at hardware stores. Oak is best. Get several- some for larger hands, some for smaller hands, some that are the exact diameter of a jo or bo, if you train with those weapons. Squared pieces of oak are preferable to round, if you have the tools and inclination to shape the grip end. The resultant gripping surface is wider, and the flat end provides more surface area for concrete to secure itself to.

Directions
Have several jars and handle sets ready. Depending on the size bag of concrete or patch mixture, you will be able to make several chi’ishi at once. Make a set of varying handle sizes and weights. This method will make a chi’ishi roughly 12 pounds in weight if patch mix is used, varyingly heavier for concrete.

1. Pre-drill 6-8 holes into the end of the handle at two-inch intervals. The holes should be opposing each other around the sides of the handle. Screw two-inch treated screws into the holes- the handle should now resemble a Mad Max weapon, studded with screws all around. Pre-drilling holes will keep your dowel from splitting, and screws will set more securely in the concrete than smooth nails. 
2. Center the handle in the jar and clamp it in place so that it cannot move from being plumb and centered.
3. Wrap the handle in masking tape prior to this step.   Mix the concrete or patch mixture according to directions on the bag and pour it slowly into the jar, making sure that no pockets of air or dry material are formed. This will be harder to do if the concrete is high in gravel- patch mix is smoother, gently shaking and tapping the jar will ensure good consistency throughout. Pour less mixture to make a lighter chi’ishi. Let it dry for one full day before even thinking about picking it up.
4. After 24 hours, remove the clamps and test the new chi’ishi out.
5. Drill a hole in the center of the lid. Fit the lid back over the handle to the jar. Remove tape from handle and give it a moderate sanding. Apply Tung oil to protect the wood.

Nigiri Game

Yet another use for plastic jars. Make sure that the lids and jars are in good condition. 

Materials:
-Protein supplement/food service jars
-Water or sand

Directions
1. Rinse jars with hot water and soap; vinegar will remove any food odors
2. Fill with water or sand. If so desired, duct tape wrapped around the lid will secure it from coming loose during use. Cord can also be used.
3. When filled with water, the jars will weight approximately 8.5 pounds. Sand may also be used. Drop in scuba weight bags for more fun.
4. Use just like a ceramic or metal pot.

These will not be damaged if they get dropped, but plastic lids will only tolerate so much abuse; checking that lids are tight before each use is advised.

As an aside, the materials used here are in context with historical nigiri gama. Okinawans used discarded storage jars for the training tools, as the people were generally too poor to afford custom made jars. The concept still works well for the broke contemporary martial artist. Buy some protein powder, scoop it into plastic bags, and put the jars to use.

Ishi Sashi

There are a couple of different containers available that can be used to make functional ishi sashi. The simplest uses plastic juice jugs and water. Several companies now sell OJ in gallon size plastic jugs with nice, wide handles that will accommodate an open hand (Tropicana jugs are best). Milk jugs tend to twist under the stresses of use. One gallon of water equals 8 pounds, so filling two jugs will give you a more or less even pair to work with. The  weight is lopsided  in  whichever direction the handle is facing, but this in itself adds a nice challenge.

Materials:
-Gallon size OJ jugs
-Water

Directions
1. Rinse
2. Fill with water/sand, replace lid
3. Place hands through handles, do Sanchin, repeat

Use as with a metal or stone version. Check the lids before each use.

 Or:

Both Folger's and Maxwell House now package coffee in ingenious little plastic containers that suspiciously lend themselves to use as ishi sashi. Folger's can's have a recessed grip that works the fingertips and grip specifically, a bit like a combination nigiri game and sashi. Maxwell House's containers take the prize though- they are exactly the same basic size and proportion as the stone sashi of old and the modern equivalents used in extant Chinese arts. If you're not a coffee fan, raid the recycling bins of sympathetic friends and neighbors to make a complete set.

Directions:
-Rinse containers and fill with concrete or Rockite. A rolled up piece of hardware cloth in the center will give the mixture something to bind to and prevent cracking over time. Tap the Maxwell House containers to ensure that the mixture fills the handle space evenly. Allow 48 hours for a full cure, use as with a stone or metal version. 

Sagi Makiwara

The sagi makiwara is mentioned in a number of texts. Most accounts describe it as a bundle of straw and rope one to two feet in length, not unlike a modern speed bag. This variant is roughly the same size, and can be made from extremely cheap everyday materials. The result is a highly usable, portable and durable ‘bag’ that will only respond to well-delivered strikes and provide a surprising amount of resistance.

 
Materials:
-2-liter soda bottle
-1/2” diameter washer
-Nylon rope1/4-1/2 inch diameter
-Foam padding materials
-Duct tape
-Power drill, bit, Phillips head driver
-Water

Directions
1. Rinse out the empty soda bottle
2. Drill a hole in the bottle cap
3. Thread the rope through the cap. Thread the washer onto the rope inside of the cap. Knot the end of the rope securely so that the washer is held firmly against the inside of the cap. Tighten cap onto the bottle.
4. Padding: wrap foam rubber (1/4-1/2 inch thickness) around the bottle to desired thickness
5. The bottom must be padded as well. Cut a piece that will cover the bottom end and tape it into place with the piece going around the bottle.
6. Wrap the whole length of the bottle with duct tape, leaving the neck and opening free
7. Fill bottle with water within an inch of the opening. Replace cap, and hang from a suitable location, pummel

Leave several extra feet of length on the rope so that the bottle can be raised or lowered. String up several of varying sizes for the challenge of multiple moving targets. Accommodates uppercuts, hooks, jabs, backfists, elbows, forearm strikes, open hand strikes and shin kicks. Do not completely seal up the hole in the cap. Since water does not compress under impact, the slight give provided by this 'release valve' will prevent you from harming your hands, wrists and elbows. 

A correctly aligned punch (connecting with the 1^st and 2^nd metacarpals) will drive the bag straight backwards, whereas one with incorrect connection (on the 4^th and 5^th metacarpals) will cause it to wobble off to one side or another.  Start out easy- the water-filled bottle provides surprisingly firm resistance that will torque an unprepared wrist. Punching the bottle when it is moving towards you creates enough resistance to slow or stop the blow, thus training punches to ‘drive through’ the target in order to produce the desired rebound.

If installed outdoors, a bit of rubbing alcohol will keep the water from freezing in cold weather.

Pole/Ude Makiwara

Recommended only for practitioners shodan or above. Training with this tool requires a patient and gradual period of acclimation- the potential for injury from haste is high. Extensive training with a flat makiwara is a prerequisite- do not begin using this design until you have mastered basic wrist/knuckle alignment.

For further discussion of the history and usage of this design, see:
The Ude Makiwara: A Review of its History, Construction and Usage in the Articles section at www.tkri.net.

Materials:
-Round post of treated lumber or locust, 8’ long
-12” treated lumber 2x4
-4” treated screws
-Power drill, drill bit, Phillips head bit
-Foam rubber padding

Directions
1. If outdoors, the post must be of treated lumber or of locust wood (or other naturally rot resistant wood).

• The post should be 8 feet long and 4-5 inches in diameter. The larger the diameter, the heavier the resistance it will provide. Err on the side of caution.

2. Two cuts must be made down the post lengthwise, making an X shape when viewed from above. This results in four flexible slats each with a resistance similar to a typical makiwara. The slats will also splay outward slightly as the cuts lengthen.

• The cuts should be about 30 inches in length. At least ¼ inch of space is needed between the slats. A chainsaw will provide this in one pass, but a table saw is recommended. Keep the slats as evenly proportioned as possible.

3. Test the slats must be tested for safe resistance. As in a tachi makiwara the wood should give under moderate static pressure.

• To test this, stand in a frontward stance and extend a reverse punch, placing the knuckles firmly against an individual slat.
• Pick up the front leg and lean in to the post: the slat should flex inward under this pressure, but not collapse completely.
• If there is too little give, i.e., the slat does not move at all, increase the depth of the cut. A piece of durable rubber placed in between the slats near the bottom of the cut may resolve the problem by splaying them outward a little bit more. An industrial rubber bushing or piece of an old bumper is a good candidate for this.

  4. Securing this makiwara in the ground is a similar process to installing a regular one, but there are a few additional considerations. It will be hit from all sides, meaning that extra bracing has to be attached to accommodate force coming from all directions instead of just one. This can be achieved using 4” screws to attach lengths of treated 2x4 lumber to the post.

• Cut four braces from a 2x4 to at least a foot and a half long
• Cut two braces at least one foot long
• Pre drill holes through the brace and into the post- this will make screwing into it far easier. Attach two of the long boards horizontally at the bottom of the post, directly opposite from each other.
• A foot or so above these, attach the other two long pieces opposite each other.
• On the two “sides” remaining, attach the foot long boards about halfway in between the longer pairs, opposite from each other. This should provide enough bracing all around to prevent the post from eventually being uprooted under repeated onslaught.

5. To install this makiwara indoors, use a metal mount to secure it to the floor. Dig a rectangular hole two and a half feet deep and wide enough to allow the bracing to fit securely against the solid soil walls on all sides. This will end up being more rectangular than circular. A shovel full of gravel at the bottom will provide drainage as water seeps into the ground around the makiwara’s bottom end.

• Place the post into the hole, making sure that the bracing is somewhat close to the walls. If it does not sit level, add some more gravel until it stays upright.
• Placing several fist-sized rocks tightly around the bottom once the post is in place helps to keep it securely anchored.
• The soil must be packed tightly back around the post and bracing; shovel in a few scoops and then using a tamping bar (a 2x4 end will also work just fine) to pack it down.
• Add some more soil and repeat, adding one layer at a time and packing it. This will result in a much tighter overall fit than simply shoveling it all back in at once.

6. A sheet of ½ inch foam rubber (camping ground mats) wrapped three or four times around the slats will provide a suitable striking surface. Pool noodles will also work well, cut in half lengthwise and taped over the slats convex side down.

• Extra heavy-duty duct tape wrapped around the entire striking area will hold up quite well and cover any seams.

7. Start out slow and light, building intensity over a period of weeks. You will hurt your elbows, wrist and hands without a slow and gradual progression. Pay attention to pain in the hands or elbows. See article for more detailed information.

Note: if this makiwara is installed outdoors, moisture from rain or heavy fog will swell the slats and force them together, negating any give. Wait until the makiwara has dried out to resume training on it.