Makiwara

The makiwara (巻藁) is a padded striking post used as a training tool in various styles of traditional karate.

The makiwara is one form of hojo undō, a method of supplementary conditioning used by Okinawan martial artists.

A poor punch will bounce off the makiwara if the body is not in a position to support the energy generated by the strike.

A round elongated makiwara, traditionally made from rice straw bound with rope, is used by practitioners of kyūdō, Japanese archery.

Historically, the most common type consists of a single 7-to-8-foot-long (2.1 to 2.4 m) post driven into the ground, so that it is approximately shoulder height.

More modern variations of the standing makiwara use a metal or other base;[2] or in some cases a concreted recess into the floor of the dojo.

The average training punch to push the makiwara to a vertical position, or 90 degrees from the ground.

The common makiwara in the Jundokan dojo in Naha, of Eiichi Miyazato are closer to shoulder height.