Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

Although I started at the age of 10, back in 1967, my Sifu did not allow the training of such until the age of 15-pending. Gungs (practices) were extremely repetitious and boring. So much that people nowadays could never have the discipline and dedication to continue. My Sifu had a special, family receipe for tit da jau (dit ja jow-which means-Iron Hitting Wine/Potion). I am not going to get into the specifics other than my palms in the first phase, got really red, buring sensation, and a "itchy" feel. The second phase, more contusions. The third phase, skin was peeling, thus a sanguineous result will happen and the hands could not close to make a fist. Lastly, there were hitting tests, to determine if all phases were properly trained. These hitting tests ranging from hitting certain objects and breaking, and were not to be done on a continuous basis. After 15 years of this, there were no extremely noticable side effects. Until another 10 years after that, hands were hurting constantly. A occidental-medical doctor was amazed to see how "old" and painful, my hands are, for such a person my age. He had made a verbal thought I had did hard labor somewhere. I see my Sifu, which is a Chinese ji sang (yi song-a.k.a. physicians), for the local Chinese culture, for treatment instead of the doctor whom I had seen, as I had mentioned, whom only wanted to prescribe drugs.

Knowing and feeling what I have now, I would turn back the clock and not do it. It is not neccessary for a modern society that does not need fighting as a way for a livlihood. In other words, unless you plan are going for a specific fighting career, it is a waste of time, because in time, it will not be needed as you get older and conflicts become less to "0".