We've talked about it,so let's get the opinions out on the table. What is karate conditioning to you?
I've got conditioning from knuckle pushups on the road,punching and kicking the heavy bag. I've also broken concrete blocks and boards which required a little conditioning of my hands,but more technique.
Should our knuckles be protruding calouses? I don't think so. I think proper conditioning comes with proper karate.

IMO this is a very important part of ones training, i do the following -

makiwara, 3 times a week at home
heavy bag, 2 times a week at the dojo
specific basic strength training, 2 times a week at home
endurance routine, 2 times a week at home

in class we do some forearm pounding on occasion.

To me its all part of pactical karate training and I enjoy this aspect along side my technical training.

When I train with someone who doesnt do any conditioning it is fairly obvious.

Running, yes.

Punching and kicking the bag, yes.

Hitting the abs with a medicine ball is good too.

But caloused knuckles? No way. Quite frankly, I fail to understand this concept of conditioning the hands.

The biggest risk to your hands in a fight is dislocating the knuckles, breaking the hand or some other such injury. I fail to see where any of the so-called hand conditioning techniques helps prevent either of those injuries. I've yet to hear one legitimate explaination of how slamming your hands into a makiwara board or anything else is of benefit to you.

first of all the callouses on the hands are a sign of wrong training.
secondly conditioning should be done to all body parts. In china for instance there are masters that train their faces to absorb punches.
thirdly what u use after the conditioning process is more important the the training in itself, important to prevent and adapt the body (adaptogen)
The masters that i know (some pretty known) do not have sign whatsoever of callouses.
Why people do not condition their body (while in very old books is written to do) making their karate ineffective?? Because it is a very lenghty process, it requires consistency, correct information, correct liniments and willingness to experience pain in the process of adaptation.
In one of its books Prof Draeger warned that no matter how good is a techniques if there is not a proper conditioning training
Gambatte

Hi Big Rod,

You said -

'The biggest risk to your hands in a fight is dislocating the knuckles, breaking the hand or some other such injury. I fail to see where any of the so-called hand conditioning techniques helps prevent either of those injuries. I've yet to hear one legitimate explaination of how slamming your hands into a makiwara board or anything else is of benefit to you.'

Ok well lets change that, I started makiwara training (in addition to heavy bag) over a year ago and i now have considerably stronger hands when punching, from fist formation through to wrist strength on impact (including 'sharper knuckles'). I dont have
particulary caloused knuckles as I trian a well padded, leather target with a proper makiwara post (it has give), however it is fair to say my front 2 knuckles seem to be more solid, difficult to explain.

Obviously this is just my expieirence, however it is very real, I have no reason to mislead anyone. i do follow the advise of a practioner who has been training for more than 30 years with the makiwara, his instructor proberly for 50 years plus! They have no problems and i trust their expierience. it doesnt replace the heavy bag but it does compliment it superbly.

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I've yet to hear one legitimate explaination of how slamming your hands into a makiwara board or anything else is of benefit to you.

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The most popular way of training with the seiken is to make use of a makiwara, a thick post covered with rice straw. The makiwara also, incidentally, may be used in strengthening the sword hand (shutō), the elbows and the knees. I think I am in no way exaggerating when I say that practice with the makiwara is the keystone in the creation of strong weapons.

Gichin Funakoshi
Karate-Dō My way of life

Big Rod have you ever used a proper makiwara.
regards maki

I do knuckle push ups on just about any surface. I don't have big calouses on my hands accept for my palms from doing pull ups. I hit my heavy bag I a lot use thin gloves sometimes but most of the time I don't. I do forearm pounding as well with a partner not a conditioning hammer. I feel that medium contact sparring is the best conditioning.

I thought you also trained al fresco, in all weather. Surely that counts toward conditioning.
Personally, I do knuckle push ups, heavy bag for hands, knees, elbows, feet and head, (yes I practice head butting) makiwara for hands, (never really thought of using it for elbows etc.) and if I'm training with a partner, we punch hell out of each others abs while doing sit ups.
I want my body ready for when it needs to be but I don't want to scar myself. My hands are particularly important to me because I also play guitar and wouldn't want to impede that with busted up knuckles and arthritis. I done enough damage to them when I was younger.

150 Crunches.
Charts 1&2.
Bag work,Especially with whip kicks.
kata.
Punch box of sand,Then makiwara.
Work with the Chiishi
Half hour of cardio.
Bunkai.

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I thought you also trained al fresco, in all weather. Surely that counts toward conditioning.

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Yes,I suppose it does toughen the body more.

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if I'm training with a partner, we punch hell out of each others abs while doing sit ups.

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We do this as well.(don't tell steyr scout )

Also 'shime' when doing sanchin is good conditioning.