Traditional martial arts have long used specialized tools to develop functional power and strength, such as:

• Wooden ear plates (木耳牌 muk yi paai) and stone ear plates (石耳牌 sek yi paai)
• Stone locks (石鎖 sek so)
• Stone barbells (石擔 sek daam)

As effective as these tools are, many are difficult to obtain in the West—and even in China today. As a result, many functional martial artists switch to more widely available training tools, such as kettlebells, barbells, and dumbbells. Continue reading →