For generations, Chinese martial artists have kept a bottle of Dit Da Jow in their kit bag. This guide explains what it is, how our students use it, which of our three herbal massage liquids to choose, and how to use it sensibly.
What is Dit Da Jow?
Put simply, it’s a traditional herbal herbal massage liquid rubbed onto the skin after hard training, and it is never taken internally. The name and its history are a story in themselves, which I’ve written up in what Dit Da Jow means. In Wing Chun schools it has always been part of the training culture. It sits alongside good technique, sensible progression and proper rest.
Our three herbal massage liquids
We make our herbal massage liquids in-house here in Halesowen. The recipe was passed down through the Ip Man lineage to my Sifu, Shaun Rawcliffe, and then to me. Each batch is aged for over twelve months before it’s bottled (the full story is in how our Dit Da Jow is made).
The original Dit Da Jow is the everyday bottle; the Iron Palm Dit Da Jow is the one students use around dedicated hand and shin conditioning; and the 50/50 blend mixes the two, which is why most students start there.
If you’re unsure which suits your training, ask me after class. There’s more background on our traditional herbal massage liquids page.
Using it: the short version
A little goes a long way, it’s for external use only, and it never goes on broken skin. If you’re pregnant, have a medical condition or take medication, check with your GP or pharmacist first. Everything else, step by step, is in how to apply Dit Da Jow.
What to pack for training
Herbal massage liquid is only one item. For a typical evening at our centre, a sensible list looks like this:
- A bottle of water.
- Their club T-shirt, plus a warm layer for the journey home in winter.
- A small towel.
- A notebook, or a phone note, for corrections and new terms.
- A plaster or two for minor nicks.
- If they use it, a bottle of jow for when they get home.
Training habits matter more than a bottle
A herbal massage liquid is one small part of looking after your body as a martial artist. The things that make the biggest difference are far less glamorous:
- Good technique. Correct Wing Chun structure means you absorb and redirect force rather than taking it on the arms. Tension and poor positioning cause a lot of strain for beginners, and that usually eases as structure improves.
- Progression. Build up contact and conditioning slowly. Your body adapts to what you do regularly, not to what you do once.
- Rest and sleep. Hard sessions followed by proper rest beat hard sessions every single day.
- Communication. Tell your partner and your instructor if something hurts. Controlled partner work only works when everyone looks after each other.
A few quick answers
Does it smell?
Yes, it has a strong herbal aroma. Most people apply it at home after class rather than before going out for the evening.
Should I use it before class?
Generally not before partner work. It can transfer to your training partner’s arms and hands, and it’s much kinder to apply it afterwards.
I’m thinking about Iron Palm. Where do I start?
With a conversation. Talk to me first, and read my beginner’s guide below. It isn’t something to rush or copy from a video.
Further reading
- Which of our three herbal massage liquids do you need? Which one suits you.
- How to apply Dit Da Jow: amounts, timing and skin care.
- Iron Palm for beginners: a patient, sensible start.
- Conditioning in Wing Chun: wall bag, wooden dummy and forearm work.
Train well
If you’d like to learn Wing Chun properly, with good structure and sensible conditioning from the start, come and try a class with us. Book your free trial class, or read more on our Wing Chun classes in Halesowen page. And if you already train and just want a bottle for your kit bag, you’ll find all three herbal massage liquids in our shop.
Sifu Alan Bagley, Wing Chun Halesowen