Iron Shirt 2, or Tendon Nei Kung, involves a series of moving postures that stretch and open tendons along the major tendon lines of the body. The major tendon lines that benefit are the pinkie, thumb, and tendons of the wrist. Tendons are connected throughout the body, so these postures create tendon strength and joint opening for the whole being.
This practice also includes a detoxifying method of gently hitting the tendons with a sock full of dry mung beans. Taoists classically used the mung bean hitter to absorb the heat the body produces which cannot be easily processed by the body. After excess heat is removed and the body is detoxified, the tendons are able to absorb higher frequencies of spiritual energy from the Inner Smile, Microcosmic Orbit, Fusion and Healing Love practices.
Two rattan sticks are taped together and used to detoxify the skin, nervous, and lymphatic systems. The sticks do not penetrate as deeply as the metal wire hitter, so their focus is not the bones but the layers of the skin. The rattan hitting practice is called ‘ringing the golden bell’ because the skin takes on a glowing, vibrant hue after being detoxified in this method.