A Beginner's Guide To Transforming Yourself Into A Shaolin Warrior

I've had many enquiries from people who haven't done any fitness or martial art's training for many years and have asked me how they can use the Shaolin Workout DVDs to get back into shape. This month I share with you a programme based on Shaolin Workout Volume 1. If you're in okay shape or you want to move up a volume then you can use the same principles for Volume 2 and 3. Please note, that these are guidelines only and you shouldn't undertake a new workout regime without checking with your doctor first. 

The Shaolin Workout - A physical and spiritual overhaul

The Shaolin Workout is designed for the martial artist but it can also be used as an exciting fitness regime. The beauty of Shaolin Kung Fu is that it carries us through each phase of our life, boosting our metabolism, helping our heart and increasing our flexibility and coordination.

Welcome To The Class

The DVD is designed exactly the same as the beginner's class so it's perfectly normal if you struggle to follow it. If you come to my class, you wouldn't be able to follow it either and neither would I expect you to. I also don't slow the class down for you. I advise you to do what you can and do a little bit more each time until you can follow the whole class in one go.

If you're seriously unfit then before you undertake the Workout I advise you to do Qigong and combine this with walking then jogging. Only when you can jog for a full twenty minutes would I say it's okay for you to join my class. And remember, you should always check with your doctor first before beginning any workout programme to make sure that it is suitable for you. These instructions are for guidance only. If you experience any pain or dizziness then stop immediately and seek professional advice. 

The instructions below are meant to be used with the Shaolin Workout Volume 1 DVD so press play and let's get started.

Stamina Training

Your class with me begins with Shaolin Circuit Training. This anaerobic training consists of short bursts of intense exercise. It's very demanding but research has shown that it's one of the most effective ways to build fitness levels and lose weight. 

We begin with press ups. The quality of the press up is more important than the amount of press ups. In the time it takes us to do 10 press ups you do 3. It's the same with the horse stance squats. Keep your back straight and make sure your alignment is correct ( see p128 of my book Instant Health for details of alignment). As we do ten, you do five. Same applies for running. Keep your stomach muscles engaged and instead of doing 100 do 10 or 25. You will get out of breath, you will sweat, your face may get a little red but keep your body relaxed. One of the things we tend to do when the going gets tough is tense up. But this uses more energy. Think of yourself as relaxed as a great boxer or an Olympic runner. 

Stance Training

If you're totally new to martial arts then I recommend you go through the stances in my Instant Health book first. Correct alignment is crucial. If you are older, have back problems or you haven't exercised in a while then keep the stances much much higher than myself and my students. You will still gain the benefit of the stance. These stances build strength, flexibility and coordination. Getting the stances correct is the secret to getting the Shaolin forms perfect so follow them at your own pace. Speed is not important. Getting them right is.


Combination Training

If you are totally new to training then skip this chapter and move onto stretching. As you begin to find the class easier and easier then you can factor in the combination training later on. 

Stretching

Pause the DVD for each section and take more time for each part of the stretching. This is a time to listen to your body rather than my instruction. Breathe into your stretch and tune into your body to see how far you can go. Please don't be put off by the splits. The splits not only stretches the legs but it also opens the hips too so it's good to aim for the splits and not to worry if you are miles away from the floor. 

Five Basic Kicks

The kicks are another way of increasing flexibility and opening the hips. The Shaolin Way To Flexibility is to use stretching first then power afterwards. This gives a different quality to our stretch. A person who practices yoga may be flexible and able to kick high but their kick will have no speed or power. If you are a martial artist then speed and power are vital. The muscles enjoy being used in different ways. It is good for them.  Do five of each kick rather than ten of each. Take your time and keep your kicks low but straight rather than high with a bent leg.

Maximize Your Power

One of the secrets to retaining energy and having powerful kicks and punches is to stay relaxed and only use power at the end of the kick or the end of the punch. Another trick is to imagine that there's an opponent in the room with you. You don't want to show them how tired or out of breath you are so you need to find ways to control yourself. 

Mixed Level Training

This is another chapter you can leave out until you are able to do the rest of the DVD. Go straight to Qigong. If you have time then run through the whole Eight Treasures Form from Instant Health or The Way Of Qigong Volume 1 then finish with the Instant Health self-massage. This will calm your body down, help your Qi to flow properly, oxygenate your internal organs and you make you feel energized and relaxed. 

Track Your Progress

It's a good idea to make a note of how many press ups, squats and runs you do each time so that you can see how much progress you made.  You'll be surprised at how quickly you progress. And it's not all about the external, it's about the changes that you are making internally. Alongside your growing fitness, you'll find your confidence growing too. I've had many students who have made changes in their life that they've always wanted and their regular Shaolin Workout has helped them to make them.

How Many Times A Week?


If you're training as a martial artist then you need to train 6 days a week, for health and fitness, four times a week is fine. Make sure you keep surprising your body, read my blog post: Are You In A Workout Rut to find out more, and add in some kung fu running from my  youtube video.

When are you ready to move up a class?

Don't get too comfortable. It's good to vary your routine. Once you know the moves and can go through the DVD then you can start to work with Volume 2 and alternate the workouts.

The key to stay motivated is to keep a regular routine.  There has to be a very good reason for you not to do it. Tiredness and not enough time are excuses not valid reasons. Track your progress, stay relaxed and enjoy your training. This is time for you. Forget life and family pressures. By taking time out, you will be able to handle the stress in your life in a much calmer way. You are transforming yourself into a Shaolin Warrior. And rememeber, Shaolin Warriors come in all shapes and sizes.


The Shaolin Workout Bundle: Volume, 1,2 & 3 

The Shaolin Way To Happiness

The Buddha said the one thing we all seek is happiness. And my martial art's practice is one of my greatest sources of happiness. The ancient movements of Qigong and Kung Fu that were practiced by monks and nuns thousands of years ago on the mountains of China, give me a feeling of calm and happiness. And I can see that my students feel the same way so I have been interested to read some research that may help us understand why we feel so happy when we practice.

Aerobic exercise triggers brain growth

Recent research by Cambridge University scientists have shown that aerobic exercise stimulates the growth of new brain cells and improves the memory and ability to learn. The study was conducted on two groups of mice, one which had unlimited access to a running machine and the other which did not. The mice were put through a series of memory tests, and the mice that had been running were almost twice as successful as the sedentary mice, which got steadily worse as the tests progressed. Researchers are not yet clear on exactly why exercise triggers the growth of brain cells, but speculate it may be because exercise increases blood flow, or because it elevates certain hormone levels. Exercise has long been known to reduce stress and help with alleviating depressions and this may be because it reduces the level of the hormone cortisol. 

Martial Art’s gives us greater aerobic ability

Research by the British Journal of Sport’s Science shows that people in their forties and fifties who regularly practice martial arts have greater aerobic ability, balance, flexibility, muscle endurance, strength and less body fat than the sedentary controls matched for age and sex.

Meditation has a positive effect on mental health 

On-going research on the brain demonstrates that it can learn, adapt and re-sculpture itself on the basis of experience and training. Just as London cab drivers' grey matter enlarges and adapts to help them store a detailed mental map of the city, a meditator's brains change and adapt. Scientists are starting to become aware of what Shaolin Monks have known for centuries – meditation has a positive effect on mental health. Several neuroscientists in the US have stated that meditation increases brain activity in the areas of the brain controlling emotion, happiness and enthusiasm. Meditation can help us to feel calmer and happier and more understanding of other people.

Martial Arts Is Not Just For Martial Artists

Meditation used to be only practiced by those engaged on a strict religious path, yoga used to be practiced only by Indian Yogis but today, people from all walks of life practice, and more and more people will take up the practice of martial arts. Shaolin martial arts combines aerobic exercise with Qigong and meditation in one fully combined unit, targeting the mind as well as the body. It not only gives us an aerobic workout but it also helps us to relax, focus and maintain balance. 

Yin and Yang Training 

The Shaolin Temple have always emphasized the importance of Yang training (aerobic) which Yin training (Qigong). If a person only does one then they will not gain full benefit of the health they can achieve. Yin and Yang are like the two wings of a bird; we need both so we can fly. 

Qigong not only increases the potency of our martial arts or aerobic activity, it also lengthens our martial art’s life. Of course, an older person doesn't need to train as hard as a young person but they still need to train. It’s down to the crucial percentage factor. How much Yin training and how much Yang training. And I explain this in more detail in my book Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity.

So if you ever feel you don't have enough time to exercise, remind yourself that taking time out for your workout gives you more time. And make sure you do Yin and Yang training to get the most out of your workout. 

The best time to start training? NOW!

Five Ways To Tune Up Your Metabolism

Metabolism tends to slow down as we get older but there are many health and wellness factors we can control to keep it well tuned so that we can continue to maintain a healthy weight and have optimal energy through every stage of our life. These are my five top tips from the Shaolin Temple as to how to keep your metabolism running smoothly.


1) Do Qigong

Qigong regulates the bodies energy. If a person's metabolism is too fast, it will slow down, if it's too slow, the body will shift accordingly. If you're not sure whether you believe in Qi, then take a look at the research some scientists did on my Qigong.

If you're still not convinced then think that you're oxygenating your inner organs. Getting fresh oxygen into the body can't be a bad thing. After going through The Eight Treasures form you'll feel relaxed and have more energy. Relaxation alone helps  balance the metabolism. A happy mind makes a happy body.

2) Do Shaolin Kung Fu

Studies show that interval training can increase metabolism if done at least three times a week. It not only builds endurance but interval training means muscles use more oxygen and burn more calories. Shaolin Kung Fu is the ultimate interval training workout not only for martial artists but for anyone who wants to get fighting fit and feel confident. It's cheap, effective and it means we don't need to do a separate cardio from our weight training because we use our own body as the weight. (If you are new to exercise, elderly or haven't exercised in a while then interval training may not be for you and you need to read my beginner's guide to the Shaolin Workout first, which you can find in my newsletters. )

3) Include protein at every meal

Protein takes longer for the body to break down than carbohydrates or fruit and vegetables so you burn more calories when digesting it. Protein is an important factor for Chinese medicine and can include pulses and beans, tofu, fish, poultry as well as meat.

4) Drink green tea

The village where I made my Qigong Volume 2 and 3 and Rou Quan DVDs all drink a very special tea which is known as kung fu tea. This is not because it has anything to do with kicking or punching but because there is a traditional ceremony involved in the making and serving of the tea which takes time - gung in Chinese -. This tea is the explanation the people in this village give for being slim and healthy. A recent study backs up their explanation. It has found that the antioxidants in the green tea may stimulate the body to burn calories and decrease fat. Try to drink a few cups of good quality tea a day.

5) Meditate

Cortisol is the hormone that's produced by the body when it's stressed, this hormone slows metabolism, stimulates appetite, and can increase fat. If you don't have time to meditate then use your Qigong practice as a meditation. Do the standing Qigong ( Qigong 1 or 3) in the day then the sitting Qigong ( Way of Qigong 2) for five or ten minutes in the evening to help unwind before you go to sleep.