7 Actionable Tips To Live Your Best Martial Art's Year Ever

Make A Goalless Goal

Shaolin Training doesn't underestimate a person's strength of body and mind. The masters knew how much we could achieve and they wouldn't let us get away with anything less. The first goal young disciples have when they come to the Shaolin Temple is "Never Give Up." Once that statement is made, it's like sitting on a plane and knowing the destination is Beijing. We don't need to think anymore about where we're heading. Our mind is no longer caught up thinking maybe I should head to Chicago or London instead. There's no way we can get off the plane, so we let go and focus on the journey. The goalless goal is another way of simplifying our life.

Brush Your Teeth

Research shows that the brain is pliable. Forget about willpower, it runs out quickly. This is why it's  important to train at least 4 times a week and if possible at the same time. Training like this changes the pathways in the brain and makes training a habit rather than something you have to make yourself do. Do you need to make yourself brush your teeth in the morning?

Sharpen Your Knife

Shaolin Training encompasses the fitness of a fighter coupled with the internal training of a Zen master. You're not training in Shaolin if you don't train both the Yin and the Yang. If you do another martial art, you still need to train in both of these in order to balance your body and prolong your martial art's life. A professional cook must sharpen her knife in order for it to be functional. Qigong is the sharpening of the knife. Kung Fu is the knife being used.

High Intensity Training

High Intensity Training  has been used by Shaolin Martial Artists for hundreds of years. Recent research has shown that high intensity training is a more effective workout than longer moderate workouts. Not only that but high intensity training is the only way to keep your metabolism high for several hours afterwards which means you keep burning calories. Moderate exercise doesn't do this.

Once you're able to keep up with my Shaolin Workout DVDs then you need to move onto Shaolin Circuit Training and Shaolin Bootcamp. Interval training isn't easy. To be effective you must use a large percentage of your aerobic capacity. You need to get your mind to accept new limits by pushing yourself, safely. High Intensity Training challenges the body to it's maximum.

Get Bored

In order to perfect your martial art you need to repeat the same movement thousands and thousands of times. Don't allow pride to get in your way. Practice the movements that challenge you and you find the hardest. You have to work hard, often, and consistently in order to see results.

Stretch Dynamically 

Why are Shaolin monks so flexible? Because we do two types of stretching: static and dynamic. The Shaolin dynamic stretching we do are the five basic kicks, and the five stances from Shaolin Workout 1. This opens the hips and warms up the leg muscles. When our muscles are warm we then statically stretch our legs.  A flexible body is a relaxed body, centered and more in tune with itself. Flexibility improves posture, makes training easier and helps the Qi to flow around the body.

Be A Disciple Of The Bodhidharma

The Bodhidharma taught us how to use martial arts as a meditation. Each person who learns from me, either in person or with my DVDs is also a student of the Bodhidharma. In the West we tend to over complicate things. My master never allowed me to do this. Coming from a Zen Temple meant I wasn't allowed to ask my master many questions because if he gave me answers then they would be his answers and this would cloud my direct experience. Keep  your training simple Combine internal with external, Qigong with Kung Fu. Practice movement and breath, breath and movement, train intelligently, don't over complicate. Just do it. This means you a disciple of the Bodhidharma. This means you are training in Zen.

For more information on the Shaolin Warrior graded series of DVDs click here

3 Essential Ingredients For Powerful Kicks - Part 2

In last week's post I wrote about the 3 essential ingredients, here I show how to make these ingredients work for you. 

Strength
People sometimes think if you want to make your shin and feet strong you need to kick hard things all the time but this is  wrong. If you want to make your leg hard then the first thing you need to do is have good stamina, if you don’t have stamina it’s not possible for your leg to be strong as you won’t have energy. It’s like a car without petrol, it simply can’t move, you won’t be able to lift your leg up or kick therefore you have lost everything.

This is the reason why stamina is so important. After you have gained stamina you then work on your flexibility and then you can work on your speed and power and then you can start on the conditioning training for your leg.

Iron Leg
The best way to warm up is to do the Si Bi Quan form from my Workout One DVD. This form consists of two ingredients: stamp and punch, the more power you can use with the stamp, the more you will build the power of your leg muscles and bone.  This movement is simple and useful. After doing this form you can then start to do bag work.

Kick Bags
It’s best to kick different bags, some hard and some soft so that your body can get used to kicking different weights. Soft bags eat energy and if you have a powerful kick then you have to hold your power otherwise you may get an injury. This is all part of the training.  When you go in the ring, people’s bodies are different, people move differently so it’s best to be as adaptable as you can when you train. Keep changing your combinations and the bags that you work on.

Kick Bamboo
After we have kicked bags we then kick bamboo. Bamboo is better than wood because it is both soft and hard at the same time. If you have ever been into a bamboo forest, then you will have seen the trees bending with the direction of the wind and this is why  they are  incredibly strong.

When you embark on kicking bamboo you have to be careful. Never try this alone but always train under a qualified teacher. You need to have a good understanding of your body, take the training step by step and keep listening to your body.

Qigong
When we do this hard training we also practice Qigong to look after our bodies and our legs. One of our Qigongs is called Bone Marrow Cleansing Qigong because it literally cleans our bone marrow. We use an Instant Health Massage brush to massage ourselves. This is the first step to body conditioning and it is a powerful way to open our meridian channels.

After we have finished our body conditioning we then use traditional medicine. I make my medicine every two years. It comes from a traditional recipe from the Shaolin Temple but there may be slight variations depending on the Shaolin Master's  personal experience and the type of body conditioning that they do. It is very different from fight oil that many fighters use. Fight oil only penetrates the skin where as the body conditioning tincture goes right into the bones and helps to strengthen the bones, helps the blood to flow and protects the skin.

How To Use
All of these ingredients make your leg into a weapon but this doesn’t mean that you know how to use this weapon or that you are a good fighter, it just means that you have a sharp weapon. So the first thing you need to do is link your punch and kick together and learn how to trick people so that you can get through their defenses. How do you fight with different people? Some people have good kicks, others good knee, other good elbows. At the Shaolin Temple we usually choose one good traditional technique and combine that with our fighting punches and kicks. We then spar against many different opponents to test ourselves and hone our skill.


Mind Control
When we fight in the ring, the judge says start and no one knows what will happen. This is why we practice our fighting kicks over and over again and we imagine many different opponents so that we can be ready for anything and even though we have no control of the outcome, in our mind all of our training gives us an inner confidence and this gives us the control.

Fore more information visit: http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/

Shaolin Skype - Making Authentic Shaolin Accessible To All

I am passionate about Shaolin not only as a martial art but also as a powerful tool to help people live longer, be happier, fitter, healthier. I am always looking for ways to help people master the Shaolin Arts and get closer so they can experience the real Shaolin. My aim is to take away any obstacles that may get in the way. This is why I make  books and DVDs. I hope that wherever you are in the world, you feel as if you are training in the temple alongside me.  

When I first came to study at the Shaolin Temple I was confused by the different forms and training. I studied a myriad of different forms before I found the true jewels of the training. My training and experience means your time is not wasted. When you train with me you are being handed my twenty-five years of experience. I only teach what is relevant. Time is precious. I don't want to waste your time in learning something that isn't. This would be a waste of my time too.

In accordance with the Temple of Zen, I aim to teach as clearly and simply as possible but I recognize that as a student's training deepens there may be aspects of the training that can't be answered through my DVDs and books. This is why I am now offering Shaolin Skype sessions.

Who are the Shaolin Skype sessions for?

Do you have a niggling doubt that you may be doing the breathing or some of the movements incorrectly?

Are you struggling to stay motivated and committed to your health and fitness program?

Do you want a personalized program tailored to your health concerns?

Do you want more detailed specific advice?

Is there a martial application that you want to learn that I don't teach in my DVDs?

Suffering from injury and want help in recovering?

If you've answered yes to any of these questions then these sessions may be for you.

How does it work?

A Shaolin Skype class is the same as if you were coming to see me for a one2one. The Shaolin Skype Session last 45 minutes and is available exclusively to subscribers of my newsletter.

What do I need?

A Skype account. If you don't have one already then you can sign up for free.

A web cam.

A Wi-Fi connection.

What do I need to do?

Wear loose comfortable clothing

Be in a quiet private space with phones switched to silence

Log on a few minutes before the designated time

How do I book?

If you haven't already then subscribe to my mailing list

Follow the link to buy a voucher and receive a Shaolin Skype session for £60.00

Once you have made the payment you will receive a pdf gift voucher together with instructions as to how to book.

The vouchers are non refundable and valid for twelve months.

What happens after I've bought a voucher?

You can make an appointment to have a session with me at any time within the next twelve months.

Bookings are made up to three months in advance.

Simply email my team and let them know when you're available.

They will then book you in, and send you a series of questions via email.

Your answers will be strictly confidential and help me to tailor my session for you.

Only subscribers to my mailing list can receive a Shaolin Skype Session. Subscribe today and receive 20% off.

What is Shaolin Kung Fu?

To the uninitiated it’s a martial art. To Shaolin Warriors it’s the Ultimate Training Program


Shaolin Kung Fu History

The Shaolin Temple is the birthplace of Chinese martial arts. Emperors often enlisted Shaolin monks to help them defend their thrones against invaders. As there were no guns or bombs at that time the monks had to use their bodies as weapons. They did this with a combination of Qigong and Kung Fu.


Shaolin Kung Fu Today

These days, we don’t do battle with warlords but low fitness levels or weight gain. Recent 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. Shaolin Kung Fu is not just for martial artists but anyone who wants to maximize their fitness levels.

Kung Fu Tai Chi Qigong – Yin and Yang Exercises

The Shaolin Temple has always believed in the importance of both Yin (internal) and Yang (external) training. The correct balance of Yin and Yang training is one of the keys to health and longevity. This crucial percentage factor is explained in depth in my book: Instant Health: The Qigong Workout For Longevity.

Aerobic exercise helps to prevent illness. It also stimulates the growth of new brain cells and improves the memory and ability to learn. The traditional kung fu training program tap into the innate harmony and energy of our bodies, transforming the exterior look of our body and the interior of our mind. Shaolin Kung Fu students have reported an increase in energy, concentration and confidence through the practice of Shaolin.

Shaolin Kung Fu Gung Fu Gong Fu Kungfu

Kung Fu is a Western misspelling that is so widely recognized today that it is the word most people use to describe Chinese martial arts. The correct spelling is gong fu (pronounced gong foo). Gong means work. In order to master any skill or achieve our goals we need to put time and effort into them.

Martial Arts Workout

My kung fu fitness workout DVDs offer a graded path of training. Designed for the martial artist they can also be used as an exciting fitness regime. The beauty of the Shaolin Workout DVDs is that they carry us through each phase of our life and even though we may not be aware of it now, they will help us into our old age by boosting our metabolism, helping our heart and increasing our flexibility and coordination.

Kung Fu Training

There are many different types of Shaolin kung fu training. I specialise in the most effective methods for fitness and fighting. If martial arts cannot be used in combat then it shouldn’t be called martial arts. Today a lot of Shaolin training has been reduced to little more than gymnastics and traditional forms, and the combative expression is becoming increasingly lost and forgotten. It is vitally important that Shaolin doesn’t lose the heart and authentic tradition of Shaolin Kung Fu.

Kung Fu Aerobic

Being in top shape is the first goal of a fighter. Many people have no interest in fighting or any form of contact sport but they use boxing, kick boxing or martial arts training to give them an exhilarating cardiovascular workout. Chinese Martial Arts combines strength training, flexibility and cardiovascular into one fully contained unit and - alongside Qigong - it is all you need to achieve your health and fitness goals.

Kung Fu Fighting

For the fighter, fitness is your first step towards fighting in the ring. Only when you have excellent stamina do you then have the energy to perfect your fighting techniques. I combine traditional Shaolin with modern fighting techniques and my trained fighters compete in international competitions. A day in the life of his training can be seen on my DVD: Kung Fu Journey.

Kung Fu Meditation

Kung Fu is a holistic workout which gives the mind a workout as well as the body. It’s a totally different experience to running on a treadmill and watching the TV for example. The Shaolin Temple is the birthplace of not only Chinese Kung Fu but also Zen (Chan) Buddhism and the monks use their kung fu training as a pathway to Buddhahood.

Kung Fu Qigong Exercise

The practice of Kung Fu and Qigong can help us to reach the potential in ourselves that we only dreamt of before. Using the powerful life energy that exists inside our body we make ourselves healthy and balanced. If you approach the Shaolin teachings with intelligence and determination you can bring to your life the wholeness, health and inner satisfaction that you seek.

Learn Kung Fu

Whether you want to learn Shaolin in the UK, the USA or whatever part of the world you are in, I provides two simple ways for you to learn Kung Fu with me so that you can start right now.

Kung Fu DVDs – Join The Kung Fu Class

My Shaolin Workout series of DVDs are designed exactly like a kung fu class. When you insert the disc into your DVD player you are stepping into the training hall with me and joining a tradition which is thousands of years old.
The Kung Fu Workout is suitable for the martial artist and the non-martial artist. If you are totally new to Shaolin or you haven’t exercised in a long time, then join my mailing list. My article in the archive entitled: The Shaolin Workout: A Physical and Mental Overhaul guides you step by step through the DVD at a much slower pace.
The other Kung Fu DVDs in the Shaolin Warrior Kung Fu series teach more specific kung fu techniques and are more suitable for martial artists.

Kung Fu London Kung Fu Los Angeles

I also teach privately in Los Angeles and London. And I am currently working on a book: Insant Fitness: The Shaolin Kung Fu Workout. This will be released in 2011.