Take the 40 Day Shaolin Warrior Challenge

At the Shaolin Temple, our masters told us that it took 40 days before any lasting change would happen in our mind and body. Buddha sat for 40 days under the Bodhi tree before he gained enlightenment. Jesus and Mohammed fasted for 40 days before they went back into the world to share their teachings. Scientists have found that after 40 days, you can change the neural pathways in your brain to make lasting change.

If you are just starting out, or have been working with my DVDs for many years and want to reinvigorate your practice and transform your mind and body into a Shaolin Warrior then the 40 day challenge is for you.

It's 40 days of putting a stronger emphasis on your practice, of training more than you usually would - which may mean getting out of bed an hour earlier - , training 6 days a week, and doing some additional mind training throughout the day. After 40 days you will see a significant change in your mind and body.

The DVDs that you use are down to what level you are. You will need at least 1 kung fu DVD and at least 1 Qigong DVD or book as well as the Instant Health Bamboo or metal brush.

These are my 9 Guidelines to your 40-day challenge

Attitude Of Mind

Train where you are with what you have. The beauty of Shaolin is that apart from the bamboo brush, you don't need equipment. You just play my DVD and follow the training. You can follow it in a small flat or outside in the park. All you need is one thing, faith that you can do it.

Surrender to the teachings

One thing that slightly irritates me is the amount of questions I get asked by my Western students. I know that your education is different to mine but coming from a Zen Temple we put the emphasis on practice. If I asked my Master so many questions he would beat me! The more answers that I give, the more I take away from your own experience. Everything you seek is in the teaching if you can only surrender to it.

Practice AM & PM

In the midst of your busy life it's difficult to train twice a day but for the next 40 days this is what you must do in order to progress. Even if you only have 10 minutes in the morning, do a little Qigong and stretching and this will help your day flow better while reminding you that you are training to be a Shaolin Warrior. I like my main training to be in the morning, this sets me up for the day; I then do Qigong in the evening to revitalize my body and give me a deep and peaceful sleep. Find the way that is right for you.

Be A Shaolin Warrior In Your Life

Breath is the key that links the mind and the body. It's the key to a powerful martial art's practice.  A Shaolin Warrior is grounded and focused so keep reminding yourself to breathe throughout the day. If you have a digital watch, you can set a few alarms or get it to beep on the hour as a reminder for you to stop and breathe.

Eat Right

Check out my blog post about food. For these 40 days put an emphasis on eating well. Make sure you eat a big breakfast every day, don't drink any sugar drinks or eat processed food. Try to cook your own food.

Stay Connected

Doesn't matter whether you are religious or not, the experience of martial arts is an exchange with the Universe. The breath we breathe does not belong to us. The strength we gain comes not just from our practice but also from the teachings. We feel more connected to some things then others. You're reading this blog which means you are probably more connected to Shaolin training. Once you train you become part of the Shaolin Family. If I meet anyone from the temple, we call each other brothers unless I am older than him then he calls me Shifu. The West has more emphasis on being an individual. This is fine but don't use your martial arts to bolster your ego, use it to become a person of real strength who has the confidence to be humble.

Train Intelligently

The beauty of Shaolin is in its many exercises. What do I practice every week? The five basic kicks, the five stances, some traditional kicks and punches, bag work, pad work, exercises from my Circuit training and Bootcamp DVDs followed by Qigong.  Once you know the exercises from my DVDs, mix it up so that your body never gets used to any workout, this means your body will never get lazy and you will always be working to your optimal.

Let Your Body Become Your Doctor

 The more you train the more your body will naturally start to heal itself. Foods you used to be able to eat you will longer be able to eat, don't worry about this, this is natural. Your body has always talked to you but you are finally tuning into your body so that you can listen. This can only happen if you practice Qigong. You are not practicing Shaolin if you don't practice Qigong. Shaolin is like a bird; it needs two wings to fly.

Schedule Your Challenge

Write in your diary the day you will start. Throughout the 40 days make a note of the changes that you experience as well as what happens to your fitness levels. How many press-ups and squats can you do now? How many can you do after 40 days? How flexible are you now?  How flexible after 40 days? How about your focus and your peace of mind? Shaolin is as much about the mind as it is about the body.

Join the new Facebook page I've made for people training with my DVD so that you can join with your fellow Shaolin Warriors to share your journey and support each other. 

Remember. Great mind and bodies are not born that way, they are trained.  

 www.shifuyanlei.com

How To Train Yourself Out Of Negativity

Every martial artist trains to conquer themselves, knowing that there are no real enemies outside the mind. Whether our martial art is kung fu, karate, chanting or sitting meditation, our aim is not to control others but to be such masters of our mind and body that all we have to do is control our own mind and all of our negative emotions are banished. Anger, despondency, hatred, a lack of desire to do things are all replaced by mental strength and stability.

We give up many things in order to train but we are prepared to endure hard training, boredom and lack of time in order to perfect our art, and achieve the end goal, which is to have victory over the enemy of our mind.

Our training puts us in touch with the positive side of our mind, the mind that lets go, the mind that doesn't think in endless circles, the mind that is spacious and flows.

This plants a seed of peace. The more we train, the more it grows. As the great Indian master, Shantideva said,

How could you find enough leather

To cover all of the earth's surface?

Just enough leather to cover your feet

Is like having enough to cover the whole earth

So whenever you feel angry, upset or worried, pause for a moment, tell yourself I'm not going to give into it. As soon as you can, train yourself out of your problem, train yourself out of anger, train yourself out of worry. You are doing one of the hardest things in the world, and one of the most honourable. Keep planting the seed of peace.

Want to train with Shifu Yan Lei?

Circuit Of Change

Some people call circuit training a shortcut to fitness. It burns up to 30% more fat than a typical workout, while rapidly elevating fitness levels. If you're a runner and you mix in circuit training, you'll find an improvement in your long distance times. 

Many people ask me if I do weight training. I don't. My Shaolin Circuit Training DVDs are the main workout I do on a daily basis. These DVDs are designed for fit busy people who want results fast. Combining push ups with punches while keeping the heart rate elevated means the muscle are being constantly challenged.  If you're pushed for time then you'll achieve more from circuit training than any other type of exercise. 

Shaolin Circuit Training combines cardio and strength training into 9 tough interval circuits.  The level of intensity depends on how hard you push yourself but you should be working at an uncomfortable level of exertion the entire time. How many punches can you do in round one? How many kicks can you do in round five? How about the final round? It's a good idea to make a note of this so you can track your improvement.

Alternate between the Circuit Training Volume 1 and 2 on different days so you're focusing on building the strength of your arms or legs and improving the skill of your punches and kicks. I recommend you alternate these two DVDs twice a week and then, if your doing 5 or 6 workouts a week, do any volume from Shaolin Bootcamp or Shaolin Workout. If you've more time then you don't need to follow the Qigong at the end of the DVD but can do your favourite Qigong followed with the Instant Health Massage. And remember, even though you're out of breath, it's still the breath of Qi. Training in Shaolin means everything we do is a meditation. Even circuit training.

Shaolin Circuit Training is not suitable for beginners.

 Shifu Yan Lei teaches a graded path to Shaolin. Click for more details

How To Master The Shaolin Forms And Why You Should

Shaolin Forms. What's the point of them?  Haven't they had their day? Aren't there more efficient ways to exercise the body? Not if you want to awaken every cell in their body.

Awaken The Body

Shaolin Forms teach the many muscle groups in our body to work together. They are the only exercise I've come across where every muscle is engaged and you're simultaneously building flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and power. These ancient forms come from nature, they awaken the body, helping us to let go of our small self and experience a connection with the very fabric of the Universe. They then teach us how to move in our modern life, whether that's carrying our groceries home or climbing the stairs to the subway. Everything becomes part of our training: total mind-body wellness

Circuit training in the gym consists of squats with weights, press ups, and lunges.  There's nothing wrong with this kind of training but it looks monotonous and doesn't have the gracefulness of the Shaolin forms. Shaolin forms work the legs as hard as any squat or lunge and there's a purpose to it, both self-defence, strength and for the health of the mind and body.

Realize Your True Potential 

Shaolin challenges us physically and mentally to prepare us for the physical and mental challenges that arise as we go through our life. They help us deal with the challenges of modern life, benefiting us mentally and physically from realizing our body’s true, natural potential.

Shaolin Forms need to be practiced thousands of times for them to become really yours. They need to feel almost like you own the form, it's then that you've mastered it. Break the form down, practice a bit of it, slow it down, speed it up, do it with your eyes closed and see how it feels. Work on the stances, check them in the mirror. Listen to your breathing and forget about the movement, when you're standing in a queue, can you still remember the form?

Health is your Birthright

I've seen my students transform into alert, confident, strong, grounded people with the confidence to go after what they want.  Shaolin forms re-align the body, mind and spirit. Your new normal becomes healthy, flexible, strong and centered. This, I believe, is your birthright. 

Shifu teaches forms in The Way of Qigong Volume 1,2,3, Shaolin Workout, 1 & 2,  Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity and Rou Quan.