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The Kung Fu Body
One ancillary benefit to developing your martial abilities via kung fu is the high level of physical fitness that comes with it. Should you never use your kung fu in an altercation, the fitness aspect...
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Being Corrected
Mastering kung fu is the mastery of the details that make up the system. Perfection is unobtainable, but the endless pursuit of it is the mantra of most serious martial artists. With this in place,...
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Single Step Movements
Our forms are the dictionary, encyclopedia, and playbook of our martial arts style. Forms were created and improved upon over hundreds of years and generations upon generations of martial artists who...
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Humility
Humility is a key attribute to attaining both a high degree of martial skill and a high degree of martial morality. It is also a very shaolin trait. Our school doesn’t focus on punching (such as...
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Visualizing An Imaginary Opponent
As mentioned before there is “no fat” in your kung fu training. Everything has a purpose and the primary purpose is to develop your martial skills to the highest level possible given the amount of...
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Hard Training – Not for the Faint of Heart
Kung Fu training is hard. Whether it’s your first class or 5,000th class, there is no way to get around it (at least at our school). Intense and consistent physical conditioning is a pre-requisite to...
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Sore Muscles
If you are consistently not getting sore muscles after your workouts, there is a good chance you are not pushing yourself as you should. Powerful punches, fast kicks, low stances, explosive movements...
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Minor Injuries – A Blessing In Disguise
In the course of your training, it is highly possible that at some point you will come to class with some kind of pain from a minor injury. Maybe you slammed your knee on a coffee table or jammed your...
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Self-Study: Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
Like push-ups, pull-ups (and chin-ups) are an outstanding upper body workout that can really benefit your overall level of fitness and kung fu training. Unlike push-ups, however, they do require a...
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Developing Martial Fluency… Like Learning To Play A Musical Instrument
There are many reasons to train, but for most, the ability to defend oneself with a high degree of skill is the most compelling. Our school teaches fighting arts that were created by martial geniuses...
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Low Stances
One phrase you will likely hear over and over again is, “Stances Down!” There is good reason for this. Very low stances may not be needed in an encounter, but practicing very low while training will...
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Don’t Rush Your Training
Each student learns at their own pace. Some have the ability to not only learn quickly, but to seemingly ingrain the movement upon learning it. It’s possible for this to happen, particularly for more...
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How Often Should I Train?
The question of “How often should I train?” might not be asked out loud, but has probably been thought by many students thru the years. In our modern world where a high level of martial arts skill is...
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San Shou – Punch to Hit!
San Shou is the practice of taking martial techniques embedded in the forms and applying them against attacks from a somewhat cooperative opponent. Its purpose is to learn how various techniques are...
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Sparring – High-Low/Low-High Principle
Whether you find yourself sparring someone with greater or lesser skill, one basic principle to employ is that of high-low and low-high. It will be difficult for beginners to grasp this as they are...
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Exercise – Good For The Brain, Too!
Most students feel absolutely invigorated and refreshed after a vigorous class. Scientists are finding that physical exercise – like those in done at our school – combats stress, facilitates memory...
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Failing a Rank Test
When you are told you may test for the next rank, it means that you have learned sufficient forms, techniques, and skills to potentially pass that test. However, there are two things you need to do to...
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Training at Home
“A day of missed training can never be recovered.” This thought has been echoed by Kung Fu masters for generations. There is no question that the more time you spend intently practicing your art the...
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The Components of Martial Skill – Power, Speed, Endurance, and Technique
Power is something that most everyone can develop. Proper breathing (timely exhaling during the execution of a strike), whole body strength (a firm rooting to the ground, strong and loose muscles, and...
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Wondering If You’re Getting Any Health Benefits From Your Program? So Was I.
When I walked into the Shaolin Kung Fu School for the first time, I wasn’t thinking about my health. My aim was more about self-discovery. Could I develop some new qualities to even a mediocre level,...
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