KUNG FU FORMS, TAI CHI AND QIGONG FORMS
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LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT THE WHOLE YEAR
of my Shaolin Kung Fu Training in China
SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR
Shaolin Kung Fu Training in China
I have to say that over time my attitude towards practicing Kung Fu changed a lot. Firstly, the results after training intensively over 9 months weren’t as impressive as I expected.
What I have learned were:
- forms,
- skills with the sword,
- skills with staff,
- ability to do kick up and head flip,
- being more powerful in my punches and kicks,
- having better expression, being more relaxed and confident during performances.
Forms that I have learned during
1 year at Shaolin Kung Fu School in China
English Mandarin Pinyin
when I started to learn a Form/ how long it took me to learn it
SHAOLIN KUNG FU FORMS 少林功夫 [shàolín gōng fu]
1. Shaolin Five Steps Form 少林五步拳 [Shàolín Wŭ Bù Quán]
2nd week/ 3 days
2. Shaolin Continuous Fist Form 少林连还拳 [Shàolín Lián Huán Quán]
3rd week/ 3 days
3. Staff Form 阴手棍 [Yīn Shǒu Gùn]
4th week/ less than 4 weeks
4. Tongbei Fist Form 通辈拳 [Tōng Bèi Quán]
8th week/ 5 classes
5. Kung Fu Broadsword Form 自选刀 [Zì Xuǎn Dāo]
end of December, middle of the 3rd month / 7 weeks
6. Kung Fu Fan Form 功夫扇 [Gōng Fu Shàn]
3rd week of March, 5th month / 6 weeks
7. Xiao Hong Fist Form 小洪拳 [Xiǎo Hóng Quán]
1st week of June, middle of 8th month/ 5 classes
8. Guo Jia Shaolin Grading Form 国家规定拳 [Guó Jiā Guī Dìng Quán]
2nd week of July,beginning of 10th month/ 4 weeks
TAI CHI FORMS 太極拳/太极拳 [tàijíquán, tai chi chüan]
1.Tai Chi 24 Form 24式太極拳 [èrshísì Shì Tàijí Quán]
3rd week of October, 1st week of my stay at school/ 5 days
2. Tai Chi 32 Form 32式太極拳 [sānshí’èr Shì Tàijí Quán]
2nd week/ 5 days
3. Tai Chi 42 Form 42式太極拳 [sìshí’èr Shì Tàijí Quán]
3rd week/ 5 days
4. Tai Chi Sword 42 Form 42式太极剑 [sìshí’èr Shì Tàijí Jiàn]
4th week/ 3 weeks
5. Long-Tasseled Sword Form 式长穗剑 [Shì Chángsuì Jiàn]
3rd week of February, beginning of 5th month/ 5 weeks
6. Tai Chi Fan 52 Form 太极扇 – 52式 [Tàijí Shàn – wŭshíèr Shì]
3rd week of April, beginning of the 7th month/ less than 2 weeks
7. Tai Chi 85 Form 85式太極拳 [bāshí’wŭ Shì Tàijí Quán]
4th week of June, beginning of 9th month/ 3 weeks
QI GONG FORMS 气功 [qì gōng]
1.Eight steps Qi Gong 八段錦 [Bā Duàn Jǐn]
2. I Chin Ching; literally: “Muscle/Tendon Change Classic” 易筋經 [Yì jīn jīng]
How My Body And Attitude Changed During
1 Year Shaolin Kung Fu Training in China
My physique was similar. Maybe my arms and legs were more muscular. Maybe I was a bit skinnier than before. But the difference was little.
First few months at school, I was persistent to keep training hard no matter what. I pushed myself over limits. At some point, I realized… it wasn’t fun anymore. I was often unmotivated and exhausted. So I started to push myself less.
Also, I judged my flexibility. Each time I expected my right leg to go beyond 90° flexion. I expected to have better results doing splits. But the improvement was slow and varied depending on the day.
The only rational response was to accept it and keep the expectations hidden and the attitude fresh. Enjoying the training was key, and avoiding comparing myself to the others.
I shut down the thoughts about what I wanted to achieve and focused on the present moment, trying my best, allowing myself to rest but not agreeing to be lazy.
FEW INSIGHTS AFTER GIVING MY BODY A BREAK
After one month of reduced training (2h-4h a day), I come to a few conclusions. Before releasing them, it is worth mentioning that during that time I put attention to how my body felt, what would make me happy, and the training more fun.
- My right leg was much better. It didn’t feel so good since my first month at school.
- My knees didn’t hurt anymore. I could do pubu easily. Consequently, I could work more effectively on building the power of my legs.
- Generally, my body felt much more free and kind of soft/ flexible/ without pain and stiffness anymore – it felt like before, and that feeling, I have to tell this, was amazing.
Because, finally, I could work with my body. I could use the full potential of the power and energy I had on that day. There was not as much pain as usually while doing kicks or jumps. Before, that pain many times didn’t allow me to progress.
- I felt more focused and present during the classes.
- I could train harder.
- I definitely didn’t feel as tired as before.
- Still, I had muscle sourness after some of the classes, and my legs or arms felt stiff.
- I still was getting very tired after the training.
- When I went to the afternoon class, I still needed a nap in a lunch break. At these moments, I felt a bit of laziness giving the word.
- The desire to train more started to build up.
One day, during the afternoon class, I looked around, and I loved what I saw. There were students doing sparring, other training forms, or wooden dummy. I was practicing flowers with the staff.
Again, the realization came to me:
– I am training Shaolin Kung Fu in China! Already one year! I am doing what I always wanted to do – train.
I came to the Shaolin School just to make my body fit and flexible. I never had any bigger inclinations towards martial arts. Dancing was my thing.
And here I was – standing in the middle of the training hall, feeling happy and proud of being in this place with these amazing people. I realized that I liked it – all the fancy weapons, jumps, kicks, the purpose of the movement – defense and fight. I liked it even as much as dancing.
I WANTED TO TRAIN MORE! I WANTED TO GET BETTER!
MY FITNESS ADVENTURE CONTINUES - KEEP READING
This is the last chapter from my 1st year of Shaolin Kung Fu training in China. My next destination – Kalaripayattu training in India. Continue reading…
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Not for another hour
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