For many of us, health and exercise is a hot item on our New Year’s resolution list. We tell ourselves, “I’m going to hit the gym!” but either A) Never do it or B) Join a gym and workout for a couple months and then lose the motivation. Why is this?
Let’s face it, exercising at the gym is not particularly exciting, motivating, or challenging. Whether you’re on the treadmill or pumping iron, monotony settles in pretty quickly.
And then there’s the Shaolin workout. Over the past 1500 years, Shaolin kung fu masters have created a holistic workout regimen as part of their kung fu martial arts training. It involves increasing flexibility, improving cardio, building strong core muscles, coordinating your mind, body and limbs, developing speed, and generating power.
With this Shaolin workout all of your muscles will be tested. Tremendous energy is expended and therefore this workout is a very effective and challenging way to burn calories and lose weight. It helps you to build your muscles proportionately and you will feel more athletic, coordinated, and stronger. Most importantly you will feel much healthier.
The Shaolin workout consists of various (and unique) exercises and drills and requires no weights (although you can further challenge yourself by adding light weights to your hands and/or feet). Some of these may be familiar such as the duck walk, push ups, and sit ups, although that is barely scratching the surface of the workout routines, of which many are not easy to describe. Perhaps it can be described as drills that they use your arms, legs, and body in ways you would not normally envision! By using your own body weight, you develop your muscles naturally and they do not become out of balance or disproportional.
If you’re concerned that you are out of shape or this sounds too intense for you then do not worry as you are in control of the intensity you want. The Shaolin Temple Quanfa Institute (S.T.Q.I.) under the guidance of Master Shi Guo Song, a Shaolin Warrior Monk originating from China’s famous Shaolin Temple in Song Shan, adapts the workout to men and women of all ages and for any fitness level and athletic ability. As you get stronger, you will find yourself expending even more energy with greater speed and power.
Under the careful guidance of a Shaolin master or trained instructor, this workout can be carried out in a class with mixed abilities. And with the stronger students supporting others, it becomes a great motivating experience where one can improve quickly.
You may be wondering if this is really traditional Shaolin training, and the answer is yes it is. The workout is designed to build a strong foundation which is the most important development for anyone wanting to learn traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. In fact, if you wish to learn traditional Shaolin Kung Fu then this is a mandatory class that precedes practical Shaolin kung fu training.
So if you’re looking for something different this year, try the Shaolin kung fu workout offered by Shi Chang Dao at the S.T.Q.I. downtown Toronto location (for more information, please go to http://www.canadashaolintemple.com/stqi-toronto-class-information). Classes run throughout the year and new students can join any time.
Get fit, strong, and flexible the Shaolin way… get challenged!
