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ur club provides training in the basics of Shaolin boxing but does not place special emphasis on any particular Shaolin forms. This allows us to pursue other objectives - such as Hsing yi or Northern Styles. Our view is that Shaolin provides a good foundation for training. It opens the mind of the student to the intricacies of other styles, contributing to a greater appreciation of them.
The influence of Shaolin martial arts can be seen through its many different styles. Its training and techniques constitute a base from which the practitioner can explore other techniques. At the Ottawa Chinese Martial Association, training unfolds as follows:
Introduction
rom your state of mind to how you breathe, from how you stand to how you move, a substantial investment of sweat and no small amount of thinking are required to raise your level of practice. But even before getting there, it is essential to consider just what it is we are training.
Traditional Chinese Martial Arts (TCMA), despite a curtain of mysticism, in fact offer a very common sense approach to developing your mind, body, and fighting ability. Although the various traditions of TCMA may vary to some extent in their training methodologies, the careful observer will note a great deal of commonalities between both the essential foundations of the training and the end results.
One obvious goal of training is the development of martial ability. A deconstruction of what is involved provides some interesting insights.
While it is true there are many equally valid approaches to this goal, TCMA adheres to a body of thinking which, to anyone knowledgeable in the fields of engineering or biomechanics, is recognizable as stemming from the principles that govern our natural range of motion, conservation of energy, and energy transference. Engineering-minded people, in particular, will note the heavy reliance on the proper structural integrity of the body to effect the desired result.
Stretching
he reason for stretching is that it increases the range of body movements. It is very important that there be enough time available to warm up and warm down the muscle and ligaments before any extensive physical activities take place.
Basic stretching includes:
Rolling the joints
- Turn the head from side to side
- Move the head up and down
- Lay the head to the side
- Roll the head around
- Roll the shoulders to the front and back
- Roll the elbows
- Roll the wrists
- Flex the wrists
- Rotate the hips in a large, loose circle
- Twist to the side with one outstretched arm
- Roll the knees
- Roll the hips and the ankles together
Stretching the legs
- Palms to the floor, feet together
- Reach up, crouch down and hold your ankles, and straighten your legs
- Step out to one side and down.
- Let whole leg touch floor and push other knee out
- Move side to side from above position
Dynamic Tension
Bruce Lee was an advocate of dynamic tension training.
ynamic tension, or isometric exercises, consists of movements executed against imaginary resistance, and integrated to controlled breathing techniques. The idea of isometric training is to train the muscles using static contraction, i.e., to cause the muscle to produce a force without moving. The two primary methods of achieving this are to push against an immovable object (like a wall) or to use muscles against each other so that they flex without bending any joints. The premise is that muscles can actually exert their maximum forces when they are not moving. The advantages of isometric training are that it requires no special equipment and can be done virtually anywhere, at any time. In practice, however, Western science has found that isometric training is not the most effective method for strength training and, as a consequence, serious athletes do not practice it much any more. However, dynamic tension exercises still play an important role in the curriculum of Martial Art practice. Typical examples of dynamic tension exercises can be found in the Tenchi Kata in Okinawan Karate-do Gojyu-ryu, "Dynamic-Tension Course", by Charles Atlas, in the 1950's, and in the exercises promoted by the late Bruce Lee.
In Shaolin Kung Fu, there are many sets of exercises that use the concepts of dynamic tension. Hung Gar, a Southern Shaolin style, is also noted for its isometric exercises.
tance training is perhaps the most fundamental type of training for almost all forms of martial arts. Our training also places a great deal of emphasis on acquiring the appropriate feeling of balance and stability.
The stances are
- Horse
- Bow and arrow
- Cat
- Twisted Horse
- Half Horse
- Kneeling
- Seven Star
- Three Pillar
- Guard
Horse stance to Horse Stance
- Swinging horse (pivot on ball and swing into opposite facing horse stance)
- Swinging horse variation (shovel step then pivot)
- Advancing horse (kick up with
heel, spring off back leg and kick down to horse)
- do NOT raise in height as you kick up and as you move
- do NOT move your body to your support leg as you kick up with heel
- advance forward with each
horse
Horse stance to Bow and Arrow Stance
- Side to side
- Sink, pivot on ball of right foot (or left)
- Drive off ball, do not raise heel, turning to left (or right)
- Front foot does NOT move
- Rear foot points 45 degrees to front and back leg is straight
- Triangle Stepping
- Start in horse, turn to bow
- Step up with rear leg, then out 45 degrees to horse
- Stay low as you move
- Turn to bow stance (front leg is leg you just moved)
- REPEAT!
- Four corner Stepping
- One leg remains planted (some pivoting on ball of foot of course)
- Start in horse
- Side to side (facing one corner of the "Square")
- Step up rear leg and step out to next corner in horse stance
- Side to side
- Step up rear leg
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ost students in the Martial Arts study and know the importance of forms. The diversity and variety of available techniques available are truly endless. Each teacher and each school adds their own flavour and interpretation to their teachings and practice.
Our school does not practice any of the recognize standard Shaolin forms because our experience is not in that area. We still practise of the basics of Shaolin, but our interests are elsewhere.
tudents of the Martial Arts study the history, theory and practice of forms. A few students seek to understand the correct applications. On one level, correct application simply means the ability to use the techniques in a self-defence situation. On another level, application also means how the practice of changing the mind and body.
Many people describe Shaolin fighting, as well as some of the esoteric ideas that are often associated with it: the deadly iron palms, dim mark, and secret techniques known only by a 98-year-old monk somewhere near you. As far as our school is concerned, however, it offers none of the above- we simply train in the basics. Our approach to application is to learn the how and the why - not in a test of ego. Too much time may already have been wasted arguing whether the Incredible Hulk can take on Mighty Mouse. Time should be-and can be-better spent appreciating the joy of practice and finding like-minded individuals to share your interests. There is so much to learn in the vast universe of the martial arts.
Copyright 2003