catch me up on Shaolin controversies?

[Kung Lek]

unfortunately, Hai Deng was "used" by the prc.

He put on the mantle of "buddhist monk" but in fact was a lay disciple.

i remember that old film. There was one other about him and some textual information available and indeed it was Hai Deng who was called from his village to come to the temple and restart the martial monks.

He did fall from grace with the prc because of his wish to bring back the real agendas of the true shaolin order. This was unacceptable to the communists who didn't like the idea of "autonomous righteousness".

Shaolin was destroyed 3 times in it's long history because of it's autonomous righteousness and acts thereof.

If the rder thought a leader was bad for the people they would "remove" that person from their position of leadership under the idea of the buddha guatama that evil must be destroyed.

The destruction of evil was one of the main reasons Shaolin monks practiced martial arts.
Fire with fire so to speak. Defend the helpless and walk the eight fold path. it was a dichotomy to be sure and that dichotomy scared the hell out of any ruler of cheiftan or leader who was in any way shape or form corrupt. If he was corrupt and didn't do right by the people, the the order would put things right.

When it got very unstable in the late 1800's and through to the take over by the communist regime, many Shaolin went out into the world to bring Kung fu skills to the commoners, it was too big of a job for the monks alone to set right, so the idea was that the people could do it with their help.

The paradigm still exists, it is in a stage of dormancy at the temple now though and the whole paradigm of the Shaolin order has been distorted to the point where it is questionable in it's modern form by those who would seek to bind martial arts and buddhist philosophy together.

One day, this could all change again, but it doesn't look like that will be occuring all to soon. To much materialism and greed in the world, so much so that it overshadows the righteous acts of sensibility that could be happening.

To give up on the ideals of Shaolin and the ideals behind the original order is to forfeit the true Kung fu offered by the study of Shaolin Kung fu.

peace

p.s, read the "Shaolin Abbot is an ***hole thread, it is intersting. Also, Gene is there right now I think, I'm sure he will bring back some stories of what's up at the Temple and the wushuguan.

Kung Lek

[MonkeySlap Too]

My primary art is Shuai Chiao. I have clubs I started back in Chicago that are still active. Right now I'm on the West coast. I teach at a friend's school to help him out, but I currently do not teach regularly other than seminars at my old schools. My workouts are mostly learning more from other teachers or cross-training with other guys like me in terms of experience.

You can eMail me at VisaJoe@Hotmail.com if you want to get ahold of me.

It's a shame I didn't know of you before, because I was in New York in July with my top students to attend a wedding. It would have been fun to get a lesson in Shaolin.

I am a big beleiver in luck. The more I work, the more luck I have.

[mortal]

Monkeyslap Too

I always wanted to learn about Shuai Chiao. I too wish we could have connected sooner. The two arts definitely compliment each other. In my old school(Shi yan ming)we had to learn forms for years before he would teach free fighting. I would love to learn something aside from bone throwing. We do alot of pad work to develop power and it works well but I want to know how to really lock someone up and throw them. I know plenty of Shaolin mini routines that are good for developing sweeps and overall athletism. Maybe one day I'll be able to travel to the west coast. Funds are tight as of now. My email is on my profile. Lets keep in touch. You never know.

[Royal Dragon]

Hmm,
From a guy who has been on both sides of the fence, I'd have to say back in my mid 20's, I was a CONSIDERABY better fighter than today. IKnow more now, but back then I was training like hours a day 6 days a week, with PLENTY of conditionnig. This included strength, Cardio and flexibility, all traditional exercises.

Now, especially with reacent health problems and a scedual that barely allows a maintinence program, even though I know much, much more, I can't put it all in gear the way I used to.

In my mid 20's, I could throw 1800- 2000 marching front snap kicks in 40 minutes, and not be all that winded. NOW, I'm doing 900 - 1000 in 20 minutes, close to my old performance level's halfway mark, but once I get to 1000 or 1100 kicks I just go in the dumper. I get winded, tired sloppy etc.. By 1400 kicks I'm so spent I almost feel like I need a nap, I can't even make 1500 anymore.

The same holds true for my stances, my once SOLID 10 minute horse stance is now a fight at 3 minutes.
My flexibility, wile seemingly "good" to an onlooker, it is actually tight, stiff and immobile compared to my younger self.

The difference in figting is VERY apparent. In the "old" days, if I looked at a target on my opponent, It was already being hit. That's it, no effort at all, it just happened. I guess my Chi just flowed real good back then or something. Often is an attack was comming in several defense options would come to mind and I'd just pick one and it automaticaly fired off, it was like my opponent was fighting in slow motion or something, I had plenty of time to think about stuff. I would conceptualize my response, and the appropreate technique just "happened".

Now, It'more of a struggle. I find myself in trouble more often and I need to use escapes and distancing as I can't block like I used to. It seems if I try to hit an open spot, my opponent has the opertunity to block it. Before I just blasted them.

Some say it's all age, as I'm 33 now, and I was like 24-26 then, but I know it's my hectic life style preventing me from maintainng my favorite 3 hour training scedual (like I could even do it today).

Comments anyone?

Royal Dragon


Check out the Royal Dragon Web site

http://www.Royaldragon.4dw.com

[mortal]

Royal Dragon
You count your kicks? It must be hard counting to 2000. I think that must make it harder. I always just do as many as I can.
Horse stance. I think a ten minute horse stance is great! I never did one for that long. I think 3 minutes is good enough even though my monk teachers claim 2 hour stances.
I think the point that your getting older means training harder in a smaller period of time. Shi Yan Mings classes are 2 hours of none stop basics and forms. Compared with 2 and a half years ago when I started I feel, look and act younger. I found out pete sampras was 30. He looked like an old man. Kung fu training should be making you younger and stronger with more energy. If you really truly push yourself for an hour you would be to sore to stand.
I read about people going to gyms. I also read about how 3 times a week isn't enough and so on and so forth. I think the bottom line is these people are not training hard enough at the school. We think were training hard enough but these hired actor monks have shown me a new threshhold of pain and endurance that I don't beleive is pushed by alot of "American masters". That is the only key. My friend always asks me "what would you do if I did this" I just say I would kick your face. Than he says "I'll put my arms up" I would kick right through them. I was just trying to prove a point. Not sound arrogant. If you have been practicing a side kick for ten years and it can't blast through someones arms you better rethink your training. lolo

I guess all I can say is do as much as possible for 2 hours without stopping. Your moves will improve tenfold. Extend that time as you work up to it. I think 3 hours is the perfect all out workout so I start 30 minutes before class and try to finish 30 minutes after but it doesn't always work out that way.

P.S. don't forget to shave your head!lol :cool: