the most secret skill in kung fu

[mickey]

Greetings,


What Jimbo mentioned with regard to activity in one's lifestyle was something that Dan Miller mentioned in his "Pa Kua Chang journal". It is still relevant now as it was then: meaning if you are not really active, you will have to get active--supplement your training to enhance your strength levels.

mickey

[Brat]

Interestingly strong men in times past (turn of the century) the kind that you found in circuses and carnivals actively practiced deep breathing exercises in addition to any heavy lifting they did. Most considered the deep breathing exercises of equal or even greater importance to any isotonic exercises they had. Theodore Roosevelt reputedly brought himself out of childhood asthma with a regular regimen of strength training and deep breathing exercises. He was also known to be a pretty hard hitting boxer.

[MarathonTmatt]

first is qigong workout. if i have enough time, and i usually do, a 45 minute qigong workout is best. than a little self-massage. gotta make sure my engine is purring.

then, around 50 regular push-ups. then i do ab work- curls, and sit ups. then leg raises on my back, both double and single. then a nice leg stretch.

then is time for weights. i only bench 75 lbs., but i am not trying to go big, i guess- i focus more on reps. i do 30-40 reps. than i lift 30 lb. weights for anywhere from 50- 100 reps. then i use smaller weights for my wrist/ forearm in a kneeling stance. then back to the bench press for more reps of that.

then i do 30-40 push ups on my knuckles (making a fist) and also holding myself up in that position. than another leg stretch.

than i do a line of kicking drills back and forth, mainly high heel kicks and slapping kicks. than i will do something like a weapons form, like double short sticks or sword. than some basic reverse punches and combos, and things like round house kicks on the bag. (i do not consider this to be my "kung fu" work-out, i do that later in the day/ evening/ night usually.)

than i have those little spring things for grip strength. i use those and than do finger-tip push ups, about 20. than i do a set of snake turn-overs (iron palm conditioning) than push-ups on the back of my wrist, 20- 30. than i like to strike some things w/ back of wrist, up, down, and also palm strikes.

then on the ground for more leg stretches/ splits.

i will go for a 2 mile run 3-4 times a week. currently i wish to get back in running shape to at least half marathon target (12-15 miles).

and usually in the evenings i will do my kung fu work-outs, focus on stance, drills, kicks, forms, etc. for 2 hours if i have time.

i also do a lot of hiking and exploring, looking for remains of old stone structures, temples, caves, cairns, sacred effigies, propped boulders, etc. in the woods. sometimes i might hike a small mountain just for the hell of it. i worked on a horse farm in high school, and have always had warehouse distribution job, or produce dept. in grocery store type work. i also enjoy riding my bicycle to the beach in the summer for exercise.