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Fit Is Not Healthy: A Shaolin Monk’s Guide To Exceptional Wellness

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In the age of social media, many people train for a body they perceive looks attractive to other people. When I was training at the Shaolin Temple, we didn’t even have a camera. Nothing was documented. We trained to conquer our mind and body and become the best we could in our chosen art form.

Since coming to the West, I’ve noticed that many fit people aren’t healthy. And many people whose body looks good on the outside, aren’t well on the inside. When a student first comes to train with me, I ask them to throw away the scales, the smartphone,  the mirror and train for the pure motivation of inner and outer wellness. What matters most? Health or looking good?

Gym Training has its merits but it doesn’t address the whole body. One of the keys to successful training is balancing the Yin and Yang. This means training internally as well as externally.  From a Shaolin Monk’s perspective, a well and healthy body is flexible, has good stamina, a strength and leanness to the muscles, and a mind and body that works in harmony.

A weight trainer’s body is muscular but tends to be stiff. A weight lifter will usually be unable to do the splits. Their range of movement will be limited and slow. A yoga student will be flexible but ask them to do the Five Fundamental Kicks and there will be no stamina or explosive power to their kick.

Why are splits important or being able to kick?  Even if you can’t do the splits, it’s good to attempt them because it opens up the hips and the legs. The Five Fundamental Kicks are a dynamic stretch.  Combining dynamic stretching with static stretching is the best way to increase stamina. Combining explosive movement with slower movement and anerobic training with aerobic training gives an alertness to the body. It’s highly tuned.

The Yin Training a Shaolin Monk does is Qigong. (I’ve written many articles about Qigong so I won’t go into details in this article.) A cook always sharpens their knife. Qigong is the sharpening of the knife.

A Shaolin Monk trains all the time. When we punch, we do punch meditation, when we kick, we do kick meditation, when we eat we do eating meditation.  Eating mindfully has been found to help with digestion and even weight loss. Mindfulness has become very popular recently because it’s been shown to prevent anxiety and depression. There’s nothing complicated about it. We simply connect our mind, body and heart into a whole and then we feel whole. We are no longer distracted and looking for something to complete us. We are already complete.

But how can you implement a Shaolin Monk’s wellness into your life? As you continue in your week, stay connected – not to what’s happening on your smart phone – but to what’s happening in your heart, mind and body. Be aware of any distraction. This is all energy going outward. When our mind and body are stable, energy naturally returns.

If you’re not a martial artist then incorporate some kung fu movements and Qigong movements from the Kung Fu Workout For Beginners  and Qigong Workout For Beginners into your workout.

If you like this article please share it and let me know how you get on in the comments below. #shaolinmonkwellness

Photos by Sasha Gusov

Shaolin Monk Stamina:Your 20 Day Training Plan

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Shaolin Martial Art’s is about training your mind as much as your body. Whatever you’re end goal is, stick to your plan, use your heart to make your training a routine, and find a way to love your training.
There are 5 rules that Shaolin Monks follow to gain exceptional stamina:
  • 20 Days None Stop Training – Usually it’s better for the body to take 1 day off a week. But if you want to dramatically improve your skill then train for 20 days non-stop. This applies for Qigong as well as Kung Fu. This method is a fast track to Shaolin Stamina.
  • Kill Your Muscles – you need to ache a lot! Ache is different from pain. You need to know the difference. Pain is bad. Ache is good. If you’re not aching, you’re not progressing.
  • Kill Your Lung – you are training anaerobically. This word literally means “living without air”, you need to push yourself so hard that you at your limit. It’s hard to do by yourself and you need to be careful and stay safe! This is why this is not suitable for beginners. This type of training is for martial artists who already know their bodies and want to take their martial art to the next level.
  • Do More Than You Think You Can – Just when you get to the point where you feel you can’t do anymore,  do more. When you do 20 push ups, do 21. When you get to the end of your run, sprint.
  • Take Small Steps – Start off by setting yourself small targets and build from there. If you haven’t ran for along time then don’t expect to be able to run 10k straight away. Run 3k. It’s the same with my DVDs, do half the DVD or work at a slower pace and do half the exercises and build from there.
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A martial artist trains intelligently. While building our stamina we’re also making our punch and kick quicker and stronger. This is why in my Circuit Training DVDs, I mix punches with push ups and kicks with squats. This makes your muscle lean, powerful and have quality. This isn’t about body building. We’re training to create intelligent useful muscle. A person may be able to squat with 100kg weights but they can’t raise their knee 100 times. Always remember that martial arts is different because you’re not just training for stamina, you’re training for your martial arts.
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 Your 20 Day Training Program
Before you begin your training, warm up with a run either outside, on a machine or on the spot or skip for ten minutes. Increase the length of your run/ skip each week then at the beginning of the week go back to a short run and increase your run again throughout the week.
Day 1 – Bootcamp Volume 1
Day 2 Bootcamp Volume 2
Day 3 – Circuit Training 1 – first 3 sets. Followed by 15 minutes of Qigong For Upper Body
Day 4 Circuit Training 2 – first 3 sets. followed by 15 minutes of Qigong For Lower Body
Day 5 Bootcamp Volume 1
Day 6 Bootcamp Volume 2
Day 7 Circuit Training 1
Day 8 Circuit Training 2
Day 9 Circuit Training 1 – Followed by 15 minutes of Qigong For Upper Body
Day 10 Circuit Training 2 followed by 15 minutes of Qigong For Lower Body
Day 11 Bootcamp Volume 1
Day 12 Bootcamp Volume 2
Day 13 Circuit Training 1 – 30 minutes Qigong For Upper Body
Day 14 Circuit Training 2  – 30 minutes Qigong For Lower Body
Day 15 Circuit Training 1 – 30 minutes Qigong For Upper Body
Day 16 Circuit Training 2  – 30 minutes Qigong For Lower Body
Day 17 Bootcamp Volume 1
Day 18 Bootcamp Volume 2
Day 19 Circuit Training 1 + Qigong For Upper Body
Day 20 Circuit Training 2 + Qigong For Lower Body
Click here for more details on the Shaolin Fitness bundle.
Click here or more details on Qigong For Upper and Lower Body

Click here for free e-book: Instant Zen: Your 7 Day Mind & Body Workout

 Please share in the comments below how you got on or on the Facebook page created for all the Shaolin Warrior brothers and sisters. Happy Training!

5 Tips for Mastering Your Shaolin Forms

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yellow mt4-00007Shaolin Forms teach the many muscle groups in our body to work together. They are the only exercise I’ve come across where every muscle is engaged and you’re simultaneously building flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and power. These ancient forms teach us how to move in our modern life, whether that’s carrying our groceries home or climbing the stairs to the subway. Everything becomes part of our training: total mind-body wellness

Here’s My Top 5 Tips for Mastering Your Forms:

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  1. Learn the 5 Fundamental Stances and 5 Basic Kicks – Every Shaolin form, whether it’s Qigong or Kung Fu is made up of Five Fundamental Stances and Five Fundamental Kicks. Master these stances and kicks first before you move onto practicing Shaolin Forms.
  2. Give It Meaning – Make sure that your breathing, movement, and even your eyes work together. Make your stance have meaning so that people can see you have a strong foundation.
  1. Have Good Flexibility – Most people are familiar with the impressive quick fluid forms of the Shaolin Monks in performance. This is due to their flexibility. When you do the form, you don’t want it to be stiff, you want it to be fluid. Never skip the stretching part of your workout.kung fu-00286
  1. Use Your Heart – Use your heart to practice each movement so that your form has soul inside. If your mind shifts and you keep thinking of other things, gently bring it back. You need to be right here and now when you practice.
  1.  Slow It Down then Pace It Down- It’s a good idea to practice kung fu forms as slow as we practice Qigong so we can get the feel for the movements and get the form exactly correct. Try varying the pace each time you practice and see how if feels. The more you’ve mastered the form, the quicker you can practice.

Shifu teaches the 5 Fundamental Stances in his book Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity

He teaches the 5 Fundamental Stances and the 5 Fundamental Kicks in his DVD and download, Shaolin Workout 1 and his book Instant Fitness: The Shaolin Kung Fu Workout. (released in October)

5 Fundamental Training Tools Of A Shaolin Kung Fu Monk

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horse stance-00021A house can only stay strong with good foundations. It’s the same with your kung fu. The movements in Shaolin Workout Volume 1 are your foundation. If you were to get on a plane and study at the Shaolin Temple in China, these are the movements you would learn.

These exercises were created thousands of years ago so why do Shaolin Monks still study them? Because they’re the only movements  where every muscle is engaged and you’re simultaneously building flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and power in one fully integrated unit. They then teach you how to move in your modern life, whether that’s carrying your groceries home or climbing the stairs to the subway. Everything becomes part of your training: total mind-body wellness.

horse stance-00044The tools you need for total- mind body wellness are the same tools you need as a Shaolin martial artist.

  1. Stamina – Shaolin stamina training consists of short bursts of intense exercise. Research has shown that it’s one of the most effective ways to build fitness levels and lose weight.
  2. Flexibility – Shaolin Monks stretch the whole body from the neck down and include dynamic stretching as well as static.
  3. The Five Fundamental Kicks – These kicks are one of the reasons Shaolin Monks are so flexible. Don’t underestimate them. They open the hips at the same time as stretching the leg. (I practiced hundreds of them every day as a boy at the temple and still practice them today. They are a great warm up for fighting kicks and bag work.)
  4. The Five Fundamental Stances – Stances work the legs as hard as any squat or lunge and there’s a purpose to them, self-defence, internal and external strength, as well as acting as a gateway to the forms.
  5. Traditional Combinations – These ancient forms come from nature. They awaken the body, helping us to let go of our small self and experience a connection with the very fabric of the Universe. They bring us closer to the meditation experience of Zen.

We call it the Shaolin Workout but we could call it the Zen Shaolin Workout because all of the movements are done with your heart and mind fully engaged. horse stance-00005 If you’ve been training with my DVDs and downloads for many years, always remember to go back to Shaolin Workout Volume 1 and go through the fundamentals of your training.

If you’re just starting out then do Shaolin Workout Volume 1 for about 6 weeks before moving onto the next one. Don’t get too comfortable. It’s imperative to vary your routine. Once you know the moves and you can go through the workout then  work with Volume 2 and Volume 3 so your weekly warrior training will look like this: Monday – Workout 1.  Tuesday – Workout 2.  Wednesday – Workout 3.  Thursday – Workout 1 . Friday – Workout 2 or 3.  Saturday – Self-training without the DVDs.

The training is designed to transform you into a martial artist. This means you become fighting fit, flexible, have strong willpower, inner confidence, sharp reflexes, peaceful sleep, an abundance of energy, look younger than your years, and there is a glow to your skin and eyes.  

Shaolin Workout Volume 1, 2 and 3 are available as a download and DVD

Join the Shaolin Warrior Facebook page for students studying with Shifu Yan Lei around the world. 

The Super Important Training That Most Martial Artists Ignore

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horse stance-00018High Intensity Training (HIT) is the best way to torch fat, build lean muscle, and boost your metabolism. Research has shown that it reduces our appetite and continues to help us lose weight after our training session. But what does this mean for the martial artist? And should we change the way we train? DSC_0002 When my muscles were tested by scientists. There were rated highly in both short intensity and long endurance stamina. This is because a martial artist needs both. We’re not training purely for exercise or to lose weight, we’re training to hone our skills. Want powerful kicks or punches? Work on stamina first then flexibility then speed then power. Don’t underestimate how important stamina is for the martial artist. Without stamina, no skill. shaolin1-009717  

Build Stamina & Skill In 6 Easy Steps

  1. Start your training session with a run. This is your long endurance stamina.
  2. After your run, begin your HIT training. This is your short intensity training. I teach HIT training in my Shaolin Circuit Training DVDs . You can do HIT training with a bag, pads, or sparring with a partner.
  3. Challenge the large muscles in your upper and lower body. This is the key to successful HIT training. (if you’re doing bag/ pad training you need to combine exercises from my Circuit Training DVDs).
  4. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone. It’s the only way to improve fitness and not hit a martial art’s plateau
  5. Alternate. Do HIT training 3 – 4 times a week, or every other day of your regular martial art’s training.

Shaolin HIT Training is one of the challenges on our pathway to Zen. We can be as peaceful and spacious when we’re out of breath as when we’re sitting still. Try it and see

. Shifu Yan Lei teaches Hit Training in Shaolin Circuit 1 and 2