INTERNAL FORCE AND APPLYING KUNGFU FOR COMBAT AT THE INTENSIVE SHAOLIN KUNGFU COURSE
The Horse-Riding Stance is very important in internal force training
Question
I would really like to attend your Intensive Chi Kung Course or Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course. But I can't make it this time. Will you be holding more Intensive Courses in the future? If you are, then I will be forever grateful.
— Bjarni, Ireland
Answer
Yes, I shall continue to offer these courses in future.
While you may attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course as a fresh beginner, you need to have some prior kungfu expereicne to attend my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course. You should be able to perform basic kungfu stances and patterns before you think of applying for this course.
Preferably you should also be familiar with the 16 Fundamental Shaolin Combat Sequences as well as have spent some time, say 3 months, on Golden Bridge, otherwise you would find much difficulty following the course.
The 16 fundamental combat sequences will be taught at the course. Then, why must one know these 16 fundamental Shaolin combat sequences beforehand. This is because the onus of my course is to help students develop skills and not just learn techniques. If they do not know the techniques beforehand, they will be focusing on learning them during the course instead of focusing on developing skills. They will not obtain the best benefits of the course. In fact they would be wasting their time and money because they could learn these techniques from any of our certified Shaolin Kungfu instructors or similar techniques from any instructors in their home area at a cheaper price and probably get better results too.
For your sake as well as those who may be thinking of attending my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course, I shall elabourate. Many people do not differentiate between skills and techniques. They think, erraneously, that if they know the techniques they can be proficient in the art, any art. This is a big mistake, and it results not only in their waisting a lot of time but also their failure to become proficient in whatever they do.
A lot of people know kungfu techniques but they do not have the skills to use these techniques in sparring. As a result they spar like children or like kick-boxers instead of as kungfu practitioners. More significantly, they do not have the skills to use these techniques to increase their vitality and mental clarity which in turn will enrich their daily life.
They may know in theory what kungfu techniques to use to defend against punches and kicks, but when they spar they will be hit badly. They know that by practicing kungfu they can be relaxed in sparring, but they become nervous and anxious when facing an opponent. They may have read and also believe that by practicing genuine Shaolin Kungfu or Taijiquan, they can spar for an hour without feeling tired, but in reality they become panting for breaths after a few minutes.
Differentiating between skills and techniques is more significant in daily life. Have you wondered why some students study for hours yet fail their examinations, while others study for shorter time yet do well? Have you also wondered why many sales-persons struggle to make a living while some sales-persons make a lot of money to have comfortable living? The techniques of the students in their studying and the sales-persons in their marketing are about the same, but the skills are very different, which result in many being just mediocre and a few being successful.
It is these skills that you will learn in my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course. Skills like good timing and spacing, wise and quick decision making, using energy flow and operating in mental clarity that students will learn at the course, enable them not only to be able to spar efficiently without feeling tired, but more importantly to do well in their daily lives.
So, if you have not prepared well for the Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course, you may realize that your father's advice is wise after all and is made for your own good. An excellent way to prepare for the course so that you can get the best benefits from it is to learn Shaolin Kungfu from a certified Shaolin Wahnam instructor near your home. If this is not feasible, you can learn kungfu or other martial arts from a local instructor. If this is also not feasible, you can learn some basic kungfu forms from my books.
But you should do this only after you have fulfilled the first two top priorities, namely to be a good son to your parents and a good student in school. In our school, Shaolin Wahnam, we place great importance on having the right priorities. We place duties before aspirations. Being a good son and good student in school are duties, being proficient in Shaolin Kungfu is an aspiration.
I am glad you value my intensive courses highly. Indeed, they are unique. My Intensive Chi Kung Course enables students to progress from very basic chi kung skills like generating an energy flow to masters' skills like tapping energy from the Cosmos. My Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course enables students to develop internal force and apply Shaolin techniques and skills in free sparring. Actually it is a training for leadership, helping students to surpass all physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels.
The above is taken from Question 4 February 2010 Part 2 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
LINKS
Courses and Classes