Video Clip Series: Returning to the Basics

RETURNING TO THE BASICS

We pay great importance on stances in Shaolin Wahnam — for combat application as well as training of mind and energy

Many kungfu practitioners say that the basics are very important. By “basics” many of them mean “kungfu forms”. The problem is that they start with kungfu forms and continue to practice only kungfu forms even after many years.

To us in Shaolin Wahnam, the basics go beyond kungfu forms. The basics are what kungfu forms as well as combat application and force training are built upon. They include stances, footwork, body movement, being relaxed, flexibility, balance, breathing methods as well as generating energy flow, exploding force and entering Zen.

This video series record some of the important lessons on the basics.

Please click the pictures below to view the videos

Entering Zen

While many martial artists consider entering Zen as an advanced practice, in our school it is basic. Basic does not mean low level; it means very important, upon which all future development depends. Entering Zen is taught in all our kungfu classes and is usually taught right at the beginning.

Generating Energy Flow

Another very important aspect of our kungfu training is generating an energy flow, which is seldom or never practiced in most other kungfu schools. Once you can generate an energy flow, all your “kungfu” practice becomes “chi kung”. Here Grandmaster Wong leads the class in using “Lifting Sun and Moon” to generate an energy flow.

The Highest Kungfu is Mind

“The highest kungfu is mind” is often heard but little understood. It can be interpreted in numerous ways. The supreme way is returning to the Universal Mind, or God. Here, the class uses mind to direct chi to the dan tian.

Stance Training is Very Important

Stance training is very important in all styles of kungfu. But today most kungfu practitioners ignore stances, and many think that stances are a liability in combat. Here Grandmaster Wong elucidates how to practice stances to develop internal force and attain Zen.

Rotating the Waist in Stance Movements

The class practices moving in stances. Grandmaster Wong stresses the importance of rotating the waist and knees. Here the class learns how to step forward and glide forward in the Bow-Arrow Stance.

From Large to Medium to Small

The uninitiated may think that the elaborated steps in stance movements shown in the previous video clip make the movements slow. The elaborated movements are for systematic training. When you can perform them well, you can trim the elaboration to make the movements more streamline. Here Grandmaster Wong shows how you can reduce the large movements to medium movements, then to small movememnts.

Rotation of Shoulders, Hips and Knees

A crucial point in reducing from large to medium to small movements can be observed at the shoulders, hips and knees. In big movements, the shoulders rotate. In medium movements, the hips rotate. In small movements, the rotation is at the knees. The rotation movements can be so small that others may think you move in a straight line.

Reducing Unnecessary Steps

Besides reducing the size of the movements, another effective way to increase speed without actually attempting to speed up, is to reduce unnecessary steps. Initially it needs 12 steps to move forward three times in the Bow-Arrow Stance. Now the number of steps is reduced to eight.

Moving Faster without Increasing Absolute Speed

The number of steps is now further reduced to only four. Hence even when the absolute speed of movement is the same, by reducing the number of steps from twelve to four, your movement is three times faster. Added to the reduction of big movements to small movements, now you can move about five times faster than before. But as you become more skillful in your movements, you speed will actually be faster. Hence, you may be seven or eight times faster!

You can view all the videos above by clicking the picture or the caption below

Returning to Basics from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.

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Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

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16-22 April 2007 — Part 1