Health and Fitness

1) One small step "When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur... Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time." John Wooden - successful basketball coach Taking one small step makes our training manageable. If you can keep your skill over the winter months and not lose your stamina or technique this means you are improving. If you've stopped training, then take two movements from The Eight Treasures Qigong form and practice them for a few minutes every morning. It will make you feel better and give you the motivation to keep going. 2) Integrate the training into your life Everything we do can be an expression of our Shaolin training. When we stand in a queue we can spend that time to go over in our mind the form we are practicing. When we walk to the supermarket we can walk quickly to help our fitness. If you have kids, go to the park and play football or tag. Teach your kids how to do the Five F...

The most famous Qigong forms that come from the Shaolin Temple in China are called Xi Sui Jing and Ee Jin Gong. Ee Jin purifies the muscles and tendons and Xi Sui purifies the bone marrow. Shaolin monks have trained in these two forms for thousands of years and they continue to train in these forms because they know that this Qigong enables them to be their best at kung fu. Two wings of a bird I am always emphasising how important it is to train in both Qigong and kung fu. Or internal and external. Even if you are not a martial artist, for good health and longevity you should train in Qigong. It is like the two wings of a bird. Qigong helps you to stretch better, kick better and punch better. Not only does it increase your speed, power, and stamina but it also increases your concentration and balances your mind and body. It gives you the strength and foundation to practice intense physical training without the fear of burn out. Qigong insures our internal organs work properly, only whe...

In order to shoot my book: Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity , I had to train harder than I usually train because I knew that I had to climb mountains with heavy camera equipment and lights and when I got to the top I had to perform Shaolin movements and jumps and kicks over and over again so it would look perfect for the book. Before I left for China, as well as my regular Shaolin training I stepped up my stamina training. At six am in the morning there I would be on the treadmill running for one and a half hours. I began to dread the treadmill and half-way through my training I really felt sick at the sight of that treadmill! In order to continue my training, I had to find a way to replace hate with love. I did this is by setting daily challenges for myself to run faster or further and when I achieved them I felt happy. If I had kept up the "I hate the treadmill" attitude then I would have lost my physical strength and energy. From this experience I...