Shaolin Kung Fu is one of the most well-known style of Chinese Martial Arts in the world.
It has been shown and used countless times in media from its place of origin to the world
outside and the face of this sacred martial art are the Shaolin Monks.
They are the embodiment of the principles and teachings of Buddhism in the Shaolin temple
in Henan Province of China.
These Shaolin monks live a humble and simple life
Their days revolves around a strict regimen of routine, discipline
and most especially, patience.
These three characteristics are the key to achieving desired results of any kind of physical training.
However, what separates Shaolin monk training from all the rest are the various, incredible,
and unique ways to shape the human body to unimaginable resilience, stamina, and toughness.
But what exactly do they go through to reach such immense strength and power that lie behind
such stoic and silent faces?
Well, let's talk about it.
Out of the many Shaolin monk training out there that are just insane, here are 6 that will really blow your mind.
First is the exercise called “Ringing Round a Tree.”
This training builds external strength as well as internal force through physical exertion
and the focusing of energy or “chi.”
With this exercise, monks find a tree that they can wrap their arms around and, well, they basically
just try to uproot the tree.
I mean, unless you're a bear
this is not easy.
And monks would have to practice this for years before they can
even so much as shake the tree.
The training must be done several times a day and the monk can only stop when he is completely
exhausted. But once he takes a break and regained his strength, he has to start again.
This goes on, until well - you guessed it, until the monk can finally
uproot the tree.
Those who have mastered this technique are able to hardened their arm and back muscles like stone
and can heavily injure their enemy who is unlucky enough to be caught in a bear hug
with one of these guys.
Number two is the exercise called “Iron Head.”
Just from the name itself it, this exercise sounds like it would cause a lot of pain
and headache.
The monk who undergoes this training strengthens his head, particularly, the skin and the skull
underneath by hitting his head against a wall several times a day.
At first, the monk will wrap his head with many layers of silk
then just banging his head against a wall.
The hits should be done with little force initially to avoid injury.
Then, the force and amount of the hits increase and the protective
layers of the head are decreased as the training goes on.
This continues for years but once mastered, the monk’s head is as hard as stone and
you would never want to get hit by this guy.
Number three is the training called “Skill of Light Body.”
This technique trains the monk’s internal control over his body.
In order to acquire this skill, he must first fill a large vat with water while carrying a bag
filled with iron chips or lead soaked with pig’s blood.
The monk will have to balance himself and move along the edge of the vat all while executing
techniques such as delivering blows and horses dances.
Then at the middle of each month of training, water must be taken out of the vat and more weight
added to the monk’s bag and this process will repeat itself until the monk gets
heavier than the container but he still must keep his balance.
And this is not something you can master in a month, or a year, or a decade.
This process usually takes no less than 12 years to master.
Finally when the steps of the monk takes become so light that he doesn’t even leave footsteps on
grass or newly-fallen snow, while still carrying the weight of the bag, then he has mastered
this skill.
Number four is the training called “Celestial’s Palm.”
This exercise is for outer power and focusing of internal energy.
Monks who undergo this training develop a stabbing force in his fingertips.
The exercise is done by opening the palm and pressing tightly the four fingers together,
while the thumb is bent and kept on the side of the hand.
Then, he delivers stabbing blows with force at hard objects like walls or trees.
This must be carried out every single day.
After consistent training over a long period of time, the monk will start to see results
through small dents in the objects he is delivering his blows to.
With even more training, he will see the dent will become deeper.
So yeah, don't ever let a Shaolin monk, you know, poke you.
The last training we are going to talk about in this video is called, “Eight Steps in the Horizontal Position.”
It is another technique that develops internal power to make the body lighter, like the “Skill
of Light Body.”
The training method is, well, quite simple.
The monk ties small bags of coarse fabric with iron shots, treated in pig blood, to
his arms and legs.
He will then try to run up a wall.
This is done daily, with the weight of the iron shots gradually increasing
Usually after a year the monk will be able to take four steps along the wall
and maybe another year, he will be able to take another four steps.
When the practitioner have master the skill he will
be able to climb walls and houses with ease.
And if you have ever been at the Shaolin Temple at Henan,
you can actually see in the cement
footsteps, actually footsteps of
martial arts masters from hundreds of years ago.
And this wasn't made when, you know, the cement was just poured in, was wet and somebody stepped in it.
This was actual a martial arts master stomping the ground so hard
he put a dent on the cement ground with his foot.
But this whole world of martial arts and chi manipulation
is so so interesting.
But if you want to get good or master even one little thing
it usually takes years or maybe even your whole life.
But guys, let me know which one of these skill would you like to have
and would you put in the work to achieve it.
I think that'll be really interesting.
All right guys, thank you all so much for watching this video. I'll see you later.