How to master Shaolin taolu

Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu — four pairs of opposite movements

Массовое увлечение кинематографа 20 века восточными единоборствами и кунг-фу, появление и популяризация спортивного ушу сделало его доступным для всех. Но также привело к упрощению самого представления об ушу, к тому, что оно в угоду массовости и коммерциализации потеряло свою главную психофизическую составляющую и ушло очень далеко от древнего искусства.

From the exercises and ligaments allowed in the traditional wushu, sports excluded many effective but dangerous tricks, captures and twisting, traumatic pressure and pain effects. But added a lot acrobatic elements, spectacular jumps, tumbling, foot swings, transforming it In a beautiful, spectacular show.

Today Wushu is a huge array of knowledge from different styles, schools and currents with artificially developed teaching methods. and the term “Exercises” in a sports wushu is not the concept that was laid traditionally.

Rules for learning Kung fu techniques

When Wushu was still only an art, the system of trainings based on three basic components of the

• Special State of Consciousness
• Proper breathing
• Movement and positioning

At the same time psycho-physical training occupied about 80 total Training time. The body is able to learn everything if it overcomes resistance of consciousness and will direct its energy to the necessary point, monks said.

In development a lot of time occupied training with elements: Wood, fire, earth, metal, water. Thanks to these training’s the pupil has acquired the ability to not react to temperature changes, steadily Fight on the ice, rocks, in the water. These skills have also been used to strengthen health and explore their own hidden possibilities.

The basic rules for learning Kung fu techniques are based on basic movements and formal complexes of exercises — Taolu — which have evolved for centuries, honing each succeeding generation. Thousand combat battles helped accumulate experience and highlight the most effective movements, gradually remove all unnecessary to use only the most effective Techniques.

Schematically it is possible to divide the basic individual complexes Kung Fu on:

• Exercises with body, without objects (in the style of “fist”)
• Exercises with short and long Arms: sword, sword, stick, spear, halbard, chain and other types of Chinese Traditional weapons
• Exercises in pairs for mastering the contact wushu sanda (in traditional schools Kung Fu Shaolin Sanda not engaged, sparrings not carried out)

The exercises are based on the comprehension of each movement, body training involves training the mind, and vice versa. The mind has an influence on the body and in the process of training becomes fast, deep, strong and patient, just like the body.

All the links of the Taolu originate as a wave from the depths of consciousness. All of them are connected and go one after the other: behind the movement upper part follows the movement of the bottom, simultaneously with the external wave occurs Internal, from thought and energy to force.

How to study exercise complexes (Taolu)

In Kung Fu there are only 4 pairs of opposite movements, one always contains another and the transition is smooth, but powerfully

• Offensive-Retreat
• Raise-lowering
• Compression-Straightening
• Rollover-Dodge

Over the centuries, rules have been developed to help correct approach to the process of training and mastering the necessary techniques. In here some of them:

• Before you start your workout, you need to stretch develop muscles and tendons
• Do not engage in a full stomach
• While exercising, you must breathe through the nose, hold your breath is very harmful to the current Qi
• The center of gravity needs to be kept low, however, levels: upper, middle or lower
• Legs do not need to lift high, blows are applied without effort, the power is enclosed in exposure.

While mastering the Taolu, physical characteristics of the pupil: height, length of arms and legs, width of chest, etc., Master only directs training.

5 Principles of Taolu Mastery

1. Start learning slowly, repeating behind the master individual elements of posts and displacements. Accelerate, just by reaching the exact match, combine them into a smooth Movement
2. Work through Taolu never happens much. Even repeating the exercise a thousand times, you can find flaws in the performance that will lead to the wrong figure.
3. Taolu is a set of real combat movements, not gymnastics, it is important to remember. Only In this case it will be possible to unite thought and energy of movement.
4. Each movement has already saved thousands of lives, it is filled with energy and there not by itself. Do not be lazy to learn about the exercise you are learning, all that it’s possible. Knowing its meaning, you will more accurately be able to master it.
5. Defensive blocks taolu not only in the hall, learn to perform it perfectly on the stones, on Sand, on the grass. It teaches to keep balance and always be in concentration.

Why learn Kung Fu every student decides for himself. But only with the full mastery of the technique of exercise (taolu), you can discover the inner influence of these techniques, their rhythm and tie together thought, energy and movement to come nearer to understanding the meaning of the Shaolin Kung Fu.