Training, and then that thing that exceeds it.

[Hudson]

I recently read an article about a Shaolin monk who compared how he trains his Western students to how he was trained. He said that 500 pushups was a must every day and while he makes his students hold a stance for a minute or two at most, he was trained standing on cut logs holding perfect stances for an hour. I myself am getting ready to go to a school in Dengfeng (Or possibly new Shaolin village) and would like to know what you think on this method of training?

[foreveryoung001]

I am a firm believer in finding a way of training that will keep the enjoyment in the art. Even within my own classes, I will work with each student in some different ways, push them in different directions, help them to focus on areas where each individual needs the work. But I try to do this in a way that will be challengeing without scaring them away. Being a relatively new school in my area, I have smaller classes right now, a solid core of 12 regulars, biggest class so far was 21, so I may have an opportunity to focus more individual attention on them for now.

 

As for the Shaolin training that you have described, it sounds very much like a Zen practice. From the little I know of Zen, you would perfect the individual parts of a technique, and then when all of the perfected parts were put together, the theory is you would have a perfect technique. I've read stories where children were given a bow, and were taught to draw the bow and then release the bow without ever touching an arrow. They would do this for years, and then when the arrow was finally added, they had very little difficulty in hitting their marks.

 

I have never tried training like this... I'm not sure I have the patience, but I like the theory behind it.

[WhiteBelt]

Which would you rather do, 500 push-ups, or 6x3 on the bench press? If there is a more optimal way to train then I'd rather do it than the traditional way.

[ncole_91]

WOW 500 pushups, all spread out in a day or like in a time limit like 30 min or something?

[Jinxx0r]

I suppose if I had to train as if I were constantly defending my life, then I guess I would train to extremes... in today's world, you'll be lucky if you ever use your skills (let alone having to defend yourself constantly).

 

JMHO

[ncole_91]

Good point...

[Hudson]

6x3 on the bench press isn't equal to 500 pushups. Especially at such low reps, high weight, you'd be getting all pumped up and big but would you have the endurance or the muscle density?

[TheDevilAside]

6x3 on the bench press isn't equal to 500 pushups. Especially at such low reps, high weight, you'd be getting all pumped up and big but would you have the endurance or the muscle density?

Okay, if you do 500 push ups, you'll be able to deliver 500 weak punches. If you do 6x3 oh the benchpress, you'll be able to deliver 18 very hard punches. I would go with the benchpressing.

 

500 is going a bit overboard. Doing just 50 is plenty.\

 

Don't be so extreme in your work out. Do both weight training and calisthenics. But don't go overboard with either. Doing 500 push ups is going overboard.

[CloudDragon]

Shaolin monks trained for a good portion of the day, not like the 1-2 hours a day most classes in the US are.

[White Warlock]

I have heard, repeatedly, that the majority of these so-called Shaolin monks running around right now are actually wushu practitioners that decided to band up, park in an abandoned temple, and call themselves Shaolin, noting the 'profitability' of such a venture. I have seen nothing to contradict this.