Train, Drink, Eat. (Repeat)

By Liesbeth Van Den Berg

Liesbeth is a third level student at Wu Dao

Our taxi driver whisks us from the grey and depressing train station of Zhengzhou to the dusty outskirts of Dengfeng. We pass by a good number of temples, and admire the Songshan Mountains, before turning left into a gated driveway, onto the sprawling grounds of Xiao Long Wushu School. Boys of all sizes (and the odd girl) litter the square, all wearing the red and black school uniforms. The only adults in sight are the occasional tourists who stay in the hotel by the same name, the same hotel that Shifu Shi de Cheng calls headquarters for his own semi-independent shaolin kung fu school.

Xiao Long Wushu School has about 4000 students, ranging from about 5 to maybe 14 years old. The boys all live here. During training, the kids are subjected to military-style discipline. Can't quite do that split? No problem, the instructor will push you down into one until you start crying (Not all of them, of course, but we happened to train next to a particularly mean and grumpy instructor. It was hard to watch). In contrast, in between training hours, the kids just roam around the premises completely unsupervised. They pee everywhere, also in buildings, litter the grounds, crowd and elbow their way into the dining hall and totally trash it, tossing food they do not like on the floor. When one of the younger ones is crying, there is no adult around to check on him, he just has to tough it out. Only the physical aspects of kung fu are taught, it appears. On checking the school's website, I read the children are taught Buddhology as part of their academic curriculum, but applying this to everyday life is too big a leap for the kids (and staff!).

Shifu travels a lot, but during the summer months he teaches, mostly (if not solely) his European and American students. Some are from schools he visits every year, some are his disciples, and others flock here because of Shifu’s reputation as an excellent martial artist and teacher.

We receive a warm welcome in Shifu’s personal quarters, where he pours us tea, and brings us up-to-date on training-related issues. Classes are two hours each, twice a day, from 8:30 to 10:30 AM, then again from 4 to 6 PM. The training is rigorous and fast-paced, but we manage to keep up, mostly. Classes are held outside on the square in front of the hotel. It's been around 90 and humid, so we are usually drenched within 5 minutes. We start with stationary warm-up, go for a run, do some more warm-ups, stretch. Then it's ALL ji ben gong, all 20 drills (there are 18 official ones, but Shifu added two of his own) for the last half hour. I am an orange belt at Wu Dao, and my 8-year-old son is also a student there. We are only familiar with a couple of the “easier” drills. Then there is my husband, who has never practiced kung fu at all! The inevitable fumbling and panting aside, we learn incredibly fast. Shifu’s instructors Kai Li and Wei Chong are very patient with us.

The second hour is reserved for open training. Most students practice their forms, but we do ji ben gong only, for obvious reasons. We decide to try and tackle one to three ji ben gong drills every day, depending on the degree of complexity, doing them over and over again. At first we have trouble just to remember so many new moves, but after about three days, the choreography becomes familiar, and we start to work on implementing each drill correctly. We feel pretty good about ourselves after day one, not being too sore or out of breath. Another day later, however, sore muscles have us vegetating in our hotel room all day, alternating between taking naps and watching the Olympics on tv. The many sightseeing trips we had planned on taking in between morning and afternoon classes never happen: our minds and bodies beg for rest and relaxation, and apart from that, all we can think and talk about is our next training session. In speaking with our fellow students, we hear they all spend their days the same way. When the soreness finally subsides after about three days, torn ligaments in our thighs start rearing their ugly heads. Flying kicks and sweeps, anyone?

Shifu usually teaches the t’ai chi students the first hour, then comes around to instruct everyone during open training. Most of our fellow students practice their staff, sword, double-sword, and fan forms. A good number of people return here regularly, sometimes staying for six months or longer. It’s a fun group of people, very motivated and inspiring. Of course it’s easy to find things to talk about, as we are all here because we love kung fu!

Three days into our training, Shifu decides to take us on a trip to the Shaolin Monastery, where he lived for many years. A fellow student describes the monastery as “Chinese Disneyland” because of the large amounts of tourists it attracts. It also has gift shops, and a theater where Shaolin “shows” are being performed, a mix of martial arts and acrobatics. When we arrive at the monastery at 5 in the morning, we are lucky enough to see only monks on their morning run. I had heard and read many negative recommendations about the monastery (too busy, many new-ish buildings), but I have to say: standing in the deserted courtyard at sunrise, in the company of Shifu, listening to the drums and chanting of the morning prayers, I feel very much at peace, and grateful for this experience.

Afterwards we hike through the forest, up the many steep steps to the top of one of the beautifully green mountains, where Bodhidharma meditated for nine years in a remote cave. Shifu tells us he used to have to run up these steps (about a 45-minute climb) every morning as part of his training! It’s a rare blue-sky day, and the only thought that manages to get through the songs of the cicadas, is that there is no place I would rather be.

Kung Fu Reflections

By Scott Cranton
Scott is a fourth level student at Wu Dao

I've been at Wu Dao for a little more than three years mostly doing Shaolin Kung Fu. I previously studied Praying Mantis / Wah Lum for 5 years, and Shotokan Karate for 2-3 years. When I was young, I also did some Kempo Karate and Judo. I stopped doing martial arts for a long gap (15+ years), but when I signed my three kids up for classes at Wu Dao, it only took watching a few of their classes for me to realize I needed to sign myself up too...

I fell in love with Kung Fu as a kid watching Bruce Lee and other Kung Fu movies on TV. I loved the animal forms, and the power and grace of the movements; I wanted to do that. My parents signed me up for the nearby martial arts schools - Kempo Karate and Judo - and I got more serious in my late teenage years, and early twenties. I enjoyed the other styles I tried, always finding challenges and no shortage of hard work, but, until I found Kung Fu, it always felt like just exercise; punching and kicking and such. Kung Fu felt like the martial arts I knew from the movies with its grace and power.

Classes at Wu Dao are great as they combine physical and mental challenges in a welcoming environment that is accepting of all physical abilities while challenging each individual to push themselves for more. Every class has just enough structure to help you shake off a stressful work day with challenging strength and flexibility training. Most classes have flex time, with instructors available, to let you dig into what's going to help you get to the next level, be that a new technique, form, weapon, sparring, etc. It's also fun to train with so many others who share my same interest and passion. After finishing a grueling couple hours of class, it's not unusual for a peer to say "wow, that was a tough class; how about we run through that a couple more time or wrap the day with 300 sit-ups.” It’s fun to work with others who are equally "crazy" about Kung Fu.

At most other martial arts schools I've gone too, I've seen a focus on quantity over quality. I've learned dozens of forms and weapons, and gotten belt promotions because I put my time in. It was fun for a while to learn all these different things, but eventually I realized I didn't know how to use the forms and weapons I learned in real life situations; I could only go through the motions. What's the point of learning a fighting art if you can’t actually fight with it? At Wu Dao, the focus is on quality where we go deep into fewer things to help students really understand, and apply, a technique. That helps me understand how to get my body to move the way I want it too.

Even though I want a martial arts style to teach me how to fight, I hope to never have to really use it. I've only been in one real street fight in my life, and hope to never have another. That said, I do enjoy sparring with my peers, and if I'm going to spend many, many hours working on a technique or form, I want to actually be able to use it while sparring. For me it's about doing something that helps push me to do things I never thought I could do, and through that to learn more about myself. I gain health, a deeper connection with myself, and a sense of well being. This has many practical benefits such as being able to do more physical activities with my kids, and helping in my sales job by my having more confidence when I’m engaging with others. The training has also helped me correct a number of issues I've had with a trick knee, and some other strength issues, and it has improved my overall quality of life. Plus, there is nothing better than, after a hard day at work struggling to remain professional with customers and peers, having the stress release of a hard work out (i.e. hitting things).

The most memorable part of Wu Dao has been the rare opportunities to work with Shifu Shi De Cheng, a real Shaolin Monk! He's the nicest, most talented, and deadliest person I've ever met. Always smiling, he patiently trains us in Kung Fu that feels like it's been taught for a thousand years at the Shaolin Temple. When he shows us the applications of the techniques, you know you're learning a real fighting art. But when Shifu demonstrates a technique on me, I realize that this smiling little monk can completely and effortlessly wipe the floor with me despite the 6 inches and 60 pounds I have over him.

Wu Dao continues to be a great school for my kids and myself. I really enjoy the hard, practical workouts, learning skills that could help me fight, and more importantly help me understand myself better. You can't ask for more than great teachers, a great facility, and great people.