| Shaolin Stamina Training | | | | In my DVD 'Kung Fu Journey', my director Marek |
| When you are training for a fight, it is vitally | | | | Budzynski, insisted on showing what the training |
| important that you build up your stamina. A | | | | was really like on a typical day for a Shaolin |
| marathon runner has very good stamina but they | | | | disciple. Many people have dreams of being good |
| would never have the stamina to fight in the ring | | | | at fighting or kung fu, but he wanted this DVD |
| because a fighter's stamina is totally different. In | | | | not to be like an advert but to show the real grit |
| this article I will concentrate on the first part of a | | | | and hard slog of my training. One morning I went |
| fighter's stamina training; running. In future articles | | | | for my usual run at 5.30 am, and there he was |
| I will concentrate on bag work, pad work, sparring | | | | with his film crew, filming me running up |
| and body conditioningv so that whatever fighting | | | | Parliament Hill in London. While I ran back to the |
| art you practice you can be totally confident that | | | | temple, they raced back in their car and were |
| your stamina will really work for you when you | | | | waiting for me in the training hall. |
| go to fight in the ring. | | | | Marek wanted to show real exertion and sweat |
| Running With Your Opponent | | | | so the viewer could get a feel for the training. |
| As a fighter you need to vary the way that you | | | | And since watching this DVD, a lot of people have |
| run, some days do a short thirty minute aerobic | | | | emailed and asked me why I use this weighted |
| road run, other days do some hill running. Sprint | | | | jacket when I run and how much it weighs. |
| running is also very important, do ten repetitions | | | | Kung Fu Flying |
| of 100 or 200 metres twice a week. Other times | | | | It is 20 kg, and, as you can imagine, it makes |
| you should start with a five minutes slow run | | | | running very difficult. When I take it off my body |
| then one minute slightly faster then four minutes | | | | feels so light I feel like I can fly. I then start to do |
| slightly faster again then back to one minute slow | | | | kicks or punches and they are much faster |
| again. Continue this three or four times, but start | | | | because I have been weighed down with this |
| to change the way you run, use footwork, bigger | | | | jacket. It is similar to runners training in higher |
| steps, run backwards and then forwards, pretend | | | | altitudes, when they come back to a normal |
| that you are dodging an opponent, but keep an | | | | altitude it is much easier for them. |
| eye on your stopwatch - 5 - 1 - 4 - 1. Control | | | | The reason they do this is to make the training |
| your breathing. When you want to give up, keep | | | | physically harder than the competition. You need |
| reminding yourself that this strong stamina training | | | | to make your training hard. As hard as you can. |
| is excellent training for the ring, imagine your | | | | But find a coach or teacher so that you are |
| opponent is here, don't let him or her beat you, | | | | pacing yourself properly. You must only use a |
| you have to make yourself as strong as you can | | | | weighted jacket when your stamina is at a certain |
| be. | | | | level. This level of training is certainly not for |
| A journey of a thousand miles | | | | beginners; if your body is not strong enough it can |
| Keep reinvigorating your mind with positive | | | | put too much strain on your muscles and |
| thoughts. Don't think about the pain or tiredness | | | | potentially damage your joints. |
| you are feeling and don't think about the whole | | | | The Importance Of Running |
| training that lies ahead of you, just focus on this | | | | I do this training five days a week and have done |
| one single step, concentrate on your pacing, your | | | | since I was fourteen years old. This kind of |
| technique, and on doing this one step the best | | | | stamina training is very simple, hard, and boring |
| you can. | | | | but I can't emphasise enough how important it is. |
| Remember the famous Tao saying - "a journey | | | | Can you imagine if your kicking was like your |
| of a thousand miles begins with a footstep." | | | | sprint running? No one would be able to block |
| This rings just as true with training as it does with | | | | your kicks. I've seen fighters do a lot of pad |
| life. And focusing on that one footstep makes a | | | | work and bag work but they never run and when |
| huge difference when you are training. We are so | | | | they are kicked their legs can't take it. As well as |
| used to our mind going everywhere and being | | | | building your stamina, it also makes your legs very |
| very busy, it is a bad habit that we have got into | | | | strong. |
| it, but be strict with your mind, train it to keep | | | | Never press the snooze button |
| coming back, keep coming back to this one step, | | | | This kind of training is the so-called 'secret' behind |
| this one step, and before you know it you have | | | | the Shaolin martial arts, but I think it is the 'secret' |
| completed your run. | | | | of success. Hard work and perseverance. Training |
| Making friends with the enemy | | | | through boredom, injury, and tiredness. Put your |
| An important factor to remember when you are | | | | clock on the other side of the bedroom so you |
| doing this training is to keep relaxing your body | | | | can't reach the snooze button and as soon as you |
| and letting go of the fatigue. If your muscles start | | | | hear the bell, don't think, get up immediately. |
| to tense up, find a way to use your mind to relax | | | | Remind yourself why you are doing this training; |
| them. You could use a visualization technique, for | | | | re-affirm your belief in yourself. |
| example imagining your muscles are like ice and | | | | Those who lack belief in themselves will not in |
| they are being melted by the sun or another way | | | | turn be believed |
| of dealing with the fatigue is by detaching yourself | | | | I will give you another quote from the Tao; |
| from yourself, and checking yourself from | | | | 'Those who lack belief in themselves will not in |
| outside; how are you doing? What do you look | | | | turn be believed.' Believe in yourself. Don't put |
| like? Find the technique that works for you. | | | | limits on yourself. You can achieve much more |
| Tiredness is something you will have to conqueror | | | | than you think. And each day do a little bit more |
| on a daily basis, so instead of it being an enemy, | | | | and a little bit more, remember don't think of the |
| you may as well make it your friend. | | | | journey, just take the steps, and take the steps, |
| Kung Fu Journey | | | | and before you know it you will be there. |