"Kung Fu" is the term that is associated with Chinese Martial Arts. When I get calls inquiring as to what I teach many people will tell me that they want the fitness, self defense and philosophical aspects of Kung Fu and then ask "How long does it take to 'get it'? This question couldn't be more 'wrong'. The term kung (energy) fu (time) is not the word for Chinese martial art but a term that means more- The attainment of a high level of skill hard work over lots of time. It can be applied to martial arts, golf, soccer or cooking. When people call me asking for Kung Fu, I make sure that I use that meaning so that they 'get it'. But I think that today's society and people don't want to spend time developing skills. You can see this in sports- Most young basketball players, while having tremendous athletic ability, don't have 'true' skills of free-throw shooting or bounce passes, etc. Or in music where many don't even know how to play instruments or read music. In the general fitness world, everybody wants to lose weight immediately and find the fastest way to lose. What they don't understand is that if they just work out properly and regularly they will not only lose weight but they will get fit and make fitness their lifestyle.
When you set out to begin your journey into getting FIT you should be sure to develop your kung fu and make the journey and long term vision your goal, not the short term fix or immediate gratification! You will not only be more able to overcome those short term frustrations but you will develop a more sound foundation for lifelong change and success!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Fintess Profile
The linked article has many ideas that I agree with so I cheat on this blog and use some body else's writing:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kari-henley/enhance-well-being-find-y_b_332108.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kari-henley/enhance-well-being-find-y_b_332108.html
Monday, October 19, 2009
Everybody Should Practice Tai Chi Chuan
Just woke up this morning and practiced my Wu (family name) Tai Chi Chuan (Grand Ultimate Fist) slow and fast forms. It feels so good to do this practice the first thing in the morning. The slow, focused, relaxing postures of tai chi chuan energize yet relax, they focus yet clear your mind and balance your out for your day. Many people only know of tai chi chuan frmo seeing it in documentaries about China. It is one of the oldest forms of exercise and practiced by many. It is also a very effective form of self-defense but many practitioners and, even, instructors don't know this! It is one of few forms of exercise where you can improve and get stronger at until you are well into your older years. Tai chi chuan is non-impact, doesn't strain your heart- It strengthens it, it improves your balance, coordination, focus. Tai chi chuan can lower your blood pressure. It is self-defense that requires no muscular strength, only proper practice. It is not easy to learn and once undertaken you will learn that you will always be learning and practicing and improving.
When you look for an instructor you should make sure that they are knowledgeable and don't only teach the common "24 Step International Form". Does the instructor know it is a martial art and understand the applications? Are they 'picky' in their teaching? Tai chi chuan requires what we call exactness, which is just what it says! And, contrary to what many hear, it is not easy to learn. It is, and should be, challenging. It may not be very physically difficult (though many would give a different opinion on that since your definition of physically challenging may be different) but it is mentally.
Take a few tai chi chuan classes with an open mind and remember that the question you shouldn't ask is "How long does it take to learn it?"
When you look for an instructor you should make sure that they are knowledgeable and don't only teach the common "24 Step International Form". Does the instructor know it is a martial art and understand the applications? Are they 'picky' in their teaching? Tai chi chuan requires what we call exactness, which is just what it says! And, contrary to what many hear, it is not easy to learn. It is, and should be, challenging. It may not be very physically difficult (though many would give a different opinion on that since your definition of physically challenging may be different) but it is mentally.
Take a few tai chi chuan classes with an open mind and remember that the question you shouldn't ask is "How long does it take to learn it?"
Friday, October 16, 2009
Picking A Good Personal Trainer
This is a longer blog than I feel a blog should be but this is also a very important topic and I want to spend sufficient time to give you as much as I can so that you can make a better choice.
Every trainer claims to be the best. How do you choose one who knows what to do and applies that in his training. If you don't know about fitness, how do you know if the trainer does?
There are some things that you can look for to give you a better idea who you should choose.
Does the trainer have certification? This doesn't guarantee that they apply what they know but it gives you an idea that they should know what they are doing.
Does the trainer have a degree in exercise physiology or kinesiology?
How long have they been a trainer?
Are they or have they been an athlete? Careful here since I have seen many athletes who don't know there stuff or just don't know how to train. I do feel that your trainer should be someone that has been or is still an athlete since they will know what and how things should feel. When I tested for my certification I couldn't believe how many people were getting certified who had just started working out, learned that they liked it and decided that they wanted to train others. This isn't a 'bad' thing, they mean well, but just won't have the idea as to what you might expect when you train since they haven't been there.
Client references?
Once you get past these initial checks you should schedule to meet with the trainer and, if they do this, a trial session. This is really the time to find out if they are for you. Chemistry between you and the trainer will be almost as important as their ability.
There are certain fundamental rules in training that if your trainer doesn't follow them, you should just stop right there;
Does he instruct you in HOW to do the exercise mechanically? I don't just mean show you the exercise but describe why, what is working and how? A good one to catch many trainers with is the act of placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth during exercises, especially abdominals/core work. Many trainers aren't aware of how important this is to your stability!
Does he watch you do the exercise? I have seen many trainers who just look around and don't focus on you. Funny as it seems I have seen some texting while training. I also don't like trainers who take on two or more clients at a time unless they are veteran clients.
Follow the basic rule of largest muscle to smallest muscle in training. You should always train from your legs to either your back or chest to arms then abs!!! If you work your abs, which are your core support for all other exercise, first then you are at a much greater risk of injury due to the 'weakest link' concept.
How often does the trainer change the routine? The concept of periodization is important in training. As your muscles adapt to an exercise they will plateau in development and then you should change your routine. For sports it is also important for in-season and off-season training so that you don't burn out during the season. But I see many trainers changing the routine every time. It is called a routine for a reason. You can do some different exercises with each session but nothing so drastic that you can't measure your progress. If you are building your strength portion and do squats, you should do them regularly (once or twice per week) for the period (about 6-8 weeks). Then you can change to a more complex movement. Doing totally different exercise every time might keep it more interesting but doesn't allow for your body to grow into the program and develop the skills. When you learned to play an instrument you didn't change from piano to guitar to drums to violin to flute every time?
Do the exercises progress from stability to strength to movement to function to plyometrics? Do the exercises make sense? Many trainers are using highly advanced exercises for clients before they have even evaluated the clients' level/ability. Plyometrics aren't for a beginner. The progression of exercise is one that develops a base of strength then control and then function and power. Many trainers use multi-action movements to get you to seem like you are doing more work. Some are good, like a clean and press or power clean but they are also more advanced. Some, like a squat with curls are just, in my opinion, not really worhtwhile- You can squat far more than you can curl so why would you even do this action? It is also an action that you don't really perform in sport or in life.
When you are finally deciding on your trainer just don't get blinded by the talk or flashy and keep it simple. Your first work out should be to determine your level and set basic technique and not to show you how fancy your work-out can be.
Every trainer claims to be the best. How do you choose one who knows what to do and applies that in his training. If you don't know about fitness, how do you know if the trainer does?
There are some things that you can look for to give you a better idea who you should choose.
Does the trainer have certification? This doesn't guarantee that they apply what they know but it gives you an idea that they should know what they are doing.
Does the trainer have a degree in exercise physiology or kinesiology?
How long have they been a trainer?
Are they or have they been an athlete? Careful here since I have seen many athletes who don't know there stuff or just don't know how to train. I do feel that your trainer should be someone that has been or is still an athlete since they will know what and how things should feel. When I tested for my certification I couldn't believe how many people were getting certified who had just started working out, learned that they liked it and decided that they wanted to train others. This isn't a 'bad' thing, they mean well, but just won't have the idea as to what you might expect when you train since they haven't been there.
Client references?
Once you get past these initial checks you should schedule to meet with the trainer and, if they do this, a trial session. This is really the time to find out if they are for you. Chemistry between you and the trainer will be almost as important as their ability.
There are certain fundamental rules in training that if your trainer doesn't follow them, you should just stop right there;
Does he instruct you in HOW to do the exercise mechanically? I don't just mean show you the exercise but describe why, what is working and how? A good one to catch many trainers with is the act of placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth during exercises, especially abdominals/core work. Many trainers aren't aware of how important this is to your stability!
Does he watch you do the exercise? I have seen many trainers who just look around and don't focus on you. Funny as it seems I have seen some texting while training. I also don't like trainers who take on two or more clients at a time unless they are veteran clients.
Follow the basic rule of largest muscle to smallest muscle in training. You should always train from your legs to either your back or chest to arms then abs!!! If you work your abs, which are your core support for all other exercise, first then you are at a much greater risk of injury due to the 'weakest link' concept.
How often does the trainer change the routine? The concept of periodization is important in training. As your muscles adapt to an exercise they will plateau in development and then you should change your routine. For sports it is also important for in-season and off-season training so that you don't burn out during the season. But I see many trainers changing the routine every time. It is called a routine for a reason. You can do some different exercises with each session but nothing so drastic that you can't measure your progress. If you are building your strength portion and do squats, you should do them regularly (once or twice per week) for the period (about 6-8 weeks). Then you can change to a more complex movement. Doing totally different exercise every time might keep it more interesting but doesn't allow for your body to grow into the program and develop the skills. When you learned to play an instrument you didn't change from piano to guitar to drums to violin to flute every time?
Do the exercises progress from stability to strength to movement to function to plyometrics? Do the exercises make sense? Many trainers are using highly advanced exercises for clients before they have even evaluated the clients' level/ability. Plyometrics aren't for a beginner. The progression of exercise is one that develops a base of strength then control and then function and power. Many trainers use multi-action movements to get you to seem like you are doing more work. Some are good, like a clean and press or power clean but they are also more advanced. Some, like a squat with curls are just, in my opinion, not really worhtwhile- You can squat far more than you can curl so why would you even do this action? It is also an action that you don't really perform in sport or in life.
When you are finally deciding on your trainer just don't get blinded by the talk or flashy and keep it simple. Your first work out should be to determine your level and set basic technique and not to show you how fancy your work-out can be.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Choosing a Good Kung Fu Instructor
When I judge a Kung Fu tournament and see the students who do 'something' that isn't close to kung fu I wonder, "How did these people find their instructor? How did the instructor get there"?
Many Kung Fu instructors teach some blends of martial arts or just something that they made up after a few years of learning. It looks good but has no substance. How do you find out about the instructors background and ability? Is what they are teaching legitimate? Does it work?
There are certain things you should look into to determine the quality of an instructor or school.
Do your research- Look at what they say they are teaching. Is it "traditional" or "contemporary"? If it is traditional, there should be background on the style they teach. This will give you information as to whether the instructor is teaching the actual style. I have seen many teachers claiming that they teach Ying Jow Pai (Eagle Claw, the style that I teach) who don't even teach the basic concepts of the style, much less the traditional forms (if someone from NYC teaches Ying Jow and someone in Greece does, also, they should have common forms and, at least, common techniques and concepts). There will be a lineage. Are the instructors in the lineage legit?
If it is a "contemporary" style you have a harder time since there will not be as much "background to research. There might be information about the instructor- Did they learn any traditional styles? Did they compete in any major tournaments and perform well? Do the current students do well in tournaments? A Contemporary style might be something like a mixed martial art style or a 'personalized' name added to a 'Traditional" style name. When looking at one of these, know what YOU want to get out of your training; Fitness? Self-defense? Tournament fighting ability? There are some good "Contemporary" styles out there. Jeet Kune Do is a good example of a "Contemporary" style in that Bruce Lee created the concepts in the '70's. The principles work when put to use in fighting which is what the 'style' is supposed to be for. The problem with it nowadays is that there are many 'fraudulent' instructors out there who aren't teaching the legit system. They may have read Bruce Lee's book and applied it to what they had known prior.
Don't be fooled by 'demonstrations' that in instructor does with his students. Try a class. See how it feels for yourself. Use your common sense and intuition. If it doesn't feel right, don't! Do they press you to join?
A Martial Art should be something that teaches you the ART- Usually forms and there are certain things that are universal in forms; Stances (srong and balanced), focus, meaning
and FIGHTING- A system is only as good as the practitioner BUT there is one thing that holds true regardless- DOES the technique work when applied properly?
I hope this helps you in your search.
Many Kung Fu instructors teach some blends of martial arts or just something that they made up after a few years of learning. It looks good but has no substance. How do you find out about the instructors background and ability? Is what they are teaching legitimate? Does it work?
There are certain things you should look into to determine the quality of an instructor or school.
Do your research- Look at what they say they are teaching. Is it "traditional" or "contemporary"? If it is traditional, there should be background on the style they teach. This will give you information as to whether the instructor is teaching the actual style. I have seen many teachers claiming that they teach Ying Jow Pai (Eagle Claw, the style that I teach) who don't even teach the basic concepts of the style, much less the traditional forms (if someone from NYC teaches Ying Jow and someone in Greece does, also, they should have common forms and, at least, common techniques and concepts). There will be a lineage. Are the instructors in the lineage legit?
If it is a "contemporary" style you have a harder time since there will not be as much "background to research. There might be information about the instructor- Did they learn any traditional styles? Did they compete in any major tournaments and perform well? Do the current students do well in tournaments? A Contemporary style might be something like a mixed martial art style or a 'personalized' name added to a 'Traditional" style name. When looking at one of these, know what YOU want to get out of your training; Fitness? Self-defense? Tournament fighting ability? There are some good "Contemporary" styles out there. Jeet Kune Do is a good example of a "Contemporary" style in that Bruce Lee created the concepts in the '70's. The principles work when put to use in fighting which is what the 'style' is supposed to be for. The problem with it nowadays is that there are many 'fraudulent' instructors out there who aren't teaching the legit system. They may have read Bruce Lee's book and applied it to what they had known prior.
Don't be fooled by 'demonstrations' that in instructor does with his students. Try a class. See how it feels for yourself. Use your common sense and intuition. If it doesn't feel right, don't! Do they press you to join?
A Martial Art should be something that teaches you the ART- Usually forms and there are certain things that are universal in forms; Stances (srong and balanced), focus, meaning
and FIGHTING- A system is only as good as the practitioner BUT there is one thing that holds true regardless- DOES the technique work when applied properly?
I hope this helps you in your search.
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