Do you train too much or too little?

[Adventure427]

I Love this video...If this isn't inspiration....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpn7gUSUQK8

[xcakid]

I actually rented that DVD on netflix. Mabu stance for 1hr each day!!! That makes me thankfull we only do it 1-5Mins in class.

I don't train hard enough. I got patellar tendonitis after 3wks into returning to CMA. So I have been doing light training. I really need to work on my cardio more. My knee is about 95% Very low stances still hurts. Specially twist stances. Can't do any jumping still.

[Samurai Jack]

Oh my. That is inspirational. Does anyone know if this is an accurate reflection of shaolin training though? I've read that the monks are not actually vegetarians, and that they don't actually perform relgious devotions either. It makes me suspiscious of some of the other claims, but the performances are nonetheless undeniably impressive demonstrations of athleticisim.

[Royal Dragon]

You have too look at the limitations of the human body. My guess is there is much lower intensity in order to train that long.

Also, an hour horse stance is not un common. I'm a wuss haeving only bested at 20 minutes. Tai Tzu guys like Sifu Abel had to be able to hold it for an hour. It's
common in many Kung Fu lines. You don't only hold it an hour though, it's a body structure extercise more than an endurance thing. The mental and physical endurance is a side effect.

You can cheat and make it easier by arching your back and sticking your behind out.

[Adventure427]

Hey 20 minutes is good. I maxed out at 9 the other day (im a newbie). I was proud of myself. I could barely get out of the stance though, lol

Well Samurai Jack Thing to keep in mind is 1)It showed shaolin monks eating vegetarian food...did the thing you read or saw show them eating meat? Plus they have westerners come to train too so i doubt they make THEM become vegetarians. Second...and i could be way wrong about this....But you said 'religious devotions'...i've heard that buddhism actually isn't a religion but is a philosophy (no god) but i could be COMPLETELY wrong about this....but if its true, then there wouldn't be any religious devotions...and you DID see the monks meditating in front of the statue too tho. So maybe it IS all accurate...and maybe not. But i know i can atleast step my game up a little by watchin the video ^_^

[PangQuan]

shaolin is able to eat meat as well as drink alchohol.

i cant remember the name of emperor (Tang?? ) (someone here can) that decreed that the shaolin did not have to adhere to vegitarianism and non drinking. The monks were the reason he took his place as emperor and started a new dynasty, or rather maybe it was his son.

to lazy to go look.

[Samurai Jack]

PangQuan, I've heard that story too. I wonder what Bodhidharma, the first patriarch at Shaolin temple, would say about an Emperor telling monks how to run thier monastery? As I recall, Bodhidharma was a little chilly when he met with Emperor Wu:

According to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, in 527 during the Liang Dynasty, Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Zen, visited the Emperor Wu, a fervent patron of Buddhism.

When Bodhidharma entered the royal throneroom, he was met with applause by the Emperor's attendants. The sage's teachings were legendary, and everyone present was eager to hear it for themselves. Following the traditional exchanges of respect, Emperor Wu, thinking to test this supposed great sage, asked Bodhidharma, "What is the highest meaning of noble truth?"

Bodhidharma answered, "There is no noble truth."

The throne room was filled with a shocked silence. Emperor Wu was somewhat perturbed by this answer, but recognized that he himself was being tested by Bodhidharma. Hoping to impress the sage, he asked, "How much karmic merit have I earned by ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?"

Bodhidharma answered, "None whatsoever."

Thouroughly offended, Emperor Wu shouted "Who is standing before me?!"

Bodhidharma answered, "I do not know."

The Emperor was so upset that he ejected Bodhidharma from the Imperial court.

Adventure427, I'm a buddhist. I trained as a monk here in the U.S. Buddhism is a religion. Just because it dosen't conform to the three popular monotheistic religions of middle eastern origion's (Judaism/Christianity/Islam) concept of a religion dosen't mean it's not. We have ceremonies, we give offerings to various spiritual beings, we have holy days, we have spiritual practices such as prayer, meditation, and chanting, we have holy texts, we have moral and ethical guidlines... in short we have everything that ever other religion in the world has.


Can anyone who has trained at Shaolin corroberate the accuracy of the posted video?

[Scott R. Brown]

One could argue that Buddhism started as a philosophy or perspective of looking at life and over time became a religion.

[Kung Pao]

I don't know anyone who's trained at Shaolin. But my teacher does. He says he's heard it from reliable sources that hte monks actually do train in Buddhism and meditation, but only on a very small emphasis. They said the Buddhism of the temple is in reconstruction still, after getting some freedom and leeway from the communist gov in the last decade ro so.

Don't know if it's true or not.l

[golden arhat]

Originally Posted by PangQuan

shaolin is able to eat meat as well as drink alchohol.

i cant remember the name of emperor (Tang?? ) (someone here can) that decreed that the shaolin did not have to adhere to vegitarianism and non drinking. The monks were the reason he took his place as emperor and started a new dynasty, or rather maybe it was his son.

to lazy to go look.

just cos the emperor said it was ok
doesnt mean they stopped being buddhist

[Adventure427]

Thanks for the insiders info Samurai jack. And all the info from everyone else.

Well if national geographic is incorrect about how much they train....(the running up the 1000meter mountain in 20minutes...2hrs of basic kungfu exercies for strength and conditioning...and then 4hrs of kung fu techniques.....for the 10year olds.) Even if it's even ALMOST true......doesn't that make you feel like you can train more than you do now? Even if its only half....Even if they just run for 10minutes...crawl back down however far they got in 10minutes....then do strength/stretching for 1hr...and do kung fu techniques for 2hrs....everyday... thats still better than i do.

I split my trainning up. I'll get the urge to do some techniques in the air, and just start going. And then when i decide to train hard that day, i'll do a whole warmup routine and go at it hard

[PangQuan]

Originally Posted by golden arhat

just cos the emperor said it was ok
doesnt mean they stopped being buddhist

i never said they stopped being buddhist, this was just a reply to the aspect of shaolin monks being strict vegitarians.