Shaolin Success!

HAVE you ever wondered what sets some individuals apart from others? What helps some people to focus and achieve their goals whilst others dream about it? . . . . Could it be that there are some skills and knowledge you could acquire to improve your life, your success, confidence and satisfaction? Are there any people and/or institutions that have shown continued and non destructive success without it costing other people or races?

Long before Gym & Aerobics

About 1500 years ago, a Temple was established in the center of a great country, surrounded by the 5 pillars of heaven in a young forest, and it was named Shaolin (Sil-lum in Cantonese). Initially, it was just another of Chinas many temples but the spirit and training of this temple was of such quality that it soon became renown through out China and even throughout the world.

Although rooted in Buddhist principles derived from India, the skills taught at Shaolin went far beyond Buddhism. The teachings and practices developed gave Shaolin students and Monks the skills needed to succeed in anything they chose; to be able to walk the path they need they need to achieve the ultimate goal of growing up.

Healthy Body - Healthy Mind

The essential part of this journey, to be strong and clear, is Health and Fitness. It was and is believed that an unhealthy and unfit body is not the environment for a healthy mind and thus healthy thoughts. Especially in a time where becoming sick could be the downfall of a whole family, health and well being were considered to be the two most important aspects of life and essential to maintain.

Today it is no longer a matter of life and death but one of a superior common sense. It is evident that to achieve your goals, your success, you need to have a clear perspective and superior sharpness of mind. Most people know this and that is why you see people on the roads on Bicycles, Running, Walking, in Aerobics Classes, Swimming and many other sports and fitness activities. We have become more health conscious, improving our life style, health & well-being. It even saves money by reducing your future need for medical services and associated time losses.

Much in the same way, brain-games exercise can be improved, maintained and even expanded your metal abilities. We see many signs of this including in the promotion of so called "Brain Exercise Activities" on Computers and Gaming Machines.

For professionals and Management, Life Long Learning has become an essential part of life. Maintaining your qualifications and keeping the ability to adapt and learn to new information and circumstances, is an important factor in your employability and thus your Quality of Life!

Yet, what you may not know is that many of these activities can have detrimental effects on your well being!

The Hidden Danger

Globally, the two most common reason for older person ending up in care facilities is Mental and/or Physical Impairment!

The Danger is in too much repetition! Just look at almost any Olympic Athlete, Professional Sports Person and dedicated enthusiasts. All will have some type of physical impairment. Callastenics, Ballet, Softball, Basketball, Running, Squash, Tennis, etc., cause a lot of Ankle and Knee Injuries over time. Depending how intense you are in your sport and how often and how intense you train.

But there are other effect to that are now emerging. Studies have indicated that frequent bicycling may pose a risk for erectile dysfunction by reducing blood flow to the penis. (http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/erection-problems/physical-causes.html)

Weekend Warriors

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The classical is the "weekend warrior" who participates in little or no exercise during the week and then on the weekend partakes in some kind of physical activity. In most cases, the intensity of the weekend activity is far too vigorous than that which the individual is conditioned for, resulting in injury and in almost every case, severe soreness. This causes Billions in lost time and revenue.

Injury, soreness, and in the rare case, fatality, plague millions of each year as a result of improper training. According to orthopedic surgeons, more than a million injuries related to sports occurred in the baby-boomer population alone during 1998 in the US alone.

With the emergence of "Boot Camps" to satisfy the need for quick short "instant fitness" needs of the modern man/woman, even greater damage is being done. Although deaths on these camps do occur, they are not the major problems. long term physical damage and problems which may not show up for years or even decades will create a new generation of impaired seniors relying on wheel chairs and external assistance.

Mental Cripples

Anxious? Nerves frayed? Is it your fault? Is it just that you don't fit in? That you can't cope with the responsibilities you must grow up and learn to handle? Not coping with the demands of the job or family, not qualified, cant find work, just not enough hours in the day? Whereas most mental activities that do not cause undue stress (as the above) will help our brain function, Distress situations will contribute to a decrease in Mental Abilities; much in the same way as extreme physical activities will contribute a degeneration of your physical abilities.

Defining the Problem

Well many have learned that whilst competitive sport may be fun for a while there is a great cost to pay in the form of long term and repetitive movement injuries. The younger, smarter generation have found the solution in the form of exercises that are run by a person who is qualified and who keeps an eye on you. A coach, teacher, personal trainer or martial art instructor; someone who is experienced enough to see the signs of wrong exercise and over usage of limbs and body.

Yet in many sports this can not be helped. If you play Tennis, Squash, any game using such an implement you will overuse the one arm, unless you choose to use both hands for the actively. If you are a runner, football, and other such sports you will eventually have knee and ankle problems. This is almost guaranteed.

Finding the Solution

We seek ever new input and stimulation. In an over stimulated society with unprecedented access to Information, Entertainment and Communication we sometimes forget Wisdom. Not everything old is useless, out of fashion or redundant. A lot of the companies who rejuvenated their workforce in favor of new and adventurous are now paying the price for not balancing this out by maintaining some of the wisdom and experience. The same for many modern, exciting and fast paced sports!

There is a style of sport that requires it's teachers to study for 4 to 8 years before teaching, that has a tradition of thousands of years and a reputation of being one of the safest activities in sport of all, martial arts. And of these martial arts, the one that is known for it's superior martial art and self defence, Shaolin Kung Fu.

Yoga, Tai Chi, Breath Force & Self-defence

Shaolin Kung Fu comes from a combination of Yoga and Tibetan Martial Arts. Over the centuries, many aspects of Chinese Kung Fu, Chi Kung and Tai Chi, Lama Kung Fu were incorporated to make it a most complete health and fitness style. But Shaolin Kung Fu had to be pragmatic and the exercises usable and functional as Self Defence and Protection. It is a style that keeps the Body, Mind and Spirit Active and can continue to do so well past the 80 year mark! And more importantly, without long term consequences due to overused body parts and aggravated joints.

Although now 1500 years old, Shaolin Kung Fu teaching and style are just as relevant now for success as they were in past generations. The ability to feel confident and safe; to improve focus and concentration; to increase health and general well-being; to have a stronger posture and physique; to be able to defend yourself both verbally and physically, to have increased attention for study and work; all very important skills that contribute significantly to your personal success!

Shaolin Kung Fu Academy Instructors are possibly some of the best trained Fitness Leaders and Personal Trainers available. They train for 5 to 8 years, in a structured and supervised environment, with exams and grading's. Then, if they wish to be an instructor, they can spend a further 2 to 4 years being a trainee learning the skills of a Teacher, before their master allows them to teach. Compare this to the current influx of semi qualified, Personal Trainers and 'Fitness Leaders' (that sometimes get their qualification in as little as 6 to 8 weeks), it is no surprise that informed people choose martial artists their personal trainers rather than generalists sport instructors. It is even sad to say what nonsense some of these fitness leaders pass of as cardio-vascular martial art training!

Finally, if you have had the interest and fortitude to read this article all they way through down to this paragraph, you have the focus and determination to be successful in Shaolin Kung Fu! Write to us.

Send us your feedback about this pages information, looks and anything for a chance to win a Shaolin Staff Home training Pack worth over US$200.

You will learn how to teal with a person attacking you with a stick; you will learn how easy this is to do in such a way that no one will be hurt. What is just as important that when you have learned this, you will already be on the path to success!

Board Games, Challenge Games, Dexterity & Coordination Games, Trust and Development Games, Games and more Games. The traditional way to open you mind to new thinking and ideas, strategies and possibilities!

The other "Weekend Binge Sport"

Extreme situations often bring out the mental cripple, yet these can also often be cowards and take it out on easy victims.

Often, the biggest step in solving a problem is by fully defining what the issue is!

Defining the Solution.

Making exercise interesting and fun while keeping it real and practical.

Any age, any gender, any size, any ethnicity, any anything can learn the ancient art of Shaolin Kung Fu for Fun & Health!