Some thoughts on training at the Shaolin school
I think the most difficult thing, especially for long-term students, is maintaining the enthusiasm you had when you first arrived. It’s all too easy to give in to the rigours and fatigue of training three times a day and wonder what came over you when you made the bold decision to train at a Shaolin school. I won’t deny that, for me, it was the dream of becoming really good at Kung Fu (far better than those mediocre people who claim they know how to fight simply by brandishing a piece of metal shaped like a sword) that brought me here.
Deciding to come here and train is the first step. In the midst of agonisingly painful stretches (especially at the beginning of your stay) and incredible fatigue from all the kicking and punching, I often find it difficult to give one hundred percent to every kick and every punch. We all need more than fitness and muscles to keep going – kick after kick, round after round, training session after training session, day after day, week after week. I guess finding a way to motivate yourself and maintaining a positive attitude will take you a long way. I’ve seen people become disheartened when they couldn’t seem to get something right despite all their efforts. Sure, we all struggle with one thing or another, but the key is to keep working at it and never give up. Then, one day, you might discover that you can finally do the perfect split, or that you actually enjoy that extremely difficult jumping kick that used to fill you with dread. I believe that, with continuous effort, these are not just mirages in the desert of the impossible. We create our own “miracles” through inspiration and hard work. Lastly, having some faith helps. Instead of telling yourself that there’s no point in giving your best because you’ll never succeed on the first try, challenge yourself to overcome the mental obstacles you have grown so accustomed to. Look at the stick your instructor wields as something that is there to help you, instead of cursing it and saying, “But I can’t!” We choose what we want to commit our efforts to, and since you’ve made the decision to train here, you might as well make sure you don’t disappoint yourself.
With that, I wish all you students luck, courage and inspiration for a successful training experience here. The journey towards becoming a skilled martial artist is long and arduous, but if we keep our minds open, we can see the countless rewards we gain along the way. Remember to keep moving forward.
Germany · 3 months