Don’t let the heat get you down
It’s easy to skip training when the heat is high and the humidity seems out of control. But pushing through the discomfort can bring its own reward. Often the heat provides an opportunity to move very slowly, and this, in turn, provides a new perspective on the intricate moves of a form or technique.
Kung Fu or Other Martial Art?
Should you study kung fu or some other style of martial arts? This is a personal question that goes to the heart of values and purpose. What is your purpose in studying the martial arts? Is it only for physical fitness? Then all martial arts will provide that. Is it for focus? Again, all martial arts will enhance your ability to focus. Balance, strength, flexibility? These characteristics are the essence of all martial arts. Self Defense? Some forms of martial arts are better at this than others, but all provide the basics.
And, while all martial arts have a spiritual side to them, kung fu originated through a desire to meld mind, spirit, and body into one united being. Learning the physical aspects of any martial arts takes practice and commitment, but truly understanding the deepest essence of your study, and bringing the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects all together, takes a commitment and focus that students spend years pursuing. May YOUR journey be filled with beautiful discoveries.
15 Students Advance to Next Rank
Fifteen students advanced in their kung fu ranking on Saturday, June 15th. The day was warm, causing the younger students to “wilt” a bit as the time went by, but 2 students successfully advanced to Yellow belt, 3 students advanced to Orange, and 7 students moved to their Purple belt rank. Blue, 1st Degree Brown, and 3rd Degree Brown rounded out the last of the advancements. The 3rd Degree ranking in Brown is the last belt before Black Belt, and thus we offer our sincerest congratulations to Steve S. who successfully completed this stage of his journey.
Market Square Day Activities
As the runners streamed by our yet-to-be-erected tent/booth, SDSS staff prepared for a busy day of activities on our annual Portsmouth Market Square Day appearance. We honestly love this opportunity to interact with our greater community. The chance to meet both local-area residents and tourists, and answer any and all questions about our kung fu programs is unparalleled.
This year turned out to be particularly interesting as many who stopped by to chat, asked questions about the physical demands of kung fu, how we worked with students with exceptionalities, what our class schedule was, and even, about our training at the Shaolin Temple in China! Many entered our drawing for a free month of group classes, and several asked to be added to our mailing list. Nearly everyone one who stopped by accepted our free sports water bottle, and we did our best to give one to all who passed by.
Several of our students stopped by to chat, some even stayed and helped. We even snuck in a quick demo of forms here and there. Add to that, the weather finally cleared (even if it was rather windy), and all in all, the day was absolutely fantastic. We’re already planning new ideas for next year!
Weekend Retreat Offers Both Kung Fu and Tai Chi
Shaolin Studios is hosting a Weekend Retreat in Boston, beginning Friday, July12th, and ending on Sunday July 14th. Grandmaster DeMasco will be teaching a Black Tiger Form (Chi Quong), and Sr. Master Meyer will be teaching a Tai Chi Sword form.
All students and their families are invited to participate. This is a tremendous opportunity, and our first Weekend Retreat offering.
What a terrific way to learn challenging Kung Fu and Tai Chi forms in the same weekend! Immerse yourself in martial arts!
The Difference Between Kung Fu, Karate and Other Martial Arts
The stances and distancing between opponents in kung fu is significantly different from most of the other martial arts.
Kung Fu emphasizes quickly closing the distance between you and your opponent, staying close, and not giving up any distance gained until the opponent has been effectively dealt with.