Chi Kung (a.k.a. Qi Gong)
I have seen many talented martial artists fall away before even beginning to reach their potential. In many cases, I see students burn out because they will not go beyond the superficial aspects of training, regardless of whether they practice Hung Leng Kuen or some other style. On one hand, Chi Kung helps us understand how to develop Fa Jing (explosive power) for martial application, and on the other, opens the door to the self-cultivation aspect of Kung Fu and other related arts.
I observe that the role of Chi Kung in Kung Fu training is misunderstood, and that students make the error of limiting it to certain specific exercises rather than experiencing the Chi cultivation in all our training, even the fighting aspect. Having this experience is simply a matter of being relaxed and receptive enough, as you cannot force the Chi through effort of will. This requires a different kind of intent.
In Hung Leng Kuen of course there are also some specific Chi Kung exercises. These are concerned with harmonising movement with breath, stretching and toning the tendons and other connective tissue, and martial Chi Kung to develop power. Through all this, the role of the mind becomes progressively more important; this relates to the intent mentioned earlier.
The following short video sequence shows a few examples of the different kinds of Chi Kung exercise we practice.
Related Arts
For training in Chi Kung for self-cultivation, visit The Lotus Tree (also see our Contact / Links page).
More about:
Curriculum (Overview)
Beginners (Basic Training)
Self-Defence
Forms (Shaolin Animal Forms and Weaponry)