What Shaolin Means to Me

A lot of people ask me about the meaning behind shaolin. It has a great history but personally it is more about what it means to me and what discoveries I have made as an individual. 

Importance of Footwork

One of the most fundamental lessons you can learn in any martial arts is how to stand. As easy as the it sounds, every practitioner needs to be aware many different aspects occuring in their body from something as simple as staying upright.

Try standing as a quick exercise now. How are your feet positioned? Do you feel the weight evenly distributed between the feet? Is your back straight? Are your core torso muscles engaged to help maintain your balance and posture? These are just some of the few things you need to be simultaneously aware in your body.

Now comes movement. Can you feel your weight easily transition between one foot to another as you move in any direction?

Sifu Hill recently started several advanced discussions about the importance of footwork, and how to move swiftly and effectively in a combat situation

Losing to win

(Dictated by Sifu Lawrence Hill)

"A lot of people will feel really bad when they perform poorly, especially if in a fighting situation. They will get frustrated or upset if they get beat and bloodied up.  But I've taken a different view: you have to lose to actually win.  In order to improve you need experience and there is no experience like losing.