Monthly Newsletter
Table of Contents
Master's Notepad
We are moving into Spring and warmer weather. April is an ideal time for spring cleaning, traveling, and kicking off those family cookouts.
In April, we have a great special for new members. Try a free, no-obligation Class and receive a complimentary Start Kit, which includes a brochure, newsletter, and DVD. Please share this with your friends or relatives who may be interested in trying a few classes.
Click Here for the Special - https://www.rothrockskungfu.com/trial/
This month's merchandise special: Buy 2 shirts and save 15%. We only offer this special in the springtime, so get some extra pants today.
This month’s article explores the concept of doing something a thousand times. We have a saying: To practice for 1,000 days is said to be discipline; to practice for ten thousand days is refinement. In other words, regardless of what you are trying to excel at, you must practice discipline for an extended period. That is a great lesson, especially for children.
This month's animal is the Leopard. The Leopard is fast, crafty, and outsmarts its opponent. You can read more below. The self-defense technique of the month is called Pin Leopard. That is for a bear hug from behind, and you’ll use the leopard techniques for defense.
All the basics for the adult and children classes have been updated to incorporate more techniques associated with this month’s animal. This will help you better understand the methods for each animal.
This month, a unique Master Club class is available on the Spinning Saber. The Spinning Saber teaches you the basics of the saber and develops strong wrists and forearms. The Chief Instructors determine which days they teach these special, master-level classes. So, don’t miss out!
“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”
Keep Training,
Master Rothrock
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”
Keep Training,
Master Rothrock
Kid's Corner
Animal of the Month - The Leopard (Pao)
Kung Fu is a style of Chinese martial arts and one of the Five Animal styles. Jue Yuan supposedly created it with help from Bai Yufeng and Li Sou. The leopard emphasizes speed and angular attack. Unlike the tiger, the leopard does not overwhelm or rely on strength but instead on speed and outsmarting its opponent. The style's power derives from its aggressive speed. The leopard practitioner will focus on elbows, knees, low kicks, and leopard punches. Leopard kung fu is a hit-and-run style designed to overcome superior forces with inferior resources. Counterattacks are sudden, indirect, and short, aimed at landing a debilitating technique. The Leopard develops patience. Movements developed speed and strength and were executed fast, shifty, and crafty with narrow stances and clenched fists.
Why is everyone so tired on April 1?
Because they’ve just finished a long March!
How did the soggy Easter Bunny dry himself?
With a hare dryer!
The Theory of a 1000
Learning basics. That is one of the most important aspects of Kung Fu training. We could perform our self-defense, forms, sparring, and weapons routines with proper guidance and repetition of the basic techniques. Usually, after the first couple of months, most individuals find basic training drills tedious, and they feel more confident in their abilities.
However, when challenged with combination techniques such as Block, Kick, and Punch, their basic techniques become sloppy. Why?
The answer is simple: more practice is needed. How often have I said, "Do this 1000 times, and you'll become good." Many students look at me as if I'm joking. I'm not. In fact, the number 1000, in Chinese thought, stands for an infinite number beyond human comprehension. Now, that's a lot of practice! This advice is for all levels, white through black. Even after 55 years of practice, when I have trouble with a series of techniques, I break them down to the basics and practice each individually before returning to the combination technique.
Continued repetition is necessary because of all the parts of a particular technique. For example, let's list some of the details of the corkscrew punch: proper fist, held at the waist correctly, touch the side of the body while punching, a full twist after the elbow clears the front of the body, hit with the front two knuckles only, in line with the center of the body, full-extension, shoulder relaxed, hips forward, snap power at the end, chest level, wrist straight, and coordinate all of this with the other hand. As you can see, numerous things could go wrong.
Progress is made in various levels of achievement and basic techniques. Many advanced students can attest that basic training becomes more challenging as we improve our technique's speed, power, timing, and coordination. Also, we must start to understand the relaxation and tension involved in the basic technique. The body must remain relaxed as we execute the technique, become tense only at the very last instant before the end, and relax immediately after completion. Sounds easy. Let's compound that by adding that tensing the muscles does not mean the entire body. Only the muscles necessary to develop proper technique power are used. A drilling fist punch does not use the same muscles as a knife-hand strike.
Power penetration refers to the ability to penetrate power into an object, not just its surface. We start our training in this area by first hitting the bags. Whether using our hands or legs, we must learn to maintain proper distance from the target. Too close, and we push; too far, and we overextend. Next, use a partner holding a bag against their body and see if they can feel the power on the other side. If they did, you would be starting to develop power penetration. Remember, we must now learn control. Whether we are practicing a single basic technique or a series, these guidelines must be followed: hitting an object, engaging in self-defense, performing a form, or practicing with weapons. How can you accomplish all this? Practice 1000 times, and you will develop unbelievable skills.
Joint Flexibility
Joint flexibility keeps your joints healthy and loose. Inflexible joints can lead to arthritis, nerve damage, stiffness, and joint damage. Healthy joints require rotation, flexibility, and strength.
The full-range circular moves +of Kung Fu and Tai Chi rotate the joints as you build strength and improve your flexibility. That keeps your joints healthy and increases blood flow.
Since everything on your body is circular, circular movements are the best way to keep your body healthy. Plus, this is the way your body moves naturally. Therefore, straight and linear actions are less beneficial for your body.
As I mentioned, the Yin/Yang has two components: light and dark, strong and flexible. Therefore, a healthy body requires that you keep these two opposites in harmony.
The Spinning Saber
The Chinese broadsword is one of the most common and popular weapons developed in China. Broadswords once were the preferred weapons of the Chinese military. In the 1940s, the saber was used in the anti-Japanese war in northeast China. The broadsword has existed in China for thousands of years. There are long, short, and very short variations of the weapon. The prototype of the modern-day saber is the long-handled broadsword, similar to the short-handled one but much heavier. Its size was proportionate to the physique of the bearer.
The popular modern version of the saber, or broadsword, is known as the Do, meaning "knife," and the saber is actually a long knife developed from an agricultural tool. The Do's blade is curved and wide, with the sharpest area near the tip. The back of the blade is thick and blunt, used for blocking. The average blade length is from 25 to 30 inches. Sabers can also be used in pairs and become deadly with the double whirlwind techniques.
You'll learn the spins, blocks, thrusts, and strikes in the Spinning Saber class. You'll also learn a basic Spinning Saber routine (Huoon Tzi Do).
Welcome New Members
Elijah Smith
Gabrielle Burke
Neal Mello
Dan Wald
Silvia Wunderly
Rilus Buxton
Thai Gibson
Christian Snowberger
Lauren Smith
Julia Littlefield
Jaxon Cooper
Adam Johnson
Michael Debona
Esfir Langer
Ace Embers
Tyra Arras
Sheria Giles
Kamila Rodriguez
Kara Blakesley
Nicolette Montgomery
Jim Montgomery
Brent Johnson
Nyveah Johnson
Emily Janitor
Cameron Richards
Bently Richards
Zafirah Shahid
Inshirah Shahid
Emily Kopiak
Cathleen DeGrazia
Andrew McVicker
Leah Mann Daly
Ophelia Mecadon
Kingsley Mecadon
Kennedy Carroll
Francis Mecadon
Diane Honney
Kevin Coleman
Kristopher Galat
Jack Thomas
Mark Kania
Barbara Brazon
Santino Rodeghiero
Giuseppe Rodeghiero
Zoe Thomas
Kesha Kumar
Trudy Bennardo
Mary Langer-Schnepp
Terry Taylor
Bodhi Anand
Sonny Anand
Patrick Hilko
Adalena Schur
Peggy Beam
Douglas Papa
Jim Meinert
Emily Patterson
Granville Beam
Kitty Verdolini Abbott
Tyler Meyner
Hannah Miller
Hannah Miller
Caleb Graham
Nolan Graham
Mary Ann Kristophel
Kourtney Walker
Brady Alexander
Kurtis Keefer
Christina Beggs
Amanda Pletcher
Cheryl Ankrom
Laura Woodward
Don Ankrom
Megan Conroy
Dana Knox
David Nelson
Zac Nelson
Danyle Verzinskie
Copyright © Rothrock's Kung Fu & Tai Chi. All Rights Reserved