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It was Michael Freeman's second day at the Kung-Fu academy and I took a hard look at him. He was built like King Kong, was as hairy as King Kong, wore Mr. T's hairstyle, but he had Oprah's puckered lips and Michael Jackson's darkly-lined eyes. This made me a little suspicious of his motives for being here, but I was in full concentration mode as I began enlightening him with some basic Shaolin Kung Fu tips.
"Freeman, in Shaolin Kung Fu, the Chi (breath) must unite with the Li (force). Do not lose focus, because the brain must coordinate with the heart, the heart must coordinate with the mind and the mind must govern the way you breathe. Be determined and you will be rewarded." I began educating Freeman.
"Man, you just sound like my Auntie when she's chanting hymns in choir practice! Ha!" Freeman guffawed, his lips vibrating, his eyes filled with merriment. Hmmm, Freeman was a casual customer.
I smiled back, "Thank you, Freeman. In Shaolin Kung Fu, it is necessary for the body to be agile, swift and packed with energy. The movement of all parts of the body must be co-ordinated and you must focus on your body movements. If you move forward one step, your hand should move, too, in sync. Even when you hit, do not focus on your fist or the force you put behind it just concentrate on your body rhythm. Understood?"
"Man, is this a ballet school or what? Ha!" Freeman laughed, his lips puckering even more. A a little voice inside my head told me Freeman was an irreverent type.
"Thanks again, Freeman. Now, pay attention: In Shaolin King Fu, the five elements of nature wood, fire, earth, metal and water form a unique fusion during a fight. You must observe them and the arrangement of the universe around us. When you practice Shaolin Kung Fu, you will come to understand that your Chi (breath) can influence these five elements. When you reach that level of understanding, you will be able to move very heavy objects with one movement of your hand or foot. Shaolin Kung Fu is that powerful, my friend.
"Hey, man, I came here to be a better fighter I ain't gonna be no weight-lugging chump, man!" Freeman continued his rocking and rolling.
Well, it was my Shaolin Kung Fu training that helped me maintain my cool. Otherwise, Michael Freeman would have been dead meat by now. "Freeman, please pay attention So far, you have learned that in Shaolin Kung Fu, you have to focus on your breath and your body movements while observing and connecting with the five elements of nature. Now here's the fourth tip: Shaolin Kung Fu requires you to be an expert in fist work. You must move your arms in such a way that the enemy cannot gain sight of your fist. Your arms and fists must move at the speed of light and for that to happen, you will have to train your sinews in such a way that when you punch, your arm must glide like a bird landing on a lake."
"Sure, leg movements are important too: In fact, there are seven kinds of leg movements in Shaolin Kung Fu, but we'll come to them later on." I pointed out.
"Got any cool underarm movements, eh, Balboa boy?" Freeman laughed, looking at me with merriment in his eyes. I wished he'd go away.
"Okay, Freeman, this is your last tip for the day: In Shaolin Kung Fu, your eyes, ears and heart must be in perfect rhythm. Your eyes must follow the enemy's movements and your ears should be sharp enough to detect the softest of sounds this, while your heart is steady, cool and calm. If you are able to achieve this state, you will not err. That's enough for today Freeman, class is finished. Now please join me for a bout of Shaolin Kung Fu sparring."
"Hey Rocky, whatever you say! Hee, hee" Freeman called out grinning ear to ear, not knowing what he was getting into.
That was the last time Freeman ever clowned around in my Kung Fu class. And in case you are wondering, no, I didn't destroy him but that's another story for another day.
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Yoshi E Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers the
mixed martial arts industry. For a free report on
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