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33. Exercise "Frog"
HA MA GONG
Brief
description*
*Excerpt
from the book: Jin Jing Zhong. Authentic Shaolin
Heritage: Training Methods of 72 Arts of Shaolin. ISBN:
978-1440474170
This Shaolin exercise
is also called “Lifting a Stone Block”. It belongs to
the hard Shaolin GONG FU, trains the external power and
belongs to the YANG category. The purport of the
exercise is to make muscles hard, which helps to beat
off an enemy’s attack. It is similar to the exercise
“Iron Shirt” (TIE BU SHAN). Many people in the city of
Tiantsin practise this exercise. Unfortunately, they
simply “pump up” muscles. For instance, they lift weight
of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 90 kg. It is the most
primitive method of training, the development of the
internal force is out of question with this. This kind
of Shaolin GONG FU should be gradually acquired, don’t
hurry at no event. At first, wrists are trained, then
shoulders and chest, then legs. This method approximates
to the “soft” GONG FU, as it also trains the inner
power, but force is emphasized in this case. It is
unlike “Water Separation” (FEI SHUI GONG) in GONG FU
where QI is the main thing and force is an addition...
<...>
... The time
of staying in the stance must be gradually increased. It
is necessary to train oneself until muscles become
strong. In that case you will be able to concentrate
force in any part of the body and even stabs of swords
and spears can do you no harm. Specialists in WU SHU
(Martial Arts) say about this kind of Shaolin GONG FU:
“That is training frog QI inside and muscle outside”.
Although it is the “hard” GONG FU by its nature, which
trains the external power (muscle force), but partly it
is also the “soft” GONG FU that develops and uses the
internal energy. Besides, this method helps to cure
illnesses and prolong life time..
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