4 months September, 2007 December 21, 2007

Coen Huissen

I leave this academy after 4 months of training.

When I look back to my time here, there has been so much that happened.

The physical part is probably the biggest thing that has changed. The improvements in flexibility, strength and condition are amazing.

When I arrived at the academy I had barely any experience in a fighting sport, but the first thing that surprised me was that the biggest part of all the students here, have barely or none experience.

I really enjoyed my training with Master Wong, a Master who is focused on Sanda (Chinese kick-boxing). After a while you are able to join a sparring fight. In these fight the different Shaolin classes fight each other. It is a good test for yourself to practice your skills.

It is also good to know that the master makes personal training schedule for the students, so the training you get is really based on your own conditions and abilities.

The trainings have enough differences to keep it enjoyable. There are the usual forms and Sanda trainings. But also, power stretching, power training, Qi-gong, martial art theory and the mountain run every week. We even went one time with every one on the academy to climb the highest mountain in this area, a climb to almost 1000 meter. That was a really great training.

The facilities that the academy offers are good. There is an Internet room, where you also can buy drinks, food and small accessories. My roommate and I even took an Internet connection on the room, because we have our own laptop here.

It is not common to have your own room. So you have to share it with another student. You need to have a little luck to have a roommate where you have a good connection with, but the academy is really easy with switching rooms. After 3 weeks here my roommate left, and another we decided to travel together to Tibet.
Because there are so many students it is easy to make friends, and after a while it became your family.

My choice to go to a martial arts academy in china was for the real experience of Shaolin training. Closer to that feeling you will not get. The trainings are hard, tough, and to the maximum of your possibilities.

I will take this experience with me for the rest of my life, because it is not only the training. But the whole atmosphere, way of life and the theory what is behind everything we do.

I go home with 3 grading (tests) and 1 sparring fight.
The forms I learned where:
- Shoalin basics

- Fist forms:
Wubuquan
Lianhuanquan
Xiaohongquan

- Weapon Forms:
Yinshougun (Staff)
ShaolinBroadsword (sword)

- Shaolin Pair-sparring