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What is conditioning for?

In 6 Dragons Kung Fu, for each practitioner, physical conditioning is a fundamental step that has the goal to:

Become able to perform the most advanced techniques (more acrobatic, complex, etc.)
Become able to perform the basic techniques more effectively (in terms of coordination, flow, etc.)
Better resistance to opponent’s attacks (joint levers, impacts, etc.)
Achieve higher performances (power, speed, target reach, etc.)
Achieve good health (our training must generate physical wellness)
Become able to face a real fight (self-defense, sports competitions, etc.)
…

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

6 Dragons Kung Fu’s conditioning benefits

The various types of conditioning that we will see are studied to:

Increase strength
Increase body resistance to damages
Increase breathing capacity / cardiac endurance
Increase speed / agility
Increase flexibility / elasticity
Eliminate common body limitations
Transform congenital defects into advantages (or at least limit their incidence)
…

A note by Master Kongling – I remember having a friendly discussion with one of my students about having a metal (titanium) prosthesis under the skin. While he explained to me the fact that this was partially limiting his mobility, I did nothing but focus on the fact that, to all intents and purposes, he always had with him a deadly weapon perfectly connected to his body: “See it as a tool! Not all the weapons are equal, study it and manage its limits as its strong points!”. Of course, not all cases are superimposable to this but the point is accepting ourselves, adapting and finding a way to gain the best from the (more or less favorable) circumstances that the scenarios of life will force us to face.

Basic conditioning and advanced conditioning

Conditioning, to be truly effective, must be constant, incremental, focused and based on the right exercises.

In 6 Dragons Kung Fu, we have many practical tests useful to recognize the qualitative level of the conditioning of the various psychophysical involved elements (knuckles, fingers, abdominals, mind, etc.).

A note by Master Kongling – Kung Fu is not made to show off but for self-knowledge. Some of the tests we will see may collaterally appear rather scenic but this is not due to a research of spectacularization: it is the natural consequence of discipline and serious preparation (within the reach of every determined practitioner). When a human being is focused like a laser on something, he / she can do extraordinary things.

The basics of physical conditioning

Before starting, it is important to make some fundamental premises:

Basic and advanced conditioning – In our style, we distinguish between basic and advanced conditioning; the first one can be done by everyone, the second only by those who are extremely motivated (because it brings our body to the limits of its operativity)
Advanced conditioning never ends – Advanced conditioning should not be discontinued (due to the obvious deterioration of its effectiveness and in some cases, the occurrence of physiological problems associated with bones / muscles / ligaments in terms of cramping / calcification / weakening / etc.)
Reasonable goals – In any case, when we talk about physical conditioning, we always aim for goals such as flexibility, elasticity, thickening, reinforcement, alignment, leveling, elongation, reactivity (etc.); we never refer to things like total loss of sensitivity, damage, deformation, surgery (etc.)
Listen to our body – A good practitioner must learn to listen to his / her body and to know its (present) limits and its (future) potentials; through gradual tests, steps forward (and backward), we must evolve patiently, in a completely safe context (hurry creates damages and damages slow down or block our martial growth)
Advanced conditioning must be planned – Advanced conditioning is long, sometimes painful and involves both precise choices (we can not do everything); we must find a mechanical balance between the (passively or actively) involved parts (as in the past as today, no Shaolin monk has ever sustained more than a few types of advanced conditioning)
Conditioning does not mean to become invincible – Last but not least, conditioning does not make us invincible, immune to physical suffering, damage or defeat; this practice allows us to simply (extensively) increase our fighting capabilities (nothing more, nothing less)

In the next article, we will start to see the various kinds of tests to evaluate things like the impact resistance of body elements (such as fingers, knuckles, elbows, etc., read Physical conditioning: verification tests).

In-depth video courses

Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu Exercises – A visual explanation of the fundamental 5 exercises you need to build real martial skills
Advanced speed and reflexes training – How to build real execution speed for combat
Iron palm: complete development path – The full explanation, step by step of the Iron Palm skill
Diamond Finger conditioning – How to acquire one of the most advanced conditioning skills
Iron body: the development path – The full path to the highest level of impact conditioning of our school
Combat flexibility: tendons transformation for martial arts – The advanced level flexibility practices of 6 Dragons Kung Fu
Hand grip strength conditioning – A video course to improve the hands’ capability to capture

In-depth articles

Hands conditioning: first approach with a bag of rice – A simple and basic method of conditioning for the hands
Conditioning to pain: an introductory exercise – A slapping exercise to start a pain tolerance path

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

What is the part of the body that you would prefer to condition first?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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