Relax your mind, recharge the energy, improve your body.
Energy is all around us, learn to work with it while practising effective combat applications and Qigong methods. The ancient techniques and millennia-proven methods of Shaolin kung fu and Tai-chi are now within your reach.
Why to practice Shaolin kung fu and Tai-chi martial arts
Just because you’ve come across these pages and made it this far, you probably realize that there’s more in a life than fast fists and good physical condition. The biggest difference between classical movement (running, soccer, kick-boxing, etc.) is the spiritual overlap of Shaolin kung fu and Tai-chi exercises. You are not only improving your body, but you are also improving your mind. However, this is just the beginning, the impact of exercise on everyday life is enormous. If you have ever think about the wonder of a present moment and everyday beauty around you, then you are a good candidate for learning Shaolin kung-fu and Tai-chi martial arts techniques. The best of all of this, you are still improving your melee and self-defense skills. Both Shaolin kung fu and Taichi are essentially different directions, Shaolin is an external style and Tai-chi is an internal style, but they are closely linked and reinforce each other’s progress in practice. That’s why it’s the best to focus on both styles from the beginning.
Shaolin kung fu and Tai-chi martial arts take place in the open air
Shaolin kung fu and Taichi courses take place outdoors in the open air in the park on Letná, Prague 7. The Shaolin kung fu course for children takes place in Ondřejov u Prahy (Prague-east). The energy in the fresh air is significantly higher, which enhances the effects of exercise and energetic sensations. In autumn and winter, the conditions are more difficult, but when you overcome them, you feel even better about yourself, which supports the results of the exercise. You may perceive exercising outdoors as a certain discomfort or as a challenge that needs to be overcome. The place for exercise is always located near public toilets, where it is also possible to change clothes. A sufficient number of layers is needed and you will definitely not feel cold, rather the opposite. The courses are in Czech and English. I look forward to seeing you at Shaolin kung-fu and Tai-chi martial arts in the open air.
Shaolin kung fu and Tai chi courses from Sept 2024 – Jan 2025
| Course focus | Days | time | season | Where | Place | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaolin kung-fu for children (kids from 6 years) | Mon, Wed | 17.00 – 18.30 | 9.9. 24 – 29.1. 25 | Ondřejov, Prague East | outdoors / school gym in discussion | 4320 CZK 36 sessions |
| Shaolin kung-fu for children (kids from 6 years) | Tue, Thu | 16.00 – 17.30 | 17.9. 24 – 30.1. 25 | Central Park Chodov, Prague 4 | outdoors all year round (Metro C – Opatov, 3 min. walk) | 4080 CZK 34 sessions |
| Shaolin kung-fu and Chinese close combat (kids from 12 years and adults) | Tue | 18.00 – 19.30 | 10.9. 24 – 28.1. 25 | Opatov gymnasium, Prague 4 | outdoors / school gym (Metro C – Opatov 5 min. walk) | 3960 CZK 18 sessions |
| Qigong and Taiji Bagua Palm of eight trigrams (kids from 12 years and adults) | Tue | 19.30 – 20.30 | 10.9. 24 – 28.1. 25 | Opatov gymnasium, Prague 4 | outdoors / school gym (Metro C – Opatov 5 min. walk) | 3600 CZK 18 sessions |
How to learn kung-fu
It is important to remember that practicing kung fu is for lifetime. Learning different fighting techniques, formations and other elements requires discipline, regularity and humility.
The first step is to learn basic coordination exercises and sets of movements. It’s not that difficult to master them, and the more techniques you know, the faster you learn others. First, you will go through a phase of learning the movements so that you can master them correctly. After mastering the movements as a framework in their entire execution, great diligence is needed to automate the techniques and movements and be able to practice them without having to think about the given movements. This is followed by a phase of refining the techniques. During this phase, the meaning of the movement and its application in real life to the opponent is understood. There are sets where the Master deliberately does not explain the exact application to the opponent, but places emphasis on the student researching the movements on his own and figuring out by his practice and refining the movements how the given application will be used in the fight.
An adept of mastering kung fu first goes through the stage of forcefully performing the exercises. Which in practice means that he performs the movements more slowly and gets tired quickly. This phase cannot be skipped. Through repeated and persistent drills, the movements gradually become looser, faster and do not get tired. It gains more strength, speed, energy, and finally, when the energy, spirit, and inner strength are united through targeted cultivation of the body and spirit, kung fu moves. It is a master level of demanding training of the brain and automated movement patterns of the body in harmony with the energy of man, earth and sky, where a person is able to react to the opponent’s techniques with lightning speed and intuitively. This is called attainment of kung-fu.
I look forward to seeing you at Shaolin Kung Fu lessons for children and adults. Ondřej Diviš, lector.