How to Learn Kung Fu at Home

Tap to Read ➤ Ishani Chatterjee Shukla

Eager to master those kicks and punches but can't synchronize your schedule with those kung fu class timings? Well, help is here. Find out how to learn kung fu at home, here.

In ancient times, there were no martial arts schools as we now know them. Instruction took place wherever and whenever a teacher decided to practice or to share his wisdom -- whether in an open field or deep within a fog-shrouded mountain. Some martial arts masters claimed that the only school was on the battlefield. - Kensho Furuya

If you're wondering how to learn kung fu at home, the following segment should help you plan out a pragmatic regime.

Learning Kung Fu at Home for Beginners

The following few steps will guide you into formulating a comprehensive schedule for learning and practicing this amazing combat skill with the help of any DIY instruction material. Your journey of how to learn Shaolin kung fu at home begins here:-

First things first, get the right instruction material. Be it an instruction DVD or an elaborate wall poster with clear depictions of postures, stances and kung fu moves, make sure you get that material whose content is comprehensive, complete and easy for you to understand.

In case of an instruction DVD, make sure that the instructor is a thoroughly qualified martial artist. Check for details of the instructor's qualifications or thoroughly investigate about the instructor's martial arts background to get a grip of his experience and instruction style.

Set the right atmosphere. Just because you're practicing at home doesn't mean you should settle with whatever surrounding is available. Make some efforts to convert an extra room into a proper practice room so that the atmosphere there is conducive to your training.

For instance, you should have a lot of floor space to allow yourself to practice the rigorous moves, expansive actions and workouts involved in kung fu.

Kung fu involves a lot of leaps, kicks, punches, twists and turns. You wouldn't want your fists or feet to crash into furniture or any hard surface and hurt yourself in the process. Get proper matting for the floor so that you don't injure yourself while practicing those falls and landings.

Do your warm ups properly before getting into the routine practice session. Most good instruction DVDs also teach you good warm ups and flexibility exercises that condition your body to undergo the intensive martial arts routines.

Besides warm ups and flexibility exercises, you may also be required to do some stamina and endurance building exercises. Do proper research into these areas before embarking upon the main training. Failure to do so would only leave you with stretched muscles, pulled nerves and painfully sore joints.

When learning or practicing kung fu at home, it's a good idea to get a partner. When two people practice together, both of you get to master those holds, throw, attacks and blocks better with each other as opponents.

The simulation is more real as you get an idea of how a real-time combat, involving real people, would be like because you'll get a clearer idea of how an actual person would react to attack you or shield himself from your attacks in a real situation.

Draw inspiration and motivation from kung fu legends. Keep a good collection of martial arts and kung fu movies and watch them, to pick up the various combat techniques and fighting strategies from on-screen kung fu idols. Watch videos of actual kung fu tournaments and implement the tactics and stances shown there in your practice routines.

Aside from keeping the exercises and practice routines regular, pay attention to what you eat. Follow dietary instructions given by your learning material and eat those things that will give you lots of energy for rigorous physical training.

Eat sufficient amounts of proteins and calcium to make your muscles stronger and keep your bones healthy enough to bear the pressures of punishing kung fu training routines. Last but not the least, read good stuff on the subject.

Get biographical and autobiographical works on the life and achievements of legendary martial artists such as Bruce Lee. Draw inspiration from them and motivate yourself to push your limits of endurance so that you are never tempted to give up till you get there!