The Requirements of Traditional Gong Fu
Back in the days, old Chinese Gong Fu masters used to say that for achieving old age, one must do three things daily:
- Handstand
- Bridge
- Split
These three exercises have two things in common:
- Improve microcirculation
- Maintain elasticity to promote the microcirculation
What does microcirculation mean?
The major circulation goes through the five major organs; if this circulation ceases, you practically die. Microcirculation is all the delicate parts like your toes, fingers, and joints, parts that are harder to reach and are only well-nourished when your body has the energy to do so.
Preserving energy
The split is helping us to reduce the resistance of our circulation and the body has an easier time nourishing all parts of the body. The elasticity of our body is very important to maintain a good and healthy condition.
Can I still do a split with 50+?
The short answer is: Yes, definitely! Practicing the split itself always has health benefits, even though you might not reach a full horizontal split soon. You will feel different once the hip becomes more elastic no matter what age. The hip is our largest energy main joint, and once the body has lesser resistance to circulate through your hip, you have the energy for other parts.
Important!
It is very important not to be too ambitious in the beginning. In my experience, most students hurt themselves if they ignore their current physical condition. Make sure that you follow our stretching guide to prevent injury!
Working with Energy (Tai Chi)
Once the body has more energy, the Tai Chi practice also becomes fundamentally different. Once the circulation goes easier through the body, the fine tissue has less resistance, and hence strong positions become like bamboo, flexible and yet still without getting tired. With stretching, we can focus on what is important in Tai Chi.
How to practice correctly
We have an extensive Tai Chi program in our online school. For beginners it is recommended to start with Tai Chi 28 steps, this will train you in flexible positions and how to work with high stances without using too much effort. With the right degree of concentration and flexibility the Wudang Tai Chi becomes authentic in its practice!