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Shaolin Monk Training Isn't Just For Monks. It's Perfect During The Pandemic


In a year where health is at the front of our mind, working from home can give us the opportunity to work more holistically with our health.  We need to shift the focus to include physical as well as mental fitness. Research has shown that meditation and exercise are crucial in lockdown for a positive mental state. The Shaolin Temple Workouts combine both in one fully contained unit. 

Give Yourself a Daily Dose of Dopamine

Chocolate sales have soared during the pandemic. This isn't surprising. Our lack of contact with friends and family cause us to have less dopamine. There are three ways we can increase our dopamine without the aid of chocolate. Exercise. Qigong. Self-massage.

Qigong

By deliberately slowing down our nervous system, Qigong activates the automatic relaxation response in the body and increases dopamine. Working from home is a great opportunity to drop ten minutes of Longevity Qigong into your day a few times a day. This will make a difference to the quality of your work and your energy levels will soar.

Self-Massage

When we sit at a computer for most of the day we get aches and pains. Massage helps to bring our body back to balance. The Shaolin Temple have a long tradition of using massage tools including the Instant Health Massage which I've written about many times. My top recommendations for computer related aches and pains are:

Gua Sha - Flat Stone Massage 

  • Using the wavy part of the stone, massage on the forehead and around the eyes. 
  • Using the flat part of the stone, massage the tendon that runs at the front of your arm from your hand to your elbow. 

Abode Of Qi Acupressure Neck Massager

  • Massage the tender points along the neck to ease  discomfort in the back and shoulders.

 Wooden Star Palm Massage

  • Handy to keep on your desk and use intermittently throughout the day.

Small Wins 

With this pandemic, we don't have much control so it's good to focus on what we can control.  Find a small win that will challenge and engage you. My challenge was physical. Transformation 1 and Transformation 2 are tough workout programs that I created during lockdown specifically for lockdown. Challenges can greatly alleviate stress and give us something positive to focus on.

High Intensity

If you're overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, meditation can make things worse. I recommend a short burst of high intensity exercise where you really get your heart thumping so that your mind stops thinking ( as long as you have no medical issues and you have a basic level of fitness).  

 

The beauty of what you learn in my programs, is that it can be broken down and adapted. For example You can use the Five Fundamental Kicks from the Novice Monk program as a HIT workout. Use a timer, or decide how many you want to do. Couple that with some Qigong Press Ups. Finish off with a few sessions of Qigong. Done!

Stick to a Schedule

Sticking to a schedule is crucial. At the Shaolin Temple, we use a temple bell between sessions. I suggest you use alarms to remind yourself to take regular breaks. And schedule what hours you will work, what days you will be working out and what time and stick to it. 

Whether You Want To Get Energized Or Need To Destress, click here for the perfect Shaolin Temple home workout for you.

 

 


5 comments


  • Patty Ice

    I have been struggling through not just Covid but sobriety ever since April 2020. I am 22 and since April I have joined a rehab and sober group that, I am more than lucky, has multiple meatings per week to support members through everything that life has in store for them. I am also in school right now, working to finally finish this Bachelor’s of Science degree, and I have 2 semesters left. Qigong and specifically your videos, as well as Shi Heng Yi’s, have been the one constant that have helped me achieve and maintain a level of personal fitness that usurps my longstanding norm from sports and lifting alone. Put simply your content has made my life worth, and enjoyable, living and you have provided a method for continuing and pursuing personal growth. :) thank you so much I could never show you how much I owe you. I hope all of you are doing alright. And Shifu I thank you for everyyhing, every video every post. You are an amazing person and the effort you put forth to support, nurture, and contribute to the growth of every being you touch is AMAZING. I <3 you!!


  • Mihoubi Nabil

    Training couche net


  • Robin Kockler

    I love your program!!!


  • Luca

    very interesting article, I would like if you made a video to see how you put these tips into practice, it is not clear to me how to use guasha and how long to use it


  • Dmytro

    You are the best


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