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In China there were originally two Shaolin Temples, one in the south and one in the north. It is said that the Southern Shaolin Temple was famous for their punches and the Northern Shaolin Temple was famous for their kicks. But hundreds of years ago the Northern Shaolin Temple was burned down and the only record of it today is in history books. The skills from both temples have now merged, and the knowledge that has been passed down through the ancient books shares with us three vital ingredients we need in order to have powerful kicks. In this article I will share with you the first two and in next week's post, the third ingredient and also how to use these ingredients effectively. 1) Flexibility - If you want to kick with power and speed then you need to train it to have as much flexibility and dexterity as your arm.  2) Speed and power -  Flexibility doesn’t lead to speed and power so the next thing you have to concentrate on is gaining speed and power. 3) Strength -  In Shaoli

The most commonly used Shaolin stance is mabu or horse stance which I wrote about here . In this blog post, I focus on the second most commonly used stance which is: Gong Bu.  Benefits: Strengthens the legs. Strengthens the spine. Is the key to unlocking the Shaolin forms. Centers and grounds the mind and body. Step by Step: 1) Stand straight. Draw your fists to your waist and turn your head to the left. 2) Step your left leg out to the side so your feet are wider than your shoulders and slowly squat into Ma Bu. 2) Turn both legs and bend your left leg as much as you can , keeping your right leg straight. Turn your body to face the left. 3) Remain here for six breaths. Check list: It's a good idea to check your stance in the mirror. Your back foot should be slightly turned in, it shouldn't be completely straight. Your back foot needs to be in line with your left foot. Your front knee should be over your front foot. Is your neck tucked in and your shoulders relaxed? Are you knee