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I just started taking Kung Fu classes, and it's gotten me in the best shape. A good kung-fu school is about the same price as a cross-fit gym. It's not cheap. But the movements are easy on your ageing body, you increase cardio and flexibility, and it's very fun and interesting. It's something you can do as group or if you can't make class, you can practice on your forms anywhere.
I like Kung-Fu better than cross-fit because it's more motivating to me. Cross-fit is awesome because the groups are motivating, but Kung-fu is awesome as a group and as an indivual. I feel like I can't do cross-fit exercises alone in my room. I need a gym and a motivating quad.
Both exercises are fantastic because you increase mobility, power, and overall health. It's a way of life that I can easily follow, since it is so deep and philisophical. I see myself enjoying Kung-fu a lot longer than cross-fit.
There are many different types of kung fu (even more than karate) so to say "Kung fu is awesome" is kinda like saying "Food is awesome". Depends on the type and how it is "prepared". You are in Vegas, where are you studying kung fu and what kind of kung fu are you studying?
Also, kung fu isnt really a "get in shape" exercise program. Its a way of life and a self defense system (depending on the style and who/how it is being taught). It is something that would be better done in conjunction with your CrossFit, not instead of.
Last edited by LaoTzuMindFu; 05-04-2011 at 07:14 PM..
I just started taking Kung Fu classes, and it's gotten me in the best shape.
Thats some pretty amazing results right there. You "JUST STARTED" and already you are in "THE BEST SHAPE"? How long have you been doing it? What type of kung fu? What school? What are you guys doing (specifically even if it is in chinese terms) in each class that makes it such a great workout? This would be great info for people here to consider kung fu training if they do not want to join a gym.
I started 3 months ago, which I consider quite recently. It's Shoalin Kung-fu and our teacher is a 32nd generation Monk from the original Song Mountain of China. But he stopped his monkhood and moved to America and got married.
our classes are usually 60-75 minutes. We do warm up stretches for the first 15 minutes, then warm up forms for another 15-20 minutes. Then we spend about 20 minutes on our individual forms we are learning. Then 5-10 minutes doing cool down stretches.
We learn so many different stretches, movements, and warm-ups.. your body is exposed to more robust set of movements and stretches than Cross-Fit. However, I still do cross-fit type warm-up and stretches on my off days in conjuction to Kung-fu.
The real kicker is how motivating it is on days when you are not training. I sign up for 3 times a week, but on the off days, I'm still doing the stretches to warm up in the morning and I'm always practicing my forms because each form is very complex and you can never perfect the forms. Cross fit exercises are fairly simple and easy to learn. It only takes a few weeks to perfect your form for each exercise. Kung-fu forms are long and consist of many different movements to memorize. Once you get it down, you start working on your speed and power to make it better. It's just on going and never stops.
I guess it may not be my best shape since I'm 26. When I was 19 I used to run a mile in sub 6 minutes, go on 7 mile runs, and play soccer everyday. But I got injured and gained 20 lbs and lost all my running ability. But in the last 3 months, I feel a lot more focused and I'm getting a stronger again. I hope to get back into my best shape, but I highly doubt I will. But at least my blood pressure went down a lot and I'm just still on the Kung-fu high.
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