Hundred Schools of Thought, Martial Arts

Many students have mentioned that the idea of outdoor training should be addressed in consideration of the many climate and natural factors which affect the Orlando area. Things from afternoon rains, extreme heat, and mosquito swarms all rank highest on people's concerns lists. In the westernized sense, all three of these occurrences get in the way of a comfortable and fulfilling training experience in any athletic or physical situation.  But the reason for outdoor training isn't simply because an indoor location is expensive. These three factors are important development points in my own personal experience in the Wudang arts, and are very connect to the Dao of learning internal martial arts.

The first thing to approach is that students who take on the study of the martial arts are looking to better themselves holistically. All the Wudang arts are designed to develop a person not only as a single skill, but as a human being. By undertaking the Daoist arts, you are committing to what is called Neidan, or, "Inner Alchemy." Martial arts is one of the many contributing pieces in this search for enlightenment, immortality, and self-refinement. Think of it as putting experiences in your body to affect it, instead of chemicals, food, or medicine. By conditioning, training, and refining the spirit, the life's health and energy all grow and blossom in new ways.

The first point to be addressed though are the storm. The school schedule is designed to have the mid-late afternoons off (except Saturdays), in order to fit general work schedules, and to avoid such storms. At Wudang, training persists through mists and light rains, but during storms students have time off to train on their own. In the case of extreme storms, we also will have off. But with the covered areas, class structure will simply change to working in smaller spaces and having different training methods. The factor of the rain is a conditioning experience for the student to show themselves how dedicated they are to their art and self-betterment. Also, the body acts and responds differently in the rain due to the stresses on the mind and the feeling of being wet. Slippery footing means students must work to step appropriately and not take advantage of shoes and traction. Cold rains in the winter create tension in a martial artist, help practice when the student is tense, and create a deeper sense of relaxation for when they are calm and comfortable again. The affect of rain is both physical and mental, so HSOT-MA uses it as a tool. Be sure to dress appropriately though! Awareness and reactiveness is more important than toughness and exuberance.

Heat will always be an issue eventually. Everyone gets hot. Everyone gets tired. Everyone sweats. But the extreme sticky heat is not foreign to the Wudang Mountains. The difference in Latitude between Wudangshan and Orlando is less than four degrees, and the mountains are one of the hottest and stickiest places I have ever visited. Nonetheless training continued in the heat all day and into the evenings. This is considered a conditioning aspect of your training. Your health can be poor, and still train outside! It's learning to not exert too much energy or force, and *finding* your limits. Just as all rooting and training practices, you find your limit, you stay there for a bit, then take a break. This heat is just another tool to help you grow past your limit. Extreme cold and heat are both factors in the world you will experience in life, and learning to be connected to your art and yourself in these pressures reach a deeper appreciate of what you are training and changing about yourself. I encourage students to bring warm water or warm tea--nothing cold--to drink during class when it is hot out. And in hot days, dress appropriately with light colors, and light materials.

You may see me in a sweatshirt, and always in long pants for training throughout the summer, as I incorporate many "extreme" factors into my own personal training that are not recommended for class. I will go without liquids, and sometimes fast all day before class. I will accept sunburn over using sunblock, and my natural approach is all in a Daoist sense. Although not specifically part of the Wudang practice, I find training under extreme pressures and deprivations unlock deeper skills in my training. If you're curious about this, feel free to ask, but please do not attempt these things until after we have discussed it. This is not recommended for any students, and it is only a personal choice. The heat, rain, and bugs will be enough, I promise!

Speaking of bugs, the mosquitoes in the area I am told are pretty rough. This is everyone's least favorite part of training, and bugs can be very very distracting. Imagine standing in a strengthening posture for 40 minutes, and not being able to swat the mosquitoes you watch land on your arms and take a meal out of you! Well, welcome to Wudang. Ask about my scars from the mites, mosquitoes, bees, and spiders, and you'll see what I am referring to. I would recommend everyone wear bug spray, but once you start sweating, if nothing else, the gnats will approach. This is a focus skill. To overcome these types of distractions will take your martial arts a long way in very little time. Being able to not be distracted but still aware of such a small creature very rewarding both on a personal and physical level. You'll find this little part of class will aid your comfort while sitting in traffic, waiting in line, or a slow internet connection.

With insects in mind, Daoism is a very natural system, and is pacifistic in nature. Since we are learning martial arts, religious and philosophical orientation is not pressured onto students, nor are they required to learn much about it from a moral standpoint. But needless to say, I request minimal slaying of insects. Feel free to swat, but they are following their natural path in what they were created to do. And as a Junzi (a moral man in Confucian philosophy), is compassionate and a just and enlightened ruler. The reward of overcoming petty tendencies of killing these nuisances is a long lasting virtue to reflect through the rest of your life when growing in attitude, temper, and the treatment of others. As said, I do not enforce these as classroom rules, but they are requests and recommendations to heighten your training experience, and better everyone's lives (including the little annoying buggers). Just remember that at least in Florida these guys don't carry malaria!

The overall understanding of training outside can be looked at as an approach at using the environment as a tool for combat. If you can run an hour under the summer sun, then your opponent cannot catch you. If you can twist and move on wet and slipper surfaces, your opponent cannot control you. If you can stay calm and relaxed while gnats buzz around you, then you are calm and focused enough to walk effortlessly through life with a smile. There are many other ways people can use the environment while training, and in fight theory. Consider the heat like a wall you are backed up against. Or the wet weather as having to defend yourself with an injury. There are many factors in one's environment to be prepared for. But the betterment of yourself starts with the acceptant all natural circumstances, and growing to exist effectively within them.