Traditional Wing Chun of Durham

Get Physical!

We live in an age where technology has made things very easy for us, and sometimes it becomes a bad substitute for other activities we should be doing.  Many modern careers are "desk jobs", and entail very little physical exertion, to the point of sitting down for up to 8 hours a day.

Lethargy and laziness can easily result from this.  Especially if the job, or the people you work for/with are mentally tiring.  This compounds the problem, and through my own personal experience, I've discovered that it can lead to an extreme lack of desire for physical work, even training.  An object at rest, tends to stay at rest.  It becomes a habit, and a terrible one at that.

We've all heard stories about legendary martial artists "back-in-the-day", when technology was a minor convenience in one's lifestyle.  How many of those legends came from farming backgrounds, and had an excellent base of physical strength before/during their training?  They didn't have television, or internet, or smart-phones, and relied a lot on physical activity to keep them busy, even outside the dojo/kwoon.

I bring this up because I have recently (somewhat) returned to these roots, and I can honestly say I love it.  Consistent physical work can do nothing but help me in my training.  Although many people may supplement their martial arts training with trips to the gym, full-body (circular) physical labour can be incredibly varied and dynamic.  My current employment is not back-breaking, it won't kill me, but it will reshape that base of strength that I had somehow forgotten.  The bonus is collecting a paycheck for essentially "working-out".

Transferable skills: Martial arts can change your life, and sometimes, your life can change your martial arts.