All the crap you thought was real.

[Shard]

Some of the more popular kung fu tricks, dissected.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lvRJEWHzGTo

Heh... I kinda figured it was a touch of conditioning and showmanship.

[Mephariel]

First of all, I don't think anyone that is intelligent will believe there is such thing as mystical arts. There is nothing mystical about Qigong. It is just the use of internal energy. Some of those tricks are clearly just tricks. I never seen a real martial artist care about hitting a steel chain that is burned with fire. If you want to see real Qigong, watch Shaolin documentaries.

[Tom Yum]

Who can forget Police Academy....here's Michael Winslow doing kung fu!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO0RjErOYVY

[Shard]

First of all, I don't think anyone that is intelligent will believe there is such thing as mystical arts. There is nothing mystical about Qigong. It is just the use of internal energy. Some of those tricks are clearly just tricks. I never seen a real martial artist care about hitting a steel chain that is burned with fire. If you want to see real Qigong, watch Shaolin documentaries.

And Shaolin documentaries showing similar tricks are different, how?

[Phil Elnore]

"On this episode.... from deadly shouting to a van being pulled by a penis....."

I can do those. I remember attracting the attention of local police officers whilst doing both at once. The van driver had nothing to attach my penis to, so he held it really tightly whilst I shouted and BOTH pushed AND pulled.

My inner strength Kiai of "YES YES YOU HORNY SISTER, NOW SHOW ME YOUR TACOS" attracted our local Deputy Sherrif.

He was impressed to be honest, and he also tried the same feat. I held him and he pulled both the van, and himself, off.

I noticed that he was wearing a 357 Magnum, and that got me ready to perform this feat again and again.

[Mephariel]

And Shaolin documentaries showing similar tricks are different, how?

Shaolin documentaries do not show similar tricks. Shaolin monks can bend spears with their throats and hang themselves for 30 minutes. They can demostrate putting their bodies under intense amount of pressure. The difference is monks actually have the training to show for it. You can go there and observe their training methods and the discipline of it. Those tricks were obviously attempted by amateurs who pretends like they are masters of Qigong.

[Thai Bri]

I've had people smash stones over my shins with a sledgehammer before. I've had them break cement blocks over my head with a sledgehammer, too. I've done the demo where two guys break a staff placed in the hollow of their necks by walking toward each other. I've even done the demonstration where you hammer a blade directly onto your chest without it cutting.

Hey! Don't keep doing these things to yourself! I think you need more self love Mike. You ARE worthy of our love. You ARE worthy!

[Thai Bri]

That's a relief. I was worried for a while. The girls would commit suicide if that handsome tough guy with the 1980's soccer player haircut lost his General!

[tjwingchun]

You never answered the last time I asked you Thai Bri, when did you get out of gaol and back posting here?

By the way I break chopsticks in my throat and pool cues, only means I am not welcome in retaurants or pubs when I have had a pint, lol.

Just remember when explaining chi not to forget the 'T' on the end and all will be revealed.

[Thai Bri]

This was the best laugh I've had all day!! Thanks Phil!

Sadly, tragically..... it appears that Phil has been banished.

Shame!

[Mephariel]

But Meph, if all the things done by the Shaolin monks can be duplicated by regular joes without years and years of training, why are they so special?

I've had people smash stones over my shins with a sledgehammer before. I've had them break cement blocks over my head with a sledgehammer, too. I've done the demo where two guys break a staff placed in the hollow of their necks by walking toward each other. I've even done the demonstration where you hammer a blade directly onto your chest without it cutting. They are all tricks, not chi, and since I am no Shaolin monk, I'd guess they do it for the same reasons I did - to draw attention and make the public want to do what I did.

No offense intended, but if a shaolin monk were to allow someone else to slash at them with a sharp sword, the results would be different. If they allowed someone to bash them directly on the head with a sledgehammer without the block in the way, things would be different. And if they allowed someone else to thrust a spear into their throat, it would not end well for them, despite what it may look like when they do it to themselves.

Because they can't be duplicated by the average joe. In fact, that is entirely my point. You saw a couple of cheap tricks in those videos. Shaolin Monks do thinks that are way more intense than that. For example, a Shaolin monk can hang themselves for 30 minutes or more. A shaolin monk can withstand a spear attack with their throats. A Shaolin monk can stick their hands under 300 pounds of pressure with you observing it directly. Monks can support their body with one finger. Those my friend and not dumb tricks like bashing yourself with red hot chains or whatever. Monks have years of training to show for it and have been demostrating their power for centuries. Unless Mike, you show me you can do those things, then maybe you have a point.

As for your second point, many monks have demostrated by allow someone else to slash them. And no monk claims to be able to aborb a sledge hammer blow. There are medical barriers that you cannot cross even with intense training. As for thrusting spear at throat, I don't know if I seen that done with another person. But with swords to the stomach, Monks do that all the time.

The question you should be asking is, are those techniques performable in a real battle environment where you attacks are sudden and unpreparable?

Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_WZcQoSJxc

Where are all those average joes training like that?

[Thai Bri]

Do the Shaolin Monks demonstrate in a real battle environment?

Answer - "No."

[Mephariel]

Do the Shaolin Monks demonstrate in a real battle environment?

Answer - "No."

I honestly haven't seen a shaolin monk in a real battle environment, have you? Not that I think all those techniques will work in a real battle environemnt.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

Do the Shaolin Monks demonstrate in a real battle environment?

Answer - "No."

No they demonsttrate how they can hold a cup stuck to their belly
at best they let 2 kids do some pre-arranged "fighting" on the plumpoles and that they did slow

[Tom Yum]

Do the Shaolin Monks demonstrate in a real battle environment?Answer - "No."

Well there was "The Boxer's Rebellion".......

we know how that turned out.....