The secret fighting exercises of the Shaolin Temple contain various stake arts (for example, plum blossom and meteorite stake arts). Stone Pillar Arts (also known as ‘Rock Pillar Arts’) belongs to the Yang/Gang Hard External Power Training category. It involves directing Qi to the Tan T’ien and legs (increasing the flexibility of the latter). Also known as ‘Shi Zhu Gong’, it also incorporates certain Shaolin Yin/Rou soft internal energy training functions. Sometimes called the ‘Arts of the Riding Stance (Ma Bu), stone pillars replace wooden ones to increase strength.
Technical analysis
Shi Zhu Gong specifically exercises the legs and trains the strength of the lower body. Stone Pillar Arts illustrates the Shaolin maxim: ‘Before fighting, first practice the skill of standing on stakes.’
Such training allows individuals to be firmly ‘rooted’ even in the narrowest and most dangerous place and to remain immobile with the firmness of a rock, even when pushed by a group of people with all their might. Otherwise, ‘The tree (man) without roots can easily be felled’!
method
This secret Kung takeover or fighting exercise involves four key stages.
Level 1
During this, students practice the horse riding stance (Ma Bu) with (hands extended to the sides, horizontally) extensively on a regular basis. Training is several times a day (10x would not be excessive) gradually extending the time the pose is held. Persist until you can ‘Ma Bu’ for about two hours daily.
The 48 holes, each several inches deep in the Hall of a Thousand Arhats, dug into it by generations of Shaolin Monk Ma Bu Training emphasize the importance the Temple places on this.
stage two
After carefully measuring the width of their horse’s stance, students obtain two four-foot poles (about 3-4 inches in diameter). These are buried in the ground leaving two feet exposed, separated by the previous distance.
The practice of the horse stance is resumed on these stakes. Initially, it may be difficult to balance them, but students must persist and gradually increase the time they spend in this position. Directing Qi down to the Tan T’ien (an inch and a half below the navel) and the lower legs and feet (a fundamental skill of internal Kung Fu training) helps a lot here.
The initial pains disappear with persistence. Approximately three months are required for this stage.
stage three
Weights are added to the described position. First, a rectangular stone slab weighing about 40 pounds is supported on the thighs (both hands extended horizontally to the sides). Once this can be held for an hour, additional weights are added in 20lb increments until approximately 200lbs total can be supported.
stage furnace
Two individual keystones or ‘lockstones’ (1) now replace the individual slabs to integrate the strength of the arm with that of the legacy. Stage Three exercises are repeated until about 300 pounds can be loaded for a similar duration.
Several years of dedicated practice are required at this stage.
general
It takes about 5-7 years of regular and dedicated practice to acquire Shi Zhu Gong, at this point trying to dislodge the possessor is like ‘A dragonfly trying to move a stone’.
Ratings
(1) Modern kettlebells can replace them, also according to certain authorities stages three and four of the above ‘Kung’ can be performed with these.