DMP #47 - Weight Lifting & Internal Arts

Damo , your teachings were recommended by a good friend Adrian , I’m very impressed with the extent and full Spectrum quality of the info on the channel , many thanks ☯️

What of you're not interested in internal "martial" arts, just internal arts like neidan?

If your serious you should be doing resistance training and cardio. A grand master has decades of experience doesn't have to rely on those methods so much but for the average person you can't be expecting these internal exercises to be enough for good all round health. I spent years on yoga and qi gung, started kyokushin around 11 years ago and that stuff doesn't carry over as much as one will hope. But now i understand there is value in those arts. Yin and yang you ideally want them working together, they shouldn't conflict each other

😊 great and helpful insight, thank you for this.

😊 great and helpful insight, thank you for this.

Damo can you please explain by what you mean by bulking the connective tissues a little more? You said how after mobilizing the connective chi and getting the internal movement going via x method, then we should go back to resistance training in order to build the connective tissues rather than focusing on building the muscles directly. It seems you are saying that naturally at this point in going back to resistance training the "internal mechanism" will now be stressed due to the having mobilized the chi, therefore the connective tissues will grow thicker and give us that move expansive look building the steel wrapped in cotton? What are the "other" ways to move weights or do resistance that you are speaking of when one goes BACK to resistance training after having mobilized the chi? Are you referring to a certain quality or connective feeling?

Like when you described weight lifting being more of a whole body elastic feeling rather than isolated or localized? When you talk about learning how to strengthen the connective tissue are you again talking about when one RETURNS to resistance after having mobilized the chi and connective tissues, and then when they engage in resistance training the FULL BODY elastic feeling (when the whole body feels like its expanding and contracting in an elastic way, when weight lifting rather than a localized area alone) is more alive, and this is what causes the connective tissue to grow and get bigger and expand and push the muscle on the outside and make ones body look more full?

In my opinion: Everything can be done mechanically or be used to let bodily-life-force intelligence to seep in. And that is internal intimate work and no one can copy as a technique.

Thank you

As a life long weights addict this is not what you want to find out 😬😅
Does this apply for strenuous running workouts too?

epic thumbnail, bro.

Does the same principle hold to doing cardio as well?

This video was perfectly timed as I just have begun introducing resistance training after 2 1/2 years off to build the internal processes and connections. Thanks, Damo!

I just recently started getting into weightlifting, so really good timing with the video. Thanks!

That makes so much sense from my experience. I was definitely one of those guys that after finding the insides of my body didn't go back to resistance training and suffered as a result. Oops.

Hi Damo, would you do a podcast on will/will power? I have heard you talk about it a few times and I have been wanting to hear more. I remember you said when deny your addiction, “it’s like leveling up”. I recently learned about the part of the brain which literally grows when we do things which are hard for us, I.e. things we don’t want to do and how this connects to our will power and maybe even the will to live which is pretty deep. Anyways, hope you consider this.
-Thanks

🙏

What about steel wrapped in steel? If you've got the internal stuff working, can you switch it off to preferentially work the external muscles, and alternate like that to get steel wrapped in steel? Or does the tightening outside just prevent the already activated internal from expanding?
For taking blows, the only armor I guess an internal master would need is a helmet? :D Let the golden bell of demon subduing buddhahood nullify the rest.

Seems to make a lot of sense to me.

That's so refreshing.
According to my experience...
the more pronounced the external structure is, the longer the abstinence lasts. It is an exercise in letting go and not using what you have, while accepting that it could also diminish a little.

Any thoughts on why Xing Yi masters tend to live long?

Reading the comments here, it seems to me that many people have missed the major component of what is needed to build the body internally. That ingredient is 'Qi' and an abundance of it. This is cultivated Qi that has to be built over a period of time until the 'inner body' wakes up. Without this Qi and without waking up the inner body, you will only be building the external body, whether that be basic muscles or clever connected lines that are more whole-body covered.
Don't forget the need for Qi!

Damo says all this but I could have sworn I’ve seen videos of him pretty ripped and fit. 😅 i wish I was that fit! I suppose everything is repetitive

Practicing gymnastics movements such as back and front flips, aerials, handstands, and kip-ups etc, like those performed by Shaolin Monks, enhances functional strength without the use of heavy weights.

In many ways, its wrong to SEPARATE the internal from external... because they actually ALWAYS are working together. Your internal abilities, are basically just stronger tissues.. but they cant really Drive the body. If you could switch off your muscles completely, your internals couldnt move you. At most.. maybe you would remain standing... under internal tension... but Im not even 100% sure about that.

In my journey from nothing to something... My first school was a Wing Chun school. The classes were around 2 hrs long... and the entire 1st hour, was a hardcore "Core" workout routine. In addition to a few stretches, we did like 3 sets of 15 slow-motion bare-knuckle pushups (both vertical fists, in the center of your chest), 3 sets of 50 crunches, and then immediately, into Slow Leg Lifts + Basketball sized leg circles + suspended hovering about 3 inches from the floor (the entire leg routine was like 3 to 4 min).

At that time, I was doing both the day and night classes... as well as biking 20 min each way... 4 days a week. I was also training at home, every single day. At that pace, I believe it took me about 3 months to go from a "Pillsbury Dough Boy Body", into a decently Fit body.. that could finally keep the same pace, as the exercise routine in class (without the need for any rests + getting the same number of Reps in). Maybe two years in.. and I was on a whole other level of fitness. Especially since I started sparring against other arts artists.. after my first year of training. Sparring built up a good deal of necessary Cardio.

That particular WC school... taught some "Internal" / Tai Chi style practices, in the WC training. The very first thing I was told to do, was to stand squared in front of a full length mirror... Extend my arm in front of me (handshake position), and draw my arm up and down an imaginary vertical division line, of the center of my body. The wristbone stopping at Head height, and Belly Button height. The arm should move EXTREMELY SLOW... and at the same exact speed throughout the entire path of the arms travel. At least 3 to 5 minutes, then switch arms. Repeat this, for an entire hour. I was told to do this, for at least 3 of my classes, before I was allowed to do the next step...

The next step, was to place my vertical palm, in the center of my chest... and slowly extend my arm away from my body... and then slowly retract it back to the center of the chest. At least 30 seconds to fully extend... and 30 seconds to fully retract. In this drill, you not only have to keep your wristbone in the center of your body at all times... but also, you have to make sure your wristbone / arm... does not raise or lower in height, as you extend and retract it. This is much more challenging, as you have to control the x and y axis, with perfect precision, for an extended period of time. There were other issues too.. as you have to make sure you didnt rotate your shoulders or hips.. nor to raise your shoulders, and had to keep your elbows close to your sides, and had to maintain your deeply bent knees... so that the knees were directly in line with your toes. Concentrating on all of these points at the same time... was very challenging, initially... especially when your body is shaking from not being able to deal with such long term strain. Also.. just like Tai Chi.. you were supposed to remain relaxed throughout the entire drill... as well as continually breathing slowly and deeply. This 2nd step, was also practiced at least 3 classes, before moving on to join the rest of the students, in other drills and exercises.

However, even in that school.. The were certain things that were missing. I would eventually go to a different Wing Chun school... and that teacher had us to a very different version of the 1st Form. You see... in the 1st form of WC, there is a section thats repeated 3x in a row. That section is called "3 Prayers to Buddha". Its actually meant to be performed slowly, like a Tai Chi / Internal arts form. Again, about 30 seconds to extend your arm techs, and 30 seconds to retract them. Once WC schools.. tend to perform this section in less than 2 min. worth of time. But when done properly, it takes 16 min. The rest of the form is down at a fast (explosive) pace...

Most schools will typically only do the form Once... and then move on to other things. However... with this Sifu, for one of our weeks of training... he made the class repeat the form non-stop, for a little over one hour. The WC form itself, is quite short.. and only takes a few minutes tops (if you are not doing slow motion training in it). This means, that the bulk of your training time... is spent doing the slow-motion work. In fact, you repeat that section, four times, to attain your slightly over 1hr training time.

I started doing this slow motion, 1hour, version of the form... on a regular basis. Either daily, or every other day... for several consecutive months. At first, there was not much notable changes happening.. but after a few months time... I started developing Internal benefits, and internal body properties. My minds sum total bodily awareness, went to a whole other level. I no longer had to SHIFT my FOCUS from one area to another... as I was getting like 100 points of data, all at the exact same time... and easily could tell what was happening to everything, without having to Think about any of it. My arms developed Surgical levels of Precision, in their movements... no matter what speeds, or vectors, that they were traveling at. I developed superconscious levels of 3d Spatial awareness... such as how far my limbs could reach... as well as if the OP could reach me. And my sum total bodily endurance, strength, and power.. had also drastically changed.

Part 2, to follow...

Isn't condensing the chi a form of resistance training?

You have mentioned that if one is weak externally then it is better if he/she do external strength/resistance training first.
I want to ask, "Can you tell some sort of benchmark in terms of time period or anything for external strength (with the help of gym etc) before one can start doing internal art practice? (Considering he/she is weak externally in the first place)"

Yes. I had other sayings for this. If one desires to sharpen steel, the way is thin at the edge, thick at the spine, like a sword. Seeking the way, one will be sharp at the edge and weak at the spine, like a wooden axe. Those without the way thicken everywhere, like a hammer


If a man can stand in wuji without mistakes, then there's no difference between his arm and dumbell. If he cannot stand still and he proceeds to move an object, he will make a mistake

clarifications much, much appreciated. Thank you a lot mate!

Thanks Damo.

Greetings Damo! Is there an equivalent to the moon gazing practice for men...as per the "White Moon on the Mountain Peak" exercise for women. Off topic, I guess. Much appreciated, thanks.

Brilliant! Thanks for taking the time 🙏🏼!

You are the man Damo!! A really good podcast. A question. Have you tried surfing? Wave surfing? That and on top of all your expertise. I can only imagine how that will open your eyes. Try it.

But i also feel like most ppl should stop working out completely for a time to get rid of chronic tension. Hard to develop softness in the tissues if you’re still holding onto chronic tension AND consistently working out with intense resistance work

I've waited a LONG time to hear from anyone on this topic...you did a Brilliant job . I've been confused about it for sooo long.🤔
Would this understanding be used in cultures where they carry weight on their heads.? ❤

I worked out for several months and gained a lot of muscle. I stopped for the last 2 months about and have been focusing on qigong. Recently I have started adding pull-ups and push-ups only a few times a week. Qigong is still my focus and emphasis. The crazy thing is, all of my muscles have come back without any of the tension I had when I was working out. I probably train qigong a few hours a day, and pull ups and push ups 3-5 mins every other day. And I look like a bodybuilder

I worked out for several months and gained a lot of muscle. I stopped for the last 2 months about and have been focusing on qigong. Recently I have started adding pull-ups and push-ups only a few times a week. Qigong is still my focus and emphasis. The crazy thing is, all of my muscles have come back without any of the tension I had when I was working out. I probably train qigong a few hours a day, and pull ups and push ups 3-5 mins every other day. And I’m jacked

Can one still do isometric movements as those build connective tissues without bulking up?

Nothing wrong with resistance training alongside neigong practice.

Using the internal arts mindfulness and breath work tools in weight training has helped me avoid a lot of unnecessary injury and wear and tear on joints. Its a great way to build functional lean muscle while also revealing weaknesses in your frame under strain.

Thank you for the podcast Damo, hopefully this will help stop people asking you all the time about this subject. Or at the very least give you a podcast to send the "weights curious " 🦍🐒 😅 So much useful information, much gratitude to you for sharing 🙏

Same thing applies to neigong/neidan, I'd imagine?

What systems are good for internal force? Zhan zhuang?

Thank you for the explanation. It was extremely clear and answered exactly the questions I had about it.

I don't lift much anymore, but I am sustaining my strength and can call upon it when needed. Love the thumbnail btw 😂

Thank you Damo, what you present makes a lot of sense and is practical at the same time. Testable, and repeatable, so it is also scientific🙏

In Bujinkan, we have a Dragon body set which uses a number of Yoga postures

Thanks for the insights, Damo!

Very enlightening, and makes total sense. Thanks as always!

If one is weak physically and you need to train to build muscle and strength, can you not still build the internal body? Isn’t there any benefit of that? Gaining some experience of the internal practice whilst gaining muscle/strength. Almost like gaining experience of the practice. I know I need to build more muscle and strength at present yet I am fully prepared and ready to explore the internal system, if not already immersed in it. Feel like I don’t want to waste time! Would love your wisdom on this. Thank you 🙏

Great info. You have a real knack for putting words to sensations felt during practice but not yet conceptualized or fleshed out.

This video gave me new ideas to play with as well as confirmation that following my gut, and dropping the resistance for a bit, was the right decision.