Hard Qi Gong

Hard Qi Gong is a great exercise, but learn from a Master to guide you on your path.  Doing it on your own without guidance, you can seriously harm yourself. 

This practice is part of Qi Gong that some people learn.  It is also known as Iron Body Qi Gong or Iron Body Kung Fu.  Mostly the external martial art family uses this kind of training.  Internal martial art systems believe that if you have a strong enough qi flow, one does not need to practice Hard Qi Gong.  Also, it is literally a practice that hurts the body and the body heals to be stronger.  Internal martial arts consider that kind of practice prevents a person from learning internal qi flow and strength.  However, if done correctly with a wise master, it can make a person’s body as hard as iron with strong qi.

Everyone basically learns some basic Hard Qi Gong in all martial art classes such as breaking boards, slapping the arms and legs, receiving blows from a classmate, and other examples.  However, some people take it to another whole level which takes time, effort, and a guidance of a knowledgeable master.  There are different kinds of Hard Qi Gong.  The name refers to the part of the body that has been trained. 

Iron Head, Iron Fist, Iron Arm, Iron Palm, Iron Finger, Iron Shirt/ Iron Bell, Iron Crotch, Iron Foot to name the major practices.

The practice starts with basic repetitive strikes to objects such as boards with a thin cloth covering or a rope tied around the board, Shaolin 1000 Paper Strike, mung beans in a bag, sand bag/ punching bag, and other such means.

Qi Strengthening occurs when we put our mind to an area.  Focus is very important in Iron Body training.  Where the mind goes the qi goes.  An injury can heal faster when we focus qi to or away from it.  All of these are important when we practice Hard Qi Gong.

Bones are porous, so there is a lot of space in the outside of the bone.  It gives it elasticity to a certain degree.  However when there is pressure or breaking, that exact place won’t break again.  In training, the bones have micro-fractures where we are training. It is the microscopic size of breaks in the bones that heal fast because they are so small.  After a long time of everyday practice of micro-fracturing the bones, it becomes denser and denser, in a way making it hard as iron.  It also makes the qi stronger in that area because your attention and intent goes to where the striking occurs: always remember, where the mind goes the qi goes.

Mind Control/ Controling Fear-   This is part of the training because to break something, we must strike through it, almost as if it were not there!  If you were to try to break something without putting the energy clearly through to the other side, your hand or foot will bounce back and you can get hurt even more. Breaking through hurts, not breaking through hurts even more.

See the video from the Shaolin Myths and Logic on "Qi in Kung Fu" page or see the Human Weapon video below.