The Shaolin Secrets Blog

This could be it.

No...I mean it.

Things are getting a bit out of control.

Immigration reform is huge right now. America is a nation of immigrants that gave the finger to the King of England because he was trying to be Boss of us. This topic is a dynamite to anyone who dares to tackle it and I hope the people we hired to run the show can figure out how best to handle it.

Iran wants nuclear energy and is going as fast as their little feet can take them to get it. And they seem to think that no one can or will do anything to stop them.

Energy prices are going through the roof and both of our political parties are blowing wind about how it's the other guy's fault and if you put us in office, blah-blah-blah. In the mean time it costs about a hundred bucks for a family to fill up the SUV.

Here's the kicker. With all this going on, I actually read a quote in a newspaper that was based out of the Northeast in a city that never sleeps that said (and I'm paraphrasing here):

"Not since Jesus has the birth of a child been so anticipated as the birth of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's baby."

You have got to me kidding me.

With all the important and history making changes that are happening right now, someone thinks that the birth of a child... to people who make pretend for a living...is on the same plane as the birth of a religious figure.

What's wrong with this.

Maybe we all need to step back, turn off the cell phones, junk the e-mail and take a breathe.

Maybe we need to re-think what's important to us. I'm only thirty seven years old.
I found out recently that a guy I work with that's younger than I am, has a possible brain tumor.

Another person I work with has gone through a bout with cancer and lived. He is forty five.

My best friend in the world, who I've know since we were in the sixth grade, recently was diagnosed with Graves Disease and had to take a radio active pill to kill his thyroid, which had gone ballistic on him. He's my age.

Let's get back to the basics. Shut off the phone. Grab your wife, take a three day weekend and go on a road trip with just the two of you.

Take a day off from work and take the kids somewhere. Cook a special meal for that special someone. Chill out.

Grab a good book that you've wanted to read. Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I is a book that I have been reading and re-reading for some time now. Being a martial artist and history nut, it's got everything in it I enjoy in a book.

Every time I read it, I'll pick up a new principle, technique or philosophy. Or I'll be reminded of one I already knew and wasn't applying. You can go see for yourself at www.shaolinsecrets.com.

Give yourself a "Check Up from the Neck Up" and see if you are looking at things from the right perspective.

I got my wife to do it. She has a chronic condition; she's always cold.

It could be seventy degrees out with the window open and if there is slight breeze, she's jumping up and down saying, "It's soooo cold."

Last night she was squeaking that she was cold and I looked at her and said, "Baby, Antarctica is cold. The North Pole...that's cold. Our freezer is cold. It's not cold if it's sixty eight degrees in here."

She laughed and said, "Okay... you got me." We both curled up with a good book and enjoyed being together...and not being cold.

Go to www.shaolinsecrets.com and get Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I and turn the world off for a while.

You'll be glad you did.

Best,

William Huff

I was sparring with a friend last week. Nothing too hard; we were going without pads or head protection, so you could say it was fairly "live" and keeping us on our toes.

The guy I was sparring with is a guy I've known for about fifteen years and we have grown up together in the martial arts. He's about my height but I out weigh him by ten pounds or so.

We've got similar physical characteristics but due to my power lifting, calisthenics and fighting background, I tend to be more power oriented and he's more elusive.

So we're circling each other and I'm timing his footwork. I was thinking that I was going to time his footwork, catch him off balance, get him going backwards and press the attack.

In the Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which you can check out at www.shaolinsecrets.com this is called "Drowning the Soul" - taking your opponent's space, not letting him regain his ground and making him feel as if he has nowhere to go.

So I timed my entry perfectly, scored with my first two attacks, had him on the run... and he jump side kicked me right in the old breadbasket.

Let's just say I pulled up short and broke off my attack.

Yesterday I was on my way to a workout and meeting, and as I left my house, I needed to turn left to get to the freeway. I got to the driveway...and went right.

I'd gone half a block before I realized it and started laughing at myself.

Almost every morning, I go to my favorite local coffee shop and make a donation to the retirement plan of the owner as I pay way too much for a very addicting, sugar filled coffee drink that I know isn't good for me.

So on this particular morning, my mind and body did what it was conditioned to do...turn right and go to the coffee shop.

It was automatic. I didn't even realize where I was going.

Just like my partner's jump side kick. He's blasted me with that kick I don't know how may times yet he still gets me with it.

Why.

He's conditioned himself to throw that kick when he's getting pressed. I've conditioned myself to press when I get an advantage. I've conditioned myself to go right in the morning instead of left.

What habits do you have right now.

Do you have the habit of taking immediate action when you get an idea.

If you want something, do you have the habit of selling yourself on how to do it or do you tell yourself all the reasons you can't.

You have habits because of behaviors you've repeated over and over. Your behavior comes from your emotions and your emotions come from how you think, talk and look at yourself.

Your life right now is the result of your thoughts, emotions, behaviors and habits. It only takes about three to four weeks to start a new habit and you can start new behaviors as soon as you want.

But you have to work at it.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, it says that to perform something in practice is one thing, but when you get in to a real combat situation, it is only then that you see how hard you have been working, how much time you have put into your training and how good your reactions or habits are.

Pick a goal. Pick something you want.

Maybe it's a trip to China, your next rank in the martial arts or new relationship. Or maybe you want to drop a couple of pounds.

Whatever it is, see yourself achieving the goal. Give yourself the good feeling of having achieved the goal, and then get off your rear and take action towards it right now.

After you've taken action once, keep repeating it over and over until it becomes more natural.

Now you'll be on the path to creating a new habit...and a new you.

Maybe the Shaolin Monks did know a thing or two about creating new habits.

Best,

William Huff

The Shaolin Monks taught that "reading your opponent's intentions" and acting before he made his decisive move was a key to victory in combat.

Charles Mattera, a Shaolin Kempo Master, practitioner of the arts for over thirty seven years and one of only two Caucasians to be adopted by the Head Abbot as a disciple of the Shaolin Temple of China, teaches that sparring is made up of only two parts: Timing and Distance.

Bruce Lee taught that you needed to master Timing, Direction, Distance and Angle.

Timing applies to everything. Your sparring, defensive techniques, katas, takedowns and finishes.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which you can find at www.shaolinsecrets.com, there is a quote that talks about timing that says, "Steal a thousand pounds of your opponent's energy with only ounces of your own.".

That quote is a perfect example of how timing can be used to your advantage.

For example, let's say you're sparring with your partner. To get more power and take away any chance your opponent has to recover and counter, look for ways to strike while your opponent is moving or attacking.

If he throws a rear leg roundhouse kick, a great example of timing would be to counter with a spin around back kick as his leg was arcing around for the roundhouse.

If timed correctly, your back kick, which is going on a straight line, is going to score before his roundhouse kick. This will catch him moving forward and standing on one leg.

His energy moving forward will crash into your energy from the spin around back kick and knock him into next week.

But timing isn't about just combat.

Let's look at timing as it relates to your life.

Let's say you want o ask your boss for time off because you want to take a trip to China, maybe even to the Shaolin Temple, but you need the time off in the middle of summer when the whole office wants to go.

When would be the best time to ask? When the Boss just got off of vacation and is swamped with all the fires that happened while he was away?

What about right after he just had to let someone go and you were next on the schedule.

No, you are going to want to use the principle of timing to your benefit.

A good time to ask would be right after you got that report he wanted to him early. Or solved a problem and prevented it from getting to his desk.

Or maybe after you got your department in under budget for this quarter.

Or maybe after you intercepted and fixed something that could have caused a problem for him, but you took it on and made his life easier.

That's when the your "timing" would be best. Then you make your move and go in for the finish.

Timing. It's one of the most important of principles to master in combat...and in life.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - For more information on timing and other principles of combat, get on over to www.shaolinsecrets.com and pick up Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I right now. You can't find this information anywhere else in the world.

Critics are everywhere. They're a part of life.

No matter where you are or what you do, if you are out there being a doer and standing above the crowd, there will always be critics sniping at you from all angles.

If you are in the martial arts, you know exactly what I mean.

That industry is the King of My-Dad-Can-Beat-Up-Your-Dad, this martial arts style is better than that one, so-and-so is terrible; I could kick his butt, etc...

It's pretty bad. But, you shouldn't be surprised.

Even the Monks of the Shaolin Temple were criticized. Condemned. Vilified. Alienated.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, there are stories about how students sought out their Masters and trained with them secretly.

How the Masters forbade the students from speaking publicly about their training and made the students swear to never use their skills unless it was absolutely necessary.

The Monks and the Temple were feared and misunderstood. People who don't understand something or are threatened by something respond emotionally.

They respond by lashing out. Criticizing or complaining. Attacking what they don't understand.

Psychologists teach that once people have a belief in there head, they will go out of their way to find evidence to support their belief, so that they will feel better about themselves.

The good news is that if you are being subjected to criticism, it means you are out there doing something. You are being a doer and not a thinker. You're not waiting around for things to be perfect before you get off your butt.

History shows that some of the most influential and powerful people were at one time or another vilified or criticized.

Churchill was ignored while he warned England about Hitler. Then Hitler started running wild and Churchill was the one England asked to come to the rescue and lead the country.

He kept England together long enough for the United States got involved, and then after it was over and Hitler defeated...

They ran him out of town.

There's a funny story that if I remember correctly is about Churchill. He was at a dinner and a political opponent's wife told Churchill, "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd make you a poison drink and give it to you!"

To which Churchill replied, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."

Churchill, like the Shaolin Masters and anyone else who is a doer, understood that when you stand up above the crowd, you're going to get hit with a few tomatoes.

The key is to be emotionally strong, believe in yourself and what you're doing...and press on.

To read more stories about the Shaolin Monks, how they trained, the history of some of the Masters and much more, go to www.shaolinsecrets.com and pick up your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I.

Best,

William Huff

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, there is a quote that says...

"Steal a thousand pounds of your opponent's energy with ounces of your own."

Many of the true Masters or experts that you see in the martial arts are not necessarily fast, they're just smooth...no wasted motion.

On top of that, their timing is usually right on. By that I mean that they move just enough, at just the right time, hitting just the right target.

When you combine that smoothness or economy of motion along with great timing, you will feel like you are getting faster. It's the combination of these two principles that will make your skills go through the roof.

One of the masters I train with regularly is in his late forties and his timing is incredible. He isn't faster than everybody; he has no wasted motion at all and he just seems to know what I'm going to do before I even do it.

To get you started on developing your timing, here's a drill for you:

Start by facing your partner with both of you in a matched fighting stance. Choose which one of you will be leading the drill. Measure off the distance by having both of you extend your jabs and touch at the knuckles.

The leader of the drill will either step forward, backward, left or right using the footwork that you would use to step in and hit your target.

The follower must react by matching or mirroring the leader's movement...just like when your reflection moves in the mirror.

When your partner steps forward, you have to react and step back, using the same footwork, keeping the same distance between you and keeping your balance. After every movement, you should measure off with your jabs to make sure the distance hasn't changed.

Go slowly at first. If you are following the leader, you want to be moving at almost that exactly the same time has the leader. If there is a half a second delay or more, it means your reactions are too slow and the leader needs to slow down so that you can see what's going on and work on your reactions.

Whenever you are training always try to start and train slowly at first. Get your timing right and the speed will develop naturally.

To learn more drills and techniques that will increase your speed, build your strength and take your skills to the next level, go to www.shaolinsecrets.com and check out Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I.

Best,

William Huff

She might weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet with her shoes on and rocks in her pocket, but she is tough.

She's not naturally gifted but she makes up for it with intensity and hard work. Her fundamentals are sound, she understands the principles of the art and she has that warrior mentality.

We have known each other long enough that I train her with more of my natural teaching style; the style that was taught to me in the Marine Corps and by the Instructors that pushed me to be my best.

That means I'm direct and blunt with her. When she does well I always let her know, and when she needs it...she gets a verbal boot in the rear end.

We always have a great session together...but this lesson was different.

She was on the deck, sparring with her partner while I coached...and she looked terrible.

Apprehensive. Afraid. Hesitant. Unsure of herself.

Her timing was off, her footwork was all wrong and she generally looked like she had two left feet.

I looked at her and said, "Lien, what's up with you today? You look terrible."

She looked at me and said, "I know; I feel like I suck."

I asked her what was going on and she started telling me about all the things that were running through her head while she was sparring I asked her, "Lien, what's the one thought that keeps popping up in your head the most."

She paused for a second, looked away while she thought about it and said, "I'm thinking ‘Don't get hit'".

Then it hit me...like that left hook your opponent throws right after you've thrown your rear hand and knocks you into next week.

Her "Intent" was all wrong. She was focused on the wrong thing.

Your brain acts like the seeker head of a missile. If you put a thought in your head focus on it, you will automatically start to take actions that move you towards that thought. Your actions and emotions will steer you towards whatever that dominate thought is.

By thinking about not getting hit, her Intent of sparring and performing well were blocked. There was no way her body was going to move and react like she wanted it to because her brain was basically saying, "Look out...over there...watch out...run!"

I told her what was going on and explained why it was happening. After she understood, she got back in there, got her "intent" in her head right...and looked a hundred percent better.

She left her lesson that day with the 4 S's - Sweaty, Stinky, Smiley and Sore.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, it is taught that one's "intentions" must be clear and forceful; that movement and training must be done with a clear head and heart, allowing no hesitation or pause.

When you are training, you can't have one thought in your head telling you to do one thing while you're trying to apply something else.

If you get nervous before a match, make sure that in your head you're telling yourself that you can do it; that you are going to fight your best match today.

That today is the day that your footwork is going to be the best it's ever been; that your right hand is unstoppable and will connect whenever you throw it.

By doing this, you are "programming" your intent into your mind.

Now when you are sparring and the opening for the right hand is there, you'll launch it with no hesitation, no doubt...with complete confidence.

You can find out more about Intent and other principles in the book Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Vol. I which is available at www.shaolinsecrets.com.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - Intent is just one of the many principle covered at www.shaolinsecrets.com. In a future discussion, we'll talk about a principle that goes right along with Intent and that one is called Vibration. You can get jump started by picking up your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Vol. I at www.shaolinsecrets.com.

You made your list last night, you are going to start at the top and work your way down and it's going to feel great.

It's Sunday, so you start in the kitchen and you're getting coffee, you look down as you reach for your coffee cup, and you notice that the grout in the tile is dirty, so you start to scrub it while you wait.

Then you run out of cleaner, so you look under the counter to get more and it's a mess under there. You immediately take everything out and start to organize and clean under the counter.

While under the counter, you find some tools that were missing and those are supposed to be in the garage. Off to the garage you go to put away your tools.

In the garage, you see oil spots on the garage floor which gets you to thinking about how you need to scrub that clean then and check your car for oil leaks.

Now you are scrubbing the garage floor and about halfway down the floor, you see that there is too much junk in your garage and you really need more shelving.

Before you even realize it, you've just dropped three hundred bucks at the Home Depot and while you're checking out, your cell phone rings, it's your wife and she asks,

"Honey, where the @#%$ are you; why is the coffee on, the counter top wet, the kitchen cabinet open with all the stuff underneath on the floor, the garage door open and half the floor wet."

And you say, "Uhhhh..."

I believe it was Sir Winston Churchill who said, "In all things...Finish Well."

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, the first of the ten volumes of the written recorded history of the Shaolin Temple of China available at www.shaolinsecrets.com, there are many lessons and stories about the principles of the martial arts and combat.

One of these principles is what we call "Following Up", or finishing. The Chinese refer to this as "Drowning the Soul".

Sun Tzu, in his famous works "The Art of War", taught that when your enemy leaves a void, step in and fill it.
In plain terms, it means once you have initiated an attack and gained an advantage, you press and continue the attack until your opponent is defeated.

You don't gain and advantage and then back off, giving your opponent an opening to possibly escape or fire back at you.

This principle of following up and finishing well gives an intensity and an intent to your mental and physical skills. If you can train yourself to always follow through in all things, you'll be amazed at your results.

Instead of starting ten things at once and having them all half done, start one, finish it and then move onto the next. Clear your mind and focus on what it is you want and don't stop until you get it.

For all of those Yeahbuts out there...those of you who hear something new and say, "Yeah, but what about..."

There will be projects that have many moving parts to them and you might have multiple things going at once. The key is that if a project has many moving parts, always keep in mind the end goal, which is to finish the project well.

If you got caught in a situation where you were faced with multiple attackers, the final goal would be to be able to get away unhurt.

To do it, you would have to read and react, flowing between offense and defense, moving, attacking, striking one man while moving to position behind another, never locking on any man but dealing with the situation as a whole, until you could make your escape.

Keeping your eye on the goal will allow you to keep multiple parts moving while still finishing well.

By keeping yourself focused on your goal and making sure that you finish well, you give yourself a much better chance of being more efficient, getting more done, feeling better about yourself...

And not getting busted at Home Depot by your wife.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. To learn more about the principle of Following Up as well as other martial arts and combat principles, go to www.shaolinsecrets.com and pick up your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I.

Sir Winston Churchill may not have been a Black Belt; may never have been a combat athlete, he may not of ever been in the military, but he sure did understand the "Warrior Spirit".

What is the Warrior Spirit. How do you develop it. Where does it come from.

I had a student a year or so ago. He was an executive in his early forties who had earned a Black Belt in another Japanese martial art years before he began training with me.

He had a Bachelor's and MBA from a prestigious school and he worked for a Fortune 500 company. You could say that he was pretty knowledgeable and successful guy.

Coming from the martial arts background that he did, and being a bit of an intellectual as well as wealthy, you could say that he was a challenge to instruct at times because he had difficulty with "Emptying his Cup".

He was good at his katas. As a matter of fact, they were his favorite. He understood all the technical aspects of what I was attempting to teach him, yet he always wanted to explain it back to me and then show me how much he understood.

This was no problem for me unless we were talking about sparring or combat.

You see, this guy had a challenge with getting in there and mixing it up. He wanted to be a good martial artist, but the reality of the situation was his body language and facial expressions would give away that he didn't get it; there wasn't any "Warrior Spirit."

During one class, we were working sparring drills back and forth and quite frankly, he was hanging back, not getting in there with Intensity and Intent...and he was getting pummeled.

I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't very happy.

I pulled him off to the side and said, "Bob, you are a good martial artist. You have years of experience, a Black Belt in another style, your well educated and you're successful. What is the reason that you get cornered or tested in sparring and you just give up and coast."

He didn't have an answer for me. He just told me that he wasn't into sparring and that he liked the art side of things and didn't like the contact.

I told him, "Look, I know you want to be the best Black Belt you can be with me, and it's my job to get you there, so let me be blunt; you aren't going to get your Black Belt here unless you can show that Warrior Spirit.

That means if you're getting pummeled, you're tired, your jaw hurts and you want to quit, you fight your way out anyway. You don't just sit there and take it. No matter what, you go down swinging."

He said he understood and he went back on the deck. I told him that we were going to have a little match to see where his sparring abilities were at.

I put him in with a partner who was equal to his rank but younger, faster...and way more aggressive. I told his partner, "Don't hurt him, but don't let up until I say or he backs you off of him."

The match began and sure enough, in seconds the younger guy had him in the corner and was whupping on him. I was yelling from the corner, "C'mon, you can do it. Don't take that from this guy. Move your head...counter."

And then it happened.

Bob got clocked with a an uppercut/hook combo and I literally saw his face change...his jaw set...and a look in his eyes that I had never seen from him before.

Before I could even say anything, he fired an uppercut/hook/cross combination that rocked his partner back on his heels, and right when his partner backed off and straightened up...

Bob hit him with a front kick that literally rocketed his partner across the deck and onto his back, where he landed right in front of me with a look on his face that said something like, "What the h@#$ just happened."

I called for the break and rushed over to Bob where I gave him a huge hug. I looked him in the eye and said, "Bob, that was the Warrior Spirit. You did it. You didn't back off, you didn't cover, you didn't fold...you came out firing and you knocked that guy on his can. Way to go."

His training partner and the rest of the students that were watching all rushed him, giving him high fives, hugs and handshakes.

Bob later came up to me in private with tears in his eyes and a grin on his face. He told me that never in all of his years of training had he ever felt such an incredible surge of confidence and calmness.

Bob had just broken through an important level and learned an invaluable principle.

You don't quit. You don't just sit there and take your lumps. You don't cry and whine.

You stand up for yourself, set your jaw, get what it is that you want in your mind...

And Finish Well.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. The Shaolin Monks of China knew a thing or two about the Warrior Spirit and finishing well. Get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com right now and see how you can get your hands on Volume I of the ten volumes of the written recorded history of the Shaolin Temple, which includes history, training techniques, principles of combat and much, much more.

P.P.S. - Come on, Finish Well. Don't read this far and then not go to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com. No one who reads this far is a quitter, so get over there now.

We were talking back and forth about working with people and how almost everything in life revolves around attitude and belief.

I had a problem with a situation I was dealing with and asked him (because I know he would tell me truthfully) if the way I was looking at this situation was being influenced by my attitude or the situation really was all screwed up.

He looked at me and said, "Billy Boy, it's both; but how it's going to turn out is all about your attitude."

That wasn't what I wanted to hear.

I wanted to hear how I was right; that the situation was screwed, that it was everyone else that was the problem, not me.

But he was right...and I knew it.

I drove away from the meeting a little hot under the collar because I didn't want to be wrong.

There's a book out about influencing people and persuading and it talks about six psychological principles that are laws that we all react to emotionally.

One of them talks about how every human being, once they have made up their minds and have a belief, will not only stick to that belief but constantly be looking for reason to justify that their belief is right.

Even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

This is because it's painful for us...all of us...to admit that we were wrong or that our beliefs were misplaced.

Beliefs give you certainty; they give you comfort.

Let's say that we all can universally agree on the belief that gravity exists. We see and feel it every day. It's as much a part of us as breathing.

What would you feel like if one day you walked outside...and gravity wasn't working too well that day.

You started floating up, your tie was pointing at the heavens, your coffee began streaming upwards from your cup and the only thing that saved you from floating away was that you grabbed the front door knob of your house.

That would upset the old applecart, wouldn't it.

That type of uncertainty or outright fear would definitely affect the rest of your day.

The same goes for the beliefs or attitudes that we choose everyday.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which you can see at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, there are references again and again to "Being of a clear mind and pure heart, allowing no thoughts to disturb your calmness."

Training at the Shaolin Temple was and still is rumored to be some of the toughest training on earth.

The monks absolutely had to believe in themselves, their abilities and the abilities of their Masters or there would be no way that they could have endured the training and achieved their level of mastery.

When you are training or taking a class, what you think in your head and believe in your heart about yourself, your partners and your Instructor will affect how you perform.

If you believe you can't score with front kicks, you won't be able to score them. If you believe that your partner is faster than you and you'll never be able to stop him, you'll get pummeled.

The good news is that the flip side is also true. If you believe you can score at will, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to get in.

If you think that your lead back fist is that fastest thing on the planet, you'll project that into your performance.

It's all up to you. You are in charge of your beliefs and your attitudes.

As the old knight said in the movie to the treasure hunter, who had to choose the chalice of Jesus from a stack of chalices, drink holy water from it and if it was the wrong one, he'd die...

"Choose Wisely"

Best,

William Huff

P.S. At http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, you can get your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, and see for yourself how the teachings of the Shaolin Temple and Martial Arts can teach you something about every aspect of your life, not just combat.

P.P.S. - If you think you may have a belief or attitude about how this material can't possibly help, can't be from the Shaolin Temple or be genuine, get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and see for yourself. I promise; it won't hurt. You won't die.

Little did I know that this literally means the lessons can come to you at any time, as long as you are ready.

I must have been ready for this last lesson because I was in a position that the only way I could have missed it was if I got hit by a bus.

This lesson came to me during what you might call and "intimate" moment.

No; not that kind of intimate.

I mean the kind of intimacy that can only come from when you are lying on your back in the Dentist's chair.

The blinding light that makes you squint. That rubber thingy stuck in between your jaw to keep your mouth open; the goggles over your eyes to catch the debris from the mess they are making.

Don't forget the loud sucking tube, and the two people trying to fit four hands in your mouth with all of them holding something sharp.

That kind of intimate moment.

So I'm at my dentist, who is a very nice Vietnamese gentleman, and it's my last visit to get all of my old silver mercury fillings out of my head and replaced with the clear fillings so that every time I laugh, I won't look like Jaws from the old James Bond movies.

Dr. Le (pronounced Lee) is training a new assistant, who is trying to suction out whatever it is they create when making a mess in there, when the "Lesson" drops in my lap.

The assistant is moving the suction around in my mouth and Dr. Le gently grabs her hand, looks her in the eye and says, "Movement without Benefit is wasted."

Without another word, he let go of her hand and went on finishing up his work.

I was sitting there with my eyes wide open, saying to myself, "Whoooaaa -that was deep."

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which is at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com , there is lesson after lesson where it talks about the principle of No Wasted Motion.

This is a long standing principle of combat and the martial arts. You never want to add any movement that isn't necessary to complete your technique, mission or goal.

One of my Coaches and Mentors who happens to be very plain spoken explained it to me this way.

"Billy, if you were going to fly to Mexico to go diving, does it make any sense to fly to Alaska first."

Fearing this was one of those Zen riddles or something, I attempted to go into a long winded answer to his question...

To which he cut me off and said, "Of course it doesn't, you moron."

Because he knows me so well and was laughing when he called me a moron, I knew he was trying to teach me something. I thought about what he said and it came to me.

In all things, the shortest distance between to points is a straight line.

If your goal is to score a straight jab to the nose, you don't want to pull your hand back before you punch; you just launch it from wherever your fist is.

If you want to drive to the store, you don't go in circles; you take the shortest route.

If you want to go on that special vacation, you write down what it will take, how much money you'll need and how long before it's time to go and then get cracking.

When proceeding towards a goal, before you do something, ask yourself, "Does this activity or behavior get me any closer to where I want to be going."

If it doesn't, knock it off and get to something that does get you going towards your goal.

Be warned: you will almost always have to do some things that take you away from your goals. My personal task that takes me away is paperwork.

I hate it, can't stand it; it's a waste of time and a pain in the patooty.

To make sure that I spend as little as time as possible on it, I plan the time when I have to do it and then I race through it as quick as I can, so I can get on to things that are actually enjoyable...like pretty much anything except paperwork.

Look for places in your training where you may be "wasting" time or adding things that don't need to be there.

By eliminating the extra movements in your techniques, you can literally cut down the time you need to perform something and get "faster". The same thing goes for your goals.

Look for that extra stuff you're doing that isn't helping you get where you want to go and remember...

Movement without Benefit is Wasted.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - One movement that will definitely have a benefit for you is for you to click on this link, http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and get your own copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I. You'll see for yourself that the saying, "When the student is ready the teacher will appear" is truer now more than ever.

Maybe when you were growing up, particularly if you were a male, you were told to control your emotions and never to act out of emotion.

You were told to stop, think and act logically. You were told that men don't cry; they should always be strong and never be weak.

This is all completely wrong.

We are all creatures of emotion.

Every single thing that you do is out of emotion. Every activity or decision, good or bad, trivial or monumental is based on emotion...and then backed by logic.

I have been called "sensitive" by people I work with. "Don't take things so personally", people say.

I prefer passionate instead of sensitive. I do get emotional; I get fired up. I get intense and driven. People mistake it for weakness or being upset. They are not the same thing.

Let me ask you something. Look back into your past and examine some of the best decisions that you've made in your life; the ones you are really proud of and have made the biggest impact on your life.

Did you agonize over it. Analyze it to death. Ask everyone you knew under the sun what they thought. Waited for a week and then started the process all over again.

Or did you get mad.

You know...mad. Where you set your jaw, got a determined look on your face and said, "You know what...I want this. This is what I want and I'm going to do it. I don't care what other people think or say, because it doesn't matter. What matters is my happiness and my goals and I will do this thing."

That kind of mad. Not rage, which is when you are out of control, but a burning desire in your gut that keeps you up late at night and gets you up early in the morning.

That kind of mad that gives off a vibration to everyone that you are on a mission and will not be stopped or take no for an answer.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which you can get at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, there are several places where it is said, "To clear your mind of any distractions, focusing only on that which you wish to obtain."

In some places they are referring to breathing exercise, in others it is the "reading the body" of your opponent. In every case, they speak of clearing the mind of everything except that thing that you want.

If you're not fired up already, then what I'm about to say next will make some of you really uncomfortable.

To really grasp this concept, you are going to have to get rid of the word, "Try" from your vocabulary. I have been very guilty of this in the past and have been working on it very hard for the past five months.

The word "Try" is a short way to say, "I don't really believe I can do this so I'm going to say I'll try so that when I wimp out, quit and fail, I can tell everyone I tried, protect my weak self esteem and feel better about myself."

Ouch.

It hurt when it was put to me that way, but I'll forever be thankful to the Mentor who gave it to me straight.

What do you think was the atmosphere at the Shaolin Temple of China. Do you think the newest trainees at the Temple were allowed to "try it" to see if it was what they "liked".

Or do you think that they were sent there and given no other option but to succeed.

It was said that when George Washington crossed the Potomac, he got to the other side and instructed his troops to burn the boats.

"But General", one of his aides said, "If we burn the boats, we cut off our only route of escape."
Washington looked at his aide and said, "I know; now we have no choice but to move forward and succeed."

Look for any areas of your life where you are unhappy, or have been listening to every one else tell you what you should be doing, where you may have told yourself, "I'll try"...

And get mad.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - If you have been reading these daily messages but have not yet picked up your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, I suggest you get mad at yourself - and get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com - and pick up your copy now.

Ben probably didn't party until the wee hours of the morning too much.

I'm pretty sure that Ben Franklin had no idea who the Shaolin Warrior Monks were that he knew anything about the training and teachings of the Shaolin Temple.

Somehow, he adopted one of their principles.

In Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, available at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, there is a passage talking about the practice and development of your internal energy. One of the very first things that they mention is the best times for practicing these energy exercises.

Yep; first thing in the morning, between six and seven a.m.

The reason you do it in the morning is because that's one of the two times per day that the energy is the highest. The sun is rising, birds are starting to chirp, the air is cool and refreshing; when you're awake during that time, you can feel it.

I was in China in 2001 visiting the Shaolin Temple with Professor Charles Mattera. He's an adopted disciple of the Shaolin Temple and the Head Abbot and a 10th Degree Black Belt in Shaolin Kempo.

Early one morning, our guide took us to visit a temple that was high up in the hills near the Shaolin Temple. It was guarded by a massive wooden gate so you could only see the roof of the temple inside. After we were let inside the compound, they took us inside one of the chambers.

It was dark and cool. Black hand carved granite floors; ornate wood carved walls with hand painted murals in them, the smell of incense in the air. It was like a dream. But nothing prepared me for what was next.

We were lead out onto a patio-like area. It was shaped like a half moon, with the flat side to the temple and the curved side facing outward overlooking the largest valley I had ever seen.

There was light mist covering the bottom of the mountains so you could only see about half of the mountains, with their peaks pointing majestically skyward. The sun was rising in the far distance and everything had a golden glow to it.

The patio was made of stone with a stone railing that lined the edge that overlooked the valley. And in the middle of the patio was a very large and very old tree.

Then came the part that I wouldn't have believed if hadn't been there and you may not believe me when I tell you now.

We stepped down onto the patio and there was literally an electric shock followed by a buzzing feeling. It was like stepping on a bare electrical wire. It started in my feet, shot through my body and centered in my belly.

For a minute I thought I was getting sick or something. I was also wondering if the incense had gotten to my head and I was hallucinating.

Lucky for me, while I was standing there wondering if dancing pink elephants were next, the Professor looked at one of the people with us and asked him, "Did you feel that."

I was standing behind him and I told him, "I sure did."

He looked at me and said in all his years of training, learning from Masters and training at the Temple, he had never felt anything like that before.

He asked our guide to ask the monks at this Temple what this place was and when he did, the monks just smiled and said something in mandarin to our guide.

Our guide turned to us and said, "The monk is very happy and impressed that you all felt what you did. He says this is the place they all come to in the morning to train and practice their energy exercises.

The energy is so strong here because of the old tree in the center of the patio and this area faces the valley and the sunrise. He says if you like, you may stay here for a few minutes and practice your deep breathing exercises."

We did stay for a few minutes and I can tell you that when we left, I literally felt like I had been plugged into a battery and recharged. I couldn't believe the energy high that I felt.

The whole ride down the mountain, all we talked about was that patio, the view, the tree and the energy we all felt.

After that experience, I said to myself, "Self, there is definitely something to this morning exercise deal."

Since then, even though my idea of getting up in the morning is getting up at about ten in the morning or so, I've been working on getting up earlier and earlier so I can train first thing in the morning.

If you're not the morning type, just try getting up a half hour earlier for a week or two, and then another half hour and so on.

Deep breathing exercises are best, but your calisthenics, weight training, martial arts training, surfing, whatever it is you do for exercise...all are good to start your day with.

For how to practice your deep breathing exercises and which ones to do, get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and get your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I.
It's the closest you can be to being at the Shaolin Temple...

Without having to travel to China.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - I know that story may have been hard to believe. If you're one of those that will 'believe it when you see it', go to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, get your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, get up one morning and practice some of the exercises in the book. Then you'll believe.

"The adult has six kinds of desires and seven kinds of feelings to which they are attracted to in the outside world; those have affected the function of their internal organs.

Under the pressure of the world inside and outside, it is very hard for them to concentrate on their training, but if they can control their desire and emotion, clear their mind, calm their breathing and concentrate and reserve their strength, then they can succeed."

Amen to that.

Even the Warrior Monks of the Shaolin Temple knew that no matter your age or skill level, anyone could exercise and train to improve their health.

This has never been more important to all of us then right now.

According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Obesity is now the #2 most preventable cause of death in the United States, right behind smoking.

Heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States and there are mountains of studies and hundreds of medical professionals that are coming out and saying that most heart disease is preventable, diet related and can be treated partially with regular exercise.

Here's an example. Take my father; God love him, but I'm really peeved at him right now.

He's your standard baby boomer. Born in 1945, son of a former bootlegger and mayor, Dad served in military intelligence during Vietnam and came home to start picking beans in the family business and eventually going in to the concrete business.

A big beer drinker and smoker his whole life, he never saw an exercise he liked beyond fishing, bowling and watching NASCAR and pro football.

His brother has had two shunts put in his heart before age seventy. His father died at age sixty eight of hardening of the arteries. I never got to know him since I was only two years old when he died, but I'm told by my family that I take after him in the sense of humor and personality department.

Apparently Grandpa couldn't go anywhere without trying to meet everyone and leaving with fourteen new best friends either. I guess that's why he was the mayor.

Dad's turning sixty one in June and just had his second heart scare. He had a mini stroke about a year and a half ago and found out he had high blood pressure.

They checked him then, put him on medication and said he was good to go; just to make sure that he got his physical every year.

He was back in the hospital a couple of weeks ago with fatigue and a pressure in his chest that went down his arm. Into ICU he went to check him out.

His EKG, where they see your electrical heart patterns as your heart beats, was greatly changed from his last one so he went to the catheter lab where they put a tiny camera into his heart and looked around to make sure there were no blockages.

That checked out so my Dad's doc told him, "You look fit. You just have a weak heart and we can control that with medication. See you in ten days and after that in three months."

Unbelievable.

Dad could lose thirty pounds easy. With his legs and belly, he kind of looks like a bird that swallowed a beach ball. At barely five foot ten and 204 lbs, he could definitely cut back on some biscuits and get rid of some of that weight.

Not to mention the three to four daily beers he forgot to tell the medical staff about.

When he told me what his Doc said and that he didn't really have to change much, you can imagine my response.

I began talking to him about his diet, exercise and stress levels.

I tried logic. Then I tried cajoling. Then I tried guilt, followed by yelling, begging, pleading, obscenities and then finally, I hurled the biggest gauntlet down I could think of...

I threatened to be a Jimmie Johnson racing fan.

That almost broke him.

When that didn't work, I knew I was in for a tough fight.

Baby boomers like Dad get set in their ways and to a certain degree, they've earned it.

The history that they have gone through; families they have raised and sacrifices they have made have earned them the right to pretty much do whatever the hell it is they want to.

The challenge becomes getting them to believe that they start an exercise program after all these years and then have the gumption to stick with it.

Any exercise that people can do, no matter how long or how intense, can have immediate and long lasting impact on the quality and duration of your life.

I'm not giving up on Dad. He's cantankerous, ornery, set in his ways and more stubborn than a mule that's been pulling a yoke all day out in the hot sun, but he's my Dad...

And I love him.

Besides, I don't think I can really bring myself to root for Jimmie Johnson during a race, no matter how mad my Dad makes me.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - To find out all the different exercises and ways to stay in shape that were used by the Shaolin Temple, go to https://www.shaolinsecrets.com and pick up your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I. There's exercises in there that will increase your energy, help you sleep better, improve your strength and endurance and much, much more.

I used to not believe that until I understood the Law of Public Relations.

The only bad p.r. - is no p.r.

Look at some of the more controversial people around right now and you'll find many of them wildly successful and at the top of their game.

I bring this up as I have gotten some feedback from some readers that question the validity of the claim that these are the actual written volumes of the history of the Shaolin Temple.

On top of that, I heard from a source on the East Coast that there are members of a certain community who are rather upset that this material has been released, let alone published in English.

To all of which I have one thing to say...

Neener - Neener - Nee-ner.

If you go to https://www.shaolinsecrets.com, the story is told about how these volumes were obtained, shows Professor Charles Mattera with the Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple being given the volumes, and shows actual photos of the volumes.

On the inside cover of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple, there is an introduction explaining the journey that the volumes went on to get complied, including how the Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple tasked the National Library and Archives of China to compile the works into the volumes.

Here are two direct quotes from Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I. The first is from the Head Abbot to Professor Mattera:

"To our Shaolin Temple's Disciple ‘Handing on the Torch' Charles Mattera

The Mainstream of Buddhism Family

The ancestral court Shaolin Temple
Years of Shinji midsummer
Abbot Shi Yun Shin"

The second is from the National Cultural Education Center of China to the Head Abbot:

"With the authorization of the Head Abbot Shi Yun Shin of the Soung Mountain Shaolin Temple, he supplied us with the precious collection of scrolls of martial arts and medical principles and was the chief editor of the work.

We express our thanks and appreciation to him deeply.

China International Cooperated Publishing Company
National Treasure Cultural Study Center
Editorial Department
1999"

I could go on, but I was taught a very valuable lesson by one of my mentors and Professor Mattera.

The lesson was that there are people out there who will always question; they will doubt, poke holes in your ideas, pooh-pooh any forward thinking or boundary pushing...

Because they're scared.

And no matter how much you may try to convince them otherwise, they are going to stay that way.

I could probably fly to some o these people's house, bring the mandarin version of the documents with me, let them touch, taste and smell them, and they probably still wouldn't believe me.

That's okay. There are thousands of you out there that do, and its people like you that Shaolin Secrets and I are happy to have as customers and friends.

If you are reading this right now and you are a non-believer in http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, I Triple-Double-Dog Dare you to get over to the site, purchase a copy of the Volume and see for yourself.

You will not be disappointed.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. - I love it when customers write in to tell me how awesome the first volume is and the things they are discovering there. Send any feedback to feedback@shaolinsecrets.com and I'll share it with everyone.

P.P.S. - I have a huge announcement about something very exciting that's coming up. I'll try to reveal it to you before I leave for China and the Shaolin Temple, so stay tuned.