Tales from The Shaolin Cave

Whenever guys get together, it never fails that at some point – size is going to come up.

We’re men; we can’t help it. Our egos, self-image and self-esteem are tied largely to whose is bigger and better…and sometimes that argument can go public.

No – I’m not talking about certain appendages or parts of the anatomy (although we talk about that when we’ve had a few too many adult beverages) – I’m talking about martial arts styles and instructors.

Just last week a story broke worldwide on the Internet that proves my point.

The gist of the story was that the Shaolin Temple of China (whose Head Abbot and Warrior Monks were just here in Southern California, performing to a sold-out house of over three thousand spectators and training a select group privately, including yours truly) issued a demand for an apology.

The demand also included a threat of a lawsuit. Someone had posted on the Internet (anonymously, of course) that someone with only a few months of training in a Japanese style had gone to the Shaolin Temple and whupped one of the Monks, obviously proving without a shadow of a doubt that the Japanese arts are far superior to the Chinese and the Shaolin Monks basically suk.

Here’s my response to all the e-mails I received asking for my opinion on this:

"Who the Hell Cares?”

I mean, really; what are we… twelve?

I read this story and had visions of me and Billy Witt, age eleven, covered in dirt and snot, fists clenched, glaring at each other after a vicious sandlot fight where were both fighting for our Fathers’ honor – since it was obvious to both of us that My Dad Could Beat Up Your Dad.

This is the kind of Horsepucky and meaningless B.S. that keeps the martial arts world from the kind of legitimacy that so many people and organizations are trying to bring to it.

And it’s the same attitude that prevents a ton of people out there from experiencing the almost magical wisdom and information contained in the Shaolin Secrets, http://www.shaolinsecrets.com.

Only in the martial arts world can some idiot who trains in his basement with an alleged Master (who believes that he is a reincarnation of an ancient warrior), volunteer to moderate a forum and then be considered and “expert” and therefore influential on all things martial arts – particularly things he is closed-minded about or know nothing.

I have never claimed to be an expert on the Shaolin Temple. Never said I was a Monk. Never said I was the Be All, End All Great Panjandrum of Anything.

I’m just the guy who, along with Professor Mattera, helped unleash the Shaolin Secrets to the world.

This name-calling, you-suk-I’m-the-greatest B.S. is for small-minded losers. The Shaolin Secrets, which you can get at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, is for all martial artists – regardless of style.

Principles of combat, physics of combat, training exercises, techniques… all of this and more – all contained in the Ten Volumes from the Shaolin Temple.

Go see for yourself why the Shaolin Secrets can help you – and any other martial artist who studies them – take their knowledge and skills in the Shaolin Arts to a whole new level.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. – Got all the Shaolin Monks back on the plane safe and sound. No defections, no problems. The really great news is that I’ve got some surprises up me sleeve for products and some awesome improvements to the website. Stay tuned.

His kick hit me square in the lips and stopped me in my tracks.

Because he was my very good friend, he pulled the kick so it didn’t split me lips wide open – which would have made it very hard to eat the spicy foods I love so much.

I have to admit…I was pretty pissed off. We were working on a drill where I was attacking with hands only and he was defending with legs only – each one knew what the other was trying to do and both of us had been training for over fifteen years – so you know it wasn’t easy to score on each other.

But I was pissed anyway.

After it happened, I turned in to Public Enemy Number One – against myself.

All this negative B.S. started running in my head; the guy I call the “Angry Little Man” really started to let me have it.

“How could you get hit with that kick – you suk.” “He wouldn’t have hit you with that if you were training more often.” “You’re not worthy of your rank in the arts.” “Where’s all that knowledge that you have been studying and practicing”…on and on.

Steam started coming out of my ears. I was good and hot under the collar and thank the stars – the workout was over.

That was good because I had someone’s azz to kick – that Angry Little Man talking all that trash in my head.

He wasn’t helping; he was making things worse. The more he tried to get me to be down on myself, the worse I felt – which made me try harder and force things – which led me to make more mistakes – which led to more yelling from the Angry Little Man.

So – I mentally took him in my arms, spun him around so that I was behind him – and choked him out. Cold. Off to sleep. Silenced.

Feeling much better, I then reviewed in my head what had happened during the training. What I had done well and what I had done when I got hit or made a mistake.

Without the negative crapola going on in my head, it was easy to see what I did well, where improvement could be made and how I could further develop so that next time I was a wee bit better.

That got me to thinking, “I see this all the time with students and other martial artists. When they are fighting or training, they aren’t just fighting against their opponent, but they are fighting with that Angry Little Man in their head.”

Choke that little bastard out. Squash him. Flick him away with your finger. Shut him up.

Clear your mind and focus on what you want, where you are and where you want to go.

If you are working on an attacking combination, don’t focus on the three out of ten that weren’t good; focus on the seven that were great and see what you can learn from the three that weren’t so hot.

Don’t listen to the Angry Little Man.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. – When I wasn’t listening to the Angry Little Man, I was trying to apply some of the principles contained in the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of the Martial Arts, available at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, and the Shaolin Fighting Secrets DVD Course, available at http://www.shaolinfightingsecrets.com. Go see for yourself how the information from the Shaolin Temple can take your game to the next level – and shut up that Angry Little Man.

Meeting the Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple is lot like meeting the Pope. One’s a German with a five hundred dollar hat and seems to be in charge of all of God’s money. The other is a little guy in a plain gold robe, surrounded by a bunch of other little guys in plain robes, and they all look like they go to the same barber.

One represents the Catholic Church, has millions of followers and people who practice and study every day; the other represents the Shaolin Temple and the Shaolin Arts, also has millions of followers who also practice everyday.

Two very powerful and influential men. While I haven’t met the Pope, just watching the man on television, you can almost see the energy radiating from the guy. The Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple has that same vibe.

I’ll never forget the first time I was in the presence of the Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple.

It’s like having a flashback to one of your earliest memories – when you’re about four or five – and you meet one of your superheroes from television, or that famous uncle of yours that always drives a sports car and shows up only at Thanksgiving.

Your eyes go wide; your breathing gets shallow because your chest is tight, your hands get sweaty and you hope that the person doesn’t ask you a question - you’re afraid you might barf on him instead of answer.

I first saw him in 2001 at the dinner where the Head Abbot presented the Professor with the Shaolin Secrets – the Ten Ancient Training Manuscripts from the Shaolin Temple. I met him again in 2006 when I was part of a group that trained at the Shaolin Temple.

And two weeks ago, I was able to meet him personally and present him with a gift. After the exchange, the Head Abbot was kind enough to pose for a picture with myself, the Professor and Grandmaster DeMasco.

It was an honor for me; a once-in-a-lifetime event where I was able to spend time with someone that could be considered a Head of State or Dignitary. In the case of the Head Abbot, you could say that he, along with the Shaolin Temple, is one of the most influential people in the martial arts – ever.

That is something that I hope you get the chance to do someday. To meet someone that you admire and look up to.

Maybe you’re the type of person who likes to read and your heroes are historical figures that have influenced the world through their actions.

Lincoln, Churchill, Rommel, Gandhi, King…any one of them can be someone you admire and study.

If your hero isn’t alive, there’s only one way to study and learn from them, and that’s through the writings and teachings they left behind, or studies that others have done of them.

Maybe you want to learn more about the Head Abbot of the Shaolin Temple and the Shaolin Arts. If you can’t leave your job and go to China, there is another alternative.

Go to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and get the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts, or Shaolin Secrets Volume II: Shaolin Fist Law.

These are the first two of the ten volumes from the ancient training manuscripts from the Shaolin Temple of China. The very same training manuscripts used by the Shaolin Temple to train the legendary Warrior Monks for over fifteen hundred years.

You may never get a chance to meet the Head Abbot. It might not work out that you get to travel to China and train at the Shaolin Temple.

By going to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com you can do the next best thing. Go there today.

Best,

William Huff

Bruce Lee is arguably the most famous martial artist ever.

Even after his death, he is still revered in martial arts circles. Many people consider him the original Mixed Martial Artist.

His power and speed were legendary. For a man small in stature, he packed quite a punch.

Many people wonder what his secrets were that allowed him to be so powerful, so strong…so fast.

The martial art that started Bruce Lee on his journey was Wing Chun Gung Fu, a style that has origins in – and was heavily influenced by - the Shaolin Arts.

A clue as to where Bruce Lee may have learned the secrets of hitting with so much force and speed can be found in this passage taken directly from the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts:

“Saddle Gong is a hard gong, outer strong with the strength of Yang and strong. The training is similar to Strong and Gentle Law but the results are different. At the completion of the training, the fist will be able to pierce through a rock like an iron wedge. It will inflict serious injuries to the human body and cause death immediately even if it does not pierce through it. The signature of mastering this Gong Fu is the flatness of the face of the joints between palm and fingers when making the fist. They don't show the normal uneven shape of the joints. Because of the power of this Gong Fu, it will destroy the object and injure people with one attack.”

This is just a glimpse of the kind of information that is contained in the Shaolin Secrets Ancient Training Manuscripts.

Bruce Lee went on to incorporate many different styles and teachings into his training, but he got his start in the Chinese and Shaolin Arts.

If it was good enough to get Bruce Lee started, it must be good.

Get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, check out how the Ancient Manuscripts were released from the Shaolin Temple – and start to train with the Secrets of the Shaolin Temple.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. – Mucho new content, photographs and proof on the Shaolin Secrets have been posted to the site. Get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and check it out.

A father bull and son were on top of a hill looking down at a herd of cows.

The son turns to the Dad and says “Dad, how about we run down this hill and make luv one of those cows.”

His Dad turns and looks at him with a smile and says, “Son, why don’t we walk down there and make luv to them all.”

Hang with me…there is a moral to the story and yes, it does have to do with martial arts.

The moral of the story is the Father Bull was very wise; why run down and expel all your energy on one cow when you can take your time, walk down and have enough energy for all of the cows.

It’s about expelling energy. In the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts there is a passage on “The Principles of Practicing the Gong”. In that passage it list the three essentials, five taboos and seven possible injuries of practicing.

The Third Taboo of practicing – “Do not rush in your practices.”

A great example of this s a nice young man I was working with up until yesterday. He was young, athletic and very strong.

He came from a successful family; his father was a successful type A personality and seemed to be very demanding on the son.

This made the son a super go-getter; he wanted to learn everything N-O-W. If he could, he try to learn everything from white to Black Belt in a day. He had physical talent and skills, too.

He was moving along very quickly in talent and ability, yet it wasn’t going fast enough – for him. He wanted to be double promoted, skip tests for certain levels and fight constantly.

While I am a big believer in promoting and supporting talent, there also has to be a maturity and responsibility that goes along with the rank and talent – and that’s where this young man needed development.

I knew this because like the Yong Bull in the story, he didn’t understand about pacing himself.

Every time this kid would get into train, he wanted to fight. The problem was that when I let him fight, he practically tried to kill whomever he was sparring with and it usually ended up with somebody injured – usually him.

His training partners eventually understood that if they didn’t knock the bejeezus out of him, he was going to hurt them.

Well, that led to beat downs, frustrations and injury. This kid had popped his own knee out twice and was really abusing his body.

I tried to talk to him several times and explain to slow down a bit. Work on drills constantly to hone his timing and skills and fight once in awhile for a progress check.

I even told him about how I had neck surgery in 2004 after years of abuse, car accidents, full-contact training and other sport-related wear and tear. It could have been avoided if I hadn’t gone so hard on myself.

Well, it didn’t work. He left yesterday to train elsewhere so he can get more fighting and “hard-core” training.

I don’t blame him. I didn’t listen when I was his age either – unless it was my U.S. Marine Senior Drill Instructor at Parris Island. They have a way of activating your listening skills.

I wished him well and hope that someday someone will be able to convince that Young Bull to walk down the hill instead of run. He’ll get more enjoyment out of life that way.

That section I mentioned about the “principles of practicing” is just a sliver of the information taught in the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts, available at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com.

Go check it out for yourself today – and learn why you walk down the hill.

Best,

William Huff

Aloha from sunny Maui, Hawaii.

It’s my first visit to the island of Maui and the only thing I can say is that the stories are true – this place is like paradise.

It’s a tropical climate – my favorite – and even though I am a “haole” here (that’s a white dude) all the islanders I have met are incredibly friendly.

It was one of these islanders that gave me a huge surprise at brunch last Sunday.

I was at this brunch – eating some of the best food I have ever had – when a large young man came up to us at the table and said he was our waiter for the day.

He wasn’t tall, but his forearms looked to be about as thick as my entire upper arm; he was shaped like a door wedge; all shoulders, arms and chest that narrowed down to a smaller waist.

His joints didn’t look like joints; the blended in to his arms and legs. This guy was t-h-i-c-k. Wasn’t more than 5’7” or so but had to be a rock-solid 235 to 240 lbs.

I guess that papaya here has something extra in it.

After some small talk, I asked him what he did to stay in shape and he rattled off the usual suspects for Hawaii; surfing, paddle boarding, swimming, scuba diving…anything that involved water.

I was about to ask him if he had ever done martial arts when he said that he had also done Kajukempo here on Maui.

We started talking about the martial arts and when I told him I was in the Shaolin Arts and explained about http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, his face lit up like a torch at a luau.

“Oh man” he said, “The Shaolin Temple is where it all started. So much of the martial arts skills and knowledge comes directly from that place.”

I laughed as I agreed with him and told him I was happy he knew of it. Then I asked if he knew of the Shaolin Secrets Ancient Training Manuscripts.

He said he didn’t, so I took the time to tell him the story…and only got about thirty seconds into it before he stopped me.

“Mr. Huff, I’m sorry but you have got to be kidding me. This can’t be real.”

I told him yes, it was real and if he gave me a ten seconds, I’d show him proof.

He said deal so I asked him to take me to an Internet connection in the hotel. He took me to the lobby and we plopped into some cushy chairs and started surfin’ the Web.

I took him directly to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and showed him the new sections of the site, with more photos then ever before on the original manuscripts; the story about the translator Dr. Li, the excerpt from the original Volume I text, Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts, and I showed him the Mother of All Guarantees – my one thousands smackeroos promise.

This dude was speechless. He turned to me and – with his eyes as wide as saucers – asked, “How do I get them.”

I just smiled and said, “Do you have your credit card with you? Go ahead and order right now.”

He did.

Not only did I make a friend, but I got to help spread the Shaolin Secrets to Hawaii – and paying for brunch took care of itself.

I love Maui.

Best,

William Huff

Did you know that the Chinese have long had the secret to having “Viagruh on Demand” – and you can have it, too?

It’s true.

In Chinese medicine - particularly medical Qi gong and acupuncture – as well as the martial arts, it is taught that your body consists of two types of energy; Yin and Yang.

Yin is considered the softer or feminine energy. There are a million descriptions that attempt to describe this energy so I won’t go into detail about them here. Just know that everyone’s body has this energy.

To balance out this “soft” energy is the masculine or Yang energy. This has been described as the testosterown side of the man; the strong, fiery, aggressive energy that gives man his strength and energy.

These two sides are symbolized as the circle with two halves; one black and one white, each a piece that fit together perfectly to make a whole.

It’s the Yang side of that circle that we want to talk about today.

As men get older, more than one part of the body starts to break down. That shoulder you tweaked snowboarding fifteen years ago starts to act up every time you work out.

Your neck – the one that has absorbed falls, BMX wrecks, auto accidents, a couple of knockouts and years of wear and tear decides to get bone spurs.

It used to be when you got into a fight you were sore for a day or two; now the thought of getting in a fight results in a hamstring pull.

And your little buddy – your symbol of masculinity and manliness – now thinks like a country singer:

“I ain’t as good as I once was – but I’m as good once as I ever was.”

What a bummer.

But there’s good news – you don’t have to resort to drastic measures. You have the key to fighting the aging bug – and a couple other embarrassing issues – with your won secret weapon.

Your breathing.

Dr. Wu Dhi, guest speaker on the last Shaolin Secrets Teleseminar, spoke directly about a passage in the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts, available at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com.

Dr. Wu mentioned the passage to talk about how your breathing, when done as described in Volume I, is one of the keys to health and vitality, particularly of your internal organs, and including your sekksual organs.

He talked about how the proper practice of the breathing exercises in Volume I can build your Yang energy, purify your lungs, cleanse your kidneys and much more.

But don’t take my word for it. Dr. Wu’s been practicing those exercises for over thirty years and even though he’s over sixty years old, he looks like he’s forty. See for yourself at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com/contributors.html how good he looks.

While you’re there, get your copy of Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts and start learning how you can fire up some “Viagruh on Demand”.

Best,

William Huff

A few weeks ago the “Golden Pig” – Matthew Lee – arrived into the world and into the lives of my brother-in-law Michael and his wife, Sharim.

He’s called the Golden Pig because he’s Chinese and he was born in the Year of the Golden Pig in the Chinese horoscope.

To say that his Mom and Dad, as well as Grandma and Grandpa are thrilled would be an understatement.

But they are also in a state of shock.

First off, this is Michael and Sharim’s first child so labor was twenty-five hours long…

That’s not a typo – twenty-five hours.

What’s crazy is the day after Matthew was born, his Mom was on the phone with my wife and I and what do you think the first thing was out of her mouth?

Yep – “When are you guys having one?”

She’s asking us that – right after she went through a twenty-five hour labor?

Unbelievable.

The second shock – and this one came from my brother-in-law Michael – is that babies are a lot tougher then you think.

Michael wouldn’t go into details, but from the hints I got it sounds like little Matthew may already have been dropped, dinged, banged around or bent a couple of times.

Michael says the only thing that’s saved him is that he seems to be made of rubber. His little body just goes all over the place – in any direction or motion – without a problem or injury.

Sure, babies are born with their muscles and bones still growing, but the point is, at one time…we were all that flexible and loose.

Your flexibility is a key indicator of your overall strength and conditioning. Strong muscles that aren’t flexible don’t do you any good.

I remember an interview in a men’s magazine with the Great Lee Haney, a multiple time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion and he was talking about the strength, conditioning and flexibility of Evander Holyfield, the boxing champ at that time.

He said Evander’s muscles, even though he was considered too muscular for a boxer, were functional, strong and could go on forever.

Then he said the difference between Evander’s muscles and his own were that his enormous muscles “cramp up when I try to run across a parking lot. They’re only good for show.”

That’s not what you want. You want the flexibility of the Matthew the Golden Pig. You want to get that child-like flexibility back and have muscles that are loose and explosive.

You can learn the routines that the Shaolin Temple of China has been using for over fifteen hundred years to develop flexibility in the Shaolin Warrior Monks.

These routines are still used at the Temple to this day. Just a few weeks ago, the Shaolin Monks of China were here and I had the opportunity to train with them.

The stretching routines we started with… were the exact ones that are captured in this DVD course.

Go to http://www.shaolinstretchingsecrets.com and start developing the flexibility of the Golden Pig.

Best,

William Huff

Last night I was at the dojo and when I came out of the office, I noticed one of the more experienced students diligently trying to figure out a technique.

He was in front of the heavy bag; his brow was crunched in concentration, sweat dripping off his nose as he whacked the bag over and over again, trying to put together a series of foot movements, kicks and punches.

The good news was that he was totally screwing it up…and the great news was that he kept going, knowing he was doing it wrong, but trying to figure it out anyway.

I just stood there, watching. I was trying to keep a poker face but the truth of the matter was that I was very proud of him.

He had seen something, thought it was valuable to try and learn and decided on his own to try and figure it out. This student happens to be very successful in his professional life because of his attitude and determination.

The way he was trying to figure out the technique was the same way he approached everything; he tried it and tried it until he figured it out.

And he never quits.

I could tell by his determination that he wasn’t going to quit until he figured it out; I stepped in and asked him what it was he was trying to do.

He told me, “Sir, I saw you working out and you did a thing where your feet and body went one direction, but your attack seemed to come from another direction and it got your opponent all turned around and left him open. I saw how effective it was but I’m struggling to figure it out.”

I smiled and complimented him on the fact that he was trying so hard to figure something out on his own… and… because he was willing to fail over and over to try and learn it himself, that I’d be happy to show him what it was I had done.

It took me about a minute to demonstrate and explain what I had done. It was a technique utilizing angles of attack that when properly applied are almost impossible to defend.

Then I had him start to work on it on his own. I’m happy to say he picked it up easily and started performing it very well.

What I showed him was a technique based on principles contained in the Shaolin Secrets that are taught in detail on the DVD course Shaolin Fighting Secrets, http://www.shaolinfightingsecrets.com.

This DVD goes into Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts and pulls out the fighting techniques and principles and lays them all out in over two hours of instruction.

If you own the Shaolin Secrets Volume I: Shaolin Feats of Martial Arts, or you want to dive in and get right to the fightin’ stuff, then Shaolin Fighting Secrets DVD is for you.

Get over to http://www.shaolinfighitngsecrects.com and see what I mean.

Best,

William Huff

If you’re a martial artist then you have been faced with the question, “What’s more important – being a great offensive fighter or having a really good defense.”

The answer…is both.

For proof, let’s look at two recent examples from the NFL, and then the martial arts.

Let’s start with the Indianapolis Colts and now, for sure Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning.

For years, they have been the offensive juggernaut of the NFL, putting up points faster than politicians changing positions to get elected President. They have been virtually unstoppable in the scoring department.

It seems that no matter what the opposing defense puts in front of him, Manning figures out a way to find the one spot where the defense is weak – and attack.

In the martial arts, once you’ve identified an opening and launch your attack, you don’t let up; keep the pressure on and follow up until your opponent is d-o-w-n.

So offense is best, right?

Now let’s look at the Baltimore Ravens from 2000, or for that matter, the Colts from last year.

The defense of the Ravens was stifling. If and offense was able to put up fourteen points, it was a miracle. Their speed, technique and tenacity was so overwhelming that teams were intimidated to step on the field with the Ravens.

All their offense had to do was not skrew up, score a few points and the defense would handle the rest.

In the martial arts, if your defense is so good that your opponent can’t lay a finger on you, how you can lose.

So it’s defense that’s most important, right?

Nope. As Master Poh would say, “Balance, Grasshopper.”

The Colts showed this principle last year from the playoffs through their Super Bowl win.

On offense, they didn’t change a thing; they just kept the pressure on and scored points. On defense, they got their heaviest hitter, safety Bob Sanders, back from injury and their defense virtually went from worst – to first.

They had it all; it was tough to score on them and they could pile the points on you.

The result…Super Bowl Champs.

In the Shaolin Secrets Volume II: Shaolin Fist Law, http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, there is a passage that talks directly about this balance:

“Taking care of offense and defense simultaneously is suitable for real combat – There are two kinds of movement, one for defense and the other for offense, attacking and warding off at the same time. Practicing long enough, you can execute the movements at your will and win the combat with ease.”

This passage - along with the detailed drawings showing how to perform these movements – answers the key question about offense versus defense.

Just like the Indianapolis Colts proved – it’s both.

Best,

William Huff

P.S. – Peyton Manning doesn’t strike me as the type who would travel to China and study at the Shaolin Temple – but he understands and uses some of the concepts taught in the Shaolin Secrets Ancient Training Manuscripts.