Training Lessons from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

“The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (a.k.a. “Shaolin Master Killer”), directed in 1978 by Liu Chia-Liang, is essential viewing for any serious, self respecting martial arts movie lover. This movie claims responsibility for the whole “good-guy-gets-his-butt-kicked-and-undergoes-martial arts-training-to-exact-vengeance” storyline that’s been used so many times in the martial arts movies since.

 

In the movie, anti-Manchu patriot San Te (Gordon Liu) is a humble country boy who is cast out of his village when Manchu soldiers (led by the villainous Lo Lieh) slaughter his parents, orphaning him. He manages to claw his way to the famous Shaolin Temple, where he is nursed back to health by the monks living there, and soon undergoes a rigorous and dangerous regiment of training to master the 35 “chambers” (styles) of Kung Fu. In seven years time, he completes his training, mastering all 35 styles, invents a brand-new weapon (the three-section staff), and suggests creating a 36th chamber to spread Kung Fu beyond the Shaolin Temple’s walls and bring it to the masses.

What gets this movie going is its rousing training sequences. These are not the run-of-the-mill stuff we’re used to seeing in these movies. San Te’s quest to become a martial arts warrior is a tortuous journey of self-actualization, a kind of virtue commonly lacking in the genre; San Te genuinely becomes a better person as a result of his experiences at the Shaolin Temple.

For the purpose of this article, I will focus on the physical training methods used in the movie. The movie shows how everyday materials could be used to build and maintain functional strength, muscle mass and definition. I experimented with the techniques immediately after watching the movie, and a lot of people have been commenting on how good I look ( now that's a fast result for you!!!)

Training 1: Bucket Flyes

In the arm chamber, San te is told to carry two buckets filled with water to the top of a steep water pipe, and empty the contents of the bucket down the pipe; all this is performed with sharp knives affixed to his upper arms, which cut him whenever he attempts to drop his arms, thereby forcing him to keep proper form while lifting the buckets. At the end of his training in this chamber, San Te had built insane shoulder and trapezius strength, as well as balance and cardiovascular endurance.

To apply this system to your training program, mark out a spot about 20 feet from your starting point, fill two sturdy buckets halfway with water, lift your arms till they are parallel to the floor, and carry the buckets to the marked point. When you get there, rest for 10 secs then carry the buckets back to the starting point. repeat 10 times, while reducing your rest breaks with each rep.

Dont use the knives at home

 

Training 2: Working with Iron rings

In this training sequence, San Te practices his punches and kata with heavy metal rings around his wrists and lower arms. This has the effect of training his biceps and triceps as well as improving his punching power and overall strength.

Punching styles and forms to practice with your weights in hand





Applying this to your training will require the use of dumbells, filled water bottles, any heavy cylindrical object, or even a brick. Hold the weights in both hands and practice different punches and strikes . You could also hold the weight with your arm outstretched for about 1 minute. this isometric training is very good for the arms.

Training 3: Wrist Training

The exercise in the Wrist Chamber was devised to strengthen the hands and wrists, to create and unbreakable grip on one’s own weapon or an opponent’s weapon or body.  San Te strengthened his wrists by striking a gong with a 15 pound hammer affixed to a 10 foot long bamboo pole for as long as the wrist of one arm could take it before moving to the other arm. Now I tried this one with a barbell weighted at one end, and believe me, It hurt like hell!!! In the movie, San te progressed to the level where he could strike the gong quickly and easily due to massive wrist strength.

the Wrist room

You can perform this exercise with a mop soaked in water. hold the mop at the very end of the handle and use the head of the mop to gently strike a wall. In time this will build the muscles of your forearms as well as the tendons in your wrist, thereby giving you a crazy grip.

Training 4: Kick Training

This form of training is designed to create muscular endurance in the abdomen, feet, thighs, hamstrings and hips. The student performs a particular kick technique 100 times or more with each leg. By the time the student has practiced 5 kicks, he would have performed about 1000 repetition!! (how's that for strength). In the movie, San Te wore weighted shoes while practicing to further develop his kicking power.

This technique requires no equipment and can be performed anywhere, even in the privacy of your room. With discipline and determination, a person can quickly burn fat and build quality muscle.