Formosa Fitness

I was recently asked what the activity in this pic above could possibly do to improve your taichi. My initial response was that it's valuable because it does everything taichi does not: build strength, burns calories, etc. But in fact, kettlebell lifting does some things that help people with other endeavors like taichi, etc.

For one, just look at the pic: am I fully present in that moment? You bet your ass I am.

I'm not thinking about what I had for lunch or what my wife and I discussed the night before in that pic. I'm putting 100% of my physical and mental being into keeping that kettlebell over my head. It was liked forced meditation.

People can't focus for long, especially in our pampered culture. Meditation asks people to focus while staying relaxed and it's a great path. But kettlebell lifting FORCES you to focus on the kettlebell because if you don't, it'll drop on your head or your foot.

If you teach beginners taichi, you'll sometimes find that they stare out the window. Focusing is the hardest thing for beginners to do because it's an internal focus that they need for taichi. They have to focus on their bodies, which they can't feel yet, and consciously let go of tensions. But not having this type of awareness, they can space out fairly easily. It's a tough art to learn.

Giving them an external object like a candle meditation helps for some people. Focus on the external object first then bring that focus inside. But for others that isn't enough.

Kettlebell lifting brings laser-like focus to your movements. You're moving a weight over time. Don't pay attention to it and you'll get hurt.

The bell also gives you feedback. It bangs into your body on bad cleans. This wakes you up like a Zen master banging you on the back with a long stick. Wake up!

The relaxation and tension of kettlebells also starts teaching people about efficiency of movement. This isn't like other types of weight lifting. We aren't trying to get huge or lift maximal amounts of weight. Kettlebells excel at strength endurance, meaning that you have to move the bells over time and that requires that you relax as much as you can and only use tension as needed by the lift. It's an amzing education process. Students learn about their bodies over time through the medium of the kettlebell. Plus, unlike taichi, they get comfortable with using tension where it's needed, which is a lesson that most taichi styles (except Chen style) don't teach well.

This process teaches students to not be afraid of necessary tension, but gets rid of unnecessary tension. So a proper use of tension and a healthy relationship with it is restored.

There are many lessons the KB can teach us and these are just a few.