Dave Kelly China, Martial Arts, Spirituality, Wudang

Learning Wudang Kung fu, and Taoist Culture.

Qin Tze Wudang Mountain Retreat offers the unique opportunity to learn Qigong, Guqin, and Taiji Quan on Wudang Mountain. A step back in time the retreat is nestled on the hillside of a beautiful valley on Wudang Mountain. From Master Qin Tze’s retreat you not only have stunning views, but also can enjoy hikes all over Wudang Shan and up to the Golden Peak. The Retreat is not only a great place to learn it is also a fun, very authentic place to study Wudang Martial Arts, Music and Longevity practices. Master Qin Tze has a huge wealth of information to share. Students attending this retreat can expect a curriculum that is very heart, and culture centred through Taoist philosophy and Qi cultivation.

Below is a video giving a glimpse of life at the school.

Below is an example of the retreat time table

– A normal training day would begin at 06:30. From 07:00 to 09:00 you will learn Taiji Quan and Qigong.

– From 09:30am morning practice will include personal study, farming and daily Taoist Health practices.

– After lunch you will take part in afternoon study meditation and tea culture.

– Dinner starts at 16:30. After dinner training in Xuan Wu, Wudang Sword, and Taoist Baguazhang.

– From 19:30 to 21:00 evening Gu Qin class.

– This is followed by free time. Bedtime is normally 22:30

Dave Kelly Martial Arts

The King (Netflix 2019), a short review — The Tai Chi Notebook

The King (Netflix 2019) is the story of the rise of King Henry V and the battle of Agincourt against the French (1415). Prince Henry is portrayed as a wayward teenager, who dislikes authority and has no desire for the throne or the complications of court politics and international diplomacy. Suddenly this emo teenager has […]

via The King (Netflix 2019), a short review — The Tai Chi Notebook

Dave Kelly Martial Arts, Master & Schools

Essentials of Rest and Recovery at Martial Arts Camps

Here’s my latest article on the essentials of rest and recovery. Check it out.

Rest, and recovery are critical components of any successful training program at an intensive martial arts training camp. In my experience it is a component under-utilised in intensive training environments. Students want to get the most out of their time, so push hard. In this article I discuss the ‘Essentials of Rest and Recovery at martial arts training camps’.

Rest to enhance performance

As a way to enhance performance rest and recovery is too often overlooked. Understanding the difference between rest and recovery and how to properly implement them both is the key. If you’re training 5-8 hours per day for 5-6 days a week, you have to consider how sustainable that is. Making the most out of your rest, and recovery time is essential. If you define rest as a combination of sleep, and time not training then the quality of your sleep, and the time you spend not training will be critical. With many full-time martial arts schools packing their timetables with morning, afternoon, and evening training sessions. How you sleep, and spend the time in-between these classes is even more important.

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Dave Kelly Martial Arts

Anxious Black Belt — “Something like that”

I’m very excited about publishing my book on the subjects of Karate and Anxiety. Below you can find an excerpt from the book. Please let me know what you think. I started writing this book as a therapeutic exercise, to find out more about why I was suffering from a fear of the smallest things […]

via Anxious Black Belt — “Something like that”

Dave Kelly Martial Arts

Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Lightsaber: Fetishism and Material Culture in Martial Arts Studies — Kung Fu Tea

“The lightsaber has become an important touchstone, both within the films and within our culture…They serve as a source of identification and identity. They are the ultimate commodity: a nonexistent object whose replicas sell for hundreds of dollars. This is not bad for something that defies the laws of physics and cannot and does not […]

via Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Lightsaber: Fetishism and Material Culture in Martial Arts Studies — Kung Fu Tea