Tag: tai chi

The most important movement we forget to do

Oscar AgramonteConditioning, Kung Fu, Tai Chi

If I asked you to demonstrate your best vertical jump ever, how would you start?

Go ahead and channel your inner Michael Jordan. Imagine him loading up for that magical vertical leap and freeze right there. 

Just the start, not the full motion. You are probably bent at the waist, hips pushed back, chest forward, ready to explode upward.

Get into the position you need to produce the most power. That is the hip hinge.

And it is one of the most important movements you can practice.

To understand why, we have to go back in time. As newborns, we come into the world infinitely mobile, but we have to earn our stability starting from the center. 

We learn to breathe diaphragmatically, gain head control, build strength in our arms and legs, roll over, and eventually make our way to standing.

After thousands of repetitions in each of these stages, we start walking, running, and jumping. The newborn had to stabilize to express mobility. 

Essentially, from birth, you are working your way toward an explosive hip hinge.

Having four sons (only one year apart) and the last two being twins, my poor mother watched these stages with delight in the beginning, and then in fear and anxiety. 

True story: there was a year where we had an average of one ER visit a month. Back in the 80s, we had to go outside and “play.” 

My brothers, being way more athletic, got into scrapes from athletic moves. Being clumsy from reading too much, I got scraped up by not being able to produce or reduce power!

Some people think of the hinge just as a gym deadlift, picking something “dead” off the ground from a dead stop. 

But the hip hinge done slowly and explosively is used in almost every sport, everyday life, and even at Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi.

  • In Kung Fu: When we drop our weight in our horse stance to generate an explosive strike as we move into the hill-climbing horse stance, we are hinging.
  • In Tai Chi: When you sink your weight (folding at the hip crease) to absorb an opponent’s push and redirect it into a Bow Stance, you are using the exact same mechanics.

 

Losing Power = Getting Slower

As we age, we get slower at a much faster rate than we get weaker. This translates to older adults slipping and falling simply because they haven’t moved quickly in years.

Being able to get into and out of a hip hinge quickly shows that you can produce power (jump) and reduce power (land safely). 

You can train for power to prevent a fall or to keep up with your children, or train to throw a more effective punch.

 

How to Test and Train Your Hinge

We all need to hip hinge in the same way that we all need to squat. You’ve done it before; your body just needs to be reminded how.

  1. The Toe Touch Test: Can you touch your toes? This requires a certain amount of mobility, but it also has a lot to do with your ability to weight shift. Here is a video that can help.
  2. Toe Touch To Pull Down Squat: If you can touch your toes, grab them and pull your hips down into a deep squat. Now stand back up. You’ve just shown me a mobile pelvis and a stable trunk. You are ready to hinge. Watch the video here.
  3. Training Wheels: Use a light stick held against your back to practice pushing your hips backward while keeping proper form and a straight spine. Watch the video here.
  4. Load it Up: The next step is to load the hinge. I like the Kettlebell Deadlift. Watch the video here.
  5. Build Explosive Power: Finally, progress to a great power movement: the Kettlebell Swing. It is a dynamic deadlift that uses hip-hinging, power acceleration, and power deceleration (think: lifting, jumping, landing). Watch the video here.

From the KB Swing, you can progress to many different explosive movements depending on your goals.

What an elite athlete considers power training might be impossible for the average client. And what an older client considers power training might be a warm-up for the athlete. It’s all relative.

Either way, train for power. Know your capabilities and go practice the hip hinge.

You’ll still be standing while others are falling.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

 

P.S. Build power safely. People often avoid martial arts because they think they aren’t explosive or mobile enough to start. The truth is, we rebuild those abilities from the ground up. If you are ready to start moving better, here are 2 ways I can help:

  1. See it for yourself: The best way to understand Wah Lum is to see it in person. Comment with OBSERVATION and we will set up a time for you to come visit a class.
  2. Start from home: Comment with FOUNDATIONS and I’ll send you the details for our 21-day remote prep program.

Your muscles’ retirement plan

Oscar AgramonteMindset & Philosophy

When was the last time you moved fast?

I mean the kind of fast that happens when you trip on a curb and your body catches itself before your brain has time to panic. Or when you reach out and grab something before it hits the floor.

If it’s taking you a while to think about it, that’s already a bit of information. According to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, your ability to move quickly might be the most important physical quality determining how long you live.

And most people are losing it without even realizing it.

Researchers followed 3,889 adults aged 46–75 for nearly 11 years. They measured two things: muscle strength (how much force you can produce) and muscle power (how fast you can produce it). Then they watched to see which one predicted survival.

The answer wasn’t subtle.

Men with the lowest power levels were almost 6 times more likely to die than those with the highest. Women in the lowest group faced nearly 7 times the risk. And muscle strength, measured on its own? Not statistically significant.

Power won the longevity contest by a landslide — and it wasn’t even close.

Your body runs two types of muscle fibers. Type I fibers are your slow-burn workhorses — built for endurance, posture, and the long haul (think holding a deep Horse Stance or doing a slow Tai Chi form). Type II fibers are your explosives — fast, powerful, and built for moments that require immediate action (think jumping, throwing a fast punch, or a snapping kick).

Type II fibers are also the first ones to disappear, and we lose power at a faster rate than we lose strength. Age and inactivity, accelerate their decline. You can maintain a respectable amount of strength for years while your fast-twitch system quietly goes away.

Until a stumble that should have been a quick save becomes something much worse.

The researchers called this loss of power “powerpenia” — a word that sounds made-up but represents a very real, measurable decline that most standard fitness programs simply don’t address.

The good news? Power is trainable at any age. And you don’t have to become an Olympic athlete to develop it. You just have to ask your muscles to move quickly — on purpose, consistently, and with intention.

This is exactly why the right type of training is so vital. We don’t just lift heavy things slowly. We want to train our bodies to be explosive. 

Here is how you can ensure you are keeping those Type II fibers alive, whether you are training Kung Fu or Tai Chi.

  • Strike with intent (Kung Fu): When you practice your forms, don’t just go through the motions. Find time to move with sudden, explosive speed.
  • Intent (Tai Chi): Tai Chi is famous for slow movement, but advanced practice requires Fajin—the sudden, explosive release of power. Even if you aren’t jumping, a quick, intentional shift in weight, a fast block, or the rapid kick in Part 3 trains your nervous system to fire instantly.
  • Lower weights, higher speed: Power doesn’t require lifting 300 pounds. Moving your own body weight or light resistance bands at speed is surprisingly effective and keeps your nervous system sharp.
  • Aim for consistency over intensity: Even one power-focused session per week creates meaningful adaptation over time.

The goal isn’t to be the most explosive person in the room. The goal is to maintain the biological quality that determines whether your body can respond when life gets unpredictable — because it will.

Strength is the foundation. But power is the thing that shows up when you actually need your body to work. The research is now telling us — with nearly 4,000 people and a decade of data — that the ability to move fast is the fitness quality most closely tied to survival.

Train your muscles to move. Train them to fire. And do it before your fast-twitch fibers get the memo that they’re no longer needed.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

P.S. Make movement a value. People often fail to start training because they think they need a complicated system to begin. You don’t. You just need to show up. If you are ready to build a new habit, here are 2 ways I can help:

  1. See it for yourself: The best way to understand Wah Lum is to see it in person. Reply with OBSERVATION and we will set up a time for you to come visit a class.

Start from home: Reply with FOUNDATIONS and I’ll send you the details for our 21-day remote prep program.

Manipulate vs. Motivate (Whose job is it?)

Oscar AgramonteMindset & Philosophy

There are two words that are confused in leadership and teaching, but understanding the difference can change how you approach your training:

Manipulate and Motivate.

At their core, the difference is simple:

  • Manipulation is getting people to do what you want them to do.
  • Motivation is getting people to do what they want to do.

Is the goal of a martial artist to manipulate? The answer is both yes and no, depending on who is standing in front of you.

When to Manipulate (The Opponent & The Body)

In the physical realm of Kung Fu or Tai Chi, manipulation is a requirement.

If I am facing an opponent, one goal is physical and psychological manipulation. I want to draw them off balance. I want them to react to a feint so I can open a line of attack. I am trying to get them to do exactly what I want them to do.

As a teacher, I also use physical manipulation with students. When I physically adjust posture, correct a stance, or move an arm into the proper angle for a block, I am manipulating a body to show the correct path.

When to Motivate (The Student & The Mind)

But when it comes to the mental game of teaching students, leading and learning from my martial arts family, manipulation fails.

I cannot trick a student into being disciplined. I cannot manipulate you into loving the art or putting in the hours of practice when no one is watching. If I force a student to train, they are doing it for me at that moment. That isn’t sustainable.

A good teacher (and always a student first) must have the ability to manipulate the body, but the skill to motivate the mind.

One goal as a teacher is to provide tactical insight that is specific enough to make you think. That is motivation and something that is harder to do. Example: my constant failures at motivating students!

Your Job: Manipulating The Variables

Here is where the two concepts meet.

I can attempt to motivate your mind, and I can physically manipulate your body to show you the standard. But eventually, you have to take ownership.

Motivation only sparks the fire. To be successful, you have to put in the work to apply the lesson. You must become a master of manipulating the variables in your life.

  • You have to manipulate your schedule to ensure you have time to train.
  • You have to manipulate your environment to remove distractions.
  • You have to manipulate your own stiff joints and tired muscles to do the work.

The instructors at the Temple will continue to work on providing the motivation. You have to execute the manipulation.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Motivation gets you started. People wait for the perfect moment to start training, but the truth is, you have to manipulate your own schedule to make it happen. If you have the internal motivation to start but need a structured path to follow, here are two ways I can help:

  1. See it for yourself: The best way to understand Wah Lum is to see it in person. Comment with OBSERVATION and we will set up a time for you to come visit a class.
  2. Start from home: Comment with FOUNDATIONS and I’ll send you the details for our 21-day remote prep program.

We Need To Talk About That Shirtless Guy On Facebook

Oscar AgramonteTai Chi

We’ve all seen the videos scrolling through our feeds lately.

There is an influencer (usually shirtless, usually sporting six-pack abs and veins popping out of their biceps) doing a “Tai Chi Walk.” The caption promises that this simple, slow movement is the secret ancient hack to melting belly fat and getting shredded.

It is time for a reality check.

That guy didn’t get that body from Tai Chi.

He got that body from heavy resistance training, progressive overload in the gym, and a strict caloric deficit. He is using a physique built by iron (and probably extra “supplements”) to sell you a practice built on softness.

It is a marketing lie, and frankly, it is disrespectful to the art we practice.

The “Physique Mismatch” 

If you come to Tai Chi expecting to get ripped, you are going to be disappointed. And worse, you might quit before you experience the actual magic of the practice.

Here is the simple physiology: To build bulging muscles, you need to tear muscle fibers with heavy resistance so they grow back larger. To lose significant weight, you need a caloric deficit.

Tai Chi is roughly equivalent to a gentle walk in terms of calorie burn. It is low impact. It is low intensity. 

That isn’t a flaw in the system; that is the entire point.

The Evidence in the Temple 

I look around and see students who have been practicing Tai Chi faithfully for 10, 15, even 20 years.

They are 70 years old and have great balance. They have reduced the risk of serious falls, while their peers are recovering from broken hips.

If Tai Chi were a weight-loss drug, these 20-year veterans would have failed. But Tai Chi isn’t a weight-loss drug. It is a longevity strategy.

What You Actually Get (Better than Abs) 

When we stop chasing the “six-pack lie,” we can appreciate what Tai Chi actually offers. It offers things that a calorie deficit cannot give you:

  1. Proprioception & Fall Prevention: We are training the nervous system to know exactly where the body is in space. This is the difference between stumbling and recovering versus falling and breaking a bone as we age.
  2. Joint Lubrication: Think of Tai Chi as WD-40 for your body. It gently moves synovial fluid through the joints, keeping them healthy without the grinding wear-and-tear of high-impact cardio.
  3. Stress Regulation: The “influencers” aren’t totally wrong—Tai Chi does lower cortisol (the stress hormone). While this might not melt 30 pounds of fat overnight, it stops the stress-cycle that ruins our health in modern life.

The Bottom Line

If you want to lose weight, look at your nutrition. If you want to build big biceps, go lift heavy weights.

But if you want to be able to move those muscles without pain when you are 80? If you want to tie your own shoes, play with your grandkids on the floor, and navigate the world with confidence and stability?

That is why you are here.

Don’t let social media distort your reality. 

Your practice is working, even if your waistline stays the same. You are building a body that lasts, not just a body that looks good on Instagram.

See you in class.

-Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. I know some of you do want to build muscle but feel like you don’t have the time. Next week, I’m going to share a new study that proves exactly how 10 minutes a day can build real muscle (and no, it’s not by walking slowly). Keep an eye out.

 

P.P.S.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

“What We Compress, Expands”: Why We Wear the Uniform

Oscar AgramonteMindset & Philosophy

Hello Wah Lum Family,

When you walk into the Temple, you see a sea of black uniforms (and some white, for our Tai Chi classes).

It looks professional, and it signifies that we are all part of the same team. But have you ever stopped to think about the deeper value of wearing the uniform?

On the surface, the benefit is obvious: Simplicity.

You don’t have to waste mental energy deciding what to wear to class. You don’t have to worry if your outfit matches or if it’s appropriate for training. You simply grab your uniform, and you are ready. But this simplicity unlocks something much more powerful.

“What we compress, expands.”

Renowned strength coach and author Dan John uses this phrase to explain the hidden benefits of uniformity. It begs the question: By “compressing” our choices of what to wear, does our training actually expand?

We believe the answer is yes.

When we remove the distraction of designer logos, expensive shoes, and fashion statements, we strip away the superficial. When everyone wears the same thing, we stop looking at the outfit and start seeing the human person.

By compressing the external variables, we expand what truly matters:

  • We notice the intellect and ideas: We focus on the students’ questions and their understanding of our martial art.
  • We notice the quality of work: Without the distraction of what you are wearing, the focus shifts entirely to how you are moving.
  • We expand our focus: Your mental energy isn’t on how you look; it is on your stances, your power, and your spirit.

In a Wah Lum uniform, we are all on equal ground. We are there to work, to learn, and to grow.

The uniform doesn’t suppress individuality; it reveals your character by removing the distractions that usually hide it.

So, the next time you put on your uniform, remember: You aren’t just getting dressed for class. You are clearing the clutter to make room for your Kung Fu or Tai Chi to expand.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

wah lum kung fu temple

 

P.S. Ready to join the team? Training Kung Fu or Tai Chi is easier when your daily habits line up with your goals. Our Control System: Foundations is a 21-day remote program designed to simplify your nutrition and movement habits so you are ready to train. Email back with Foundations if you’re ready

What Sei Ping Ma Really Means

Oscar AgramonteKung Fu, Tai Chi

At Wah Lum Kung Fu, when we think “horse stance,” most people picture low legs and burning quads, because that is the ideal way Grandmaster Chan shows us how to do it. 

Let’s break down the meaning of Sei Ping Ma (四平馬) so we can see that it is more than just a posture or basic stance.

It’s a lesson in balance, awareness, and control.

四 (sei) means four.

平 (ping) means level, even, balanced.

馬 (ma) means horse stance.

So Sei Ping Ma = the Four-Level Horse Stance.

Why “four”?

Because the stance teaches you to level and align the four main checkpoints of the body:

  • shoulders
  • hips
  • knees
  • feet

From above, the stance creates a square. From within, it builds evenness. If you study the Chinese character for the number four, you’ll see the structural similarity.

In our Kung Fu practice, this stance teaches you how to root, breathe, and stay centered even when the legs get tired. It’s both a martial arts stance and a practice of staying balanced in all four directions. 

You can also see your mobility (ankles, hips, and thoracic spine) revealed in how well you can hold this stance.

For our extra-mobile students: a strong Sei Ping Ma isn’t about how low you go, it’s about how level you stay.

How Tai Chi Differs

In Tai Chi, our open stance is a horse stance, or Ma Bo, but at a slightly higher elevation. Tai Chi emphasizes softness, relaxation, and ease, so Sei Ping Ma’s structure and tension would be counter to what we’re trying to accomplish in Tai Chi practice.

Cantonese Terms

  • Horse stance: Ma Bo (馬步)
  • Sei Ping Ma: Sei Ping Ma (四平馬)

How’s your horse stance training going lately? Next time you drop 

into Sei Ping Ma, check those four checkpoints and see what your body is telling you.

See you in training, 

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Feel like your hips or knees are too stiff to hold a stance? You can fix that from home. I have a remote coaching program called Active Mobility designed to help you build the flexibility and strength you need for life (and Kung Fu). Email kungfu@wahlum.com with MOBILITY and we’ll send you the info.

Spread the Pressure

Oscar AgramonteKung Fu, Mindset & Philosophy, Tai Chi

In Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and even in life, pressure is inevitable.

Strategist Lulu Cheng has a formula for measuring pressure: P = F / A — Pressure equals force divided by surface area.

If the same amount of force hits a wide surface, the pressure is low. But if that same force is concentrated into a single point — like a needle — it can pierce through anything.

It’s the same in combat and in daily life.

A wide stance, a solid structure, or a connected team spreads out the pressure. But if you’re alone or too narrow in focus, even a small, focused force can break you.

When life pushes hard, we might not be able to change the force coming at us — but we can widen our surface area.

Lean on your training partners. Ask for help. Connt with your community. Or simply take a step away and do some deep breathing.

That’s the benefit of being part of the Wah Lum family — we don’t face challenges alone. (Have you read my post on The Wah Lum Conspiracy?)

Mental and physical attacks, setbacks, and goals are all shared and supported by the people training beside you.

But when you’re the one applying force? That’s when precision matters. Be focused, specific, intentional — like the tip of that needle. That’s how you make an impact.

Remember, everything meaningful in life involves others. Nothing profound is achieved in isolation.

So when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious — take action. Move. Help someone.

Because action absorbs anxiety, and connection spreads the pressure.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Feeling stuck? Build Momentum. Small, consistent action turns pressure into progress. Join our next cycle and keep moving forward. Reply with Momentum and I’ll get you started.

 

P.P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Longevity Training: Staying Strong in Kung Fu and Tai Chi After 56

Oscar AgramonteConditioning, Kung Fu, Tai Chi

Lately I have been thinking about what my training will look like 10 years from now, when I am over 56. At that stage, my priorities will shift. 

The goal will not be chasing personal records or max lifts. The goal will be staying strong, mobile, and consistent so I can keep practicing Kung Fu and Tai Chi.

For martial artists over 56, here is where the focus belongs:

  • Mobility: keep your joints moving so stances and transitions stay comfortable.
  • Hypertrophy: build and maintain muscle mass with higher reps. This does not have to mean machines — kettlebells, bodyweight movements, bands, and light dumbbells are all excellent options.
  • Cardio: enough to support health and recovery. This can be as simple as practicing forms at a faster pace with good control, or walking daily.

After 56, it is less about maxing out and more about staying consistent with quality movement. 

Show up, move, breathe, keep the reps high, and release tension between sets. 

In Kung Fu and Tai Chi, that might mean practicing stances, transitions, and balance drills with steady repetition until they feel effortless.

The key is to keep going. Keep training. Keep showing up.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. The principle of stretching what is stiff and strengthening what is weak starts on day one. That is what our Foundations program is all about. Reply with Foundations and I will get you started.

 

P.P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Goal Setting vs Goal Achieving

Oscar AgramonteKung Fu, Mindset & Philosophy, Nutrition, Tai Chi

Dan John makes an important distinction between goal setting and goal achieving. Setting a goal can feel like daydreaming. 

Achieving a goal is more like solving a puzzle. 

You start with what you already have—your genetics, where you live, your circumstances—and then you do the work to find the solution.

One of the tools he uses is called the 5/2 plan. Ask yourself these five questions about your future:

  • What do you want in two decades?
  • In two years?
  • In two months?
  • Tomorrow?
  • Today?

If those questions feel overwhelming, you can also start with the opposite. Instead of asking what you want, ask what you don’t want. 

Dan John has a term for this that I’ve renamed for this newsletter: Reverse Goals. The idea is simple. When you catch yourself doing something that does not serve you, the lesson is, I am not going to do that again.

This is how we avoid being pulled into the latest fitness fad or quick-fix promise. 

Instead, we keep coming back to the fundamentals, the same way we return to basics in Kung Fu and Tai Chi:

  • Eat the right amount for your body each day.
  • Get enough protein to support recovery and strength.
  • Train with weights 2–3 times a week, just as we train our forms.
  • Walk more (I aim for 10,000 steps a day).
  • Sleep enough so the body and mind can recharge.

Add flossing and a yearly check-up, and you have a strong foundation. Not fancy, but it works.

This week, take a moment to answer those five questions for yourself. Then, choose one simple habit from the list above and give it your focus. 

Daydreams turn into progress when we put them into practice.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

The Secret to Long-Term Progress

Oscar AgramonteMindset & Philosophy

Fall in Love With the Basics

You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing, but more importantly, you have to enjoy the process.

I recently told an advanced student: “You have to keep falling back in love with the basics, not just the new stuff.”

You also can’t improve everything at once. Some skills need to go on “maintenance mode” while you focus on priorities. That focus is a superpower, one I still need to work on myself. 

When I feel good, I start adding too much, and the priorities slip away.

Remember, there’s a law of diminishing returns. Doing 50 kicks gets you more than 25, but not twice the results. Each extra set gives smaller gains than the last. 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t push, but it’s worth understanding.

And one last thing: don’t glorify fatigue. Being tired is not the goal, it’s just a byproduct of working hard enough to change. The goal is growth. Fatigue will show up along the way.

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.