Junior Student’s Corner
by Sifu Charlie Romeo
Fu For You Summer 2025
As the school year comes to a close, many of you finally have time to relax—no tests, no assignments, no presentations. Giving your brain a break after nine months of learning is important for your mental growth and development. But relaxing doesn’t have to mean being unproductive, and summer is the perfect time to build new skills. For some of you, this might include a part-time job, sports, or—hopefully—your Kung Fu training. You may think that focusing on Kung Fu is the opposite of relaxing, but with the right mindset, it can be exactly that. Letting your training reset and relax both your mind and body can help you recharge and return in September feeling stronger, more focused, and ready to go.
Kung Fu doesn’t just train your body–it trains your mind just as much. There’s a reason we begin every class with a brief period of meditation; having a clear head solely focused on the present is essential to relaxing your body and mind, and to making the most of your training. Controlled breathing, however, is not just limited to meditation, and can be used as a tool throughout class. For example, use your breathing to work deeper stretches and lower stances. As you direct your attention to your breathing, your mind and body soon shift to a more relaxed state, allowing higher levels of focus and discipline. Not only are you making your body stronger and more flexible, you’re also helping to relieve your mind from stress.
Slow activities such as stretching and stance work are excellent for relaxation, as are cardio-focused activities. While more physically demanding, these activities are beneficial to stress management, weight management, and quality of sleep–all of which are important to mental health. These are all long-term effects of cardio training which require dedication and consistency. To help achieve these long-term benefits, there is something called a ‘flow state,’ which is excellent for both your body and your mind. A flow state is a hyper-focused, relaxed state of mind that you can achieve when performing long-form cardio activities such as running, bag work, or continuous forms. In this “flow state”, you forget about distractions like your phone or school. You’re just there, moving, breathing, and reacting. Your body is under a lot of (good) strain, but your mind is quite relaxed. This helps to reduce stress and improve your mood, which can be felt rather quickly. Doing this regularly can drastically improve your mental well-being over time, while improving your physical health as well.
Continuing to train throughout the summer is not just beneficial to your progression through your rank. It’s equally, if not more, important for relaxing your mind from the previous months of intellectual work. Instead of lying on the couch munching on Doritos every day this summer, make the choice to relax in a healthier, more productive way through Kung Fu to get yourself ready for the road ahead.
