Punky Fu

Thunderer held the wooden plank firmly in his massive hands, sat and raised it over his head. “I want you to execute a Hammer Fist on this,” he said to Shao Chi.

Shao merely looked at him in disbelief. She knew from hard won experience that hitting wood hurt. Master knew that. Master knew that they had just endured one of their more grueling training sessions. How could he possibly be serious?

Earlier in the week, Lei Kung, The Thunderer, had taken Shao to a new training ground. This facility was a hidden recess and reserved for only a select few. Inside, it was a martial artistic fantasy made real; all the resources, room, implements and weapons were there for their use. They had taken full advantage of the space using it to its full potential, and this morning when Shao awakened, every inch of her body screamed in protest.

It was almost as if during the night, muscle and bone had turned to beleaguered and fragile wood, and joints were filled with broken glass. Places where Shao Chi had not known muscles had existed bellowed in ache with every movement. Thunderer shaped bruises lined her arms and legs, back and torso. Of course, Lei Kung would simply smile and say, “The ache is to remind you that you are alive!” Yes, because death could certainly not be this painful.

Nonetheless, when training time came around again and Lei Kung showed up with his weapons bag packed, Shao knew it was time again to be strong. This was, in fact, part of the Kung Tao Do training method - to fight and train in all conditions, regardless of mental or physical state. Preparedness required that you come to the fight ready no matter what - that you rise to the challenge again and again and again. “Only time and effort bring proficiency” Thunderer would say implying that there are no short cuts to becoming effective. And that is why, “the best kept secrets keep themselves.”

Fighters fight. They do not complain, or surrender, or wait for the right moment to engage. People who do not train under every condition will never learn this lesson. Or put another way, “anyone can sail a ship when the sea is calm.”

So despite her body’s fatigue, Shao prepared herself.

They had begun the session with very ancient whole body Kung Fu, the kind that requires coordination and use of every muscle in tandem. They had progressed through the overcoming of obstacles, in itself both a physical and a mental challenge. Crossing the room exercises, weapons and then unarmed combat and finally grappling all ensued. Cumulatively, it was a training session that left Shao’s body trembling with effort and adrenaline and almost empty of energy or even thought. And now, after all of that, Lei Kung wanted her to hit a wooden plank with her bare hand?

The look on Thunderer’s face was unmistakable. There would be no argument. Shao would simply obey master’s instructions at the potential sacrifice of her own right hand. Shao Chi took a moment to look at her small hand almost as if to say good-bye.

She raised her arm, made a fist, and brought it down in a blur of motion into the plank gripped between Thunderer’s meaty fists. Flesh met wood. There was a sickening snapping sound, the distinctive crack of something breaking, and then mercifully, it was over.

Shao stood in shocked surprise at the lack of feeling in her hand. She reluctantly raised it up to her face to see that it had remained in tact. She looked down in disbelief at the remnants of the plank still clutched in Lei Kung’s hands. Not only had Shao snapped the board, but the force of her blow had punched out the middle of the plank, breaking it into three pieces. Shao stood in astonished silence, looking to Lei Kung for some explanation.