Tong Zi Gong

[Premier]

Hey Doc got a question for ya. You think that someone in their mid 30's or 40's with no martial arts background can perform Tong Zi Gong, with training? Thanx.

[doc]

Not unless you're incredibly flexible from some other sort of exercise (dancing, gymnastics, etc) that you'e been doing. Tong Zi Gong requires immense flexiblity and balance, not something us oldsters usually have in the 30's or 40's.

[Premier]

So you're saying it's totally impossible or just extremely difficult? Thanx

[doc]

Not impossible. If you don't mind dislocating your hips, you can do it.

[Premier]

LoL thanx Doc.

[doc]

You have to remember that as we get older, all those little structures that surround our joints become less and less flexible. Unless you continually keep those limber from childhood, it gets more and more difficult to make these things move the way we'd like them to move. And once you've gotten "inflexible", it takes time to regain that.

You can regain some of it. All of it? Not sure; that would take work and time.

Tong Zi Gong is an extreme form for flexibility. Just doing regular gong fu requires a great deal of it. If you're in your forties, Tong Zi Gong is probably a goal not worth trying to achieve. The other forms would be less "flexibility" intensive, and more worthwhile.