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Varvara Rodchenko

Celebrities like NBA stars Victor Wembanyama and Jaylen Brown, and multimillionaire streamer IShowSpeed, have one thing in common – they all underwent professional training in one of China’s Shaolin centres. With the “Chinamaxxing” trend on the rise, many are drawn to martial arts such as kung fu, chasing physical and mental strength by living and training with monks in temples tucked away in high mountains.
But how does one join the programme, and what should one expect from life in Shaolin? Here is what you need to know.
What is a Shaolin Temple?

The original Shaolin Temple is a Buddhist monastery at the foot Mount Song, founded in 495 AD in Henan, China. It is considered the birthplace of Zen (Chan) Buddhism and is world‑renowned as the cradle of Shaolin kung fu, where monks developed martial arts as both a spiritual practice and physical discipline. Today there are multiple regional and overseas temples operating under the Shaolin name.
Where are the Shaolin training camps?

There are dozens of Shaolin-affiliated schools globally. China Daily reported in 2018 that the Shaolin Temple founded more than 40 cultural institutions abroad, with more than 300 Shaolin practitioners based overseas teaching martial arts to locals.
For international students looking to experience authentic Chinese monk life and martial arts training, there are Shaolin Zhong Wu, Shaolin Youngzhi and Shaolin Tagou, with the last one situated right at the foot of Mount Song, close to the original temple.
While European schools offer programmes as short as three days, the institutions in China usually start at one week and can last up to one year. During your time in the camp, you eat, sleep and train inside the temple, following a strict schedule – because it takes discipline to live like a monk and be in tune with your body and mind.
Who can get into a Shaolin Temple school?

Anyone can apply to join the Shaolin Temple training camps. To do so, you just have to visit one of the centres’ websites and book your stay. The prices range from around US$300 to around US$1,800 per month, including accommodation and meals.
Be sure to plan your experience in advance, as places get booked up quickly, especially in the summer, according to TikTok influencer Rivata Dutta, who talked about her Shaolin school journey online. Shaolin Yunnan, the temple Dutta trained at, was open to foreigners, she says, adding that while the training difficulty was tailored to one’s level, the monks would “challenge” her.
What is your day like in Shaolin?

According to a training schedule on Shaolin Zhong Wu’s website, students are expected to wake up at 5.30am, and they get a total of around four hours of Shaolin kung fu training throughout the day. There are also language and culture classes.
At Shaolin Tagou, students can expect to learn Shaolin acrobatics, Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) takedowns, punches and kicks, and power stretching. On some days, students end their days with calligraphy classes after dinner, which is often strictly vegetarian or vegan.
In terms of living conditions, some bloggers who visited these Shaolin schools say the facilities were “extremely basic” with no electricity. “Rooms are typically shared and are extremely basic: dusty, no light, with nothing more than two ‘beds’ (i.e. two pieces of wood with a tiny mattress on top),” Ivan D’Avanzo, who visited Wu Wei Si in Dali, wrote on Medium in 2017.
The humble surroundings, however, allow visitors to regain mind space and focus, the blogger added: “Although it may seem rough on the surface, be sure that anyone would adjust to the lifestyle and end up going with the flow. For me, it was very helpful to find a peaceful balance, reconnect with my body and enjoy every single moment of the day.”

Another author shared in his Stevie on the Move travel vlog that his experience staying in the same temple made him more self-conscious. “I came to learn kung fu, but I found a heavenly place where the most I learned was about myself,” he wrote.
In the comments, the author answered one of the most frequently asked questions: can you leave the temple during your stay? “You can leave the monastery once a week,” his reply read.


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The San Antonio Spurs star and YouTube sensation IShowSpeed have both travelled to China to experience Shaolin martial arts – here is how you can do it too


The San Antonio Spurs star and YouTube sensation IShowSpeed have both travelled to China to experience Shaolin martial arts – here is how you can do it too.


Explainer: How to train at a Shaolin kung fu centre, like Victor Wembanyama and IShowSpeed

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The San Antonio Spurs star and YouTube sensation IShowSpeed have both travelled to China to experience Shaolin martial arts – here is how you can do it too

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}What is a Shaolin Temple?

The San Antonio Spurs star and YouTube sensation IShowSpeed have both travelled to China to experience Shaolin martial arts – here is how you can do it too

What is a Shaolin Temple?