A martial arts master from Juntun village in central China is hoping to preserve their ancient technique of “iron crotch kung fu,” where practitioners get their scrotum hit by logs to train their weak spots.
The style, one of the branches of Tongbeiquan kung fu, has been practiced in the village for 300 years, according to 65-year-old Wang, the head of the Juntun Martial Arts Academy, Reuters reported.
Tang Xiaocheng, a 53-year-old master, said around 200 people used to practice in the village on a regular basis, but that number has plummeted to 20. The number of people who can practice this type of kung fu has gone down from 80 to five.
The masters started promoting the practice in their village, hoping to attract new people to join their school. They gained several new students from other parts of the country, who learned through social media or tailored online videos.
“If there are more students carry it forward and spread it to the whole country and the world, if they can carry this form of kung fu forward, then my dream will come true,” Wang said.
Iron crotch kung fu involves getting hit by a swinging log — measuring 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length and 40 kilograms (88 pounds) in weight — in the groin area while using qigong breathing techniques to toughen the body. It can help the user resist pressure, pain or hits to the groin or any other sensitive parts.
“We also have iron throat, iron head, iron chest, and iron back as well,” Tang said.
Although it looks painful, Wang said with the correct methods and enough practice, the iron crotch kung fu won’t cause pain nor affect the fertility of the practitioner.
“When you practice iron crotch kung fu, as long as you push yourself, you will feel great,” the master said.
Feature Image Screenshots via Awet Wedi Teklu
