Over the many years that I have been practicing and teaching the Li Style Feng Shou-Kung Fu. Not many of its practitioners actually employ training equipment into their training to help enhance their students attributes to allow them to develop their own Feng Shou-Kung Fu fighting skills. Simply performing various striking and kicking techniques in the air does not really develop the students confidence in being able to issue power (Fa Jin) into their offensive techniques. Which will leave them with great doubt that their techniques are effective enough to use and protect themselves against a much bigger opponent.
Using the Focus Pads is a favourite training aid that I often employ into my Li Style Feng Shou-Kung Fu classes and courses. As they can be used to develop the students defensive and offensive skills if they are used intelligently and correctly, many individuals when they bring striking pads into their particular martial art, they immediately turn into either boxers or kick boxers and their own particular martial art style suddenly disappears and turns into some thing else. It is important that when using any training aid, that they are used to enhance your own martial art style and to not turn it into some thing else as so many individuals do.
The great thing about using the Focus Pads is that it develops the students ability to judge the correct distance to use certain striking and kicking techniques. Plus, it teaches the student how to use the correct surface area of their palms and feet to strike and kick correctly and safely with issuing power into their attacking techniques, as especially they have to be used against an opponent who is going to be on the move. Focus Pad training is also a great way to improve the students attributes like their accuracy, timing, precision, speed, reactions, power, fitness, stamina, agility, coordination and concentration.
Personally I believe that bringing certain training aids into the Feng Shou-Kung Fu class, like the focus pads can only benefit the development of every student to build their confidence in being able to practically and effectively use their kung fu fighting skills. Making the training more interesting and enjoyable if the focus pads are used intelligently by the practitioner to enhance and maintain the Li Style Feng Shou-Kung Fu style and not turn it into another typical kick boxing method.
LFIAA Under Technical Director Keith Ewers 