warm-up pounding and slapping

Hi Tony,

During a warm-up at the masterclasses you used a lot of pounding and slapping on various points of the body. I forgot the explanation you gave for it. Can you please tell what was the reason behind it? Which places are actually slapped? I felt like a silverback gorila pounding his chest

Kind Regards,

Nick Engelen

Hi Nick,

I sometimes use body slaps as part of a warm up and also first thing in the morning if I am in need of an energy boost. Slaps get the blood moving and activate the nerves as the skin is very sensitive (skin is the biggest organ in our bodies). I think I can remember the drills you are referring to when I used to do the warm ups for Geoff at the first of his masterclasses. I will do my best to explain them for you.

On the first one you rotate your body twisting your hips and keeping your arms and hands loose by your side swinging them and wrapping them around you body as you twist. If you twist to the left your left arm goes behind your back and you slap your right kidney with the back of your left hand – at the same time your right arm goes to the right and you slap lower left side of the front of your stomach; then twist the other way fast and relaxed and slap your liver with the palm of your left hand and your left kidney with the back of your right hand. I think this is sometimes called a Thai Chi twist, but I am not sure as I am not an expert on Thai Chi (Steve Rowe would know if it is a Thai Chi waist twist).

On the next one we used the same torso twisting moment but with one hand you slapped your traps/collar bone with the palm of the hand and your kidneys with the back of the other hand – and reversed it as you twisted and slapped one side then the other side of your body with both hands at the same time.

Then we stood in horse stance and you hit your belly with the palm of one hand and at the same time you hit your back (at the same level you hit your belly) with the back of the other hand – and you alternate – so one move is your right hand hits your belly in the centre and the back of your left hand hits your back and then reverse it so your left hand hits your belly and your right hand hits your back and so on – you are creating a shock wave through your stomach area.

At all times keep the movements smooth and breathe out as you slap your body. Hit your body as hard as is comfortable for you – as you do it regular you will find that you can slap harder and not feel the pain.

Good luck with your training.

Regards,
Tony. T