Inner strength genetic dependant?

[tape]

A lot of the great and talented martial artists seem to rely on their natural talent and such to be who they are. It's kind of hard to explain what natural talent is, but it seems to be related to intelligence and how fast you understand things, and how quick you are to adapt to the situation.

I am wondering on the inner strength portion of natural talent however. This doesn't require instincts or fighting adaptability, you follow the formula and breathe/meditate accordingly. How do some people such as XF achieve such great mastery of inner strength at such a young age? His method can't be better than his master's, and afterall his master must have been practicing for decades more, so if anything should be able to progress faster due to his familiarity. It's very puzzling how one can be THAT much better (10,20x) with something such as breathing and meditating. Did it have anything to do with is body naturally doing it better?

[Whsie]

I think there is talent or else how would XF at 31 with his internal cultivation match up to MRB in 50s and JMZ in 40s who have much better arts?

[tape]

Yeah that is the explanation given, but it doesn't seem to make too much logical sense to me. I'm wondering if they're genetically gifted rather than mentally, like their 'dan tians' are bigger or meridians or larger or such.

[Whsie]

I think it's both. The likes of GJ, XF, YG all have mentally gifted fighting ability. But I think XF exceeds the other a bit. In addition, he is a Khitan who's bodies are more fit for combat than the Han people. So I think XF has the double- physically talented and mentally talented.

[CC]

Inner energy cultivation should have different levels of effects for different people even if they used identical training methods. Besides, no 2 persons can train 100% identically. Meditation involves a 'state of mind' and you can't have 2 persons having 100% identical thoughts/state-of-mind.

Its not just 'breath in deeply for 6 seconds while holding the tiger stance'. Its your state of mind while breathing and holding the stance etc etc too.

[Ren Ying Ying]

I think it's both. The likes of GJ, XF, YG all have mentally gifted fighting ability. But I think XF exceeds the other a bit. In addition, he is a Khitan who's bodies are more fit for combat than the Han people. So I think XF has the double- physically talented and mentally talented.

i would say XF exceeds a lot more than the other two in natural development of inner strength. the other two had one of a kind, best in the world rare manuals or that sort of thing. XF got the same as other shaolin students.

[CC]

i would say XF exceeds a lot more than the other two in natural development of inner strength. the other two had one of a kind, best in the world rare manuals or that sort of thing. XF got the same as other shaolin students.

XF started a bit younger though. He did not have to waste the early part of his youth mucking around like YG or learning ineffectively from the 7 Freaks. He got his training from Shaolin (which had a very well structured training regime from their centuries of existence) and the Abbot made an effort to ensure that he got the best training possible. Its highly possible that XF got more attention then the average Shaolin monk due to this special treatment from the Abbot.

Its like how those Olympians start training from a really early age. Maybe there was a significant advantage to training kung-fu from an earlier age.

e.g. 1 year of training at the growing age of 10 yrs is equal to 3 years of training at age 20 or something like that.

Of course the real reason is the usual Plot Device or Main Character Syndrome.

[yittz]

Nature vs Nuture, there must be a genetic component.

[tape]

I just find it really weird he's like 10x more powerful using what should be around the same cultivation techniques as other Shaolin monks. Must be good to be XF, and sucks to be someone crazy over kungfu but just isn't genetically gifted.

[Whsie]

I just find it really weird he's like 10x more powerful using what should be around the same cultivation techniques as other Shaolin monks. Must be good to be XF, and sucks to be someone crazy over kungfu but just isn't genetically gifted.

I agree, it does seem wierd that he has 3X the internal over all the Xuan monks.... and XF learned less than the monks did.

[Ardor]

He probably trained more. Monks train them to aid meditation and remain healthy...