Writer’s note: Yes, kung fu is a very broad term, but because the featured video doesn’t specify which type of kung fu these nuns are practicing, we’re going to stick with it.
Admit it: When you see the words “kung fu” you immediately hear Neo from The Matrix saying “I know kung fu” in your head. But while all Neo needed to do to learn kung fu was chill in a chair and have badass moves downloaded into his brain, learning the legendary martial art in real life takes an extraordinary amount of dedication. Just ask this group of hardcore Nepalese nuns who have been training in kung fu since 2008.
The video above, created by the YouTube channel Great Big Story, gives a glimpse of the nuns belonging to the Buddhist Drukpa Order. Throughout the clip, we see them wielding sharp weapons and nunchucks, breaking bricks with their hands, and launching some seriously impressive flying kicks in the air. They also use fans sometimes, because why not learn to battle humidity along with vicious enemies? (Really though, they’re used to help master balance.)
And if you’re saying to yourself “well, that’s just a lot of fancy dancing that anybody could pull off,” trust that the training regimen that these nuns execute on is seriously brutal. The Drukpa Order nuns wake up at 3 a.m., meditate, bicycle, and then train by running, climbing stairs, and practicing their martial art for three hours.
According to the nuns, practicing kung fu helps them to feel stronger, more confident, better coordinated, and sharper mentally. There are also real-world applications for the nuns, who teach self-defense classes for women, and publicly demonstrate that “[girls] can do anything a man can do.”
What do you think of these kung fu nuns? If you joined the Drukpa Order, how long do you think you’d last? Meditate on this topic in the comments!
Images: Great Big Story