* prices for double rooms are per person and are only available to students travelling together
Wudang Daoist Traditional
Kungfu Academy
Train In Wudang
Daily Practice
Training at the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kungfu Academy continues year round and is open to students of all ages and experience levels. Our daily schedule has been refined over two decades to provide the optimal balance of physical conditioning, internal cultivation, rest, and nourishment.
The rhythm of each day follows the natural cycles that Daoist practice is built upon. Early morning Qigong aligns your energy with the rising sun. Mid-morning and afternoon training builds strength, flexibility, and martial skill. Evening meditation closes the day with stillness and internal awareness.
Winter Training Schedule
Item | Time |
|---|---|
Morning Class (Mon. ~ Sat.) | 06:30 -- 07:30 |
Breakfast | 08:30 |
Main Class 1 | 09:00 -- 11:30 |
Lunch | 11:50 |
Main Class 2 | 15:00 -- 17:00 |
Dinner | 17:30 |
Meditation (Mon. ~ Fri.) | 18:30 -- 19:30 |
Summer Training Schedule
Item | Time |
|---|---|
Morning Class (Mon. ~ Sat.) | 06:00 -- 07:00 |
Breakfast | 07:20 |
Main Class 1 | 08:30 -- 11:00 |
Lunch | 11:40 |
Rest | 12:00 -- 16:00 |
Meditation (Mon. ~ Fri.) | 16:00 -- 17:00 |
Dinner | 17:30 |
Main Class 2 | 18:30 -- 20:30 |
​Schedules vary slightly depending on season and weather conditions.
Training & Evaluation
Monday Through Friday: Daily Training
Each training day includes over 7 hours of structured practice. The morning session begins with Qigong — breathing exercises and gentle movements that warm the body and settle the mind. This is followed by the main morning training block, which covers the core curriculum: stretching, stance training, coordination drills, kicking exercises, form practice, and push hands.
The afternoon session deepens the work of the morning. Students practice the forms they are currently learning, receive individual corrections from the coaches, and work on specific techniques. The day concludes with evening meditation, where students cultivate internal awareness through seated and standing practices.
Daily basic training is a combination of:
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Stretching and flexibility exercises
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Stance training (Ma Bu, Gong Bu, etc.)
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Coordination and balance drills
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Kicking drills and light acrobatics
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Partner push hands work (Tui Shou)
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Strength training and conditioning
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Shadowboxing and form practice
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Cardio and endurance training
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Taiji walking and Cloud Hands
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Meditation and breath work
The specific emphasis of each day's training depends on the coaches' assessment of the students' needs, the weather, and the season. Summer training emphasizes stamina, cardio, and flexibility. Winter training focuses more on strength, balance, and internal power.
Saturday: Evaluation Day
Saturday morning is Evaluation Day — a school-wide event where students perform the system or style they have been learning for Master Yuan and the rest of the school. This is not a test in the Western sense. It is an opportunity for Master Yuan to observe your progress and offer personalized feedback on what aspects of your training need improvement.
Evaluation Day is one of the most valuable parts of training at WDTKA. Master Yuan's eye is extraordinary — he can see subtle misalignments and energetic blockages that would take months to discover on your own. His feedback is direct, practical, and transformative.
Saturday Afternoon & Sunday: Rest
Saturday afternoon and Sunday are the rest period for the week. Saturday afternoon includes a school cleaning — we maintain our own space as a sign of respect for the training grounds and the Daoist tradition of self-cultivation through daily tasks.
Sunday is your free day. Many students hike to the temples on Wudang Mountain, explore the surrounding villages, do laundry, rest, or practice independently. The common room is available for relaxing, watching movies, or browsing the internet.
The 1.5 day off in weekend is for monthly students, there is make up class for short term student in weekend.
Curriculum: What Will You Train?
While daily basic training is the same for all students, your individual curriculum depends on your experience level, the duration of your stay, and your personal goals. Here is how training is typically structured:
Short-Term Students (1–3 Weeks)
Short-term students focus on building a solid foundation. You will learn basic stances, stretching routines, and introductory Qigong. Depending on your progress, you may begin learning a short form such as Taiji 28 or Ba Duan Jin. Even in a few weeks, most students experience significant improvements in flexibility, balance, and overall well-being.
Medium-Term Students (1–3 Months)
Medium-term students have the opportunity to complete two or three forms alongside daily Qigong practice. A typical progression might include learning Taiji 13 or a weapon form, then advancing to a longer form. You will develop genuine internal feeling and begin to understand the principles that make Wudang martial arts unique.
Long-Term Students (3–12+ Months)
Long-term students follow the traditional Wudang training path, which combines hard and soft, external and internal. You begin with basic training to establish posture, strength, and coordination. Once these foundations are solid, you progress through increasingly advanced forms — empty-hand and weapon — and deepen your internal practice through Qigong, Taiji, and meditation.
The traditional progression in the Wudang San Feng lineage is:
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Foundation — Basic training, stances, stretching, Ba Duan Jin
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Elementary Forms — Taiji 9 or 28, JiBen Quan, basic weapon forms
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Intermediate Forms — Taiji 13, Taiyi Wuxing Quan, Wudang Sword......
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Advanced Forms — Taiji 108, Bagua Zhang, XingYi Quan, Xuanwu Quan......
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Internal Cultivation — Advanced Qigong, Neidan meditation
This progression typically takes 1–3 years of dedicated training. Many long-term students choose to stay beyond their initial plan once they experience the depth of the training.
Training Grounds
Training takes place primarily outdoors on the school grounds, weather permitting. This includes the early morning Qigong session. The natural environment of Wudang Mountain — the fresh air, the sound of temple bells, the mist rising through the trees — creates an atmosphere that cannot be replicated indoors.
We also have indoor facilities for training during rain and cold weather, as well as a dedicated Meditation Hall and common rooms for students to relax in between classes.
​Internal Or External?
​​Deciding between learning internal or external systems may be determined by what your overall goals are or what you previous experience level is.
Are you goals to be more stable, both mentally and physically? Are you looking for methods to release anxiety or lower blood pressure? Are you trying to find ways to correct posture and reinforce better habits? Do you have chronic injuries or imbalances that you wish to correct or be more sensitive to? Have you always been fascinated by meditation and curious about the benefits that can be reached by taming your emotions? If these are questions that ring true for you, maybe you should consider learning an internal, soft style like TaiJi.
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Are you an energetic, sports active person? Are you looking for a challenge physically, something to take your training to the next level? Are you experienced in martial arts and curious about the styles of Wudang? Are you interested in weapons techniques and how the body can be used in unison with these ancient methods? Do you want to gain a more dynamic training regime that will increase strength, endurance, stamina, power, flexibility, and coordination? If these are things that get your blood pumping, than maybe an external, hard style is more your speed.
Best Season for Training?
​​While the schedule for training and curriculum may vary depending on the seasons as most of the training is outside, every season will still offer comprehensive development in martial arts training. Even still, some times of the year are better if your goals are specific. For example, developing flexibility and speed is going to be much easier during the summer months while training power, and strength (just in willpower alone!) will be better focused on during the winter months.
​The summer months can also be more busy in the academy. Expect the student population to be greater during June, July, and August. If you are registering for training during these months, make sure that you reserve your space at least one or two months prior to your arrival. This way we can ensure and reserve your space.
​The winter months, normally are lower in student population and allow for more one on one time with the coaches.
​Make sure to plan accordingly for training. If you are going to be here during the winter months, it is advisable that you bring plenty of warm, athletic, moisture-wicking clothing. During training, you will want to wear layers so that you can stay warm but be able to move around freely and remove layers if you get hot while training. It is important to stay dry and warm during the winter.
​Summer months may be easier to train during. Here you will want to remember to stay cool, stay hydrated, wear loose clothing, and apply sunscreen if you have sensitive skin as much of the training is done outside, year round.
​The Spring and Autumn months can have days of rain. Although Wudang does not have a very aggressive wet season, it does benefit the student if you consult the charts here or on the updated websites you can find online like climate-data.org or weatherspark.com. Or if you are looking for current weather forecasts use sites worldweatheronline.com or weather.com for detailed information.
