Kazakh blogger Medet Zhanatuly traveled to China’s Shaolin Temple and spent nearly a month there, studying kung fu and meditation. He posted videos of his training sessions with the monks on Instagram.
The videos garnered millions of views, with followers comparing the blogger to characters from Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme movies.
In his posts, Zhanatuly showed grueling training sessions with sticks, punching bags and sparring on the monastery grounds. In one video, he admitted that he intentionally leaves his comfort zone to rediscover himself and regain his inner peace.
Judging by the footage, the blogger trained under Shi Miao Hai, a Chinese martial arts master and 36th-generation Shaolin kung fu instructor with nearly 1 million followers on Instagram. The school’s website states that the program is open to all skill levels and that classes include kung fu, weapons training, sanda, qigong, meditation and tai chi.
Participants have three training sessions per day, six days a week. The price includes accommodation, three meals a day and training. According to the school’s price list, a one-week training session costs approximately 5,000 yuan, while a month of training costs about 11,000 yuan. Longer programs are cheaper per week.
«Shaolin is much more than just punches, stretching, discipline and intense training,» the blogger wrote.
He said the trip helped him learn patience, concentration and emotional control.
In the comment section, users said the videos look like a movie, calling Zhanatuly «the Kazakh Van Damme» and admitting they dream of going to Shaolin. Some asked whether such training requires serious physical preparation and whether fighting is a must.
«You’re a beast, bro,» «Amazing experience,» «Yeah, buddy! A real fighter! Thanks for the training, bro,» users wrote.
The blogger also thanked his shifu (mentor), who taught him not only the movements but also his approach to life.
Zhanatuly currently has over 2 million followers on Instagram. Most of his content focuses on motivation and sports.
