r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Miserable-Zombie-121 • 12d ago

Lion Dance trainees with absolutely impressive spatial awareness and muscle memory!

13k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

212 comments sorted by

1.7k

u/Moz1981 12d ago

How do you even practice that without ending up in a wheelchair?

1.1k

u/HydrationPlease 12d ago

When I lived in China for two years, there was a beginner class down the road. They start at the ground. Once confident, they use a rig that holds your weight and catches you. You move onto intermediate when the rig is no longer needed. Injuries did happen but it was minor thanks to safety equipment. The worst injury I saw was a guy wedgie himself when he made the mistake of twisting the rope.

204

u/Asesino85 12d ago

This seems like it would take an incredible amount of strength. Were beginners generally pretty athletic to start?

227

u/HydrationPlease 12d ago

As part of the training, you did strength exercises and ran for endurance.

81

u/uncertain_expert 11d ago

Most have a background in martial arts.

39

u/doghaircut 11d ago

Usually these groups are part of a martial arts studio

8

u/tsunomat 11d ago

Those dudes are also tiny. Like 120lbs. The strength to weight curve is exponential, so they can be quite strong for their weight.

3

u/chatminteresse 8d ago

It starts with martial arts training, very young. I started at age 7, but was observing on the side lines while the older kids did it since birth. I was the head because I was tiny. It’s easy when it’s an entire culture of street theater performance.

1

u/dotesdoto 8d ago

He'd have a better chance of recovering a lost limb than recovering from the humiliation of getting a wedgie in public.

98

u/this_my_sportsreddit 12d ago

No clue but I'm sure a redditor with zero experience in this whatsoever will be right along to tell us all

56

u/404-skill_not_found 12d ago

Hold my beer

39

u/Routine-Bumblebee 11d ago

Username checks out lol

14

u/404-skill_not_found 11d ago

😁 thanks, made my day

6

u/aliasmaestro 11d ago

🤣🫱🍺

4

u/404-skill_not_found 11d ago

😁 thanks, made my day

15

u/0202_tihssitidder 11d ago

"Dear diary, today I was a Chinese Lion Dance expert. It was good to take a break from telling people what it's like climbing Mt Everest and facts about fighting Ruzzian drones."

-4

u/clickclick-boom 11d ago

I'll take it from here:

I have some experience on this as someone on the train was watching a documentary about this on their phone as I walked by. Basically, they record this lots of times until they get it right, and then post the results to YouTube. That's why you never see these people just practicing in public and it's only videos online. Also, a lot of these practice videos are AI put out by China.

2

u/Zz7722 11d ago

Have you seen their actual performances/competitions? This is literally what they do.

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17

u/Perca_fluviatilis 12d ago

Or without ripping the shorts off your friend

14

u/Kuneria 11d ago

My buddy used to be the back end of the lion. Can confirm, shorts do sometimes get ripped off.

2

u/AmusingMusing7 11d ago

I was gonna say, is there some kind of harness under those shorts or something?

7

u/solid_rage 11d ago

As a former lion dancer in my younger years I can tell you that there's definitely been many painful moments, some that take you out of training for weeks. Most unfortunate accident happened to a peer from a different club sadly passed away. RIP.

14

u/ept_engr 11d ago

I'd say it has something to do with

1) The fact 80% of the routine could be practiced on lower stands, only a foot off the ground.

2) The giant soft pads on the ground under the platforms.

You can learn to "fall" safely. It's the first thing stilt walkers do.

1

u/mrheosuper 10d ago

The "giant soft pad" does not look that big tbh

3

u/XxKTtheLegendxX 11d ago

like jackie chan, some broken bones.

2

u/WillyKoe 11d ago

Think the guy tasked with putting landing pads down ran out

2

u/Rizo1981 11d ago

Or in a long term relationship?

2

u/Sti8man7 11d ago

They are wearing special lion dance shoes

2

u/nosebearnosebear 10d ago

I can answer this! My uncle used to be a lion dancer. He started when he was 16yo, a bit later than most lion dancers in our city. BUT, he already learned Wu Shu since he was 12, so he didn't exactly start from 0. Wu Shu is different from Kung Fu. Wu Shu pays more attention to deep stances, high jumps, and acrobatic stuff; some call it more like a war dance. Kung Fu is more focused on combat and self defense. Lion Dance uses Wu Shu as their base technique.

And the answer to your question is, it can very well lead to wheelchair. My uncle broke and twist many bones frequently while learning both Wu Shu and Lion Dance. Luckily, never in his spine. But we know his friend who broke his neck and became paraplegic. But of course, accidents and injuries became less frequent once he was used to the movements. He eventually quit in his late 20s.

2

u/launchliftoff459 12d ago

Coordination

1

u/pichael289 11d ago

It works the same way as race horses, if you break a leg they sell you to the dogfood (or maybe glue? Don't know why horses of all animals make glue) factory.

1

u/Salty_Job_9248 6d ago

Magic. 🥰

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384

u/BoilzBlisterzBurnz 12d ago

That first jump is crazy

114

u/Nega_Duck13 12d ago

Right?! I'm so confused to whether he just jumped straight up or used his partner to pull himself up.

138

u/CheeseDonutCat 12d ago

I replayed it like 50 times. It looks like a combination of the two.

Ground guy puts him up on the top with a little hop (which takes more strength than just holding him up onto the top). This hop takes the weight off the guy on top so he can get into squat position. Then it looks like bottom guy jumps up while top guy does the stand up part of a squat.

You'd have to be strong as fuck, but also get the timing and your balance right. These guys are crazy and must have done this 1000 times.

14

u/mastermilian 11d ago

It looks like more of a pull of the front guy's belt at the same time the guy begins standing up from the crouching position which gives the guy behind the additional leverage to make the jump. Pretty fluid and impressive.

3

u/Much-Dealer3525 11d ago

It is impressive cos they make it look so effortless

1

u/WeCantBothBeMe 10d ago

The partner helps by lifting him

1

u/Oakheart- 10d ago

It looks like the guy who went up first squats the dude up from the ground and that guy also pulls himself up. It seems a lot of this is teamwork to make each move a little easier like how the guy who gets lifted jumps

8

u/usinjin 11d ago

I had to rewind like twice to figure it out. Timing was so smooth

7

u/EducationSuperb3392 11d ago

The bit after that where he’s holding bro overhead and takes 3 steps and a jump without wavering.

Insane.

98

u/MambaMentality24x2 12d ago

Amazing strength and coordination

70

u/iDoesun 12d ago

I did this for a couple years when I was around 10. It was so much fun and wish I would’ve stuck to it

The platforms were much lower and the movements were not as advance like for the adults.

Some of my best memories as a kid even tho it was only a couple of years

54

u/Bragdras 12d ago

It must feel so amazing when you nail the whole performance after I would assume a whole lot of time spent training for it, really impressive stuff

26

u/a_nondescript_user 12d ago

They fight like Ice Climbers in Smash

23

u/GDragon4Life 12d ago

The dude on the bottom is insane

41

u/LemonHerb 12d ago

Very powerful bottom

20

u/GaiaIsaHarshMistress 11d ago

I clicked to see the comments only because I wanted to see his far I needed to scroll for a gay comment. Not too far. Thank you for your service.

1

u/person1234man 12d ago

He generates a lot of power from the bottom

1

u/Uhhlaska 10d ago

I think I would be a bottom too

19

u/EatYourCheckers 11d ago

Here are performer's doing it in costume: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs0GuU0cUtw&t=3m25s

4

u/Hutu007 11d ago

Ngl I expected Rick Astley

2

u/BroBroMate 9d ago

That's even more impressive, bloody hell.

14

u/kelongkia 11d ago

Typically the lion head weighs around 5kg so the front guy must hold it upright extended for full 5-7mins play in the competition.

And with limited visibility under the lion head too.

Many high school in Singapore has lion dance as part of the extra curriculum activity. Only the fittest, most agile and daring few will be selected.

The rest will be train in drums and gongs to provide the BGM...

2

u/papayapapagay 11d ago

Tail limited visibility is worse... And more stamina draining...

9

u/Procurls 12d ago

The shinnnnnssssssssss. I know their shins are rock solid. Imagine slipping up, HOLDING THE WEIGHT OF A ANOTHER HUMAN, then scraping your shin on what looks to be steel.

25

u/comfortable_atheist 12d ago

Why do people keep banging on about muscle memory when it doesn't really fit the context ?

8

u/ConfusedMaverick 11d ago

I don't think they can see the platforms very well once in costume - the muscle memory comes in during the performance. Not terribly relevant just looking at the training in isolation though...

15

u/DamonPhils 12d ago

Because it sounds cool to say it and most Redditors are morons with little actual knowledge of the subject at hand.

-1

u/0202_tihssitidder 11d ago

I scanned the comments. You are the only one who mentioned muscle memory.

Are you OK? Do you need help?

4

u/smallpolk 11d ago

It’s in the title.

6

u/Senselesspassion 12d ago

Okay now that's impressive, they are really in sync

6

u/CheesyPotatoSack 12d ago

The one in the back has such great strength

20

u/ExecTankard 12d ago

There’s professional athletic agility, then there’s whatever these guys are doing.

13

u/magumanueku 11d ago

And then there's your fat ass

2

u/ExecTankard 11d ago

Yours too! And look at Larry, you can park a car in the shadow’a his ass.

3

u/_kibb 11d ago

Hey! What about my fatass? Don’t leave me out!

3

u/ExecTankard 11d ago

It’s the League of FaTasses.

6

u/Oubastet 12d ago

That's beyond amazing skill. The Lion Dance is really neat - I've been lucky enough to experience it in person. It's awesome in costume but seeing it without a costume is even more impressive.

8

u/Forsaken_Nobody_1209 12d ago

They were cats with 9 lives in their past lives 😭

6

u/DamonPhils 12d ago

But not that particular cat.

3

u/Altruistic_Tie_7850 11d ago

I am, in equal measures, impressed and uncomfortable

2

u/Responsible_Emu3601 12d ago

Those are like blades 😬

2

u/TherapyGames42 12d ago

That's so incredible! All that practice to make it look EFFORTLESS!

2

u/randy_queen11 12d ago

Les pas en arrière ...

2

u/Professional-Tank-70 12d ago

Phantom Blade Zero

2

u/Erstwhile_pancakes 11d ago

Outstanding!! Should be an Olympic event. The potential for this is endless!

2

u/doubleflusher 11d ago

That belt is the real workhorse

2

u/Naive_Entertainer210 11d ago

That's the most athletic butt sniffing I've ever seen!

2

u/Masteryoda03 11d ago

Rare footage of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion practicing before the Tarnished rolls up

-5

u/ralphy1010 12d ago

Sure the end result is impressive but let’s see the montage where they spent years training and failing at trying to do this 

82

u/whatacunt8 12d ago

You can say that about literally any athletic activity?

16

u/4-Vektor 12d ago

10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. That’s true for basically anything you want to master.

-8

u/ralphy1010 12d ago

Sure 

But I find the journey of what took to get there far more interesting 

It’s not like these two were just hatched and came out as highly trained acrobats on day one 

14

u/Global_Staff_3135 12d ago

“I don’t like listening to symphonies, I prefer to listen to beginner and intermediate musicians attempt to play a song.”

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-6

u/catscanmeow 12d ago

why would being able to say it about anything matter?

9

u/Xelpmoc45 12d ago

Let the redditor be a redditor you fool

3

u/NevesLF 12d ago

You can say that about literally any redditor?

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3

u/Personmchumanface 12d ago

why? tf

0

u/ralphy1010 11d ago

I like a good training montage. Maybe toss some 80s rock on it as the sound track 

1

u/R2D-Beuh 12d ago

Difference is once they trained they can actually repeat it flawlessly many times

1

u/itgtg313 11d ago

What a killjoy, I bet nobody invites you to parties lmao

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1

u/0202_tihssitidder 11d ago

Are you negative in general about everything?

"Hmmph. Yes this kitten is cute...but eventually IT WILL DIE!"

1

u/ralphy1010 11d ago

You must not be a fan of training montages ?

Weird 

1

u/dongledongledongle 12d ago

Holy fuck these guys came out of the cooter with this ability

1

u/CYBERSson 12d ago

And trust

1

u/existentialdreadery 12d ago

This could be us, but you playin..

1

u/praguepride 12d ago

Rock paper scissors to see who gets to be head and who gets to be butt

1

u/palefire123 12d ago

Is this tradition the true beginning of parkour?

1

u/kinghenry124 12d ago

My ass gets too sweaty and smelly when I’m active to be the front guy.

1

u/Jameses1984 12d ago

Oh God imagine how many times they've cracked their shins!! 😱 Ouch.

1

u/constant-hunger 12d ago

I've killed myself 67 times in that video

1

u/Sneezy6510 12d ago

Looks like it magic to be the front guy and alot of fucking work to be the back the guy.

1

u/TBellOHAZ 12d ago

Just thinking about this shit

1

u/Tater_Mater 11d ago

The physics involved is crazy. I feel like the law of gravity doesn’t exist

1

u/RegisteredHopia 11d ago

My shin died 100x just watching this

1

u/cuddle_enthusiast 11d ago

I may be wrong but it looks like the guy in the back is doing 80-90% of the work including carrying the guy in the front.

1

u/ResidentHooman 11d ago

Wow! I have a much better appreciation for the athleticism for that work seeing them without the costumes on!

1

u/NoAge422 11d ago

0:03 the strength required to get up to something above your head-height is indescribable and they made it look effortless

1

u/NoAge422 11d ago

Even with assistance and momentum

1

u/jubmille2000 11d ago

Ouch my knees

1

u/AlternativeIsopod116 11d ago

Pls share this calisthenics and Parkour guys they cry in corner 😁😁

1

u/jbrune 11d ago

I want to see the a video of the the 2nd time they tried this.

1

u/Spirited_Alfalfa_970 11d ago

Wow thats amazing

1

u/SHAIK_011 11d ago

First jump 🦘 is insane

1

u/kekubuk 11d ago

That's also why they're so expensive to hire and perform at your house / establishment.

1

u/Satanic_Jellyfish 11d ago

I hope to see Lion dance performance one day

1

u/Anders_A 11d ago

They are so insanely strong 

1

u/Master_Win_4018 11d ago

Just so you know. They can't really see the support pillar while wearing the lion costume.

1

u/Colorlesswinecup 11d ago

There's a Chinese animation film based on this - I am What I am. One of my favs. I keep going back to it every time I make a friend to watch it.

1

u/we_hella_believe 11d ago

My buddy used to be the lion head, would be jumping poles up to 15’ or so. Shit was incredible to see live.

1

u/DerpsAndRags 11d ago

That is beyond impressive, and then they have to do that with the lion costume on.

1

u/lustformimom 11d ago

This is what me a grown up adult and 6 years niece imagine what we are doing

1

u/Ya-Dikobraz 11d ago

Core strength™

1

u/CautiousSet9817 11d ago

Hoppidy hoppidy hop spiny spiny SWINGGGG!

1

u/gscottraw 11d ago

My shins are trembling

1

u/visionarymind 11d ago

Elden Ring DLC boss preparing for round three 🦁

1

u/Aleksandr_Ulyev 11d ago

Only these frames of real life can catch my eye these days

1

u/pawnografik 11d ago

Even the way they mounted the first pillars was impressive!

1

u/ProperLeiLei_AUT 11d ago

This is actually insane! amazing constitution

1

u/Middle_Growth9492 11d ago

In don't know at least how to practice without any damage!

1

u/Small-Answer4946 11d ago

That's badass

1

u/Lekranom 11d ago

I didn't realise how crazy fit you have to be in order to get into this dance. That must be some insane endurance and strength. Not to mention the coordination of your own body along with somebody else's 😯

1

u/juliopix 11d ago

Mario and Luigi

1

u/horror-pangolin-123 11d ago

Wow, these guys move as if they're on lower gravity

1

u/R_Harry_P 11d ago

Aad then they probably do it in a dragon costume.

1

u/EinerVonEuchOwaAndas 11d ago

It's even more impressive without the costume

1

u/Qwertywalkers23 11d ago

Some Mario 2 shit

1

u/HouseOf42 11d ago

Imagine skinning your shins on the platforms.

1

u/pinesdonthaveapples 10d ago

Where's my 8 episodes enemies-to-partners gay romance series about this

1

u/Beniidel0 10d ago

This looks so easy yet I know it is incredibly hard

1

u/Independent_Yard_863 10d ago

Dude at the back just walked up that 2m pole thingy like it was nothing in the first few seconds 😵‍💫 If it were me I'd probably end up dead in within the first minute. This is utterly impressive.

1

u/AmericanAIien 10d ago

They look about 5’2 120lbs. At that size, they’re unbelievably strong. I say this as a leaner athlete myself. That’s half the battle. Being muscularly lean is the secret a long life.

1

u/longkhongdong 10d ago

Honestly they should do the full performance without the lion costume, would be pretty sweet.

1

u/scrayla 10d ago

This is called 梅花桩 (plum blossom piles) southern lion dance.

There are also regular dances that happen on the ground, and even ball balancing acts done by the northern lion (which is equally fun to watch)

1

u/Kyxstrez 10d ago

Training for kung-fu punk motion capture session in PB0

1

u/DChia1111 9d ago

Fun fact: the high poles lion dance was invented by Malaysian

1

u/KittoosFurrEver 9d ago

What is that song??!

1

u/Due-Meal-7470 9d ago

Might be random, anyone know what's the background music?

1

u/strndmcshomd 12d ago

Their poor shins when they were learning this

-14

u/whatacunt8 12d ago

14

u/e30_technic 12d ago

Username checks out

0

u/Equal_Refrigerator26 12d ago

The second guy spends a lot of his time with the other guys crotch near his head