The Strange Form Of Kung Fu That You Probably Won't Want To Try

Most men would probably do anything to avoid getting hit in the crotch. But the 65-year-old Wang Liutai (pictured above) is not like most men. Per Reuters, Wang is a master of a particularly shocking branch of martial arts: iron crotch kung fu.

You read that correctly. Iron crotch kung fu is essentially just what it sounds like: a martial art dedicated to strengthening one's groin. Iron crotch kung fu is practiced in a variety of ways, from receiving kicks from your colleagues to beating your own groin with sticks. But perhaps the most noteworthy implement of iron crotch kung fu is the 6.5-foot, 88-pound swinging log that crashes directly into the crotch of the practitioner. To an outside observer, it looks excruciating. But according to Wang, "When you practice iron crotch kung fu, as long as you push yourself, you will feel great."

But... why do it? Well, per Reuters, it's less crazy than it sounds. The goal of iron crotch kung fu is to strengthen your body's weak spots, making yourself less vulnerable to attack. Iron crotch kung fu is just one of the many forms of "Tongbeiquan" kung fu practiced in Juntun, a village in central China. Per Tang Xiaocheng — a colleague of Wang's — Juntun's martial arts experts also practice iron throat, iron head, iron back, and iron chest kung fu. Tongbeiquan masters are able to strengthen their body parts through a combination of bone and muscle techniques, as well as special "qigong" breathing practices.

Wang Liutai promises that iron crotch kung fu has no long term effects on health or fertility. "If practicing this damaged this part of the body permanently, then over time, no one would do it," Wang told Reuters. Wang himself has been practicing iron crotch kung fu for about 50 years and has two children. Plus, besides not causing damage, iron crotch kung fu doesn't even hurt the practitioner, when they use the proper form.

For a long time, Juntun's special version of Tongbeiquan kung fu was a closely-kept secret. But that initial secrecy may be the martial art's downfall. According to Tang Xiaocheng, Juntun used to have 200 regular practitioners of Tongbeiquan kung fu; now there are only 20. Iron crotch kung fu specifically has fallen from 80 to a mere five regular practitioners. As a result, Juntun's martial arts experts have been actively seeking to win over new students. The masters have utilized the spectacle of the swinging log, going on tour with it in various Chinese villages. They've also posted videos of the art on social media. Their recruitment efforts have had some success, winning them several new students, per Reuters.

Speaking about the kung fu, Wang Liutai said that "If there are more students [to] carry it forward and spread it to the whole country and the world... then my dream will come true." We wish him the best of luck, but we'll probably sit this one out.