At the height of the Andes Mountains in the department of Lima there is a plateau at 4000 meters above sea level. It is a magical and mysterious place; there are rocky formations and Inca ruins. It is located in the upper part of the town of San Pedro de Casta, reached by a sinuous dirt road after four hours drive from Lima city. From San Pedro de Casta one walks for about 4 to 5 hours by an ascending trail until reaching the plateau. Once there, one finds himself in a maze of rocky formations and Inca ruins, surrounded by unique landscapes, experiencing an intense magnetism.
San Pedro de Casta is a very interesting town; descendants of the ancient Inca inhabitants of the plateau, the current population still keep ancestral customs such as the water fest and thanks giving to the mountains.
The plateau is a propitious place to practice martial arts and Chi Kung, surrounded by inspiring landscapes. It is a desolate site, unique in its type, facilitating personal retreat and spirituality.
The most important rule in a martial art is not allowing that your opponent places a punch or a kick on you. You are trained to be faster and more intelligent than that.
The best is to train hard and get an unconscious understanding of the concepts behind the forms.
A truly effective technique leaves the opponent in a position in which he can not defend himself.
The texts about Kung Fu and Martial Arts have been written as a result of the author's knowledge and readings of specialized books, websites (see links) and Martial Arts magazines (Inside Kung Fu, Black Belt and others).
The best time of the year to visit the plateau is between May and September, during the dry season. During the rainy season between October and April, the plateau is flooded, the lagoons grow and the soils turn muddy; in addition the landscape can not be fully appreciated due to the fogs. In May, immediately after the rains, one can appreciate green landscapes, herbs, bushes and a diversity of plants that cover the fields and the mountain slopes. This vegetation is temporary, after flowering, it dies and dries, remaining like this during the rest of the season, in which one can observe a yellowish landscape up to the time when the rains are back, beginning the cycle again.
Being such a unique and spectacular place, Marcahuasi is often a tourist attraction during national holidays, having during this time the presence of a number of visitors. For this reason, it is not convenient to visit the forests during Easter at the end of March or early April, and between July 26 and 30 at Peru’s national celebration. During these times, with large numbers of tourists, concentration would be difficult and the presence of garbage would be increased.
Program
Day 1.- Departure from Lima city at noon, arrival to San Pedro de Casta in the afternoon. We place ourselves in a hostel and practice breathing exercises to help us adjust to the altitude. Dinner and rest.
Day 2.- We conduct early morning exercises and depart to Marcahuasi after breakfast. At arrival to Marcahuasi we engage in breathing exercises that can help us acclimate to the new altitude. In the afternoon after lunch we take a walk around the plateau, continue with exercises, then afterwards we have dinner and rest.
The techniques should be bright and fluid, the techniques should be practical.
Experience is the difference between knowing a technique and understanding a technique. Experience provides profound and true confidence. A person with confidence not only believes that a technique will work, he knows that a technique works at total speed and with power. There is a big difference between believing and knowing.
If there is no position, there is no art. Position is the primary foundation of the martial arts. Position is the base for success. A solid position provides the needed strength to keep balance.
The texts about Kung Fu and Martial Arts have been written as a result of the author's knowledge and readings of specialized books, websites (see links) and Martial Arts magazines (Inside Kung Fu, Black Belt and others).
Day 3.- Early morning practice. After breakfast we take a walk around the plateau to observe the rocky formations. We practice before lunch. In the afternoon we continue with our walks in the plateau, ending the day with another practice. Dinner and rest.
Day 4.- Early morning practice. After breakfast we take a walk around the plateau to observe Inca rests and practice. After lunch we continue observing the Inca remains. We finalize the day with a practice. Dinner and rest.
Day 5.- Early morning practice. After breakfast we begin the descent to San Pedro de Casta, after a rest we take a car back to Lima.
It is important to consider that for reasons of physical isolation and lack of services in the area, luxurious conditions will be limited. We will have cooking service that guarantees an adequate preparation of meals. We will be camping in a basic manner, in direct contact with nature and rural life.
External training, using speed and corporal mass to achieve results, is popular because instant power is observed. But it is a limited power. To develop internal strength requires patience and time, specially learning to calm the mind. It requires discipline, something that today many people do not have.
Efficient practice develops efficient fighters.
Reaction is a very important factor in a fight. If someone strikes, you should react quickly and naturally. Since you will not have time to think, you should develop your ability to intercept the strikes in a natural way.
It does not matter in which condition you are, you can always improve.
The texts about Kung Fu and Martial Arts have been written as a result of the author's knowledge and readings of specialized books, websites (see links) and Martial Arts magazines (Inside Kung Fu, Black Belt and others).
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The most important rule in a martial art is not allowing that your opponent places a punch or a kick on you. You are trained to be faster and more intelligent than that. 
The techniques should be bright and fluid, the techniques should be practical.
External training, using speed and corporal mass to achieve results, is popular because instant power is observed. But it is a limited power. To develop internal strength requires patience and time, specially learning to calm the mind. It requires discipline, something that today many people do not have. 
