Chapter 37: Ancient Secret Techniques

December 8th.

The alarm clock on the table shows 6:30.

Light filters through the floral curtains; the weather seems quite pleasant.

Fang Cheng lies in bed with his eyes wide open.

He is performing morning exercises in a very strange posture.

His knees are bent, pulled close to his buttocks.

His hands are placed behind his head in reverse, with his elbows pointing toward the ceiling.

Then, using force from his hands and feet, he slowly lifts his hips and pushes them upward, lifting his body and head off the bed.

He continues until his waist and back form an arc, his body resembling a built arch bridge.

It also looks like the crawling posture of Kayako from a horror movie.

This is the starting position.

He maintains this posture at the highest point for about five seconds.

Then, he performs the movement in reverse, slowly descending and lowering his body.

Only after lying back down on the bed and letting out a long exhale is the closing movement complete.

This method of exercise is clearly very different from the first four skills of the "Prisoner's Six Arts."

In the book *Convict Conditioning*, it is called the "Back Bridge," and it is considered a special secret technique passed down from antiquity.

Last time, while practicing pull-ups in the rain at the park, Fang Cheng had relied on sheer willpower to break through his limits and enter that wondrous mental state in the absence of skill assistance.

This time, he intends to challenge this high-difficulty fitness movement without relying on his Focus skill or Potential Stimulation.

To this end, Fang Cheng specifically took a day off to give it his all.

An excuse was easy to find: yesterday, while acting as a sparring partner for Goro Majima, he appeared to be fine, but in reality, he felt unwell, as if he had suffered internal injuries.

Therefore, he needed to go to the hospital for a check-up today and rest at home for half a day...

However, to successfully unlock this skill, it wouldn't work—and would be quite dangerous—to simply use brute force to force the practice as he had done before.

Among the Prisoner's Six Arts, the pull-up is already considered a very difficult movement.

For someone with a weak physique, even doing a single one might be exhausting.

Compared to the Back Bridge, however, that movement becomes much easier.

For the first four skills, Fang Cheng could skip some preliminary basic training and start practicing from the standard form.

But for the Back Bridge, he cannot do that.

If the fitness goals pursued by the "Prisoner's Six Arts" are strength, endurance, balance, coordination, flexibility, and agility, then the Back Bridge practice can be said to encompass all six, aiming for a comprehensive improvement of physical fitness.

Because Fang Cheng usually focuses on the flexibility of his limbs, his torso tends to be quite stiff, resulting in slightly poor flexibility and coordination. Completing this movement would still be quite difficult.

During his first attempt, he nearly sprained his lower back.

Actually, this is quite normal.

Most people, including Fang Cheng, do not specifically train the posterior chain muscle groups, especially the lower back.

Unlike the limbs, which are used frequently—allowing even a child to perform a few push-ups or squats—the lower back is often neglected. Consequently, over a long period, the lower back and spine naturally become the weakest areas of the body.

Fang Cheng had no choice but to take a step back and honestly begin training from the basic short bridge, straight bridge, and half bridge.

He progressed step by step, gradually opening his hips and back.

He spent two extra days in preparation, which allowed him to successfully complete a relatively standard Back Bridge during today's formal training session.

"14."

"15."

Fang Cheng exhaled softly, counting aloud while silently sensing the movement and changes in every muscle of his body.

Suddenly, he began to understand why the book *Convict Conditioning* referred to the "Back Bridge" as a secret technique and repeatedly emphasized its importance.

The inspiration for this training method actually comes from "Iron Plate Bridge" in Yoga and traditional martial arts.

The difference is that traditional training tends to maintain a static posture, whereas Back Bridge training focuses more on the process of dynamic explosion.

Regardless of the school, the goal is consistent: it involves activating the strength of the spine.

The spinal cord can be said to be the most important organ in the human body after the brain.

It connects the nervous system of the brain to the torso, yet it is extremely fragile.

Its external protective layer consists of the spinal cartilage and the muscle groups that wrap around it in a serpentine distribution.

These two columns of muscle are called the erector spinae, which also belong to the spinal tissue in a broad sense.

They control spinal movement and maintain spinal stability, acting as the power linkage that runs through the waist and back.

The focus of Back Bridge training is to activate the erector spinae, which are often long-term neglected.

Strong spinal muscles can release the latent power of the waist, abdomen, and limbs, allowing for movements that are more difficult, more powerful, and faster.

Furthermore, it can help the body maintain balance and improve flexibility and agility, making it harder to get injured during exercise.

In the terminology of traditional martial arts, this is called "activating the great tendons of the entire body," also known as "opening the dragon spine."

When training reaches mastery, one can strike with the strength of a dragon or tiger, and take a single step to leap onto a roof.

The body becomes as agile as a cat, and the waist and back become as hard as an iron plate, providing an effect of being impervious to blades and spears.

Whether that is boasting is another matter.

At the very least, in a street brawl, one wouldn't be taken out by a single blunt blow.

Nor would one perform various tricks only to fall over before even hitting the opponent.

Additionally, while practicing the Back Bridge, Fang Cheng discovered that the movement could stretch the tendons and ligaments of the waist, back, and limbs.

It has a soothing effect on muscles that are in a state of long-term tension, making it very suitable as a warm-up exercise.

It is especially effective when paired with leg raises; the opposing movements make the effect even more pronounced.

Thanks to his high Spirit attribute, Fang Cheng could now say he had a complete understanding of how every inch of his muscle exerted force during movement.

Upon sensing the aching sensation transmitted from his back muscles, he immediately gathered his thoughts and began to close his eyes in meditation.

He attempted to enter that unknown mental state, to comprehend the so-called "Esoteric Meaning of Meditation."

"19."

"20."

"21."

"..."

The numbers murmured from his mouth sounded like a hypnotic voice.

It seemed... it actually... had some effect.

Just as he was approaching a state of selflessness, something seemed to be rapidly glowing and expanding in the darkness.

"This is..."

Fang Cheng quickly snapped his eyes open, his pupils shining brightly.

【You have practiced a skill diligently to a certain extent and gained a profound understanding, mastering a fitness-type skill.】

【Unlocked Skill: Back Bridge lv0 (0/100)】

Looking at the pale blue light screen in front of him, Fang Cheng was momentarily caught between laughter and tears.

He felt as if he hadn't even exerted his full strength, yet the opponent had already fallen.

He didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed.

His high Spirit attribute had actually greatly increased his comprehension, making the unlocking of new skills so effortless.

"Successfully breaking through a barrier is a good thing, after all..."

Fang Cheng let out a soft sigh and lay on the bed, his whole body relaxed.

He ended this morning exercise, which was much shorter than usual.

After calming his mind, his gaze shifted from the skill panel to the character panel.

He looked at the 5 free attribute points he had reserved from last night.

He decided to put 4 points into Constitution and 1 point into Strength.

【Strength: 12】 【Agility: 12】 【Constitution: 20】 【Spirit: 20】

As the panel values updated, Fang Cheng's eyes blinked, and a thought raced through his mind.

About half a second later, he suddenly felt as if the blood throughout his entire body was boiling.

*Huff, huff—*

It wasn't the sound of breathing.

Fang Cheng held his breath and listened quietly.

He felt as if he could "hear" the gurgling sound of his blood flowing.

His entire being felt as if he were soaking in a hot spring—warm, comfortable, and so pleasant that he didn't want to move.

The muscle soreness and fatigue from his previous exercise vanished instantly.

Even his joints made creaking sounds, as if they were becoming tighter and more solid.

His ligaments stretched and relaxed, much like the plucking of ox sinews.

And then...

There was no "then."

After pondering for a long while, Fang Cheng suddenly took a deep breath, sat up in bed, and clenched his fists.

His knuckles popped loudly; he indeed felt much stronger.

He was drenched in sweat, feeling as though he had undergone a complete cleansing of his marrow—transparent, refreshed, and full of vitality.

However, the thing he was expecting did not seem to happen.

"It seems that mental state is something that cannot be sought at will..."

Previously, he had also tried to meditate like a monk, but that had also been unsuccessful.

"Do I really have to deafen my ears and stand in a heavy rain to achieve it?"

Fang Cheng gave a slight smirk and shook his head in denial.

There must be a more formal way; he just hadn't found the method yet.

A seemingly quite professional meditation class had opened on the third floor of Wantong Shopping Center.

Perhaps, once he received his salary and had more money on hand, he could sign up to learn...

While thinking, he turned to look at the alarm clock; it was almost 7:00.

He got up, dressed, and pulled open the bedroom curtains.

Golden sunlight immediately poured in, illuminating the room brightly.

After enjoying a moment of much-needed sunlight and stretching his limbs, Fang Cheng turned around, picked up a ballpoint pen, and walked to the wall.

On that worksheet, he marked a checkmark.

His eyes shone brilliantly in the sunlight as he gazed at the progress of his six fitness skills.

The Prisoner's Six Arts were now only missing the final skill.

Which should also be the most difficult skill.

Handstand Push-ups.

He wondered, once they were all unlocked, what new changes would occur?

(End of Chapter)