Watch a Kung Fu master stand up from a full split like it's nothing

For most of us, our impression of Kung Fu comes from Hollywood martial arts movies. (Or worse, Kung Fu Panda.)

So it can be easy to forget that real martial artists go through years of grueling training to achieve the superhuman feats they're capable of.

Over the weekend, the hallowed grounds of the legendary Shaolin Temple hosted its first open competition. Top Kung Fu masters were invited to compete in a range of segments, including knife-throwing, splitting concrete blocks, and two-finger push ups.

Credit: weibo

But this exhibition performance by former national Wushu champion, Wang Weibao, really looks like movie magic.

One of his moves involves him getting up on his feet from a split.

I mean, straight up from a full, sitting split. What!

Via Giphy(opens in a new tab)

The 40-year-old has been practicing martial arts since he was 8(opens in a new tab), and is a master of the Shaolin Two-Finger Zen style of Kung Fu.

Wang Weibao in a two-finger stand, in a 2005 picture. Credit: baike/baidu

The competition was held on the grounds of the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Mount Song.

You can watch more of the competition, which was livestreamed(opens in a new tab) here.

A competitor balances a 110 pound block. Credit: AFP/Getty Images