What is Kung Fu?
Martial arts has a rich and varied history in every human culture. From early tribes developing complex hunting strategies, to myths of heroes and their supernatural skills, martial skill seems to have always been a part of the human story. Written and oral legend trace Chinese martial arts back to the 4th millenium BC. While many of the stories make it hard to separate fact from fiction, Chinese martial arts is one of the oldest and most diverse form of martial arts still in practice today.
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Our training is based in several different styles of kung fu--traditional and modern, with a strong foundation of basics, hand and weapons forms (taolu) from different styles, and defense/sparring that integrates concepts learned from the various styles and disciplines.
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To learn more about the specific styles and content we teach, please hover over the images below.
Eagle Claw
Ying Zhao Faan Tzi Mun
Eagle Claw kung fu, or Ying Zhao Faan Tzi Mun, was developed as a military style, and is attributed to the famous General Yue Fei during the Song Dynasty. Eagle Claw is famous for its grappling, seizing and locking techniques as well as employing strikes and kicks to weak points of an opponent, making it a very strong self defense art. These techniques allow a smaller person to overcome a larger person, or an unarmed defender to defeat an armed assailant. In the Ming Dynasty, a monk named Li Quan added the style of Fanzi Quan (Tumble Boxing) to complete this system. As its name implies, Eagle Claw uses a devastating claw, acu-point strikes, as well as punching, kicking, locking and throwing.
Eagle Claw
Northern Shaolin
Bak Siu Lum
Bei Shao Lin
Traditional Shaolin Kung fu has along and rich history, and is a diverse form of self defense. Northern Shaolin is part of the Chang Quan, or long fist, family of martial arts. The Style is direct, fast and effective and utilizes many techniques from striking, and leaping, to seizing and throwing. The versatility and athleticism of Northern Shaolin gives the student a great foundation, no matter where the students kung fu journey will take them. The training of Northern Shaolin focuses on stance and structure to create a powerful martial artist, and though some of the techniques and forms can get elaborate, the training is geared towards practical application.
Northern Shaolin
Modern Wushu
Chan Chuan
Nan Chuan
Wushu is a modern form of standardized Chinese Martial Arts developed to create a more sports-oriented style. While Wushu literally means Martial Arts in Chinese, it is now commonly used to refer to the new styles developed recently for the sake of competition. It is a highly athletic and dynamic style of martial performance that develops a very strong foundation. Incorporating gymnastic movements, fast and accurate execution, and explosive movements makes wushu a challenging but fun style to learn.
Modern Wushu
Grappling/Locking
Shuai Jiao
Chinna
Shuai Jiao and Chinna are to complementary forms of grappling in the Chinese Martial arts. Grappling is one of the oldest fighting traditions and found in all cultures across the globe. The movement of Shuai Jiao rely on using the legs and hips to leverage and opponent to the ground with great force. Coupled with the Chin-na techniques of small joint locks, it is a effective art to neutralize and control an opponent. The techniques of seizing, throwing, controlling are used by law enforcement, security and military personal and are tried and true approaches to self defense.
Grappling
Self Defense
Combat/ Sparring
Since prehistoric times, the primary purpose of martial training was to better defend oneself and one's community. Martial Arts developed for this purpose. Practical self defense utilizes simple yet effective techniques, that can be used quickly should the need arise. We train our students in the weapons of hitting (Da), Kicking (Ti), Throwing (Shuai) and Locking (Na) for use in real life situations. We also teach students how to avoid conflict through effective communication and common-sense self-preservation.
Sport Sparring (continuous and Sanda/Sanshou), is used to sharpen reflexes and build strength and resilience.
Self Defense
The Martial Code- Wude
"With great power comes great responsibility" -Peter Parker Principle
People train in martial arts for many reasons-- improved fitness, personal safety, mind-body-spirit wellness, and so forth. Regardless of the reason, the reality of martial arts is that there is an element of physical conflict and violence implicit in the name. While training to be able to defending our selves, by training to hit, kick, throw and submit an opponent, we become more aware of our own mind and body, of the movements of others, and of the space around us. With this skill comes the potential for harm if it is applied improperly, even with good intentions. Many martial arts schools develop moral codes to guide and remind practitioners of their responsibility. In gongfu these guiding principles are known as Wude (æ¦å¾·).
Some of the virtues inherent in Wude are: Respect, Humility, Integrity, Loyalty, Willpower, Perseverance, Patience, and Courage. Good martial artists continually work on themselves by considering how their behavior affect others, practicing good communication, having self control and regulating emotions that could cause damage to themselves and others.
More to come... School rules will be posted soon.