Descriptions

[Sim]

I study Jow Gar Kuen and Wing Chun, but since Wing Chun was already described above I will focus on Jow Gar.

 

The full name of the system in Cantonese is Siu Lum Jow Gar Kuen Fat, in Mandarin it is Shao Lin Jow Jia Quan Fa. Jow Gar is a very traditional Shaolin style. The name means Jow family boxing techniques. It is a combination 3 Shaolin related systems. Those systems being Choy Gar, Hung gar and Northern Shaolin. This combination of styles makes Jow Gar one of the most complete kung fu styles. Instead of giving a detailed description of the Jow style of Shaolin Kung Fu, I will give a description of Shao Lin Kung Fu in General. Examples of Shaolin systems include Choy Li Fut, Hung Gar, Fut Gar, Li Gar, Bak Siu Lum, Hong Quan, Lohan Quan etc…

 

Shaolin Kung Fu is a very complete martial art and is the ancestor of many non-Chinese styles. Techniques include Ti (kicking, sweeping) Da (striking with the arms) Chin Na (joint locks and submission) and Shuai (throwing). These techniques are learned and practiced with forms, set routines that help build coordination, speed, technique, posture, endurance, leg strength and spirit. Forms also help you to remember the very large number of techniques and consistent practice eventually makes the techniques second nature. There are both empty hand forms and weapon forms. Most Shaolin styles have about 18 weapons that must be learned.

 

Shaolin Kung Fu does not consist of forms alone, real combat skill is learned through San Shou (free fighting). San Shou can be thought of as Kung Fu in application. Now a popular sport, San Shou matches were originally fought at the temple on raised plat forms known as Le Tai. Fighters would fight using punching, kicking, throws and joint locks. Challenge matches were fought (and are still fought) with no rules at all. Today one of the greatest San Shou Kung Fu fighters is Cung Le. Few realize that Cung Le was trained in San Shou by Master Liu, a Shaolin disciple of the original abbot of Shaolin. Master Liu is known for being an undefeated full contact fighter from Shaolin. He has fought numerous bare knuckle fights and has defeated Thai Boxers from Thailand.

 

-Techniques-

 

Da-

 

Shaolin Kung Fu utilizes virtually the entire arm as a weapon. Techniques involve the use of the finger tips, fore knuckles, fist, edge of the hand, palm, back of the wrist, inside and outside edge of the forearm and elbow. Many punching techniques resemble those of western boxing, with hooks, uppercuts and jabs used in rapid combination.

 

Ti-

 

Kicking techniques in the northern style are very advanced, using high and low kicks, spin kicks, jumping kicks, knees, sweeps and scissoring techniques. Unlike karate and tae kwon do, the ball of the foot is not used for round kicks; instead, the instep and shin are used, not unlike Thai Boxing.

 

 

 

Chin Na-

 

Chin Na means to seize and control. These techniques are what formed the basis for arts such as Aikido and Jiu-Jitsu. While these techniques work very well on the ground, most Chinese styles teach their use in a standing position. Techniques involve the control of the finger joints, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, back, knee and ankle. There are also pinching and clawing techniques. Some techniques such as the “eagle claw” can be used to crush the throat and kill the opponent.

 

Shuai-

 

The wrestling and throwing techniques of Kung Fu are somewhat different than those seen in arts such as Judo and Jiu Jitsu. Falling to the ground with the opponent is generally avoided and throws are performed with the intention knocking the opponent out by hitting him with the ground. Ground fighting is avoided in Chinese arts. When a Kung Fu stylist falls he is taught to get back up as fast as possible. The reasons for this are many. Taking your opponent to the ground will remove your ability to fight more than one enemy. It also removes your mobility, leaving you unable to quickly disengage and run if you have to. In fact in old San Shou fights, the fight would end when one fighter fell to the ground. While ground fighting is often taught in Kung Fu schools nowadays, the emphasis is still always put on stand up fighting.

[delta1]

William K.S. Chow adapted Mitose's approach and "Americanized" the art. He is perhaps responsible for the largest leap of Kenpo to the general public.

 

Chow left Mitose and studied, and concentrated on, the Chinese arts. Chow learned far more than, and by all accounts did it far better than, Mitose.

Edmund K. Parker, who is probably the most famous of Chow's practitioners, began studying Kenpo with Chow at the age of 16. Parker further adapted the methods so that they would prove practical in an actual fight

 

Actually, what Parker did was radically different to what he learned from Chow. Ed Parker allways spoke and wrote respectfully of W Chows' knowlege and abilities. But his art, American Kenpo, drew from a wide variety of systems, instructors, and friends and individuals prominent in the martial arts. Mr Parker was a geniouse at extracting principles and molding them together into a workable, practical style. Parker did always give Chow credit for getting him started looking at the arts that way.

 

By contrast, Parker did not think much of Mitose or his methods. While he didn't go around bashing Mitose (there were a couple of comments), Parker never spoke of him with the same respect as for Chow. This was not a low opinion of Japanese or other Kenpo systems, just of Mitoses system.

 

I've heard it speculated that Mitose was not taught his art correctly in the first place. He may have been accepted as a relative and taught some in Japan. But, if you think what Japan was like before WWII, it is highly unlikely that he was taught a complete, effective system. Japan was extremely exclusive when it came to teaching anyone anything, especially martial arts. The Japanese disliked and mistrusted anything or any one not Japanese, and any one who left Japan was no longer truly Japanese. It is highly unlikely that they would have taught Mitose the true art.

 

I resisted posting on this before, but it keeps bouncing back up so I thought I'd go ahead and comment.

[SevenStar]

there's stuff about kajukenbo on the net. and if I'm not mistaken there are other here who have trained it...

[SevenStar]

I train MT, bjj, judo and shuai chiao - what would you like to know about them?

[aznkarateboi]

I train in Hung Fut, which is a very rare style of kung fu. Basically it's a fusion of Hung Ga and Fut Ga. Basically the style emphasizes lots of short, fast, close range strikes. The style also places a heavy emphasis on hand techniques. Our forms have no more than two kicks each. When we do kick, they are usually front kicks to the groin. Hung fut also relies on many palm strikes and has locks, sweeps, and throws as well.