hung ga

[kzshin]

Oh I GET IT now,

 

The Full name of the style is called, Hong Chia Chuang in Chinese, and in Cantonese it's called Hong Gar Kuen.

 

Gar means family, so translated word by work is Hong Family Fist. Just to let you guys now, if you guys ever want to tell chinese what kinda martial you are learning, It's better to tell them you learn "hong Chuan" cuz when you tell them Hung Gar, basically you just tell them I am learn Hung Faimly. People will be what kinda martial art is that???

[siufeifei]

In the Chinese culture, to say you know Hung Gar means the same as to say you know Hung Kuen. It makes no difference what you use.

[kzshin]

nope, most Chinese people won't know that hung gar means certain style of martial art. Because people who has the last name hung, when he/she talk about his/her family, he/she will say "we, hung gar......." as "we, Hung Familyl"

 

remebered, Hung is a very common Chinese last name.

 

Also, when you tell people Hung Kuen, people who doesn't speak Cantonese don't know what they is.

[siufeifei]

I would argue that most people d know that Hung Gar is martial art seeing as most Chinese people know of the Wong Fei Hung and Hung Hei Gung stories. It is known as one of the five Big Families which is why simply calling it Hung Gar is a perfectly valid way of refering to the style. Hung isn't a very common Chinese surname. Is this where I point out that I'm Chinese?

[Infrazael]

Candidate for oxymoron of the year?

 

Hung Gar and Choy Lay Fut are extremely similar, but in opposite ways. Whereas in Hung Kuen they will use more of the metal element in their techniques, CLF would utilize more "whipping power."

 

So, essentially HG and CLF are two sides of the same coin. I would know as I have 3 SiHings who were all ex-Hung Gar practitioners. I've also researched intensely upon this subject.

[siufeifei]

Hung Gar uses classical five elements in their forms, not just metal. also, in Hung Gar the metal element is normally refered to as it is traditionally, which is "Gum" as in gold.

[Infrazael]

Hi there, I just wish to ask how many animal forms are there in Hung Gar? I am not really familiar with Southern styles and just what's the different between Hung Gar and Choy Lee Fut?? Thank you.

Hahahaha. . ... wayyyyy too many differences.

First of all, Hung Ga is a pure Southern style, and Choy Lee Fut is an amalgation of 2 Southern systems and 1 Northern (to keep things simple, don't ask for me to dig more. There are some differences in opinion).

CLF utilizes "Bin Jin" or "whipping power." This is created through extreme rotation of the waist and arms, all in one motion (the body has to move as a whole to produce maximum power). The legs, however, are extremely stable, and very Southern in nature.

You could say that CLF is Northern Longfist played in a VERY distinct, Southern flavor. Although, don't get "Long Fist/Arm" confused with "Long Range."

CLF is a very close-ranged fighting system -- things will obviously work at far ranges, but they are only most devastating and effective at point-blank ranges.

Hung Ga, on the other hand, is obsessed with "Gum Jing" or "Metal Energy." Contrary to CLF, this is done with a locked waist, hard power, lots of dynamic tension, and a sacrifice of speed for producing maximum power. I know Hung people will hate me for this, but IMO, this is the less efficient and effective way to play. In the later levels, Bin Jing and Gum Jing both produce roughly the equal amount of power -- however, Bin Jing doesn't require you to practice dynamic tension 24/7, it doesn't require you to undertake the huge amounts of conditioning required for pure, undiluted Gum Jing.

And thus, Choy Lee Fut guys typically start fighting from the get-go, while Hung players wait a bit longer for their bodies to become more conditioned. Of course, this is also dependent upon the school, Sifu, student's capabilities/talent, etc.

The focus on Animals are also different. Hung is really a powerful and efficient interpretation and cross of Tiger/Crane, although IMO, it's more Tiger than Crane. Leopard, Snake and Dragon don't get as much attention.

In CLF, we focus on the 2 "common" Shaolin Animals: Leopard and Crane, with Leopard being the predominant force, and Crane being taught usually at the more advanced levels. However, thsi doesn't imply that Crane is superior; it's just not as well developed IMO as the Panther. To CLF peeps, Panther is almost a science. The way we utilize the Panther/Stabbing Fist is extremely precise and scientific, much more than any other style I've come across.

CLF also uses the typically unspoken and unwritten animal: Elephant. We liken our smashing, swinging strikes to the Elephant's trunk in motion. This is seen in Gwa, Sau, Kup, Tseen Ji, Biu, Pek, and Lan Choy. . . . ..

Virtually all of those are forearm/backfist strikes of some sort, or a combination of the two (where the fighter can use either one).

Another thing, Hung Ga is VERY southern in that it BRIDGES. The bridges are practiced constantly -- closing the gap, gaining limb contact, controlling the opponent, then smashing their way inside while controlling the limb. There's alot of crossing legs, then using the Tiger Claw to grab, push, Ping Choy (level fist -- like a boxer's cross) up real close, using elbows, etc. . . . but all of this done with a heavy hitting mentality of Metal Energy.

CLF is essentially an. . . "Anti-Bridging" system, meaning that we DO NOT seek to actively bridge. In fact, you can try to bridge all you like, it wont' make a difference. We DO NOT NEED THE BRIDGE to be effective. In fact, in Chinese this is something called "Dissolving Hands" in which if you bridge, we "dissolve" away. . .. then return to hit some more.

CLF's strategy is similar to Hung's in the beginning levels -- close the gap, cross the legs, maintain point-blank range and control. . . but instead of controlling your limbs, we like to knock them away with Pek/Gwa choys, then proceed to OVERWHELM you with a barrage of Lin Wan Chop Choys, Gwa-Sau-Chops, Poon-Kiu Sau Choys, etc. .. translated to. . . .LOTS of hits with pantherfists, forearm strikes, jabs, crosses, uppercuts, hooks, stamping fists, rolling stabbing fists. . . . . all the good stuff.

All this pretty much boils down to:

Hung Ga: close range, overpowers opponent with less attacks, more concerned with control.

Choy Lee Fut: close range, overwhelms until opponent has no response time, keeps on overwhelming. The "overkill" mentality. .. . coupled with pantherfists, this is extremely destructive.

[Sohan]

This thread has been fascinating. I'm a relative newbie to Hung Gar and have learned so much from reading this. Keep up the great info!

Respectfully,

Sohan

[TigerCrane]

Seems like we have a group of talented and knowledgeable Kung Fu practitioners. Just out of curiosity: is anyone familiar with the twelve "secret" briding techniques of Hung Ga Kuen?

[HG]

Seems like we have a group of talented and knowledgeable Kung Fu practitioners. Just out of curiosity: is anyone familiar with the twelve "secret" briding techniques of Hung Ga Kuen?

Yes, you have them listed.