Snake Style

[MizuRyu]

I may be looking at an opportunity to learn Snake for a small penny... but I know virtually nothing about the style outside of what little his son has told me. What is it based around (structure, principles) and do you recommend I take it?

[shotokanbeginner]

I know very little about it myself, but from what I hace heard and read it would be a really good style to get into.

[Traditional-Fist]

The Snake style is usually taught as a part of the Shaolin Five Animales system. It is also present in some of the other Shaolin arts such as Wing Chun.

It is a "soft" style. This means that the strikes are made with internal force. As a result the training in this aspect of kung fu involves extensive chi kune exercises to develpe internal energy (chi). In the snake style the main weapons used for strikes are the finger tips. These are used to attack the nerve centers of the oponent's body. This means that the exponent has to have extensive knowledge of human anatomy, from a chinese medicinal point of view, that is.

I hope that was enough info there to give you an idea of what is involved in the Snake style of kung fu.

[fallen_milkman]

I'm a little skeptical that you'd be learning just "snake style" on its own. I didn't think it was taught as a separate style.

[Traditional-Fist]

I'm a little skeptical that you'd be learning just "snake style" on its own. I didn't think it was taught as a separate style.

To my knowledge Snake Style is not taught on its own, but as a part of the Shaolin Five Animals style. I know that elements of it exist in other styles of kung fu. I am not discounting the possibility that it may be taught separately on its own, who knows?

[ki master]

Snake style is a very interesting type of martial arts. It is based around speed and focus. It is not a powerful technique and it is usualy used for speed. The more hits ther weaker your oponent. But if you condition your fingertips just right it can be powerful. What I mean by condition is like hit them against a tree and that will toughen your fingertips up. When you can rub sand paper across your fingers and dont feel a thing then your pretty much conditioned. I myself would prefer this fighting style because of its speed.

If any more questions e-mail me at:

one_with_fire_rusioka@yahoo.com

[MizuRyu]

I took 2 weeks worth of classes (4) and I have to say it's some of the most painful training I've ever experienced. He makes it look easy, but I'm supposed to splay my fingers and ram them into buckets of kidney beans until he tells me to stop, which is right around the time all the skin detaches from the back of the nail. The form is beautiful and really long, also really hard. I don't think this is pure snake however, it looks to be a conglomeration of snake and mantis or something like that. He's been teaching his sons a mix of those 2 plus Tai Chi since they were tiny kids... so he might be too used to that. It seems to be very combat effective, unlike most of the arts I've taken it uses a lot of feints and weird motions to throw you off... you never quite know where the attack is coming from and when it comes it's very quick and usually to some pretty sensitive areas. It flows nicely too... if anything else it's very aesthetically pleasing.

[ovine king]

i have to say, it doesn't sound like snake type movement to me.

[WudangDragon]

snake is flowing and fluid, very aesthetically pleasing as you said but it is quite direct.

speed is key and very few blocks in the traditional sense are present - wraps, locks and "sliding blocks" are more widely used than normal blocks.

("sliding blocks" are non-static blocks- eg.u would push your opponents puch away from yourself rather than knock it away)

[Kajukenbopr]

how come u will only train in 1 of the 5 animal shaolin kung fu?

snake- grappling and seizing- can be similar to chin na

leopard- striking(speed)- hand and leg strikes(no blocking)

crane- blocking and moving- graceful footwork

tiger- thrusting(strength)-overpowering the opponent.

dragon- mix of the other 4(looks for weaknesses)

I know this is a shallow outlook on the 5 parts, but each of them contributes to the devastating art of 5 animal kung fu

Edited May 24, 2006 by Kajukenbopr