snake style kung fu

[shequan]

Hello,

Im looking for any, ANY info on snake style kung fu or she quan, im really interested in this art. I know that it focuses on the pressure points of the body and that anyone learning it must be very accurate, which I am. But thats about it I'm afraid... I'm trying to find some good books on the art as well, because the martial arts schools where I live are slim to none, so could anyone request any books for me that would help with learing this form? Thanks!

[RealWingChunKuen]

Hello,

Im looking for any, ANY info on snake style kung fu or she quan, im really interested in this art. I know that it focuses on the pressure points of the body and that anyone learning it must be very accurate, which I am. But thats about it I'm afraid... I'm trying to find some good books on the art as well, because the martial arts schools where I live are slim to none, so could anyone request any books for me that would help with learing this form? Thanks!

The Snake style requires a lot of internal/chi kung/qi gong, training. This kind of training can only be administered by a competent kung fu sifu or master, and they are hard enough to find for the more popular styles of kung fu, let alone for Snake styles that are rarer.

And I am afraid you won't learn much from any books. A good book may however give you an idea of the Snake style. Try googling. Also check out https://www.shaolin.com/snake_martialarts.aspx

[shequan]

Thanks for replying, now I know that this might sound stupid, but I have an idea, I think Ill get a book on pressure points and one on kung fu, study them and create my own style of snake form. If this idea sounds completely hopless and dumb please tell me, as you can tell Im obviously an amature. Thanks again for replying.

[french fri25]

i dont think that would benifit you very much. you wont learn enough with books. i think it would be a better choice if you just went around your town and tried out some different schools taught by a real instructor. even if you dont find the style you were looking for, its not a big deal at all. you shouldnt really be looking around for styles. you should be looking around for good instructors. who knows, maybe you'll find something that catches your eye.

[Justin Treadaway]

In Sil Lum kung fu we learn some a snake form (which is party of the 5 animal form) and some other snake techniques. But with snake most of the moves are very circular/wrapping... like what we call eagle wing, which is wrapping your arm around their arm while going to the neck, in turn dislocating/breaking their elbow while grabbing the neck then take them down. Its really hard to explain without showing....

[bushido_man96]

Trying to put your own style together sounds like a very tall order, especially with little experience. You need to find someone with some kind of experience, pick their brain, and then start working on practical applications for fighthing/defense. It will take some time, and experience will be the ultimate teacher.

[shequan]

Trying to put your own style together sounds like a very tall order, especially with little experience. You need to find someone with some kind of experience, pick their brain, and then start working on practical applications for fighthing/defense. It will take some time, and experience will be the ultimate teacher.

I understand, and I am up for the challenge, I'll just have to keep doing research, only time will tell. But I have put togeather a list of possible moves... but I won't post them because there hard to explain. Thanks for replying!

________________

"Some of the best fighters are self taught"

[RealWingChunKuen]

Thanks for replying, now I know that this might sound stupid, but I have an idea, I think Ill get a book on pressure points and one on kung fu, study them and create my own style of snake form. If this idea sounds completely hopless and dumb please tell me, as you can tell Im obviously an amature. Thanks again for replying.

I believe you should forget about creating your style. There are already too many people in the world, and specially in the West, that have "created" styles, without having mastered any single style in the first place. Furthermore, even mastering a kung fu system does not automatically mean that you should go and create a new style. Many masters are happy with the style(s) that have mastered and don't go around creating styles and there is a good reason for that.

Creating a valid style involves more than just putting together some techniques that you have read about in a book. The Snake style is a profound style. It involves more than hitting pressure points with your fingers. How are you going to train your fingers? What kind of energy are you going to use to make the strikes? Where, and how are you going to develope the required energy (internal training)? What angles of striking are you going to use to make a particular pressure point strike effective? What about your defence? Your Stances?

To train all the above you would need to train many years with a REAL kung fu sifu or master and fore MANY years.

I believe that you should look around for as many kung fu schools that you can find within commuting distance from where you live and through research find out which ones are legitimate, or are at least are more likely to be legitimate, then pick one and start training seriously.

If you are going to read books, then I would suggest that you read books that will enable you to recognize real kung fu schools from fake (my estimate:90% of schools) ones.

If you find a style and school that is suitable, then there is no harm in buying books that will supplement your training in that particular system.

If you are going to look for kung fu schools, then here are a few hints on what to avoid - avoid kung fu schools:

1. That over-emphasis competitions and sifus who can't wait to show you their or their school's trophies.

2. Where the students, when sparring, bounce around like boxers or Tae Kwon Do stylists. This is not kung fu.

3. Where you are required to spar from day one.

4. Where there is no or little emphasis placed on chi kung/qi gong training.

5. Where the instructors claim to have improved or modernized the system to make it more "effective", "practical", etc.

6. Where the sifu claims that he teaches Dimmak and other secret techniques. That is avoid schools that make exagerated claims.

Good Luck.

[shequan]

Thanks for replying, now I know that this might sound stupid, but I have an idea, I think Ill get a book on pressure points and one on kung fu, study them and create my own style of snake form. If this idea sounds completely hopless and dumb please tell me, as you can tell Im obviously an amature. Thanks again for replying.

I believe you should forget about creating your style. There are already too many people in the world, and specially in the West, that have "created" styles, without having mastered any single style in the first place. Furthermore, even mastering a kung fu system does not automatically mean that you should go and create a new style. Many masters are happy with the style(s) that have mastered and don't go around creating styles and there is a good reason for that.

Creating a valid style involves more than just putting together some techniques that you have read about in a book. The Snake style is a profound style. It involves more than hitting pressure points with your fingers. How are you going to train your fingers? What kind of energy are you going to use to make the strikes? Where, and how are you going to develope the required energy (internal training)? What angles of striking are you going to use to make a particular pressure point strike effective? What about your defence? Your Stances?

quote]

Well, I do know that little finger training is necessary... pressure points are weak and thats all there is to it. The stances for snake style are grounded and upright, as for defence, well the majority of snake stylists have little defence except for dodging attacks and waiting, waiting for the right chance to strike a vital organ or pressure point. The attacks are quick and rather soft, the art doesn't focus on one hit KO's but instead drill the opponant until they are unable to fight. Energy for the strikes is the chi coming from the spine, one is to channel the chi up the spin through to the finger tips for srtikes to be accurate and strong. Sparring consists of repetitive drills and timing accuracy is the key to Snake style.

I understand that its best to learn from a real master, but I have no other choice, the only martial art in my area is Tai Quan Do, and the instructers are not good so i have no other option, thanks for replying.

[DWx]

I would have to agree that it will be almost impossible to create your own style without at least being fairly profficient in another. No matter how much you read about a style you are going to be limited in creating your own. Imagine trying to learn how to swim by only reading books and watching videos. You can read as much as you want but as soon as you hit the water its like jumping in at the deep end (pun intended ). Without any background in any Kung fu style, snake style or otherwise, your body will have a hard time adjusting to the mechanics and the "Kung fu" like motions.

If you aren't learning from a Sifu you wont get any feedback or how well you are perform a technique. You also wont have anyone to practice your techniques against either in a sparring situation or a "real" combat situation. To me it sounds like you're in for a tough journey if you want to learn without a teacher but the best of luck to you.