Kung Fu styles..

[jer]

I'm looking to try out another martial art now that I'm going to lay off learning more karate soon (I'll be able to get my 2nd degree soon). I've never tried Kung Fu, so I don't know much about it.

 

I'm very interested in learning Monkey, or perhaps Tiger, not sure which.. or if either. The problem with Monkey is that I can't find a club anywhere around, I'm wondering if I should move on and look for something else.

 

Can anyone recommend a style for me?

[iamrushman]

there are many styles of kung fu or otherwise known as gung fu as you already know that.

 

but the master bruce lee started with wing chun.

 

when water fills a glass it becomes the glass,when water fills a cup it becomes the cup, be like water my friends.

 

(bruce lee)

 

 

[Tobias_Reece]

In the UK, chinese martial arts are quite hard to find, with the most popular style being Wing Chun (or something similar).

 

From what I've seen, Leopard Kung Fu is quite popular.

 

I was thinking about joining a Kung Fu school, but at a recent competition I saw what it entailed, and to be truthful, it didn't impress me. It looked rather weak, compared to other forms of Korean and Japanese martial arts (in particular Isshin-ryu and Shotokan).

 

Oh well time will tell

 

Tobias

[Pheonix Eye]

Tobias, don't be fooled by it's "looks". I've been in Martial Arts for over 15 years and started out in Karate. After 10 years in it, I switched over to various kung-fu styles and the experience has been amazing. Karate's movements are very dynamic, thus looking more powerful. Kung-fu's movements are much more subtle, but contains a tremendous amount of depth within each action. Power is there, it's just delivered in a different way.

 

 

[Patrick]

Welcome to the forum Phoenix.

 

 

[Tobias_Reece]

Thanks for the response Pheonix. I was talking of a basic first impression, but go on, tell me how Kung Fu is powerful (I mean no disrespect).

 

Oh well...time will tell.

 

Tobias

[iamrushman]

PHEONIX:very well expressed and i agree with you wholeheartedly. kung fu has been around much to long to be weak. i think that possibly because of the flowing movements and flashy style it can be mistaken that way when seen for the first time.

 

 

_________________

 

rushman (taekwondo moderator)

 

3rd dan

 

wtf/kukkiwon

 

florida

 

[ This Message was edited by: iamrushman on 2001-06-08 11:01 ]

[Pheonix Eye]

Since there are so many different kung-fu styles, I really can not speak for all of them. But from the styles I have taken, power is derived from whipping and sinking motions. Where as karate gets much of their power from chambering and the use of the hip, (external) Kung-fu generates it from within the body (internal). *doesn't necessarily mean chi*

 

This is something that is better explained through actual physical demonstration.

[Tobias_Reece]

Ok guys, thanks for the info

 

 

[ts757]

I think we were a bit insulting to Tobias' there. I've done both Karate and Tai Chi, so I have the best of both worlds. I seems to me that you have to experience how the energy works in the different arts to understand the differences. Karate is much more physical strength, and the power source is obvious, where as in Tai Chi, I once witnessed somone punching a master, and then flying accross the room without the master moving a muscle, such is the inner strength of Tai Chi. It's the technique of drawing on these inner reserves and using them to redirect your opponent's energy that's essentially the art, where as in Karate, the art is mastering your bodys movements, feeling where your libs are going, and learning when to apply the power. Though whether it is correct to call Karate hard and Tai Chi soft is a different matter, Karate is soft, until just before the strike hits the target, when it is essential to tense up, or the the strike will be useless. Tai Chi's movements are all 'calibrated' (if thats the right word) so that they use very few direct strikes, and thus remove the need for tension. Both are valid martial arts in their own right, their just incompatable and very different.