How to Tell if your Kung Fu Is Real
"There is a right way and a wrong way which way do you practice"
There is a very big difference between authentic Chinese Martial arts, and
Martial arts that have been mixed with other arts and have lost their original
foundation. Here I will give you a very basic method for you to go by, so that
you will be able to see if what you are training is a method that is real or
modern. If you are training the modern kind then it is just not the same as what
is known as the real Traditional methods practiced for thousands of years. The
modern kinds are very sub standard and serve a purpose, but it is not for
keeping with the words and traditions of the ancients. It is for a kind of
circus routine, a sort of mixture of ballet, gymnastics, and a very sub standard
kind of Chinese movement, which is only good for staying in shape, and even then
in some instances can have an adverse effect on you if you are going against the
traditions of the ancient Masters that passed on their knowledge. It was not
meant to be changed by some government body to make money, and turn into some
circus side show which is what you are seeing now when you watch what is called
modern Wu Shu. In fact if you practice the real Chinese Martial arts in China
today against the authority of the Chinese Government then there is a very good
chance that you could go to prison. Look at what they are doing to the followers
of the Falung Gung.
All Movements Contain circles
There are not straight movements in Kung Fu. Chan si, the principle of silk reeling energy management, means that only movements which contain twists and curves are Kung Fu. Even during a straight punch, the fist quickly rotates and drills to the target. Blocks do not slam directly against the opponent's arm but twist as they make contact to reduce the attack's speed and power, redirect the force away from the practitioner, and possibly create an opening for retaliation. This is something that even in our most basic art of the Chinese Kempo that we teach has. If you have an eye to see the difference you can see it, if you just look at the superficial movement than sure it would look the same as a karate type block, whether it be inside, high or low. But if you look close you can see that there is a very unique twist to these most basic blocks that separate it from what you would see in most karate systems.
Proper Breathing
Except for yells, the mouth should stay closed. Keep the teeth together and touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue immediately behind the front teeth. Since taking air through the mouth usually results in short breaths, an open mouth usually encourages shallow breathing into the chest, which will result in panting, and gasping for air. Basic kung fu breathing exercises train the practitioner to inhale and exhale long, deep breaths through the nose. This prevents the onset of gasping and hyperventilation. With out question you can last much longer with out running out of oxygen.
Hyperextend the Shoulders and the back
Your shoulders, should never be in line with the chest, never pulled to the rear with the back arched and the chest pushed out, like what you see in the military. Martial arts requires you to put up some kind of guard for protection. The arms should function as double doors, remaining closed to guard the chest. If you have over stretched shoulders it causes unnecessary and meaningless exposure to attack. Exaggerated and boldly stated postures also violate Chinese aesthetics, which find beauty in restraint, refinement, and a somewhat unfulfilled balance.
Never lock your Joints
Locking the joints is a very unhealthy way for both body and your martial arts practice. Locking your elbows or knees, for example, can damage them. This is what we are finding more and more with the kind of instruction that is being taught by inexperienced teachers that just do not get it. They do not understand the human body, nor do they understand movement nor the proper issuing of power. From the stand point of using your techniques, it pushes movements to their dead end, killing any potential for last minute alterations. Moreover, the rhythm and fluency with in a sequence of movements is destroyed. I know of three different martial arts instructors that did what is known as lock out techniques and their knees and elbows are so bad now that they can hardly walk, never mind kick, or even punch very well, and this is after forty years of training improperly, something that they taught all of their students all this time also. They were taught by people that were part of a plan years ago to make the first fast food martial arts system, and passed on ill gotten knowledge that after time has proven to be very bad for their health.
Every movement finishes at the same time
There are two common ways this rule is broken up into. Either a part of the body finishes its movement while other parts are still traveling to completion, or the lower body settles into a stance and remains inert while the upper body follows with several attacks and defense techniques. In kung fu, the entire body must work as one unit. Power issuing depends on unbroken, coordinated movement throughout the entire body. In addition, every part of the body must keep moving at all times to sustain a proper technique's momentum.
Horse Stance training
Although the horse stance is also used in many non-Chinese systems, kung fu's needs are different from other martial arts. Stance training builds a very strong foundation which is essential to perform kung fu's whole body movement techniques. For kung fu's horse stance, you should point the toes straight ahead, feet parallel and knees angled slightly inward. While it is incorrect to point the knees out, the thighs must stay open, creating a rounded not sharp angle at the groin. The buttocks should not be lower than the knees.
Internal and External must go together
All of kung fu styles require both internal and external training if the practitioner is to reach the highest levels. Once without the other is incomplete. This is true whether the styles are labelled "hard" or "soft" or "external" or "internal". So many do not understand this and that is what I mean when I say there is no secrets you need a good teacher and to train hard to have good kung fu. If you are taught by someone with sub standard skill then that is what will be passed on to you. If you belong to a system that has become "Modern" along the way, then you will never ever understand what it means to have good Kung Fu.
Empty leg Stances
In the empty leg stance, all weight is on the supporting leg, none at all on the front leg. All empty leg stances are potential foot kicks, knee strikes, and leg sweeps. Also it is used as a decoy that can be used to suck an opponent into thinking that there is weight on the leg and when he or she goes to kick the leg because it has no weight it can be moved with lightening fast movement. The empty leg may also be called upon to move forwards, backwards, to the side, or into a twisting step at an instant without the body first having to shift its weight distribution. In kung fu's empty leg stance, the front leg must be fully available for these uses, and many more.
Techniques Begin Right Where They Are
To take the advantage of the opening in the opponents guard, the practitioner must be able to attack from wherever the arm is positioned without wind ups or preparatory motions. For example, if the practitioner draws back the arm after a punch to gain distance for a second technique, this is not kung fu. Using the torso, the practitioner can execute a powerful twist at the spine to send out shoulder, elbow, and palm or fist to deliver the second blow. This is real kung fu.
No Preparatory Motions
Techniques must be executed without special set ups or preparation, such as running to build momentum for a leap and extra steps or wind ups to help the body issue a tornado kick. Forms which include running sequences to boost the performer's leaps degrade real Kung Fu training. Even in the most basic system of Kung Fu, which is the Kempo that I learned adhered to this rule, we were not allowed to even take three steps to jump up for a flying kick, it had to be right from where you were standing and it had to be straight up, not outwards. To do a flying kick with the power flying outwards like what you would get when taking a run is not real Kung Fu this is for show and is the easy way out. We have an exercise that we have to do right from the start called power of the instep, this is very hard at first but I tell everyone that you have to do it every day, and if you do not you are going to have trouble with your flying kicks when the time comes. But those that did listen to my words and trained the "Power of the instep" exercise have not problem propelling them selves straight up into the air with the most excellent style and grace with unlimited power. But those that have to take a run to get off of the ground, you are not training real Chinese Martial arts you are training something that is very sub standard.
Punch from the spine
Punches must come from the spine, not the shoulders. More precisely, the punch comes not quite from the spine but from the other arm, which acts in a totally coordinated manner with the first. To be even more exact, the punch is not from the other arm either, but from the other fist of your one and only arm. This is so because the kung fu practitioner has one arm, not two: beginning with the fingers of one hand, traveling up the arm, through the shoulders, across the upper back, and down to the finger tips of the second hand. When you can totally envision this and use this philosophy of bodily motion in your technique it will totally change to be exceptional.
Multi Purpose Movement
Each movement in Kung Fu usage, whether defense or attack, has
more than one purpose. Therefore, movements are not clear cut in the beginning,
not totally committed to one specific meaning. Once they've been launched, but
before they hit the target, they are rich in possibilities, somewhat like
multiple headed missiles. Defensive and offensive techniques are
interchangeable. Any definite, single point techniques delivered and then re-
cocked to redeliver are not real Kung Fu, again you have been taught by someone
with a very sub standard understanding of the very basic foundational principals
if you do not understand this, find a new teacher.
Kicks Do not use arms for Balance
During a kick, the arms are either performing other techniques or at the ready position, prepared to initiate an appropriate response to the opponent's movements. In kung fu the legs and arms are equal partners in attack and defense, not subordinates to a principal worker. It's very natural to use the arms to balance the body during kicks, but in terms of kung fu training, this is an untrained and immature use of the arms and legs together. I used to use my arms as balance when I was into the martial arts for about two years of training. I had legs that I could put any where and I used my arms as balance and for blocking, that is when I did not realize that I was using them improperly however. Once I was taught that this was a mistake, and I started to use them together it was fantastic, because the way that I was, was already very good skill compared to so many of the people that I spared with. But when I learned to use my arms just as well as my legs my skill went sky high, it was fantastic, and had it not been for a very good kung fu master I would have never known that I was making a mistake because my skill was so good already and I was defeating every one the way that I was using my body, but this was wrong as I was pointed out. It was just so fantastic when I could use my hands as well as my feet and did not use them for balance or just blocking any longer.
Pay attention every where at once
The kung fu practitioner must be able to take care of all the body's areas at once rather than locking onto a single area or body part. In other words, awareness must extend beyond arms and legs to include the entire body. In addition, because our attention quite naturally tends to fixate on what we can see or what we have targeted we must train ourselves to pay attention to what is behind us at all times. There fore true kung fu training will require the student to fully respect an arm held behind the body. This means that throughout a lengthy and complicated movement, a fist extended out behind the shoulder must stay at ear level; a hooked hand must be held out behind the back at a 45 degree angle. This isn't at all easy. But if the space behind the practitioner can be managed, then other directions can angles are also better controlled. Most of my students have always asked me if I have eyes at the back of my head. I am always aware of everything at all times every where around me. I have to admit however that this skill for me came from something not only to do with martial arts, it had to do with working in the bars working security, that really made me so aware of every thing around me at all times. Even my hearing, I could single out a conversation out of 40 people and listen to every word they were saying to each other cutting out every single noise including the music if I had too. I truly believe that this skill did come from the martial arts training but I also believe that working in this kind of environment helped my martial arts training a lot.
Different types of powers
Many types of Kung fu systems have many different types of powers that they have to train to make their kung fu shine. Different systems have many different types of powers that they train harder than other systems, some train a little of as many as they can, while others train few but in a very deep sense. Some of the non Chinese systems only have one type of power known as hard style power, for example throwing out a thrust punch and locking their punch into place with a very loud yell. This type of power in the Chinese systems is of the most basic there is and are over looked in the Chinese systems, due to its being not very effective, also being very hard on the joints of the arm.
Philosophical Training
Kung Fu training exercises, forms, and movements should not be designed and practiced with the sole intention of destroying an opponent. Real Kung Fu training must enrich the entire human spirit, improving health, developing physical and mental abilities, and expanding one's philosophical outlook and world view. This is why Kung Fu is such an outstanding and beneficial discipline in a society like ours which has been long obsessed with firearms. The martial artist who tries to transform his human body into a human robot or super fighting machine is making a big mistake and insulting the are of Kung Fu. Practitioners should always check to make sure that their training is really Kung Fu - educating and enhancing the body, mind and spirit.
From the notes of Sifu Gai Fay Li
Thanks for dropping by
Sifu Dee
Come back lots more to come