# Hung Gar Tiger claw question.



## Yew (Aug 29, 2008)

Usually from what I've seen from a few online videos, when a Hung Gar(or any other art that applies the claw) explains how to use the tiger claw, one of the moves are if the opponent punches with the right hand, you step aisde then either block or claw-grab his hand with your left hand and then grab and push his head with a tiger claw with your right hand. But then they just stop right there and don't go further as if saying that the claw to his head ends the fight.

Just curious, does the pushing his head really end the fight?He might not go down or retreat backwards easily if he is stronger.
He could also out of desperation struggle using his right hand to release it from being grabbed or attempt a left hook with his other hand or just kick with his feet available.

And no,I'm not trying to question the effectiveness of Hung Ga since I'm also a practitioner of Hung Ga.


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## HG1 (Aug 29, 2008)

Yew said:


> *EDIT* But then they just stop right there and don't go further as if saying that the claw to his head ends the fight.
> Just curious, does the pushing his head really end the fight?He might not go down or retreat backwards easily if he is stronger.
> He could also out of desperation struggle using his right hand to release it from being grabbed or attempt a left hook with his other hand or just kick with his feet available.


Yes, for a demonstration it ends there.  
Here's my long winded application breakdown of the technique you described. 
-Take the angle using footwork & butterfly palm to bridge the gap to your opponent.
- Crash into your opponent unbalancing him & lock up opponent's leg with your stance.
- Left bridge on top of opponents arm pushes/sinks downward & claw grabs the groin.  You need a solid stance to make the sink happen.
- Right claw strikes the chin causing a whiplash that rattles the brain. 
- Once the energy of the strike is released the fingers claw into the eyes.
- Eyes in one hand, groin in the other - tiger techniques finish the fight.

Understand the usage of tiger is to end the fight. So you must be close, as in right on top of your opponent.  The aggressive nature of the tiger doesn't give the opponent the time to  counter.  Your weapons must be developed to use tiger effectively: stance, bridge, waist  & tiger claw.   If he's too strong then all of Hung-Ga's five animals come into play.


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## bostonbomber (Sep 19, 2008)

There are many applications of the tiger claw, e.g., grabbing, slashing and striking.  (Watch a Fu Hok set on YouTube and you'll see several tiger claw variations.)  

Just as a single punch may not end a fight, you may have to do something after the tiger claw (although, as HG1 points out, a correctly executed tiger claw can be devastating).  However, as with any move, what you do after the tiger claw depends on many factors, so the demonstration ends there.


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## TenTigers (Sep 21, 2008)

To use the Tiger Claw effectively, you must train the claw for many years to develop the power, otherwise, your Gung-Fu is empty. Too many people no longer train lien-gung. To think that yuo will be able to use fu-jow without properly training the claw is folly.
The claw is used many different ways-palm strike with a rake,grabbing into the flesh, muscles, tendons,tearing, ripping, dotting,crushing,etc.


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## Black Tiger Fist (Oct 10, 2008)

Pretty good explanations... but, like Ten Tigers said without the training it's moot...

Another thing...not to down play any advise, but a lot of these questions are best talked about with your sifu.  Not fully understanding a technique or knowing how to use or apply a technique properly can be very dangerous to you as well as any opponent.

I have people that come to train with me and they have no clue as to what they are doing...yet they're trying to use stuff they've seen on you tube at full speed. :mst:


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## Yoshiyahu (Dec 13, 2008)

Ten Tigers how do train the claw to develop power?

What is Fu-Jow and Lien Gung? 

What are the training Methods called?



TenTigers said:


> To use the Tiger Claw effectively, you must train the claw for many years to develop the power, otherwise, your Gung-Fu is empty. Too many people no longer train lien-gung. To think that yuo will be able to use fu-jow without properly training the claw is folly.
> 
> The claw is used many different ways-palm strike with a rake,grabbing into the flesh, muscles, tendons,tearing, ripping, dotting,crushing,etc.


 


_*Bostonbomber:* What exactly would be the result of slashing with the Tiger Claw. What would be affect of your Attacker if you slash them?_




bostonbomber said:


> There are many applications of the tiger claw, e.g., grabbing, slashing and striking. (Watch a Fu Hok set on YouTube and you'll see several tiger claw variations.)
> 
> Just as a single punch may not end a fight, you may have to do something after the tiger claw (although, as HG1 points out, a correctly executed tiger claw can be devastating). However, as with any move, what you do after the tiger claw depends on many factors, so the demonstration ends there.


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## DaleDugas (Dec 14, 2008)

Yoshiyahu,.

You seem to be seeking out many answers here on the forum with posting various threads here and there.

Fu Jow is Chinese for Tiger Claw( Fu/Hu= Tiger Jow/Jou=Claw)

Lien Gung is power training which is specific to a certain style.

with Fu Jow Lien Gung you would be strengthening the hand using various methods.  Grippers. Jars full of sand.  Claw bags that are thrown/dropped and caught using the fingers as well as the whole hand.
  You 
Why would you not bring this up with your teacher rather than blindly search out on a forum?

You claim to have 16 years training experience, yet you have no concept of Lien Gung?  I find that odd. Especially when in Wing Chun they have their own Lien Gung to train their weapons used.


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## Yoshiyahu (Dec 24, 2008)

I have 16 years in Wing Chun...yes...But we do not train Hung Gar. I have learn one form of Tiger and Crane. But I do not practice the Hung Gar system. I was curious what your responses would be on the forum. 
As for your terminology. I am not familiar with it, Because we do not practice Tiger claw in Wing Chun. We have other drills. that we do. We do hold jars with sand with our fingers and also with our palms. We also utilize bricks. I can not throughly explain this but we basically bring the bricks in and bring them out kinda of like expanding and contracting the chest muscles. We also do wrist rollers with a weight an rope. An we also do some other exercises. Now the closes thing we have to tiger claw. Would be the flower pot or bucket filled with still shots that you stab your fingers into grip the balls and squeeze and release and then thrust your fingers into them again and again. But No tiger claw or ripping and tearing.




So as for Tiger I know nothing of it. I am curious more about what you guys practice. After all this is a forum for discussions is it not? I heard some Chinese terms I am not familiar with so Thankyou Dale for educating me on what they meant?



DaleDugas said:


> Yoshiyahu,.
> 
> You seem to be seeking out many answers here on the forum with posting various threads here and there.
> 
> ...


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## DergaSmash (Jul 13, 2009)

Most of the Tiger techniques are like that. They are learned relatively early but it takes a lot of instruction and practice to know how and when to use them. A bit more complicated than your regular old punch.


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## CanadianCommando (Dec 26, 2009)

The technique you're describing is one of the very first and most basic. In our system, we were taught that on the way in, you hit with the palm heel, which causes the "tiger claws" (fingers) to snap forward, and these claws are then ripped downward, basically creating a weapon that strikes twice, once on the way in, once on the way out.

However, this is one technique, and your instructor should always be training you to be creative and chain techniques together. One single technique is not the end of anything. There is no end, or rather no clearly defined one, other than that you survive and end the fight as quickly and mercifully as possible.

For an example, I might continue from the movement you described by following up with an inside heel kick. This lets me move in, and place the kicking foot forward, becoming my new lead foot and closing the gap to my preferred range and pushing my opponent over backwards with my momentum. Then, using my tiger hand that just struck to grasp my opponent's head, neck or hair, and I could then perform an elbow strike to the throat or face, for instance. If he still hasn't hit the ground, I might then use both hand to grasp him, and strike with the other knee, always keeping forward momentum so as to overwhelm his defenses. If needs be, perhaps I might use a series of further punches, gouges, kicks or locks to completely incapacitate my opponent.

The primary thing to remember is that you are being taught single techniques, or sometimes several techniques strung together. These do not make a martial art. The art comes from within. How you apply what you are taught is limited only by your creativity and spirit.

Chris.


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