# what kind of kung fu



## Manny (May 16, 2012)

I just met a kung fu sifu and had a nice chat with him, we chated about martial arts not focusing in a single topic, I am a 2nd dan black belt in TKD and liked the moves of the praying mantis but I must admit the only thing I know about kung fu is what I saw in Bruce Lee Movies of the 70's and the new movies on Kung Fu Panda, so... I do not nothing about KF either way.

IF....... I wanted to study Kung Fu what kind of KF you advise me to look at. I am  6 feet tall and 240 punds so I think I am a little heavy to do praying mantis or white crane, I am not an acrobatic guy but a powerful one.

Where can I see good videos (on the net)  of  diferent typoes on Kung Fu?

Manny


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## clfsean (May 16, 2012)

Manny... you can do anything at your size. It's not really a factor. Certain body types lends ease of mobility to some things, but my teacher is 6'2" & 265lbs. His first CMA was Wah Lum Praying mantis which is very athletically demanding. He's very big, but in incredible shape & just "big". 

Honestly, the best answer I can give is "what's in your area" is the place to start. What does the teacher you met today teach?

But to use the two styles you listed, there's both Northern & Southern versions of Praying Mantis and also long arm & short arm White Crane. Each are different between the styles, but the Southern Mantis & Short Arm Crane are going to resemble each other. Short arm white crane will resemble Goju-ryu & Uechi-ryu. Long Arm White Crane won't. Flying Crane can give more details about that. 

You can find good & bad videos of lots of kung fu styles on Youtube.


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## Flying Crane (May 16, 2012)

Yeah, there are at least a couple different systems that go by the name White Crane, and they are completely different, are not even related.  The Southern Fukienese white crane may be an ancestor of Wing Chun, and it definitely has some similarities in how it looks.  the Tibetan White Crane, which is what I do, has a completely separate history, looks very different, is not related to the Fukienese style at all, and simply has the same name by coincidence only.  There is no connection between the two.  What happens is that different people in different locations happen to find some kind of inspiration in the same animal, they develop a system based on that inspiration, and they call it by the animal's name.  But this happens independently of each other, and the "crane aspects" that one method focuses on may be entirely different from the "crane aspects" that the other group focuses on.  This is why they can look so differently in terms of their fundamental techniques and in how they approach training and fighting.  Each group is looking at the crane in a different way, and the way the crane principles are expressed can be entirely different. And yet they are both Crane, just in their own ways.

The Fukienese method is probably more widespread than the Tibetan, and from what I've seen there are several sub-methods within the Fukienese system.  Not so with the Tibetan system, tho the Tibetan system has a couple of sister systems that developed from the original system, they all simply branched and went in their own directions and became separate and distinct, yet still related.  Hop Gar and Lama Pai would be the sister systems of the Tibetan White Crane.

There are very few teachers of Tibetan White Crane, and I think most of those who are out there are not very good.  I would be surprised if you found one in your area, but I guess anything is possible.  I do know there are some teachers in South America who are connected to one of the teachers in Hong Kong.  I don't remember where they are tho...maybe Venezuela?  I don't know if any of those folks might have made it into Mexico, or anyone connected to the teachers in the US or Canada, or elsewhere.  Like what Sean says, I think it depends more on you as an individual, and what makes sense to you as an approach to training.  There can be some physical issues that might limit you from one system or another, but I would say those limiting factors are your own personal limitations and not simply because of your build or size in the general sense.  Taking a look at what is available to you is the best approach to looking at your options.  Trying to determine what might be best for you on a hypothetical level is kinda pointless if that method is simply not available to you.


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## Xue Sheng (May 16, 2012)

Partial List of Kung Fu Styles


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## blindsage (May 16, 2012)

Kung fu is an umbrella term for pretty much every style that comes out of China.  There is actually a great deal of diversity in "kung fu".  Here's some examples:

Northern Praying Mantis





Southern Mantis





Fujian (Fukien) White Crane





Lama Pai





Choy Lee Fut





Wing Chun





Bajiquan





Baguazhang





Bak Mei





Most of these are just one version of that style. There are usually multiple variations and lineages that can be similar but have noticeable differences.  When you include Shuai Jiao, traditional Chinese grappling (which is taught independently and as a part of some styles), and Taiji in all it's variations (which is kung fu) you have a LOT of styles and variations.


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## dre2308 (May 17, 2012)

Flying Crane said:


> Yeah, there are at least a couple different systems that go by the name White Crane, and they are completely different, are not even related.  The Southern Fukienese white crane may be an ancestor of Wing Chun, and it definitely has some similarities in how it looks.  the Tibetan White Crane, which is what I do, has a completely separate history, looks very different, is not related to the Fukienese style at all, and simply has the same name by coincidence only.  There is no connection between the two.  What happens is that different people in different locations happen to find some kind of inspiration in the same animal, they develop a system based on that inspiration, and they call it by the animal's name.  But this happens independently of each other, and the "crane aspects" that one method focuses on may be entirely different from the "crane aspects" that the other group focuses on.  This is why they can look so differently in terms of their fundamental techniques and in how they approach training and fighting.  Each group is looking at the crane in a different way, and the way the crane principles are expressed can be entirely different. And yet they are both Crane, just in their own ways.
> 
> The Fukienese method is probably more widespread than the Tibetan, and from what I've seen there are several sub-methods within the Fukienese system.  Not so with the Tibetan system, tho the Tibetan system has a couple of sister systems that developed from the original system, they all simply branched and went in their own directions and became separate and distinct, yet still related.  Hop Gar and Lama Pai would be the sister systems of the Tibetan White Crane.
> 
> There are very few teachers of Tibetan White Crane, and I think most of those who are out there are not very good.  I would be surprised if you found one in your area, but I guess anything is possible.  I do know there are some teachers in South America who are connected to one of the teachers in Hong Kong.  I don't remember where they are tho...maybe Venezuela?  I don't know if any of those folks might have made it into Mexico, or anyone connected to the teachers in the US or Canada, or elsewhere.  Like what Sean says, I think it depends more on you as an individual, and what makes sense to you as an approach to training.  There can be some physical issues that might limit you from one system or another, but I would say those limiting factors are your own personal limitations and not simply because of your build or size in the general sense.  Taking a look at what is available to you is the best approach to looking at your options.  Trying to determine what might be best for you on a hypothetical level is kinda pointless if that method is simply not available to you.



Very well said about the different style in white crane, Flying Crane.

Although  there are many different styles of white crane in Fukien, I know all of  them follow the essential teachings F&#257;ng Q&#299;niáng (&#26041;&#19971;&#23064 left behind, who  is the founder of Fukienese white crane. However, each white crane has  its own interpretation of the teaching.

For example, "like turtle's back and Crane's spine" (&#40860;&#32972;&#40372;&#36523  from F&#257;ng Q&#299;niáng's white crane text, it is talking about the hunching  back posture, but you will find the degree of the hunching vary in  different type of white cranes. 

Another example from the text is (&#36899;&#19977;&#36215;&#39423,which  is in the Qigong section of the text. some people interpret the phrase  as "three swift, consecutive punches", but some interpret it as  "discharging power(fajin) through the coordination of *three different positions *on one's body"

What do those phrases mean? there isn't a coherent answer out there.

 I think the answer would depend on which is more effective.


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## Manny (May 17, 2012)

wow!!!!! there are many-many styles of kunf fu!! The styles I know by movies, documentals, etc are Wing-Chung, Choy Lee Fut, drunken monkey, praying manthis, the crane, the dragoon,etc, but it seesm the styles are endelss.

I will talk again with the sifu I met and try to figure out what kind of kung fu he teaches.

I saw a TV Show named Kill Arman where a Profesional Taylor (Arman) travels around the world practicing martial arts for a few days and then at the end of the show he engages with the martial artist, the t,v, show was about armand going to Hong Kong to learn Wing -Chun froma sifu called Liu Ting or something lñike that.

Manny


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## hechavez (Aug 8, 2012)

I have a blue sash in Tai Chi Chuan Yang and a purple sash in Choy Li Fut Kung Fu (known as Kai Li Fo in Mandarin).  I also have years of experience in Pangasinan Eskrima and Eskrima Serrada.  My instructors let me blend Filipino empty hand martial arts with Choy Li Fut blocks.  Personally, in a rare , if ever, occasion I would use Tai Chi first, then flow into Kung Fu if needed.  The footwork and punches and blocks of Choy Li Fut comes from the southern Shaolin temple.  The kicks come from the northern Shaolin temple.

Of course, as I progress to the other sashes until I take the test for the red instructor sash to be a part-time instructor, I would be careful to learn the techniques, forms, and sparring as it is taught to me.


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## WC_lun (Aug 8, 2012)

Hey Manny, to make things even more confusing, you can have a sytems with the same roots and name, but be very different in application.  Also, what you see in the movies is very rarely similiar to the real art.  The best advice I can give you is if you are really interested in Chinese martial arts is to find out what is around you and talk to the sifus.  Go with one in which the sifu has your respect, the training regimen makes sense, and there is an underlying conceptial basis linking the system together.


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## XDJuicebox (Aug 9, 2012)

I would recommend Hung Gar, it seems like it would be right for your type of build.

Either that or Sanshou, or maybe even Shuai Jiao, if you like to wrestle


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