Crab Kung Fu

[Zeno]

Anyone know anything about it really? I've done some searching online, and I know it's a dead art now, but does anyone know anything really in depth about it? It's always interested me.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I know nothing about it but in CMA if it is dead there is a reason. Either it was ineffective or the last viable master decided no one was worthy to learn it and it died with him, or he was killed before he could pass it on.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I have never heard of it in any of the Chinese systems but I believe I once heard of it when someone was referring to the way some of the Ninjutsu practitioners moved. Perhaps this question should be asked of them also

Of course I could be completely incorrect on this

 

[clfsean]

I have never heard of it in any of the Chinese systems but I believe I once heard of it when someone was referring to the way some of the Ninjutsu practitioners moved. Perhaps this question should be asked of them also

Of course I could be completely incorrect on this

Not so much with the taijutsu peeps. Lots is lumped on them & nobody denies it.

Crab kung fu... served best with garlic rolls & butter sauce after beating the crab into submission.

Seriously... ask anybody from the PRC funded Shaolin world & you'll get not only a positive answer but a brief demo of whatever animal you ask about. I'd go ask about the Golden Marmoset or the Black Yak if I were you & see what you get.

XS was right in his assertation/presumption ... if it was before, it's dead now.

 

[Zeno]

I'd love to be able to go and find out more about it. I can't imagine getting pinched by a master of crab kung fu. Phew.

I first found out about it through Mortal Kombat. In Deadly Alliance, Reptile had two martial arts that he could use...Hung Gar and Crab Kung Fu.

I loved the look, and decided to research it, and discovered either through the game's information, or the internet, that it was a dead art.

I also found a bit from Shaolin.com...

"Crab is now a dead system of kung fu, the remnants of which were incorporated into eagle, hong tiger and white eyebrow. Practitioners fought from a low, crouching scissors stance and used great wrist and forearm strength to attack nerves or cut off circulation with the crab pincer."

It sounds effective enough. I just wish I knew how/why it died and divided. I've yet to find any information on it.

 

[CuongNhuka]

I think I've found some clips of it on youtube. You could try looking for it there.

 

[jks9199]

I'd love to be able to go and find out more about it. I can't imagine getting pinched by a master of crab kung fu. Phew.

I first found out about it through Mortal Kombat. In Deadly Alliance, Reptile had two martial arts that he could use...Hung Gar and Crab Kung Fu.

I loved the look, and decided to research it, and discovered either through the game's information, or the internet, that it was a dead art.

I also found a bit from Shaolin.com...

"Crab is now a dead system of kung fu, the remnants of which were incorporated into eagle, hong tiger and white eyebrow. Practitioners fought from a low, crouching scissors stance and used great wrist and forearm strength to attack nerves or cut off circulation with the crab pincer."

It sounds effective enough. I just wish I knew how/why it died and divided. I've yet to find any information on it.

With an "origin" coming from a video game character, I'd be skeptical.

Generally, animal styles come about in a couple of ways. One is that someone observes the fighting of the animal, and copies movements and tactics. (Think of the legends behind some of the crane styles or mantis styles.) Another is that a group finds something about that animal worthy of emulating; often, this is a spirit or a characteristic that has been anthropomorphised onto the animal. (Dragon styles are one example.) Occasionally, someone will gather techniques using an animal as an inspiration or guiding principle to describe it -- though you could argue that this is really a blend of the two methods. And sometimes someone has a personal fighting style that reminds people of an animal so strongly that it gets described as that -- and then they've taught that style to others.

So... looking at "crab style" -- it's hard to see many of these leading to a crab style. Crabs aren't known for the variety of their defensive/offensive tactics, nor does it seem really likely to me that someone would have spent hours observing a crab to see how they fight. Nor is a crab generally considered to have a lot of redeeming characteristics... I'm skeptical that there ever really was much of a crab system... Maybe a few particular tactics, like a "crab claw pinch", maybe even a short "crab set"... but not a real crab system.

Of course... I could be dead wrong!

 

[Zeno]

With an "origin" coming from a video game character, I'd be skeptical.

I was skeptical, which is why I did so much research on it. I knew Mortal Kombat incorporated a lot of martial arts styles into the game, and did fairly well at portraying those that I knew enough about.

So... looking at "crab style" -- it's hard to see many of these leading to a crab style. Crabs aren't known for the variety of their defensive/offensive tactics, nor does it seem really likely to me that someone would have spent hours observing a crab to see how they fight.

Crabs, however, are a creature with a rather memorable defense. A crab's pinch can range anywhere from a sharp, minor pain to an intense "there goes your finger" type of pain. Also, their walk could be a topic of interest. A style where one always keeps the body bladed to the side, making yourself easily fit into certain areas as well as harder to hit. From what I've read, the crab walk in crab kung fu was made to knock the person off balance or even break bones with movement of the legs.

Watching crabs actually fight is rather interesting as well, because they get themselves into locks and holds (to a sense) and grapple with their pincers. Just look on YouTube. I can totally see why someone may take interest in the fighting techniques of a crab. I mean, mantis developed into a highly successful style. It's not TOO much different than observing a crab.

According to some sources, crab was indeed a system. I for one would love to see it's revival.

 

[punisher73]

With an "origin" coming from a video game character, I'd be skeptical.

Generally, animal styles come about in a couple of ways. One is that someone observes the fighting of the animal, and copies movements and tactics. (Think of the legends behind some of the crane styles or mantis styles.) Another is that a group finds something about that animal worthy of emulating; often, this is a spirit or a characteristic that has been anthropomorphised onto the animal. (Dragon styles are one example.) Occasionally, someone will gather techniques using an animal as an inspiration or guiding principle to describe it -- though you could argue that this is really a blend of the two methods. And sometimes someone has a personal fighting style that reminds people of an animal so strongly that it gets described as that -- and then they've taught that style to others.

So... looking at "crab style" -- it's hard to see many of these leading to a crab style. Crabs aren't known for the variety of their defensive/offensive tactics, nor does it seem really likely to me that someone would have spent hours observing a crab to see how they fight. Nor is a crab generally considered to have a lot of redeeming characteristics... I'm skeptical that there ever really was much of a crab system... Maybe a few particular tactics, like a "crab claw pinch", maybe even a short "crab set"... but not a real crab system.

Of course... I could be dead wrong!

I wish I could remember it, but there was an old kung fu movie where the character "created" a crab style. They would show images of the crab moving around or grabbing something with it's claw and then you would see the main character practicing the moves to emmulate the crab.

I agree though, not much to create a whole style from though.

 

[HG1]

A Shaw Brothers classic. Enjoy!

 

[Zeno]

A Shaw Brothers classic. Enjoy!

Yep! That's the one in Mortal Kombat. The one Reptile uses. Noticed it almost immediately. Looks effective enough, no? Of course, they can make anything look effective in a movie.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Yoko aruki:

Hoko no kamae:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10011801@N08/2433792508/

 

[bowser666]

I agree with a previous statement , that if it comes from Mortal Kombat , I would doubt the authenticity. I did find a funny Animated Crab KungFu video on YouTube though. Pretty amusing.

 

[ChukaSifu2]

I know of certain attacks and hand training exercises used from the Crab system. As someone has mentioned these were incorporated into a Bak Mei system which we use in our SPM system.

 

[Zeno]

I agree with a previous statement , that if it comes from Mortal Kombat , I would doubt the authenticity.

If you've played any of the more recent MK games, you realize that they have martial artists performing the attacks for each individual style (it's in the bonus sections of the game). Each style they placed into the game is an actual art. I couldn't see them tossing in one that didn't exist. There's enough evidence to show that Crab Kung Fu was once a true form, and now it's been dissolved and given to other forms. I just want to know why.

 

[7starmarc]

Watching crabs actually fight is rather interesting as well, because they get themselves into locks and holds (to a sense) and grapple with their pincers. Just look on YouTube. I can totally see why someone may take interest in the fighting techniques of a crab. I mean, mantis developed into a highly successful style. It's not TOO much different than observing a crab.

I must admit, I've never sat and watched a crab fight, on the other hand, I'm not sure that crabs are known for their fighting skills. On the contrary, the mantis is known as a particularly vicious and effective combatant. To my knowledge, it is one of the only insects which has been recorded to hunt and kill small birds, snakes, rodents, and other insects larger than itself.

 

[Kreth]

Am I the only one that thinks of the Crab People episode of South Park every time this thread pops up? :idunno:
Sorry, return to your regular topic...

 

[Zeno]

I must admit, I've never sat and watched a crab fight

Well, it seems SOMEONE has.

 

[Nolerama]

Crabs are tasty and good with butter.

I think fighting like your dinner is wrong.

Come on! They made this up for a video game!

Now someone's gonna pop up and claim he teaches Crab Kung Fu.

 

[Zeno]

Crabs are tasty and good with butter.

I think fighting like your dinner is wrong.

You know there's at least one person out there who has eaten every single animal that represents the kung fu styles. Freaky people.

Come on! They made this up for a video game!

A number of people have asked about it on AllExperts.com
For example...
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Kung-Fu-2254/Crab-Style-Kung-Fu.htm

Shaolin.com acknowledges it...
http://www.shaolin.com/crab_kungfu.aspx

Midway Games, the makers of MK give information on it being a deceased form.

There's enough pointing to its existence to keep anyone from knowing for a fact that it was made up. Why would Midway take the efforts to put over a dozen actual styles into the game accurately, while adding bonus content with information on each individual style, and just throw in a fake one they made up themselves and lie about it? Doesn't add up.

I can totally see why someone would be interested in how crabs fight and apply their pinch. We know they hurt...a lot. They're always ready to defend themselves. When you get close enough to one, they even take a stance, lifting their pincers and opening them, while getting ready to move.

Maybe I'm the only one that can see someone trying to form a style based on a crab's movements and defensive nature.