Kung Fu video on different animal styles

[PhotonGuy]

Here is a Kung Fu video on different animal styles. Thoughts?

 

[clfsean]

... Not the way I'd perform any of that nor teach that ...

 

[JowGaWolf]

... Not the way I'd perform any of that nor teach that ...

How's it going clfsean? I agree with you. The techniques seem to be the same ones that one would see from a movie vs what is often trained in a school. I to a lot of crane and tiger and very little looks like what is being shown. The tiger stuff is like a tiger hiding in the grass. The crane stuff is subtle and deceptive, where it looks like it won't do much because it doesn't have that same method of generating the power like tiger does.

 

[Flying Crane]

In my experience, the animal is reflected more in the underlying principles and methodologies, more like an over all physical education. It is less about what the techniques look like, although that does play some part, but often not what the general uneducated public assumes it would be.

In Tibetan White Crane, we punch with the fist in various ways and the crane is reflected in how we train our full-body power by driving with the feet and turning thru the waist. We use very few stylized crane beak strikes or single-leg "crane stances". That is stereotypical stuff and not really what it is all about.

 

[PhotonGuy]

... Not the way I'd perform any of that nor teach that ...

So than how would you perform or teach it? Do you teach such styles?

 

[JowGaWolf]

I just checked out his recent videos and based on what he does now (as shown on is Facebook page), he may not even think the same about the techniques in that video which were from 2008. I LIKE martial arts but this guy LOVES martial arts.

 

[clfsean]

So than how would you perform or teach it? Do you teach such styles?

I practice & teach Choy Li Fut & Lama Pai at my teacher's school. Both use the 5 animals pretty extensively.

As I said, not the way I would. If that way works for him, that's his way. You asked for thoughts. So, my thoughts are, not the way I was taught, practice & teach them. Our methods use body connectivity, energy in the strikes with the energies being different with the various strikes, etc...

Like I said... not the way I would or do.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

In my experience, the animal is reflected more in the underlying principles and methodologies, more like an over all physical education. It is less about what the techniques look like, although that does play some part, but often not what the general uneducated public assumes it would be.

In Tibetan White Crane, we punch with the fist in various ways and the crane is reflected in how we train our full-body power by driving with the feet and turning thru the waist. We use very few stylized crane beak strikes or single-leg "crane stances". That is stereotypical stuff and not really what it is all about.

You mean like this?

Shaolin Academy, Shaolin Kung Fu 5 Animal Personality Styles

This group has assigned personality traits to each of the 4 main shaolin animals with explanations on how each group acts in both fighting and in normal situations. It's quite a fascinating read and even if you don't fully agree with it, it does show that there is a lot more to the animal styles than the physical moves.

Also, with regards to your fighting style, it seems you hold the same principles as we do. Like you we rarely use the "crane beak" or "crane stances" (those are mostly seen in northern shaolin crane) and our 3 core principles are 1) a good solid stance, 2) a flexible waist and 3) relaxed whipping arms.

 

[Flying Crane]

You mean like this?

Shaolin Academy, Shaolin Kung Fu 5 Animal Personality Styles

This group has assigned personality traits to each of the 4 main shaolin animals with explanations on how each group acts in both fighting and in normal situations. It's quite a fascinating read and even if you don't fully agree with it, it does show that there is a lot more to the animal styles than the physical moves.

Also, with regards to your fighting style, it seems you hold the same principles as we do. Like you we rarely use the "crane beak" or "crane stances" (those are mostly seen in northern shaolin crane) and our 3 core principles are 1) a good solid stance, 2) a flexible waist and 3) relaxed whipping arms.

Well, I guess everyone has their interpretation of how it all comes together. I read their five animals bit, and their section on crane, I don't like assigning personalities. I don't feel that it is about trying to become the animal. We are people, we have certain natural weapons as people, and those natural weapons are different from what animals have. However, animals can give us insights to develop the use of our natural weapons to a higher level. This is a physical education, but it is not trying to become the animal. In Tibetan crane, the crane has given insights into efficient use of the body, but we still move and fight as people.

Still, everyone has their approach, I guess. I need to remind myself of that. Just because it is different from our view does not make it wrong. I can sometimes fall into that judgemental trap. But it is a view that I don't agree with, based on my experience. I think that sometimes people who delve into the personality bit, and becomeing the animal, so to speak, are looking for a deeper interpretation to it all, trying to find the meaning of the animal in the mix. Personally, I feel they are looking in the wrong place, but again, if it works for them then I cannot say it is simply wrong.

You do Fujian crane, yes? Sounds like we share some fundamental concepts, but i believe that how they manifest is different. The description of crane on that website is completely opposite of how it is viewed in Tibetan crane. Seems the website feels the crane is a pacifist who wants to do as little damage as possible. In contrast Tibetan crane is all or nothing. If you don't NEED to fight, then don't. But if you do, then you go in with extreme aggression and you take the bad guy down hard and with absolute finality. There is little room for in-between or part-way. We train to hit as hard as possible, and there isn't room to pull that back.

I did like the video that they posted, the crane in the tiger den at the zoo. Very interesting. I've done a good bit of reading on cranes, they can stand their ground against much larger animals, especially during nesting season. Yet, they can fall prey to foxes, coyotes, raccoons, golden eagles. There is a documented incident of a Demoiselle Crane, the smallest of the crane species, in captivity, killed a human caretaker by driving its beak thru the man's eye and into his brain.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Shaolin Academy, Shaolin Kung Fu 5 Animal Personality Styles
.

The Chinese history on that page is not all together correct and shows that they really do not understand the 5 dynasties 10 kingdoms period, for one thing there was more than one emperor also it is listed in a noncontiguous order. Add to that most dynasties are considered to be form foreign invaders. Unless they are considered Han people they are thought of a foreign.

As for the animal styles, what I am seeing in the video looks more like Shaolin 5 animals. This is not to be confused with other animal styles or animal posture or form names in other CMA styles.

 

[clfsean]

I was going to give a WTF ... but then I went to the website. They're definitely "different". Probably very nice people.

The Chinese history on that page is not all together correct and shows that they really do not understand the 5 dynasties 10 kingdoms period, for one thing there was more than one emperor also it is listed in a noncontiguous order. Add to that most dynasties are considered to be form foreign invaders. Unless they are considered Han people they are thought of a foreign.

As for the animal styles, what I am seeing in the video looks more like Shaolin 5 animals. This is not to be confused with other animal styles or animal posture or form names in other CMA styles.

Yeah I just can't add to that ... I mean I can, but not happening.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I read their five animals bit, and their section on crane, I don't like assigning personalities. I don't feel that it is about trying to become the animal. We are people, we have certain natural weapons as people, and those natural weapons are different from what animals have. However, animals can give us insights to develop the use of our natural weapons to a higher level. This is a physical education, but it is not trying to become the animal. In Tibetan crane, the crane has given insights into efficient use of the body, but we still move and fight as people.

I'm with you on this one. For me I don't assign personalities to animals, just for the simple fact that in nature, the personality of animals varies from animal to animal. For me I try to capture the spirit and energy in which an animal does things. So for my tiger styles I think of my strikes like a tiger hunting, concealed in the grass while stalking it's pray. The strikes are quick and powerful and they come from "unconventional positions" that hide the striking hand. In other words the strikes are not like jabs or hay-makers that can be seen. Tigers strike and grab,

I think people miss the spirit and energy in which animals do things, when we try to get too "zen" about stuff. Crane attacking fox

Crane vs Tiger (the one you mentioned)

Crane vs Human would probably give a lot of insight. Any volunteers?

 

[Flying Crane]

Yeah, I read thru more of that website, the other animals and stuff. There is a lot of over-thinking and over-categorizing going on there. I'd say they are really complicating things.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Crane vs Fox and Crane vs Tiger.....

If it were this crane.....

I think the outcome is pretty easy to figure out

 

[JowGaWolf]

Crane vs Fox and Crane vs Tiger.....

If it were this crane.....

I think the outcome is pretty easy to figure out

Fox and tiger would win. This crane is too slow lol

 

[Flying Crane]

Crane vs Fox and Crane vs Tiger.....

If it were this crane.....

I think the outcome is pretty easy to figure out

Isn't that the one that Schwartzenegger used to destroy a Los Angeles neighborhood in Terminator 3?

 

[KangTsai]

The YouTuber in question has completely left the realm of this type of kung fu as far as I can see. He's now a stuntman and JKD practitioner+instructor. His early videos like this one were very amateur.