KUNG FU

[zany90]

Hey,

I have just signed up to the forum.

A good few months back I started to take a real interest in Shaolin Kung Fu. Every day since then I have been exercising in relation to this subject. Every day I do leg stretches, stance work, punch drills, and kicks, etc.

I have started to learn my first "form", which is "Wu Bu Quan". I will master this form before I move on to others, but my main question is what forms would you suggest that I learn?

Although I am a beginner I am putting a lot of time into kicks also and can do some pretty good front kicks, crescent kicks, cross kicks, jump kicks etc and am working on the tornado kick which is coming together quite well for the time I've been practicing it.

I'm curious to learn more forms relating to Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu but it is hard to know which forms to go with next. I would like to move on to forms that contain more advanced kicking techniques down the line.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Hey,

I have just signed up to the forum.

A good few months back I started to take a real interest in Shaolin Kung Fu. Every day since then I have been exercising in relation to this subject. Every day I do leg stretches, stance work, punch drills, and kicks, etc.

I have started to learn my first "form", which is "Wu Bu Quan". I will master this form before I move on to others, but my main question is what forms would you suggest that I learn?

Although I am a beginner I am putting a lot of time into kicks also and can do some pretty good front kicks, crescent kicks, cross kicks, jump kicks etc and am working on the tornado kick which is coming together quite well for the time I've been practicing it.

I'm curious to learn more forms relating to Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu but it is hard to know which forms to go with next. I would like to move on to forms that contain more advanced kicking techniques down the line.

Are you teaching yourself or are you taking a class?

 

[zany90]

I am currently learning at home with the aid of very detailed video tutorials on Wu Bu Quan, the transitions etc, as well as detailed videos on kicks and drills. I have lots and lots of detailed material... I just need to be pointed in the right direction when it comes to the forms that are mostly taught, etc. I will join a class when finances allow it.

 

[oftheherd1]

Good for you on staying with your training. Is there a reason you aren't learning in a school?

BTW, you might want to stop in the Meet and Greet sub-forum to tell us a little about yourself.

 

[clfsean]

Well actually before you go too much longer down this road, you need to find a teacher before you develop the guaranteed bad habits of DIY video based attempted learning. Seriously. No jibes, no cheap shots, nothing like that. Just honest input.

 

[Knapf]

I'm curious to learn more forms relating to Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu but it is hard to know which forms to go with next. I would like to move on to forms that contain more advanced kicking techniques down the line.

Be careful of schools using that say they teach "Wushu". They are most likely schools that have turned real fighting into dance.

 

[Flying Crane]

Well actually before you go too much longer down this road, you need to find a teacher before you develop the guaranteed bad habits of DIY video based attempted learning. Seriously. No jibes, no cheap shots, nothing like that. Just honest input.

Absolutely the truth.

Good honest advice. Martial arts is something that cannot be properly self-taught. You may figure out how to mimick some movement, but I can promise you that your understanding will be shallow and many of the details will be outright wrong, which means that it will be ineffective and the process of training could injure you, and ultimately it will be an exercise in frustration.

Really, don't try to do it this way. Find a teacher. If that is not possible right now, then read to educate yourself about martial arts and in the meantime do some general fitness stuff until your circumstances change.

 

[donald1]

I recommend doing the forms your instructor tells you to. You should consider getting one. Like clfsean said. You could get a bad habit or two and worst of all you probably wont realize it. Good luck!

 

[DanT]

The truth is that Shaolin is a very encompassing term.

Shaolin can refer to Shao Lin Quan, or to various northern styles which originated from Shao Lin Quan:

Lohan Quan
Chang Quan
Cha Quan

Etc.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Be careful of schools using that say they teach "Wushu". They are most likely schools that have turned real fighting into dance.

Wushu is the actual Chinese (Mandarin) word for Martial Arts. Kung Fu is a translation error and it actually means hard work. Wushu does not necessarily mean a dance

 

[Knapf]

Wushu is the actual Chinese (Mandarin) word for Martial Arts. Kung Fu is a translation error and it actually means hard work. Wushu does not necessarily mean a dance

I know what Wushu means. My point was that schools I've seen which teach all those acrobatic stuff over real fighting are the ones who name their school Wushu. Just "Wushu" and not anything else in the title. Dunno why. It's a trend among the different acrobatic schools

 

[Flying Crane]

I know what Wushu means. My point was that schools I've seen which teach all those acrobatic stuff over real fighting are the ones who name their school Wushu. Just "Wushu" and not anything else in the title. Dunno why. It's a trend among the different acrobatic schools

What you are referring to is "Modern Wushu" which was created in the 1950s by the communist government as a national sport and performance art. It was based on the old fighting methods, but was deliberately modified to distance itself from actual combat viability and to enhance the visual and performance aesthetics and the "wow" factor.

Modern Wushu is not meant to be a combat method. It is meant to mimick a combat method, with a whole lot of fantasy thrown in, and is more like a gymnastics floor routine with a martial flavor.

You are correct in that outside of China, schools teaching this tend to simply call it Wushu. However, that term is the proper term for Chinese fighting methods, and sometimes a school might call what it teaches "Traditional Wushu" to distinguish itself from modern Wushu. I don't believe we see that very often however. The fighting schools still call it Kung fu, even tho that term actually means a skill developed through dedicated hard work. That could be any skill, including fighting, cooking, car maintenance, carpentry, mathematics, etc.

 

[Knapf]

What you are referring to is "Modern Wushu" which was created in the 1950s by the communist government as a national sport and performance art. It was based on the old fighting methods, but was deliberately modified to distance itself from actual combat viability and to enhance the visual and performance aesthetics and the "wow" factor.

Modern Wushu is not meant to be a combat method. It is meant to mimick a combat method, with a whole lot of fantasy thrown in, and is more like a gymnastics floor routine with a martial flavor.
You are correct in that outside of China, schools teaching this tend to simply call it Wushu. However, that term is the proper term for Chinese fighting methods, and sometimes a school might call what it teaches "Traditional Wushu" to distinguish itself from modern Wushu. I don't believe we see that very often however.

My original quote:
Be careful of schools using that say they teach "Wushu". They are most likely schools that have turned real fighting into dance.(Well there's a typo there but hey what the hell)

Regardless of it means or what the correct term is,my intention was simply to tell him to avoid schools that call themselves Wushu. For example Hen Tai Wushu Academy or Shi Hi Te Wushu School.

The fighting schools still call it Kung fu, even tho that term actually means a skill developed through dedicated hard work. That could be any skill, including fighting, cooking, car maintenance, carpentry, mathematics, etc.

I know.

 

[Flying Crane]

My original quote:
Be careful of schools using that say they teach "Wushu". They are most likely schools that have turned real fighting into dance.(Well there's a typo there but hey what the hell)

Regardless of it means or what the correct term is,my intention was simply to tell him to avoid schools that call themselves Wushu. For example Hen Tai Wushu Academy or Shi Hi Te Wushu School.


I know.

Yup. And I was fleshing out the info so that others who might read this, including the OP, might find it useful if they may not be familiar with it.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I am currently learning at home with the aid of very detailed video tutorials on Wu Bu Quan, the transitions etc, as well as detailed videos on kicks and drills. I have lots and lots of detailed material... I just need to be pointed in the right direction when it comes to the forms that are mostly taught, etc. I will join a class when finances allow it.

Roughly what is your location, it is possible that one of our members may know of a school in your area. Some old school Chinese Shifu types tend not to advertise and are hard to find.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I am currently learning at home with the aid of very detailed video tutorials on Wu Bu Quan, the transitions etc, as well as detailed videos on kicks and drills. I have lots and lots of detailed material... I just need to be pointed in the right direction when it comes to the forms that are mostly taught, etc. I will join a class when finances allow it.

I wouldn't train the forms. The form from the video may not be the same as the form that your future school may have. Unless the video comes from that school. You may be better off with drilling some of the techniques from the form. You say the video is very detailed so I'm assuming they cover the application for the technique. Start with the easy techniques first. Try to get a good understanding of it explore. Find someone that does kung fu and is familiar with the technique. Ask them if they can explain it to you. The person doesn't have to know the same system you are training as some of the simple techniques are used in multiple fighting systems.

 

[clfsean]

The truth is that Shaolin is a very encompassing term.

Shaolin can refer to Shao Lin Quan, or to various northern styles which originated from Shao Lin Quan:

Lohan Quan
Chang Quan
Cha Quan

Etc.

Cha Quan gets a bad rap as that. It was grouped that way by the Nanjing institute & put under Wang Ziping's control. But Zha Quan is Muslim boxing that developed away from Shaolin. Tan Tui Quan, Pao Quan, Xinyi Quan, etc... all are Muslim from the Hui peoples.

Same with Lohan. Lohan is a catch all term. Northern, Southern, qigong, set names, etc... I don't think there's an actual "Lohan Quan" per se. I think it's more of "Hey ,whadda we call this? It needs a cool name people with remember!!" type thing... :O

 

[KenpoMaster805]

before doing a wushu or kung fu on the video you should find a wushu or kung fu instrutor 1st to learn the basic and concept of kung fu once you have the instructor you willl learn a lot of kick and stuff and make sure your form has flow in it

 

[Headhunter]

Hey,

I have just signed up to the forum.

A good few months back I started to take a real interest in Shaolin Kung Fu. Every day since then I have been exercising in relation to this subject. Every day I do leg stretches, stance work, punch drills, and kicks, etc.

I have started to learn my first "form", which is "Wu Bu Quan". I will master this form before I move on to others, but my main question is what forms would you suggest that I learn?

Although I am a beginner I am putting a lot of time into kicks also and can do some pretty good front kicks, crescent kicks, cross kicks, jump kicks etc and am working on the tornado kick which is coming together quite well for the time I've been practicing it.

I'm curious to learn more forms relating to Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu but it is hard to know which forms to go with next. I would like to move on to forms that contain more advanced kicking techniques down the line.

No one ever masters a form, you'll always be learning, you'll definentely not master it if you're teaching yourself. I don't think teaching yourself the forms is a great idea because when you go to a real class you'll say you know but every school is different so everyone has slightly different ways then you'll be stuck with bad habits, just continue the exercises and the punches and kicks that's what I'd recommend

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

There is nothing wrong to use the modern Wushu (long fist) to build up your MA foundation. As long as you know it should not be the end of your training. So many people who starts with Wushu (long fist) and end with "cross training".