Obviously there are legit schools in the Denver metro area, but as far as Leopard Kung Fu goes, I can't think of anything off the top of my head.
Leopard Kung Fu
- Thread starter CMyers0323
- Start date
Oily Dragon
Senior Master
As much as I hate to say it, there are plenty of legit looking CMA schools that claim to be part of real lineages but aren't.
Canadien Hung Kuen comes to mind...same site I used earlier the thread to show Lam Sai Wing throwing double leopard fists. The pic is legit, the description of the 10 Killing Hands too...but that site is run by a dude who learned by watching DVDs...the things you learn.
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
Oh definitely I don't doubt that. For them I just wasn't sure like you guys had said they gave me some red flags but I figured it's better to post and see before fully judging. Yeah it does seem leopard is just either a hidden/lost Art or as some have said just never was a stand alone art. Although considering it was one of the main 5 I feel I'm on the side of it was a full art at one point maybe
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
Yeah its pretty sad. It ends up adding to all the hate people give the arts in general. Well once they see it isn't. I never was big on lineages but I can see they matter to some extent.
Oh wow haha I mean good thing he put out the info but I mean he wasn't claiming anything was he?
Oily Dragon
Senior Master
He was, actually, at one point, claiming to be part of the Lam family lineage.
And then some of people from the actual Hung Ga families involved (as in last name, not just lineage) went all the way to Saskatchewan, and made him remove the claims from his website.
Oily Dragon
Senior Master
It probably was a stand alone art. There's a lot you can do with just the few techniques and basic footwork (empty leg etc).. Nowadays the techniques are blended into various systems, but they're there. But as you've seen, there's a LOT of copycat stuff out there that is...wrong.
It's very similar to bare knuckle boxing, with similar footwork and a slightly more sophisticated hand techniques designed for bare knuckle attacks. Reminds me of some Mantis styles, similar concepts.
The modern, categorized forms of Leopard found in CLF are from Hung Ga's 5 animal system (or possibly Li Ga's, but probably Hung Kuen because it is older), which in turn got them from somewhere prior. But we have them today as the result of Wong Kei Ying's training his son in the southern Shaolin animal traditions (at least, that's where they found me).
So the best place to learn them for real is probably a school with a legit southern CMA lineage. Just make sure that lineage is verifiable. I don't know how popular Leopard is in other CMA like northern styles, but we saw that "Lama Fist" looked pretty similar. Ape, Leopard...whatever.
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Yeah ... both of those ... kinda nutters to say...Still looking for more info to put here found some links
Some info from one of the sites
Kung Fu Leopard Style (Bao Xing)
Read about kung fu leopard style using lightening-fast foot work and distinctive hand techniques combined to produce power and strength to overcome opponents.
The footwork of this style is one of the key aspects which allow it to be so fast. The leopard style uses quick short stances, which are very stable, to help to produce the strength and balance required. It is this which allows the direction of attack to change quickly and easily. Strong stances allow the generation of tremendous power and force.
Users of the leopard style must ensure that their knuckles and wrists are adequately conditioned in order to avoid self-injury when applying techniques such as the bao chui. This can be done though extensive training with firm sandbags as punching bags; as well as push-ups using knuckles (as opposed to palms).
The kung fu leopard style uses lightening-fast foot work and distinctive hand techniques which are combined to produce power and strength to overcome opponents.
Leopard Kung Fu
Imperial Leopard Kung Fu is a combat level martial art taught at Imperial Combat Arts school in Denver Colorado. Leopard style Kung Fu is an art known for its speed, and ferocious intensity. ...imperialcombatarts.com
Kung Fu Leopard Style (Bao Xing) Techniques
Read about kung fu leopard style using lightening-fast foot work and distinctive hand techniques combined to produce power and strength to overcome opponentwww.goldenlion.com.au
Li Ga provided the rat stepping techniques for certain as one of Chan Heung's teachers was Li Yau San, a classmate of his uncle Chan Yeun Woo and they were all junior classmates *according to legend* of Hung Hei Goon and students of Jin Sin Sim See. There's no record really outside of GGFF of what HHG taught but there was that nifty documentary from China a few years ago on finding his grave site and seeing some of what he left in the villages he moved through. I personally wouldn't place the animal connection to solely on Hung Kuen since what came from Fujian was short/mid ranged and very much tiger based techniques. CLF uses some of those ideas, but not all & is definitely related to Hung Kuen, but from watching/learning/researching ... not sprung from it. Random thoughts from the peanut gallery ...The modern, categorized forms of Leopard found in CLF are from Hung Ga's 5 animal system (or possibly Li Ga's, but probably Hung Kuen because it is older), which in turn got them from somewhere prior. But we have them today as the result of Wong Kei Ying's training his son in the southern Shaolin animal traditions (at least, that's where they found me).
So the best place to learn them for real is probably a school with a legit southern CMA lineage. Just make sure that lineage is verifiable. I don't know how popular Leopard is in other CMA like northern styles, but we saw that "Lama Fist" looked pretty similar. Ape, Leopard...whatever.
And without a doubt ... the only place to get anything authentic and complete is a legit Southern CMA school that carries not only the paper, but the hands and attitude to apply. That's where they found me & still keep me.
Wing Woo Gar
Grandmaster
What’s his name?
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
See now that's bad. I've read stuff from books and practiced it but never would claim to be from that lineage. I'm guessing he did it to get recognition. Haha wow well thats good. It's best not to lie cause someone will call you out eventually
That would make sense. I'd like to believe that's the case. Very true! I'm sure it may not have been as complete as Wing Chun or other arts but considering it was one of the main 5 it would be assumed it was a stand alone art. I'm sure both of those reasons are why it's hard to tell the history of it and other arts. I'm all down for mixing but it's still good to know the roots so it doesn't get lost eventually. I'm sure some of that stuff is also why these arts get a bad name for not working when in reality they do just not the copy cat stuff.It probably was a stand alone art. There's a lot you can do with just the few techniques and basic footwork (empty leg etc).. Nowadays the techniques are blended into various systems, but they're there. But as you've seen, there's a LOT of copycat stuff out there that is...wrong.
It's very similar to bare knuckle boxing, with similar footwork and a slightly more sophisticated hand techniques designed for bare knuckle attacks. Reminds me of some Mantis styles, similar concepts.
The modern, categorized forms of Leopard found in CLF are from Hung Ga's 5 animal system (or possibly Li Ga's, but probably Hung Kuen because it is older), which in turn got them from somewhere prior. But we have them today as the result of Wong Kei Ying's training his son in the southern Shaolin animal traditions (at least, that's where they found me).
So the best place to learn them for real is probably a school with a legit southern CMA lineage. Just make sure that lineage is verifiable. I don't know how popular Leopard is in other CMA like northern styles, but we saw that "Lama Fist" looked pretty similar. Ape, Leopard...whatever.
Now thats pretty cool. It makes sense considering the time it was probably developed at. Having both the concept and the exact techniques is really what helps alot.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm sure that should be the first thing to think of when trying to find out where it came from to begin with. That's really cool I'll definitely be doing some more research to learn more then haha.
Oh yeah I agree. I haven't searched for schools in ages. They'll probably be hidden well since majority of the schools around here is Taekwondo or something involving mma
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
Yeah its hard to find a reliable site that actually puts out good information
Oily Dragon
Senior Master
Totally agree. And it's interesting about Hung Hei Gwan, he's almost a Christ-like figure in Chinese history. I've seen so many debates over whether he existed. Jee Sin isn't going to win that battle, but I think it's safe to say the "original" founder of Hung Kuen was real...he certainly left behind a long lineage that has touched so many styles. I did not know they found his grave actually, that's really cool if true.Li Ga provided the rat stepping techniques for certain as one of Chan Heung's teachers was Li Yau San, a classmate of his uncle Chan Yeun Woo and they were all junior classmates *according to legend* of Hung Hei Goon and students of Jin Sin Sim See. There's no record really outside of GGFF of what HHG taught but there was that nifty documentary from China a few years ago on finding his grave site and seeing some of what he left in the villages he moved through. I personally wouldn't place the animal connection to solely on Hung Kuen since what came from Fujian was short/mid ranged and very much tiger based techniques. CLF uses some of those ideas, but not all & is definitely related to Hung Kuen, but from watching/learning/researching ... not sprung from it. Random thoughts from the peanut gallery ...
And without a doubt ... the only place to get anything authentic and complete is a legit Southern CMA school that carries not only the paper, but the hands and attitude to apply. That's where they found me & still keep me.
CLF is a composite of what, three family styles? and who knows what else. Hung Kuen is just the biggest family, so there are the most people out there with Leopard training in those schools (I'm guessing but it's probably true). I know that within about 50 miles of me, there are at least a dozen legit schools where I'd learn real Shaolin Leopard.
Hung Kuen as a source, what I mean by that is it's one of the oldest styles to transmit, not the only one (there are like you said 4 other big families, before we even leave southern China and start looking north). I look at these arts like spiders web that grows outward. It really does resemble a family tree but multi-dimensional rather than just a hierarchy.
When we look at Wong Fei Hung's Hung Ga Kuen, it contains the lineage of much older Hung Kuen, Shaolin animal stuff. I'm trying to dig up my copy of Ha Say Fu Hung Kuen, which is not technically the same as Hung Ga Kuen. But Wong Fei Hung definitely learned and used some portion of it to create what the modern Hung Ga schools teach as leopard philosophy and technique. It's all pretty consistent, which is why it's easy to spot weird variations and fakers.
Oily Dragon
Senior Master
I posted the book above, it's this one. Yee Chi Wai, the current grandmaster of the Wong Fei Hung/Dang Fong lineage.
Worth noting, there have been a few really decent books on Hung Ga Kuen from the Lam family side, this is the only one I know of from the Dang Fong side, but it's up there with all the recent Lam family books on the 5 southern animal/element styles.
All 5 animals are represented not only in color illustrations of form, but also applications and details. There's 4 pages on Leopard in the beginning, and then throughout the (208) technique list of the Five Animal Form, various leopard bits.
Sadly, I think this was a VERY limited a edition run, and I lucked out, a former sparring partner of mine told me about it and I got a copy.
The Authentic Teachings of Wong Fei Hung
Take a journey back in time to discover the origins of the Shaolin Five Animals, while uncovering the fighting techniques and philosophy of the art of Hung Ga Kuen. "The Authentic Teachings of Wong Fei Hung: The Five Animal Form", by renowned author and martial artist Master Frank Yee (Yee Chi...
books.google.com
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
Oh wow thats pretty cool hopefully you can find it. The history in these styles are so rich. It's odd how some people don't want to learn more about it. It definitely helps track and find anything you need as well like you said any fakers. I never really thought faking the info was such a big deal. I was always upfront with where I trained and when I got stuff from books and such.
If your still interested I did ask the group on telegram and they said your more than welcome to post it there. Apparently it's not regulated so posting books is pretty chill there. I've been in the group for around 2 years or so the tend to share alot of info on various subjectsI posted the book above, it's this one. Yee Chi Wai, the current grandmaster of the Wong Fei Hung/Dang Fong lineage.
Worth noting, there have been a few really decent books on Hung Ga Kuen from the Lam family side, this is the only one I know of from the Dang Fong side, but it's up there with all the recent Lam family books on the 5 southern animal/element styles.
All 5 animals are represented not only in color illustrations of form, but also applications and details. There's 4 pages on Leopard in the beginning, and then throughout the (208) technique list of the Five Animal Form, various leopard bits.
Sadly, I think this was a VERY limited a edition run, and I lucked out, a former sparring partner of mine told me about it and I got a copy.
The Authentic Teachings of Wong Fei Hung
Take a journey back in time to discover the origins of the Shaolin Five Animals, while uncovering the fighting techniques and philosophy of the art of Hung Ga Kuen. "The Authentic Teachings of Wong Fei Hung: The Five Animal Form", by renowned author and martial artist Master Frank Yee (Yee Chi...books.google.com
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
I was able to get some techniques yesterday as well as a short form. From what I was told the form is part of a 5 animal form. I'll have to double check it might be from CLF but these are the techniques
The order should be
Grabbing (like a lop or can be used to dig in)
Raking (like a tiger claw)
Palm strike
Inverted straight
Inverted back fist
Backfist
Hooking but like a Fuk Sao in Wing Chun
Hooking but using the knuckles so more of a slicing action
The order should be
Grabbing (like a lop or can be used to dig in)
Raking (like a tiger claw)
Palm strike
Inverted straight
Inverted back fist
Backfist
Hooking but like a Fuk Sao in Wing Chun
Hooking but using the knuckles so more of a slicing action
Attachments
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
This is the video. It's from what I was told is a 5 animal form. That side kick at the end is done that way on purpose. I was told its meant to be done for short range and to "knock the knee cap out of place"
Also for some of the techniques was told to aim for soft spots. Others like the palm strike can be done at a harder target. As well to use shallow penetrating force.
Also for some of the techniques was told to aim for soft spots. Others like the palm strike can be done at a harder target. As well to use shallow penetrating force.
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None I'm familiar with but who knows. People need to pay bills.
CMyers0323
Blue Belt
True I'll have to ask my friend if he knows where his instructor trained/with. Would you mind sharing some of the techniques your familiar with?
There were very few leopard techniques in the CLF lines as directly named "Leopard does anything". Leopard in my experience in CLF is more an attribute to physical activity/techniques/energy rather than actual mimetic or "inspired" techniques. I'm sure there are some lines that specifically work on getting the names and breakdowns in, but not a game breaking thing for what I learned.
Chaap Choi is probably the absolute best known "Leopard" technique in CLF. It means Stabbing punch and has little to zero in relation to the hand shape. Instead it is all about the energy of the technique, delivered and intended. A leopard isn't a big cat compared to Tiger in CLF or other Southern Shaolin styles. It can't/doesn't pounce and maul like that cat. It's fast and hits hard and often versus a one shot kick of strike. It has a squared shaped paw with underslung claws compared to a tigers flat paw and forward extruding claws. It approaches things from a different mindset.
