Kung Fu Training

Sooner or later along your kung fu training you will come across opponents that are less experienced than you –where you may choose to show off and boost your ego to see how great you are.  However no doubt (especially in the beginning) you will come across opponents that are much more experienced.  And in some cases a lot better..  Hopefully you will come  across these individuals in classes rather than the real word,  But the same principles should apply, regardless of your kung fu style.  First up do not be intimidated by your foes –respect them for their abilities and don’t take anything for granted.  I would strongly advise that you fight more experienced opponents during sparring sessions in classes.  This way you have a controlled environment where you wont get too seriously hurt.

This is one of the most valuable experiences you will ever undergo in your kung fu training.  A valuable lesson.  You will be able to determine where you are weak and what your strengths are.,  what works and what doesn’t  AS STATED DON’T BE INTIMIDATED.  If you are too freaked out that you cannot move fluently you have already lost.  The key is to focus on your opponent and your training.  Identify your tactics and remember what you have learned. Do not deviate from your training.  It is a dynamic situation. So stick to your plan.  Stay with the basics within the framework of your system.  Sometimes ego takes over and we try something new or fear takes over and we panic with random strikes. Focus on your opponent as an obstacle to overcome—take emotion out of and back your self.  After all they also have two arms two legs and only advantage they have is just a bit more experience.  They have been in the exact same position when you started.  It doesn’t  make them invincible or unbeatable.

Sparring against a skilled opponent is the best way to fast track your progress.  During these sessions you will learn more about yourself more than anything.  Your confidence will grow.  You may not be able to beat all comers all the time but at the very least you can hold your own.  And remember you can always improve and more can be learnt from a stronger opponent than one  that  you can dominate.

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In its Traditional Kung Fu Training Mok Gar practice involves the use of two wooden dummys.  One is called mook-yann-jong with projections which resembles arms and is used for blocking and countering The others is called darn gee and is particular to mok gar.  These dummys are used to practice all of the attacks necessary for a student to learn.  This kung fu training is excellent for building physical power and developing effective punches and kicks.  This is important in Mok gar since every student has to pass through a stage where he or she develops a considerable amount of power before progressing.

One of the unique kung fu training drills on Mok gar is  the darn gee kicking drill.  In Kung fu each school has its own method of training the kicks using various mechanical facilities..  Irrespective of the method, the aim is the same: to increase the freedom of leg movements, enhance speed improve accuracy and to develop and harden the soles of the feet.  During the course of the training the darn gee helps practitioners improve their stamina, harness speed, accuracy and straight kicking techniques.

This unique training drill is a stage that all mok gar practitioners must experience if they wish to develop high standards within his style.

The 108 movements that are the basis of Mok Gar style can be used in many ways, from a single punch, which may be all that is needed to win a fight, to multiple jumping kicks.

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Shaolin mok Gar Kuen is one of the original family disciples of Kung Fu training. From Southern China and it is well known for its kicking techniques.  Practitioners are not restricted to just kicking; however since the full range of weapons is also part of the system.

The resulting flexibility of attack and defense epitomizes the original concepts of Chinese Kung Fu Training: To express yourself fully in the attempt to triumph in combat.  When engaging in combat, the objective is to win, so practitioners believe that to place any restrictions on one particular movement would be to put themselves at a disadvantage.

A midget called MoK Da Si in the Shaolin Monastery in Southern China, so legend has it originally developed Shaolin Mok Gar.  He taught this style, known then as Shaolin chuen to his family in the Tong-Kwin district in the Kwong Tong province. And the name remained until the third generation when it was renamed Mok Gar (after Mok’s family).

The style has passed virtually unchanged through many generations and  is still faithfully taught today, according to its original concepts.  Indeed it shares the same good reputation with four contemporary Southern Chinese Family styles Hung garm Lee gar an Lau-gar.  Each family became well known for its specific strength within the style. 

The Chinese have a traditional saying which when translated, calls to min the strong points of these styles “Hungs fists, mok’s kicks and lee’s staff.”

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For those of us who have started out kung fu training we are taught the self-discipline as this is the key to self mastery.  We have different motives to start kung fu , perhaps it was the first time you saw a Bruce lee movie, or maybe to get fit or perhaps for self esteem.  In any case the mystique of kung fu and its history are long and the training hard.  There are infinite ranges of styles of kung fu with their origins tracing back to mimicking animals striking and fighting in their native habitats.  It has been said that Shaolin monks observed the movements of these animals attacks and this lay the foundation for them to develop their own fighting styles.  The monkey fighting style, the 5 animal kung fu style and tiger claw kung fu style can observe this. Indeed many of the forms and styles of kung fu training stems from these ancient origins.  As part of the tradition of kung Fu training these practices are still part of today’s training routine.

A classic example of this is the posture of the Chinese horse stance.  Any kung fu trainee will have spent many times practicing this posture.  It is both simple and very effective. It is the cornerstone of beginning you  Your training is more than learning the forms and actions- your training should be a test of endurance, stamina and focus.  This is embodied in the horse stance.  It gets its name by position you see someone who is sitting on a horse.  The Chinese did love their animal analogies. Essentially the posture is as follows.:

By the way it is not recommended that you try this the Jacki Chan way as above.  He is a bit of a masochist.  If you have seen the out takes of his movies you will know what I mean

Your legs are just more than shoulder width apart, you should be squatting down with your knees and toes pointed forward -thighs parallel to the ground.

Your back is straight- looking forward.   Your arms can have different positions.  The most popular (how I was trained) was with your arms forward shoulder width apart with palms facing out fingers pointing up.

The goal here is to hold this position for 5 minutes.  To achieve this I would suggest breaking it up into 30 second stints and build up to 5 minutes.  To be honest 3 minutes is an achievement in itself.  You will learn much from this posture.  It will create greater flexibility in you legs and all over, in particular your leg strength will grow and grow.  It will burn it will sting-you may be staggering around after your initial practices—but this is kung fu training ..if you saw what Uma Thurman went through in Kill Bill 2  you are getting of light..  But you will reap immediate rewards from this simple yet complex exercise.

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Kung fu training can be an exciting and demanding journey.  Its origins can be traced back many hundred years to China, with the most popular home of Kung Fu Being the Shaolin Temple.

Kung Fu, meaning sustained effort or skill’ incorporates hundreds of styles such as wing chun training, tai chi, Choy lee fut, monkey kung fu style and many more. However there are common traits, which complement the overall picture in Kung Fu.  All disciplines start with basic stances and motions that act as a platform, which a student may learn and study different, styles and forms.  As skill levels rise, these forms progress into higher levels of difficulty, allowing the student to gain fluidity and dexterity before competitive training.

Kung Fu training draws on many years of tradition and expands the full spectrum of the martial arts.  From devastating lethal attacks to soft smooth elegant meditative movements.  Kung Fu is much more than a physical pursuit.  It encapsulates a healthy body, through the physical discipline of Kung Fu, as well as  the mental and spiritual through the practice of meditation and soft martial arts of tai chi and Chi Kung.  Your  training will include adopting a philosophy of balance- the taoist understanding of Yin and Yang.  To get the most out of your Kung Fu it is important to keep an open mind.  There are many different styles out there and the more you learn the more you will be introduced to new concepts.

However there are a few fundamental basics you should be aware of when beginning.

They are:

Fitness:  Any martial requires some level of fitness. So be ready to train hard. You need stamina to continue and actually enjoy the class.  You don’t want to be panting and gasping for air during your training.  Not Much fun.

Flexibility: Stretching before a class should be a mandatory part of your training.  You don’t want to injure your self during an exercise.  You don’t need to be a yoga guru just some slight preparation to begin with.  Listen to your body and know its limits.  You can always progress at the appropriate pace-and you will feel so much better.  Above all have FUN!  You are suppose to be enjoying yourself so you get the most out of your martial arts.

For more insights into various martial arts and how they can complement your kung fu training visit:

• Top 10 International Martial Arts – Top 10 Lists | Listverse – Top 10 Lists: Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. They may be studied for various reasons including combat skills, fitness, self-defense, sport, self-cultivation/meditation, …

• Grappling, Ground Fighting and Chinese Martial Arts | Dharma-Zen Blog – Upcoming Retreat 4/16/10 – 4/18/10 Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation at Ocean Resort, Vancourver Island, BC,

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