HISTORY

Gung (Kung) Fu literally means skill, art, or technique derived from diligent practice (hard work). Or translated to time and effort.

In the west, most Chinese martial arts are generally referred to as "Gung Fu". It is a martial discipline with applications ranging from combat and self defense to health and wellness.

The beauty of Chinese culture shines through in traditional

kung fu. One must experience its training methods to fully understand the depth of Kung fu. Every martial art is distinctive and flavorful and appeals to different types of people.

Regardless of origin, the goal of any martial art should be to develop one's character, improve health and promote cooperation and understanding. Martial arts are special because they promote learning and growth at every level of the entire person.

The History of Chinese Kung fu is as colourful as the many styles. It was said to have originated at the Shaolin temple over 2000 years ago. The historical value of Kung Fu predates any form of martial arts. Chinese martial arts has evolved through the centuries and has been kept traditional and modernized variations. The modern variations are called Wu Shu (martial skill or art), although Wu Shu generalizes all martial arts, it is particular to Chinese styles. The modernization of traditional martial arts has helped to allow the Chinese martial arts to become sport specific.

These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" (jiā), "sects" (pài) or "schools" (mén) of martial arts. Examples of such traits include physical exercises involving animal mimicry, or training methods inspired by Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal (nèijiāquán), while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external (wàijiāquán). Geographical association, as in northern (běiquán) and southern (nánquán), is another popular classification method.

The main perceived difference between northern and southern styles is that the northern styles tend to emphasize fast and powerful kicks, high jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable, immovable stances and fast footwork. Examples of the northern styles include Changquan, Praying mantis, and Xingyiquan. Examples of the southern styles includer Choy li Fut, Wing Chun, and Bak mei. Chinese martial arts can also be divided according to religion, imitative-styles and family styles such as Hung, Lao, Fut Gar.

There are distinctive differences in the training between different groups of the Chinese martial arts regardless of the type of classification. However, few experienced martial artists make a clear distinction between internal and external styles, or subscribe to the idea of northern systems being predominantly kick-based and southern systems relying more heavily on upper-body techniques. Most styles contain both hard and soft elements, regardless of their internal nomenclature. Analyzing the difference in accordance with yin and yang principles, philosophers would assert that the absence of either one would render the practitioner's skills unbalanced or deficient, as yin and yang alone are each only half of a whole.

Training

Chinese martial arts training consists of the following methodology: basics, forms, applications, weapons, conditioning and qigong (breath skill); different styles place varying emphasis on each component. In addition, philosophy, ethics and even medical practice are highly regarded by most Chinese martial arts. A complete training system should also provide insight into Chinese attitudes and culture.

Basics (Ji Ben Gong)

The Basics are a vital part of any martial training, as a student cannot progress to the more advanced stages without them; Basics are usually made up of elementary techniques, conditioning exercises, and stance training. Basic training may involve simple movements that are performed repeatedly; other examples of basic training are stretching, striking,throwing,tumbling, or jumping. Without strong and flexible muscles, management of Qi or breath, and proper body mechanics, it is difficult for a student to progress in the Chinese martial arts.A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows:

• Train both Internal and External.

• External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances.

• Internal training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breathing and strength.

Stances

Stances (steps) are structural postures utilized in Chinese martial arts training. They represent the foundation and the form of a fighter's base. Each style has different names and variations for each stance. Stances may be differentiated by foot position, weight distribution, body alignment, etc. Stance training can be practiced statically, the goal of which is to maintain the structure of the stance through a set time period, or dynamically, in which case a series of movements is performed repeatedly. The Horse stance (Ma bu) and the bow stance (Gung bu) are examples of stances found in many styles of Chinese martial arts.