Martial Arts - Kung Fu

Styles

China arguably has one of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition, with hundreds of different styles, perhaps the most of any society in the world. Of the hundreds of Chinese martial arts that have developed over the past two to four thousand years, there are many distinctive styles with their own sets of techniques and ideas. There are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies, myths and legends. Some styles put most of their focus into the belief of the harnessing of “Chi” (qi) energy, while others concentrate solely on competition and exhibition. Each style offers a different approach to the common problems of self-defense, health and self-cultivation.

Kung Fu or Wushu as it is known can be split into various categories to differentiate them: An example of this is external (hard) and internal (soft). Kung Fu can also be categorized by location as well, as in northern and southern, referring to what part of China the styles originated from, separated by the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). The main perceived difference about 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 with fast footwork. There are distinctive differences in the training between different groups of Chinese martial arts regardless of the type of classification.


Training

Kung Fu training consists of the following aspects: basics, forms, applications and weapons. Each style of Kung Fu has its own unique training system with varying emphasis on each of those aspects. In addition, philosophy and ethics are highly regarded by most Chinese martial art and true Kung Fu training should provide insight into Chinese attitudes and culture.

Basics
Basics are a vital part of the training, as a student cannot progress to the more advanced stages without them. Without strong and flexible muscles including the management of the "Chi" (qi), many movements are simply impossible to perform correctly. Basics are generally a simple series of simple movements that are performed repeatedly over a short interval. Basics include such things as stretching, stances, meditation and special techniques.

Stretching
Considerable attention is paid to stretching in Kung Fu training. Speed, power and reducing injuries can be achieved by increasing the range of motion. Common stretching exercises include general joint rotations, static and dynamic stretching. These exercises are performed individually but also can be practiced in pairs. Different styles have different approaches to increase the student's flexibility but those approaches should be consistent with the fundamentals of sports medicine.

Stances
Stances are postures which represent the individual elements of a form. Each style will have different names and variations for each stance. Stances can be differentiated by such factors as feet position, body weighting and body alignment. Stance training can be practiced statically, in which case, the goal is to maintain the structure of the stance through a set time period. Stance training can also be practiced dynamically, in which case, a series of movements is performed repeatedly. The horse stance is a typical example of a stance found in many styles of Kung Fu as well as many other martial arts.

Meditation
In many styles, meditation is considered to be an important component of basic martial arts training. Meditation can be used to develop focus, clarity of thought and as a basis for qigong training. Meditation when practiced in this context does not require a religious component.

Special Techniques
Special techniques are basic exercises that are unique to a particular martial arts style. They are developed based on the experience and understanding of a particular style. For example, many styles have training to increase the ability to withstand a direct hit. In Wing Chun, basic training includes the use of a wooden dummy to develop striking power and some hand trapping techniques.


Forms

Forms in Kung Fu are a series of techniques defined by their stances combined so they can be practiced as one whole set of movements. Some say that forms resemble a choreographed dance, though martial artists often argue that a general difference is the speed and explosiveness seen in most external styles, and that the movements are actual fighting techniques.

A Kung Fu form needs to be practical, usable, and applicable as well as promoting flow, meditation, flexibility, balance and coordination.

Types of forms
There are two types of forms in Kung Fu. Most common are the solo forms, performed alone by one person, but there are also "sparring" forms, which are combined fighting sets performed by two or more people. It is another component of Kung Fu that is very useful to put the student in an imaginative real fight situation. It can also increase skills such as speed, concentration, imagination and reflexes.

Many styles consider forms as one of the most important practices, as they gradually build up the practitioner's strength, flexibility, internal power, speed, stamina, and teach balance and coordination. They also function as a tool for both the students and the teacher to remember the many techniques taught by the style, and sort them into various groups.

A style can have many compartments, both empty-handed and with weapons. In most styles, empty-handed techniques are the most common, but many styles also contain forms using a wide range of weapons of various length and type, utilizing one or two hands. There are also styles that only practice a certain weapon, containing only forms with the specific weapon.

Forms are meant to work the body. Once a basic structure is able to be maintained in the body, forms are then used to work that structure. Forms develop a sensibility of moving from position to position which teaches the body to react.

Some forms focus specifically on punching and kicking, while others focus on joint manipulation, grappling, jump kicking, or weapons. Still other forms focus on different styles of movement, or on using specific hand configurations. Often, forms will combine several of these attributes.

Appearance of forms
Even though forms in Kung Fu are based on martial techniques, the movements might not always be identical to how the techniques they symbolize would work when applied in actual combat. This is due to the way many forms have been elaborated: on the one hand to provide better combat preparedness, and on the other hand, to look more aesthetic. One easily understood manifestation of this tendency toward elaborations that go beyond what most often might be used in combat is the inclusion of lower stances and higher kicks. The regular practice of techniques while using lower stances both adds strength to the same techniques when used with higher stances, and also facilitates using the same techniques in the lower stances when the realities of combat make doing so the most appropriate choice.

In recent years, as the perceived need for self-defense has decreased, many modern schools have replaced practical defense or offense movements with acrobatic feats that are more spectacular to watch, thereby gaining favor during exhibitions and competitions. The mainland Chinese government has especially been criticized by traditionalists for "watering down" the wushu competition training it promotes. Appearances have been important in many traditional forms as well, seen as a sign of balance, but may not be the most important requirements of successful training, from the martial perspective. Some martial artists have looked for supplementary income by performing on the streets or in theaters, although in the most traditional schools, such performance is forbidden.

Another reason why the martial techniques might look different in forms is thought by some to come from a need to "disguise" the actual functions of the techniques from outsiders, namely rival schools or the authorities, since China has been ruled by foreign powers in the past. The intention was to leave the forms in such a state that they could be performed in front of others without revealing their actual martial functions, while retaining their original functionality in a less obvious form. However some forms were created for reasons other than combat and martial application: some were created to help martial artists develop certain qualities. For example, in addition to aesthetic reasons, acrobatics blended into martial arts help martial practitioners develop strength, balance and flexibility.


Modern forms
As forms have grown in complexity and quantity over the years, and many forms alone could be practiced for a lifetime, styles of modern Chinese martial arts have been developed that concentrate solely on forms, and do not practice application at all. These styles are primarily aimed at exhibition and competition, and often include more acrobatic jumps and movements added for enhanced visual effect compared to the traditional styles. Those who generally prefer to practice traditional styles, focused less on exhibition, are often referred to as traditionalists. Many traditionalists consider the evolution of today's Chinese martial arts as undesirable, saying that much of its original value is lost.


Application

Application training refers to the training of putting the martial techniques to use. Kung Fu contains a large arsenal of techniques and usually makes use of the whole body; efficiency and effectiveness is what the techniques are based on. However, many Kung Fu styles appear to be flowery and 'fancier' than other arts but the movements are very meaningful in terms of application. When and how applications are taught varies from style to style, but in the beginning, most styles focus on certain drills where each person knows what technique is being practiced and what attack to expect. Gradually, fewer and fewer rules are applied, and the students learn how to react and feel what technique to use, depending on the situation and the type of opponent. 'Sparring' refers to one aspect of application training that simulates fighting situations but still with rules and regulations to reduce the chance of serious injury to the student.

The subject of application training is controversial and is part of an ongoing debate between the practice of martial arts and sports based on the martial arts. In the traditionalist view, martial arts training should eventually lead to and be proven by actual combat. In comparison, the sports view suggests that the training does not require such extreme methods. The traditionalist view is shaped by the history of Chinese martial arts where the techniques were developed as a means of self-preservation. Because of its importance, application training was kept secret and was given only to those that were considered 'worthy.' From the vantage point of martial arts as a sport, the issues of life and death is no longer decided by martial arts. As a result, the goal of the training should re-focus towards health and friendly competition.

Competitive sparring is one approach to satisfy the difference between the two viewpoints. In this approach, opponents can use their combat techniques but subject to a set of pre-defined rules and regulations which are designed to limit serious injuries.

Weapons training
Most Chinese styles also make use of training in the wide range of Chinese weapons for conditioning the body as well as coordination and strategy drills. Weapons training are generally carried out after the student is proficient in the basics, forms and applications training. The basic theory for weapons training is to consider the weapon as an extension of your body. The same footwork requirements, and body coordination is required. The processes of weapon training proceed with forms, forms with partners and then applications.