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| What to expect from Kung Fu training. There are many facets to Kung Fu practice. Empty Hand Forms, Weapons, Free Sparring, Pushing Hands, Kum Na (Chin Na), Chi-Kung, Fitness, Flexibility, Body Conditioning, Self Defence, Meditation & more. External/Internal training As with most Shaolin based Martial Arts, much of the initial training is very external biased. External here refers to the methods used to strengthen bone & muscle, to build power and strength in stances, and to develop external physical power in strikes and in the application of technique. Internal training focuses less on pure physical strength, and more on the development of Internal power. However no reputable system can be regarded as solely Internal or External, because in the more advanced levels of Kung Fu training all students must develop the Internal aspects of their Kung Fu. Stance Training: An often neglected aspect in a students early training is stance work, this can result in poor posture, weak form, and lack of power in the execution of technique. Correct stance training as a beginner results in far greater control and ability in later years. Body Conditioning: A strong healthy body is of paramount importance. Hence a significant part of training is given over to strength and conditioning excerises. Many safe circuit activities are utilised such as Situps, Squats, Crunches, Pushups etc. Also exercises such as Grinding Arms, and Grinding Legs are incorporated to strengthen the limbs. In addition specific conditioning excerises are used to "hone" the actual weapons of combat. For example:Training fingertip pushups for strengthening a Tiger or Dragon Claw. Single knuckle pushups to strengthen the Phoenix eye strike. Snaking Hands: An exercise to condition forearms, without de-sensitising them. Fitness & Flexibility: Fitness is usually described as a combination of Stamina, Flexability & Strength. Strength is developed as part of Body Conditioning. Stamina is developed using aerobic & anaerobic excerises, while flexability is developed using safe stretching techniques. Regular Kung Fu training will improve all aspect of fitness, whilst also developing essential self defence skills. Self Defence: Self Defence is often the primary reason for a person to start Kung Fu training. This being the case, all techniques are explained to the students from a practical self defence perspective. The forms found in Lau Gar Kung Fu are NOT noted for their flamboyant gymnastic techniques, this is because forms can be thought of as a dictionary of techniques, and it is wasteful in terms of time and energy to practice techniques that will never be utilised. Forms Practice: All the techniques of a style can be found within the forms. Hence correct form practice, and understanding of each technique and it's applications is the keystone to Kung Fu training. A great deal of time is spent during training gaining this understanding, and practicing the application of technique. Free Sparring: Free sparring is an opportunity for students to gain experience of using various techniques against an opponent, whilst maintaining a high level of safety. This can be either competition style sparring where the fighters wear protective gloves, foot pads and head guards. Or can be traditional free sparring where no protective equipment is used, thus enabling a far greater range of techniques to be explored. Pushing hands: Within Lau Gar Kung Fu, Pushing hands (chi Sau) can be regarded as very similar to traditional free sparring, except that contact between the combatants must be maintained at all times. There is a competitive aspect to Chi Sau, however this is restricted to high grade students only. Kum Na: Kum Na, or Chin Na as it is better known, is the art of seizing & locking. This includes such things as joint locking, grabbing, point striking, muscle and bone displacement etc. Unlike many non Chinese martial arts, all traditional Chinese systems incorporate seizing and locking techniques. These can be as simple as applying leverage to a joint to inflict pain on the opponent, to the more complex activities of cavity and point pressing. Traditional Kung Fu Weapons: Weapons training can be thought of as an extention to unarmed practice. In ancient times warriors would first learn basic weapons as a means of defence in battle, however as we are no longer allowed to carry items such as swords and spears in the street, modern weapons practice has become less significant than the unarmed training. Thus students are usually not taught a weapon until they have gained a reasonable level of empty hand skill. Internal training The Chinese believe that everything that lives has Qi. As one grows old the body degenerates due to the gradual lose of Qi. That is why a martial art such as Lau Gar Kuen that contains both External & Internal training is not only an effective fighting system, but also very benefical to ones health. The practitioner learns to cultivate and use their Qi for power, while at the same time strengthening the internal organs and heightening the mind and spirit, which leads to a long and healthy life. Qi flows through the human body along pathways called Meridians. Acupuncturists free up blocked or stagnant Qi by inserting needles along the meridians into specific areas of the body called acupoints. At higher levels of martial arts training, one learns how to strike these points, which can render an opponent unconscious or even kill. Within London Lau Gar Kuen, the development of Internal Energy is seen as a very important aspect of Kung Fu training. Without Qi development, a students Kung Fu is nothing more than physical movement & muscular strength. This is fine in the very early stages of training, but for a student to progress, and fully understand the essence of chinese martial arts the training in Qi-Gong is an essential requirement. Hence all students are taught Qi-Gong exercises that they should practice daily to enhance their Qi. This Page is currently under construction |
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