The Evolution Of Kung Fu Styles

By Patty Goff


Kung Fu is a word that is commonly used by the Chinese people to refer to any study that requires one to be patient and to use energy and time. In the west however, this word is commonly used to refer to the Chinese martial arts. It is associated with a lot of fighting styles that are usually categorized into different traits referred to as families. There are hundreds of kung Fu styles that were created more than one thousand years ago.

Even though there have been fresh styles formulated in the past, most are just modifications of old methods that have been in existence for a very long while. They vary in various places since many people believe that they should reflect the different manners that different individuals live. The first group is the hard and the soft methods. The soft ones include the techniques of distracting momentum to interfere with the stance of the enemy. After the enemy loses their poise, beating them in the match becomes quite easy.

In the soft methods of fighting, the participant needs to use plenty of skills and also internal strength. The hard methods conversely only need the participant to be very strong. They use too much pressure to win the fight. Aside from the type of force the fighters use, the technique may also be grouped according to the kind of motion used by the fighter. There are circular and linear techniques which attack the side and directly respectively.

This art also comprises internal aside from the external methods. The internal methods refer to the techniques that emphasize on the things that are not touchable like meditation, body control, insight and also control of the mind. These are a big part of soft style and they can also be called mystical methods. The external techniques conversely teach the fighters how to utilize of their body strength. They are shown how to maintain balance and use their body strength.

One of the facets that the leaders of martial arts look at to formulate new techniques include the environment. For example, they can observe the behavior of different animals and then form a new fighting method from it. For instance, there exists the monkey style which was inspired by the monkey behaviors.

The numbers of kung Fu techniques that are available are countless. Some of them that can be mentioned include the white crane, dragon style, praying mantis etc. From their names, it is easy to tell that they have been invented from the behaviors of some creatures. There are however others that are just invented with no motivation.

It is not all techniques of fighting have survived the many years that have come to pass. One can learn any technique extensively by seeking the guidance of a master. This is a game that does not only improve the ability of a person to fight; it is also a spiritual progress that can have a great impact on the emotions of the participant.

In the past, the martial arts were invented mainly for self-defense and spiritual purposes. However, today they are used as a game where the trainees fight in different fighting competitions in diverse locations around the world.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment