Kung fu (Mandarin: gung fu; Cantonese: gong fu) is a Western- catchall term for the Chinese martial arts. Literally translated, kung fu means “work hard,” which is why people who work hard are described as having a lot of “kung fu.”
While the martial arts have existed in China since 2600 B.C., the foundation for modern kung fu began in A.D. 527 when Indian monk Ta Mo arrived at the Shaolin Temple in the Henan province and created the 18 Buddhist Fists. As a result, many kung fu styles can trace their lineage back to Shaolin.
There are two main schools of kung fu: Shaolin (known for “external” styles that strengthen muscles, ligaments and tendons) and Wu Dung (known for “internal” styles that strengthen and manipulate chi or life force). Geographical association is another way to categorize kung fu styles: northern (long extended postures, leg work, kicks, acrobatics) and southern (deep, stable stances; focus on arm work). Kung fu skills also can be categorized by hard movements (force-on-force mentality) and soft movements (turn attacker’s force against them).
Even the words “kung fu” in China have become synonymous with chuan fa and wushu.
– November 3, 2011
Bak mei (white eyebrow) kung fu master Leung Sheung proudly demonstrated another self-defense technique to his class: side kick, grab, punch. Leung executed the movements with as much fluency and precision as would be expected from any 20-year veteran of the fighting arts. The students then imitated the perfection of
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– October 11, 2011
Chael Sonnen isn’t your typical politician. For one, he actually answered our questions. But more important, the All-American wrestler from Oregon taught us some of the best tricks from his playbook.
Despite his reputation as one of the UFC’s loudest stars, he doesn’t have a bad word to say about
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– July 6, 2011
It’s been called the edge-of-the-hand strike, the ax hand, the shuto, the thousand-hand strike and the judo chop. It can be found in virtually every martial art from karate to kung fu and in every kata from those practiced at the Kodokan to those done at Kukkiwon. So how did
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– June 27, 2011
Jeet kune do authority Taky Kimura once described Kelly S. Worden as an “American icon of the progressive arts.” For more than 35 years, Kelly Worden has devoted his waking hours to blending and integrating a multitude of martial arts concepts to form a system of cross-training he calls Natural
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– June 3, 2011
We recently reimagined Bruce Lee’s Chinese Gung Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense with new text, digitally remastered photos, never-before-seen images and a brand-new cover.
This new edition of the landmark book gives martial arts enthusiasts and collectors exactly what they want: more Bruce Lee.
In addition to the master’s insightful explanations
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– May 30, 2011
Now that Hollywood has almost ruined the conceptual approach of Hong Kong’s evolution of stylized martial arts fight choreography, there’s one film left this year that’s a welcome sight for fight-film fans. After a four-year absence from the kind of movies that made Jet Li famous, he’s come out of
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– April 7, 2011
On our walk down the martial path, we will find that we cannot rely on our martial arts training as we did when we were younger. That head-high kick gets harder and harder to deliver effectively. The power in that once-awesome reverse punch seems to slip, regardless of how much
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– March 31, 2011
If you’re on the prowl for new ways to improve your martial arts skills and expand your knowledge base, the five animals of Shaolin kung fu are for you. By studying the fighting methods of the snake, crane, tiger, leopard and dragon, you’ll glimpse kung fu through the eyes of
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– March 24, 2011
In the martial arts DVD series Street Fighting Applications of Wing Chun, Grandmaster William Cheung, the longtime friend and wing chun training partner of Bruce Lee, recalls some of his most dangerous street fights and deconstructs the techniques he used to survive the encounters. In Street Fighting Applications of Wing
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– March 24, 2011
In the martial arts DVD series Street Fighting Applications of Wing Chun, Grandmaster William Cheung, the longtime friend and wing chun training partner of Bruce Lee, recalls some of his most dangerous street fights and deconstructs the techniques he used to survive the encounters. In Street Fighting Applications of Wing
Read More »
