Children's Classes • The Martial Arts Code • Kung Fu Theme Parties

Hung Gar
Southern Kung Fu

A Shaolin Five Animal System, Hung Gar Kung Fu is a wonderful and practical ancient Chinese martial art. It is a close range hard style containing empty hand forms, weapon forms, Jung Hay Chi Kung breathing, isometric training exercises, hand strengthening exercises, and the Chinese lion's dance. 

The Hung Gar style uses the movements of the five animals for self defense and to develop the body, mind and spirit. These animals include the snake, crane, leopard, tiger and dragon. Each animal movement has its own specialized attribute.

As humans we can learn from the attributes of each animal and anyone can do this. The system is considered by some to be very practical because it uses eighty to ninety percent hands which mean it is easier to apply especially in adverse weather. The hallmarks of Hung Gar are deep low stances, notably its "sei ping ma" or horse stance, strong hand techniques, notably the bridge hand and the versatile tiger claw.

The student traditionally spends anywhere from months to three years in stance training, often sitting only in horse stance between a half-hour to several hours at one time, before learning any forms. Each form then might take a year or so to learn, with weapons learned last. However, in modernity, this mode of instruction is deemed economically unfeasible and impractical for students, who have other concerns beyond practicing kung fu.

Hung Gar is sometimes mischaracterized as solely external -- reliant on brute physical force rather than the cultivation of chi, even though the student advances progressively towards an internal focus.

Iron Wire training also called Jung hey, builds internal power and is essentially a combination of chi kung ( meditative breathing and energy work) with isometric exercise particularly dynamic tension. Although weights were often used in traditional practice, brass or iron rings on the wrists were also used. If properly practiced it can increase strength considerably and promote a stable root. However as with both most forms of chi Kung and most forms of isometric exercise it must be practiced regularly or the benefits are quickly lost.

Benefits gained with regular practice include reducing stress, depression, hypertension, and blood pressure, breathing and heart rates, pain and inflammation, headaches and anxiety. Regular practice also improves flexibility, balance and posture, discipline, strength, circulation, immune system function, ability to relax and sleep concentration and memory, mental outlook and weight management.