Animal Forms of Kung Fu Techniques

There are many different types of martial arts, and most people can find a style that suits both their physical capabilities and their needs for studying the style, whether it be conditioning, self-defense or stress relief. Kung-Fu is a very fluid style that is useful for self-defense while also being good for meditation and for spiritual study. Kung-Fu is a Chinese art that borrows from the stances and attitudes of different animal types in its teachings.

  1. Dragon

    • The dragon is a representation of inner-strength in Chinese lore. Buddhists described the dragon as a wise creature that would only reveal itself to those who had reached a certain level of enlightenment. Dragon techniques are generally circular in nature and end with a sudden strike to a vulnerable area of the opponent's body. The claw is the primary striking form in Dragon Kung-Fu, which is similar to a palm heel strike, but it also uses traditional punches where the power is generated by a sharp rotation of the hip.

    Tiger

    • Since the tiger is the king of all land creatures in China, it is also a symbol of courage and power. Tiger Kung-Fu techniques are more aggressive than other animal styles and uses strong stances that require a healthy back and neck to execute effectively. Tiger techniques target the opponent's center-line along with the arms and wrists, using palm strikes, punches and kicks. Proper breathing is vital for the correct execution of Tiger techniques.

    Snake

    • The Snake style of Kung-Fu is very different from the Tiger because it is much more relaxed and fluid. Snake Kung-Fu does not use any closed fists, and instead relies on sudden chops and finger strikes to an opponent. A Snake stylist needs to develop proper acceleration to his strikes because of the style's reliance on transitioning from complete relaxation into a fast strike. Practitioners believe the Snake style is vital to developing healthy qi (internal energy) in the body.