Basic Skills in Shaolin Wushu

Shaolin wushu, known to westerners as Shaolin kung fu, is considered the genesis of all Asian martial arts. As the story goes, the Bodhidharma, on his way to China from India, formulated a self-defense system based on his observations of animals and the way they fought in the wild. As a result, many of Shaolin's basic stances and movements are based on animals.

  1. Shaolin Wushu Stances

    • Bow stance, also known as forward stance, is the basic fighting stance of Shaolin wushu. In a bow stance, your front leg is bent almost at a 90-degree angle with your front knee over your front foot. The back leg is extended straight back behind you, giving you a low, agile stance that provides good mobility and is excellent for attacking and defending.

      Horse stance, sometimes known as Horse riding stance, is a low stable stance with the feet placed about two shoulder widths apart and aligned perfectly with one another. The lower you sink into your horse stance, the more stable it will be for attacking and defending.

      Back stance is primarily a defensive stance in which up to 90 percent of your weight falls on your back leg as you sit back almost as if you were in an invisible chair. Back stance is good for getting out of the way of an attack and provides easy opportunities to launch kicks with your front leg.

      Cat stance is a quick and agile stance that is created by placing the feet close together, sinking the body slightly and bending the front knee in a manner that puts more weight on your back foot. The toes of the front foot are pointed downward. In cat stance, you are well-positioned to rapidly launch kicks off your front leg.

    Shaolin Wushu Punches

    • All Shaolin wushu punches achieve power by putting your whole body behind them. This is done by pivoting, twisting or advancing in some way while the punch is being thrown.

      The advancing reverse punch is best performed from a back stance. This punch requires that you position the punching hand at the hip, palm up. Your opposing hand is raised in front of you to provide defense. Step forward with your rear foot at the same time you launch your fist from your waist. It's important to twist your fist as it extends out from your body. This twist adds velocity to your punch and burrows your strike deeper into your target.

      The reverse punch is similar in most respects to the advancing reverse punch, except without the advance. Instead, you pivot your hips as you throw the punch. This puts your whole body behind the punch, which causes a devastating impact if delivered with a proper twist of the fist.

      The straight crane punch is thrown from a forward stance with your head turned to face the target. From that stance, you thrust the rear arm toward the target while twisting your body into the punch to the degree that you will end up in a forward stance in the other direction.

      The downward crane punch is also thrown from a forward stance. This punch is launched from a position of having the arms raised slightly above your head. In this punch, you twist your body in the opposite direction of the target while bringing your forward arm downward, striking with the bottom of the fist. The opposite arm remains raised.

    Shaolin Wushu Kicks

    • Shaolin wushu kicks are among the most direct and basic in any martial art. When delivered correctly, it is this simplicity that renders them so devastatingly effective.

      The basic Shaolin wushu kick is the front kick. This kick, when done from a forward stance, is launched off the rear leg. Keeping a straight leg, you launch the leg forward with toes arched back, bringing your leg straight up and out as high and close to you chest as possible.

      The Shaolin side kick is very similar. Instead of launching the kick in front of you, it is launched to the side, also with toes arched back.

      The inside and outside kick are both very similar to the front kick. The inside kick circles from outside to inside and the outside kick circles from inside to outside. This circular motion of these two kicks gives more power and velocity to them, as well as making them harder to block or evade.

    Shaolin Mind and Body

    • In all Shaolin wushu techniques, it is important to maintain a clear, calm open mind. Keep your body limber, flexible and as relaxed as possible. You should only introduce tension at the moment your strike makes contact with your target. Think of your four limbs as being like whips and the moment of impact being like the whip's crack.

      While currently not as prevalent on the world martial arts stage as muay
      thai or Brazilian jujitsu, Shaolin wushu is still an effective and powerful martial art. Its simplicity and tradition have much to impart to beginners and experienced martial artists alike.