Training Principles

Man in Red Sash leading Kung Fu class practicing blocks

Our school is founded on the principle of hard training. Every class stresses the importance of training hard and practicing diligently. The heart of our art is the basic training. The soul is the form training. It is only through the mastery of heart and soul that we are able to begin mastering our art. One must have great patience and determination to excel in Mandarin Kung Fu.

BASIC TRAINING

Hard Stances

Hard horse stances develop the solid foundation that is necessary to execute powerful techniques.
They also provide your legs with the strength to move your body swiftly.

Habitual practice of basic blocking, punching (all hand) and kicking techniques assures that you train the fundamentals regularly.

Hand and Foot Techniques

Regular practice assists in teaching and developing the following: stance training, blocking, punching and kicking techniques, proper breathing, flexibility, agility, fluidity, speed, power, focus, mind control, hand to eye co-ordination and endurance.
Movements are executed one at a time or in small combinations.
Moving basics are usually performed with a slight pause between them (similar to a karate form). This is an excellent way to train as it allows the student the opportunity to put one hundred percent focus on what he/she is doing.
Basic movements provide you with the stepping-stone to advanced techniques.
Constant repetition of fundamental movements helps you to improve your techniques.
Constant repetition also programs itself in your mind, allowing the correct movement to come up reflexively if it is ever needed

FORM TRAINING

Types of Forms

Solo or empty hand forms
Single and multiple animal forms
Two man contact sets
Solo Weapon forms
Contact Weapon sets against similar or different weapons
Jung Hay or chi gung breathing forms

Notes on Forms

A solo form is a pre-arranged group of defensive and offensive techniques that emulate a fight against several imaginary opponents.
Forms begin and end with a salutation. This is beginning salutation is called the head of the form. The ending salutation is called the tail of the form. The actual form is called the body of the form.
Form training assists in teaching, developing and understanding the fundamentals designated in basic training.
Form training is the perfect union to our art.
Form training teaches how and when a movement can be changed.
Contact forms teach you how to apply the movements in a form in a real time scenario.
Constant repetition of the same form or the techniques within does not become boring because the student performs each repetition with an inquiring mind, determined to find a better understanding of what he is practicing.
Forms act as an encyclopedia of our art. Consistent repetition of all the forms in our system insures reviewing specific movements that may not be covered in class on a regular basis.
Forms serve to identify our style with people acquainted with the martial arts.
Form training is a means that masters use to pass on their art.
Some systems train tension forms to learn to withstand powerful blows.. The training concept of Mandarin Kung Fu is to develop the movements in our forms to a level of expertise that will prevent you from getting hit.
All Mandarin Kung Fu forms are performed at fighting speed with maximum focus and power.
Every form in our system is designed to train a specific concept or a group of concepts. The goal of the form is not to learn the form. The goal is how to apply, modify & adapt the movements in the form in a realistic combat environment.

General Form Training and Development

Work on establishing a strong foundation
Work on developing maximum focus
Train one movement at a time
Combine movements and small sequences
Train the entire form
Never sacrifice stances & power for speed.
Never train for speed. Speed should evolve naturally as you perfect the form. Training for speed usually waters down the movements, as the practitioner becomes absorbed with racing the form and gives little or no credence to the technicalities of the movements.
You do not have to rush the time between movements. Speed should come from the actual movement
Focus on what you need. It is better to train one movement 100 times, than to train 20 movements 5 times each.
Train to become one with the form

Man and woman practicing Kung Fu partner work

Class of adults practicing Kung Fu in a dojo