Choy Li Fut Basic stuff

[tparkerkfo]

Hi All,

I saw the other post about trying to illicit topics that are more productive and figured I had a TON of questions regarding Choy Li Fut. I am not a CLF player but I am very interested in having a basic understanding of the system.

From what I understand, there are several families of Choy Li Fut, Buk Sing, Hung Sing, and Chan. It seems that there are many forms in atleast some families, while others may only have a few. The other thread talked abuot some core forms. Would any one like to share what forms are common to all choy li fut and what they are supposed to teach? I have rented a couple vids and saw one version of Sup Jee Kau Da. I can't remember much about it at the moment though. Time to rent it again.

Tom
________
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[monk weed]

From what I've learned choy li fut has three main branches. Hung sing, Buk sing and Hong (or hung sing but the chinese character is different from the other hung sing) and I guess that the later refers to the Chan family branch. As far as the forms go, the basic five wheel stance form is in all branches but are very different from each other. However the end result is the same. The so called core of clf forms include sub gee kow da (which could be the longest form in most if not all branches) are greatly different from one another but all of the important clf technique are there.
As far as some families having more sets than the other is meaningless. Many sifus of the clf system had more than one sifu and subsequently added or subtracted things they thought would be useful or not. This is true even in schools from the same lineage. If you look into the differnt branches of clf you will find that most have forms with the same name but do not resemble each other at all. I feel that the most successful schools are the ones that emphasize the basics and not the order of or the quantity of the forms. I hope that this is a good starting point for your investigation, however I'm hardly an authority on clf.

[Arhat of Fury]

Just an FYI, 5 wheel stance does not exist in the Buk Sing branches. At least not in mine. I think that is a Hung Sing form, but not sure.

AOF

[monk weed]

Arhat of fury

Just out of curiosity does the Buk sing style have any animal forms?

[Arhat of Fury]

Its really hard to say because, according to what has been explained to me Tarm Sarm only had 3 core forms(which did not contain animals) as he did not like forms that much. We do learn animal forms such as "Panther subdueing the Tiger" but im not sure if its CLF or Hung Gar or Chow Gar. I have never really asked. Each CLF form does have animal techniques such as Tiger, panther and crane.

AOF

[Fu-Pow]

It's not so much the forms but the techniques:

All the branches have these techniques:

chaap chui (panther fist), chin ji chui (aka pek chui, axe fist), Sao Chui (Roundhouse Punch), Cum Jeung (cover palm), Faan Jong (uppercut), Cham Kiu (sink hand), Chun Kiu (aka Chun La or Chun Na, block-grab), Biu Jong (thrusting fist), Jot ( circular block), Dahn Lahn (single take down), Fu Jao (tiger claw), Sun (finger tip strike), Fut Jeung (buddha palm), Biu Ji (finger tip strike),
Poon Kiu (inward block), Gwa Chui (back fist), Da Chui (vertical back fist), Jiang (elbow strike), etc, etc.

Most of the "standard" forms in all branches have these techniques. The sequence and footwork will very from branch to branch.

When you get into the animal forms the hand technique become specialized and not all branches have animal forms.

The Chan Family has "internal" forms that are unique to that branch.

When you get into weapons there is even more variation and the origin of the weapon forms is very cloudy in some cases.

[cha kuen]

Wow interesting posts. I'm learning a lot about choy lay fut that I didn't know. Keep it going guys.


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[monk weed]

AOF,

I asked that question because I heard that Buk sing only had a few core forms. I have seen some Buk sing guy in S.F back in the early 90's and they where incredible fighters. I guess that quality does matter.

[Fu-Pow]

[QUOTE]hi fu pow


i'd read your post and i want to ask you about buiddha's palm technique . you call it to one especific technique or you refer to the green grass monk 's budhist palming system ?[./QUOTE]

Rain,

The buddhist palm can take many forms in the CLF forms. There is the straight palm, horizontal palm, thrusting palm, cover palm, down palm and even a strike with the hands together called bi fut jeung.

[Fu-Pow]

asked that question because I heard that Buk sing only had a few core forms. I have seen some Buk sing guy in S.F back in the early 90's and they where incredible fighters. I guess that quality does matter.

I think fighting ability is largely dependent on how much time the individual spends sparring and doing application drills, etc. j

Forms are like a dictionary of techniques, but like words in a regular dictionary there are many ways to use the techniques. It is up to the individual to figure out which techniques work best for them and learn to apply them.

Apparently, the baksing people spend quite a bit of time on this and therefore have produced some capable fighters.

[neito]

i have only seen 1 clf form and it invloved lots of circular strikes such as backfists. are circular strikes the bread 'n' butter of clf?

[Sho]

:D

[neito]

my school teaches some shorthand clf in its curriculum

[Arhat of Fury]

Monk weed,
I think Fu pow answered it best and just to piggyback, as we all know some schools concentrate more on forms and some concentrate more on technique, applications and sparring. My school does both but concntrates more on the latter.

Sho,
In my understanding- CLF's basis is " the hammer that swings at the end of the ropes. Your arms and legs being the ropes and your feet and hands being the hammer. What better way to create inertia/power than in a circular motion. A popular misconception that people dont realize is that these circles can be small(for quikness) and large(to generate crushing blows) coupled with this it was also invented to fight multiple attackers and in using circular motions continuosly to fight off opponents you can generate devastating power that otherwise would be next to impossible to create.


AOF

[Fu-Pow]

i have only seen 1 clf form and it invloved lots of circular strikes such as backfists. are circular strikes the bread 'n' butter of clf?

All true kung fu styles are based on a circlular movement or more correctly spiral movement. To quote my Taiji teacher "nothing is straight."

The human musculature occurs in a double helical spiral so in order to maximize the power of the muscles every movement must contain a twisting type of motion. This creates a dynamic and springy type of power that comes from the joints and less from the muscles.

The practitioner will look quite relaxed. You'll here this type of power referred to as like "steel wrapped in cotton" or "silk reeling energy." All styles should have it at the high levels.

Also, moving in spiral allows each movement to contain several different applications.. For example, most people think of Gwa Chui as only a back fist, but it can also be a block or an elbow strike as part of take down.

[monk weed]

This is what is great about this forum when used like this, great information being passed on without prejudice. As for my comment "quality does matter" I didn't mean it as a shot at any particular branch. Just what has been said on this forum before. It does not matter how much you know just how well you know it. No disrespect was intended.