Combat Eagle Claw vs. Movie Eagle Claw

[ghostexorcist]

Here is something that Eagle Claw practitioners may find hilarious. I occasionally go to google books and type in random kung fu terms to see if any new books on the subject has come out. This time I typed in "Eagle Claw." One of the books listed was on White Crane Boxing. Page 70 has a strange side-by-side comparison of both Crane Claw and Eagle Claw. Before I provide the link, I would like to show you what the hand position for combat eagle claw looks like:

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-91116643660013_2088_30723493

Now here is the comparison:

http://books.google.com/books?id=eckI4n1aNzAC&pg=PA70&dq=eagle+claw+kung+fu&ei=frhoS4-OKZaqzQS0-ImyDg&cd=9#v=onepage&q=&f=false

I think that person has been watching too many martial arts movies. They have that telltale three-finger formation popularly used by movie villains (like the one from Chan's Snake in Eagle's shadow).

I wonder where movie makers came up with this stuff? Is it because it looks more like Eagle talons than the traditional hand?

[cerebus]

Well, I can't comment on the eagle claw hand formation shown, but I do know the author of the book you linked to, Lorne Bernard, and I can attest to the fact that he is a VERY qualified, traditional instructor of one of the short-hand White Crane systems, having studied under a master in Malaysia.

One of his students fought at the 2008 USKSF International Lei Tai Championships, which is how I met him. His student was a very good fighter who actually used his traditional White Crane to win the International Championship title in, I believe it was the Heavyweight B division. I fought in Heavyweight C division and I believe he was one weight division above me. And not only is Lorne the real deal as a traditional sifu, he's a really great guy who is tremendous fun to hang out with.

[B-Rad]

If I read that right he is comparing two different hand formations within his crane system (called the crane claw and eagle claw, respectively) rather than comping the crane style and eagle claw style. In other words, what Lily Lau does in Northern eagle claw is completely irrelevant to what he's showing here. He's not the first southern style guy to use the term eagle claw to refer to a hand formation like that where you're using primarily the 3 strongest fingers.

[cerebus]

I hadn't read the details myself, but almost suggested such a thing. I've known practitioners of Southern styles of Kung Fu to use a similar "eagle claw" hand formation. I've seen Choy Li Fut practitioners use that formation as their "eagle claw" as well as others...

[SIFU RON]

They are both correct.