Why choose Hung Gar?

[Martialartssi]

Hi,
I went to Fong Hung Ga school in Staten Island and am very interested in it. But not sure if its the art for me. How would I know that this is what I want instead of other Martial arts? Something about the animals that I don't understand.

[Fu-Pow]

Hung Ga is a very effective, brutal martial art.

It is a "Southern Shaolin" Style so it incorporates the 5 animals of Shaolin. These are the Tiger, Crane, Snake, Dragon and Panther.

Most Shaolin styles have a specialty animal and for Hung Ga it is the Tiger and Crane. So sometimes you here it referred to as "Tiger and Crane Boxing."

There are several pillar sets of Hung Ga.

They are Gung Ji Fook Fu Kuen, Fu Hok Kuen and Tid Sin Kuen (and some lineages have Sup Ying Kuen also).

Gung Ji Fook Fu is a demanding set that trains the stance, breath and hardens the forearms (which are used as a weapon in most southern styles, but especially Hung Ga).

Fu Hok is the Tiger/Crane set made famous by Hung Ga's hero Wong Fei Hung.

Tid Sin Kuen (or Iron Wire Set) is Hung Ga's most revered. It trains how to bring internal energy to the outside of the body. This makes one resistant to attack and able to deliver devastating blows (my old Hung Ga sifu reportedly broke a kick boxers blocking arm just by punching it.)

Sup Ying is a bridge between Fu Hok and Tid Sin Kuen.


I trained Hung Ga for about a year before switching to Choy Lay Fut. It is a good style, especially for strong, stocky people. Plan on doing lots of time in Horse Stance for your first year. :D