Hung Gar for Self Defense

[Tekarius]

I was wondering how effective is Hung Gar in a street fight. I heard that Hung Gar is very slow but strong.

[illusionfist]

It's up to the players interpretation of the system. Hung Gar is not characteristically slow.

Peace :D

[Tekarius]

what do you mean?

[illusionfist]

Some people move fast, others slow. There are times when both speeds are needed. An example of a fast move would be our fire darting fist or a snake strike. A slower movement would be gold splitting fist. Its not that its slow, its just slower than other movements (often times slower than movements that are more linear).

Peace :D

[Rolling Elbow]

It is the practitioner that is "slow" not the art..besides, "slow" also means that a practitioner knows his distancing and angling so well that he does not need to be that fast because he knows which way you are going and how you will likely try to hit him once he has led you into the "zone" he wants to be in.

Most arts are good for the street..just need to learn to use them properly.

Michael Panzerotti
Taijutsu Nobody from the Great White North..

[Tekarius]

But do you guys think that a Hung Gar Guy that is 5 feet five can take out a 6 foot guy out? And yes I know its based on how hard that Hung Gar Guy works. But let say he worked pretty hard at it.
Cause Hung Gar is kind of Brute forced so I was wondering if its good for street fighting?

[illusionfist]

Where did you get this brute force notion? Brute force and (insert any style here), should never be used in the same sentence. Its just not a wise thing to say because every martial art depends on body mechanics, not a mindless application of force.

Peace :D

[CPS]

Hungga is hard and soft, slow and quick: Ying and Yang. Depending on the opponent the Hungga practioner can change his tactics and techniques.
So it's a very good, rich system with many possibilities.

HA HA HA, "Everything you say, can and will be used against you" MMMM

[Je Lei Sifu]

I happen to be 5'5" tall @ 200lbs. And yes it is possible for me to defeat a person 6'+ inches tall. Not only is it possible, but it has happened on several occassion. By the way, it was not always the same person.

Question on brute force. Was I as strong as these people? No. Was I faster? Extremely. Did I fight toe to toe head on? No, not that stupid. All angles and quick foot work and a good knowledge of knowing what to do.

15yrs of Hung Ga and still going.

Much respect

Je Lei Sifu :cool:

The Southern Fist Subdues The Fierce Mountain Tiger

[Tekarius]

Have you guys actually been in a street Fight before????
It's alot harder than you guys might think.
I've always tried to use Hung Gar techniques in a street fight but I always end up using wild punches and all that.
So I was wondering if you guys ever used your Hung Gar techniques in the streets?

[WongFeHung]

I get this alot, Hung Ga is slow, Hung Ga is long-range, worthless in streetfights,yadda-yadda. This is is only true if the instructor teaches slow, long range, worthless technique.Let's be realistic here. Do you really think (?) that a system of martial arts that was developed and used for fighting skilled fighters in life and death struggles on the battlefield would be SLOW, or LONG RANGE., or WORTHLESS ON THE STREET? C"MON,,waddya kiddin? Then (this is really funny) I get these lamebrains who say "people don't fight like that anymore" um..like what? You mean people don't what, gangfight? punch, kick, swing tire irons, machetes,crowbars,box cutters,bottles, bats, chains,what? That's all different, right? It comes down to angles of attack.Battleaxe=machete=tireiron. Ohh I get it, You mean modern fighters have reinvented the punch? Western boxing is the first time anyone EVER saw a jab, or a hook punch? BJJ is the first time anyone ever grappled on the ground, right? These (and many more, folks!)are just some of the incredible mind-boggling stupidity I am faced with on a regular basis. Like I said, it all boils down to the angle of the attack. Hung Ga -when practiced correctly, is brutally effective, fast as lightning, and fought close enough to fight in a phonebooth. -when practiced correctly, then again, there's shotokan with cool claws again!

[Tekarius]

Well maybe you guys are right about the slow.
But Ten Tiger, I wonder when was the last time I said that Hung Gar is long ranged? worthless in street fights????
Also I would like to know who is your teacher, your lineage, and how many years of hung gar experience do you have? Nothing offenses just curious.

[illusionfist]

Tek- what about you, how many years do you have under your belt? The main mistake that i see being made here is that you are automatically blaiming the system for your combative shortcomings. Just because you cant use it doesn't mean that the style sux. The style just gives you the tools, you have to decide what you wanna build.

Peace out :D

[South Paw]

I've been a bouncer and nowadays I work with violent, criminal juveniles, aged 15 up to 20 years. Thanks to my understanding of Hung Gar techniques and the human body I manage to keep untouchable, even against multiple attacks.
As long as you practice enough with serious partners, it will all go natural. It becomes second nature.

South Paw

[humblefist]

Hung Gar forms and training can appear slow, but application is not. Many people interpret that seeing a form usually indicates the speed or the way the stylist will use to defend himself. Partial truth to this, but many things are seen and unseen in CMA. For example, low horse stance training is good, will I get that low to fight, NO. I have seen people standing straight up and be grounded and many people in low stance, tip over.

Remember, see beyond what you see.

[Tekarius]

Well I guess you guys are right and I didn't mean any harm to anyone. If I offended anyone I appologize. And yes you guys are correct that I knew to this Style.
The reason I started this post is because I feel that there is lots of Kung FU schools that fight like a Tae Kwond Do guy. And I dunno if you folks see that too?
If only there is a Video Clip of a Hung Gar guy sparring.
But anyways if I offended anyone I appoligize.

Peace :)

[Jimbo]

I'm not a Hung Gar stylist (I train Choy Lee Fut), but I have sparred in the past with a Hung Gar master in Taiwan. Without doubt, this individual, at about 50, was the most agile, quick, and one of the most grounded guys I've sparred. He used many angles, varied from long and short range, was fluid and yet hit like a truck. He was also a few inches shorter than me (I'm 5' 10")but he also defeated much larger guys.
He also had been a streetfighter and match fighter in his youth.
When people in any style fight, they will naturally vary due to individual differences. So seeing one person fight is no indication how another of the same system will fight, though certain things will identify them as being of that style. And there really aren't any kung fu systems you can learn only a short while and automatically apply it like an expert, either in sparring or in a street fight, even then, it won't look dramatic like in movies. If you don't put in the time, sweat, experience, and personal insight, it will be difficult if not impossible to use a kung fu system in a natural effective way.
(BTW, I've only had a few street encounters, most were VERY brief, a few seconds. Only one, when 4 men tried to pull me into a car, took longer (about 30 seconds maybe). These don't count the
times I simply escaped, which is generally the best option if it's available and you're smart.
Jim

[premier]

I just went throught Choy lee fut's Five animals pa kwa form today with my sihing. Hung Gar is five animals, right?

ok. This is what I learned today:

Each animal represent different way to use force. Tiger is low range, the arms are most of the time fully extended and it puts everything in every blow. It's even a bit rigid. Leopard is faster and uses smaller moves. the power seems to come from speed, stances and right kind of moving. Dragon just moves like a dragon. flyes across the floor to the opponent =) and so on and so on..

so what I'm saying is, that there's many ways to use and create power in all styles. What you know or think you know might just be wrong. prejudices, people. prejudices.

[premier]

not low range.. LONG range.

[Seal6]

How can anybody say a style is slow? Would that not depend on the user of said style? After all A punch is a punch in any style, speed is usually up to the user and how much time they want to practice being fast.

[illusionfist]

The dragon in hung gar is used more for energy cultivation than anything else. The dragon movements do have fighting applications, but the intent for the posture is usually for cultivating chi.

Peace :D

[WongFeHung]

Tiger is not long range, it is used in close, as is much of Hung Ga,long arm does not mean long range.When you see the long arm, use the entire arm, or strike through the opponent. To use long range only allows your opponent room to avoid, or recover-which is stupid, you must be on him like white on rice, and stick like glue-hey-sticky rice! Dragon moves have many fighting applications within the forms, not simply a few and the rest for energy cultivation as you might believe; many of which grasp and pull the opponent into you for devastating joint breaking techniques utilizing the entire body to break the joints by twisting and turning.Don't be limited by your gung-fu, be liberated by it.

[illusionfist]

"The dragon movements do have fighting applications, but the intent for the posture is usually for cultivating chi."

I mean this statement in regards to LUNG YING intent, the moves of the lung ying (or variations thereof) can be found in other areas, along with many fighting applications. Now during the lung ying, the intent can change, which changes up a whole lot of things (element/animal correlations, faht structure, etc.)

Just wishing to clarify

Peace :D