Hung Gar

[lowang]

Is Hung Gar a good choice for pratical self defense kung fu? I was looking for something with leg sweeps and low kicks, and a friend of mine told me there were almost no kicks in the Hung Gar system. Is this true?

[JWTAYLOR]

No. Hung Gar is a super powerfull, practical system. Not as much kicking as in the Northern systems, but plenty of kicks.

JWT

[lowang]

Thanks JWT.

[MoQ]

It IS true that Hung Ga is a solid stance type style.
For good leg work and sweeps, 7* Mantis is a good choice...IMO
Try asking around that Forum...

[JWTAYLOR]

I'd have to agree with MoQ about the 7 Star for better low kicks and sweeps. But if that's the main focus of what you are interested in don't overlook Monkey. But the Northern Preying Mantis styles borrow their footwork from Monkey anyway, for the most part.

JWT

[lowang]

Thanks guys, you've been most helpful.
There's a 7 Star Preying Mantis school in the area. Maybe I'll check it out. Any weapons taught in this system?

[JWTAYLOR]

18 of them usually.

JWT

[DEADLY TIGER]

the only problem i have found when fighting the hung gar style is that they are very tight and rigid, so if u learn it make sure u stay loose

[illusionfist]

As for hung gar practitioners being too rigid, not all of us are... We do have some of the aerial stuff in one of our forms called Butterfly Palm, but it is not always practiced in all lineages. It also has the low stuff and ground rolls too. Kicks in hung gar are like the styles best well kept secret. We have them, but we are just not known for them. With that in mind, i feel like that gives us an edge.

For practical self defense i think it's a great style because it's a no nonsense art. No flashy stuff, just real cut to the chase techniques. Many of the techniques are aimed for the 7 stars of the body, which most of us know are real important points on the body because most of the stars are joints. Many neutralization and immobilzation techniques are found within the system which makes it totally geared for practical street self defense. All in all i think it's a very good system.

Peace [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[shaolindodude]

dosnt hung gar teach five animal styles?
i thought that is was a nonosense martail art with a varity of fighting styles to meet your kickass needs.

[bigbear]

i have trained in hung gar before, it is a strong and powerful system and has many kicks including sweeps. and yes it has the 5 aminal form, 5 element form and the 5 animal and 5 element form. there are many animal forms within the system. the higher the level the more internal the system becomes

[illusionfist]

The most important form in hung gar is the iron wire, which is strictly an internal set. Contrary to popular belief, hung gar is quite internal and more internal than other arts that are considered "internal" (artsy ****sy slow movement stuff, and no that isn't a hit at tai chi).

Peace [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[Tiger Mantis]

As far as being rigid in hung gar,the reason for there tension is in training for strenth and power-it is somewhat applied when fightng but not to the amount as when training, try to think of it as when you see a baseball player add a weight to his bat and swing it a few times, after taking the weight off the bat feels lighter,same as in hung. hung gar is not a mix of various styles, it is one in its own, founded by a shaolin monk -Gee Sim Ge Sum (spelling varies),but it is based on the tiger, crane,snake,leopard and dragon.the four original forms being gung ge fuk foo, tiger and crane, sup ien and iron wire and yes hung gar is mostly hands,about 75 percent and the (25 percent) kicks that are in the system are generally never higher then the waist

[This message has been edited by Tiger Mantis (edited 08-21-2000).]

[qy]

"Contrary to popular belief, hung gar is quite internal and more internal than other arts that are considered "internal" (artsy ****sy slow movement stuff, and no that isn't a hit at tai chi)."

What are you saying then?????

btw El Paso is not REAL texas

[8stepsifu]

I saw a man with great skill in HungGar completely swallow a wrestler from Turkey [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]