North and South

[blackmantis]

Hello all Southern Kung Fu practitioners!

I am only 15 and so am very ignorant of many things...

I study Northern Mantis, but have studied a small amount of Lau Gar and was wondering a few things...

a) How do southern kung fu people train on a regular basis? and what are the basics of your styles?

b) Have there ever been any famous historical fights between a northern and a southern kung fu fighter?

Many thanks!

S

[Sho]

Originally posted by blackmantis
a) How do southern kung fu people train on a regular basis? and what are the basics of your styles?

Greetings blackmantis,

I can only speak from my own experience, so this will definitely not be a representation of Southern Chinese Martial Arts as a whole or not even Choy Lay Fut.

The system I practice is Choy Lay Fut and our training regimen is mostly oriented towards sparring and two-man drills as well as training basics individually which includes stances, mobility drills and various simple technique combinations. The training program tends to proceed thematically, meaning that we try to concentrate on different aspects of training periodically, for example having emphasis on striking and stancework in January while focusing on throws and grappling in February. Iron body conditioning is also done regularly (mainly the bridge arms and shins). Forms are never practiced in class.

[Eddie]

Sho

Forms are never practiced in class.

when do you practice your forms? Dont you even do combined groups forms as a class together?
Ed

[EarthDragon]

welcome black mantis, I am also a northern mantis practioner, a shrfu actually. Your question is rather general and quite hard to answer. Southern practioner's train the same way most all kung fu people train HARD. As far as fighting stratagies go these are up to the specific styles and practioners. Southern hands northern feet is as much as a sweeping generalization as all canandians are beer drinkers. LOL but I encourage your seek for knowledge keep it up.
PS check out my web site. its 8 step mantis www.kungfuusa.net

good luck BM

[Mika]

Originally posted by Eddie
Sho
when do you practice your forms? Dont you even do combined groups forms as a class together?
Ed

Eddie, I do not know for sure where Sho studies (Forssa?), but all CLF schools are under the same Sifus here in Finland. Now, there might and even should be some variations in training methods, but the overall direction should be pretty much the same in all schools. Forms ARE practiced in class, have been since I started (1992) and just last week I saw a part of a class do forms.

Sho is fairly new to Choy Lee Fut, if I am not mistaken, as is the school where he studies (if it is indeed Forssa), so that might have a little to do with it.

The Sifus in Finland take forms just as seriously as everyone else. This I can assure you, Eddie.

Just wanted to clear that.

Cheers

Mika

[Sho]

Originally posted by Eddie
Sho
when do you practice your forms? Dont you even do combined groups forms as a class together?
Ed

Some time ago we had a separate day for forms training in our schedule, but now we don't have that. So, we try to emphasize basics, because - as Mika mentioned - our group is rather new so it's important to practice basics as much as possible before broadening the field of training any further. I totally agree with Mika and I also should have mentioned the level of our group in the first place, so I hope this clarifies it a bit.

[Eddie]

Mika and Sho,
I did not mean anything, was really just curious so don’t worry too much.
Forms are very important in kung fu training as it teaches skills and technique, but in the same breath, fighting training is also just as important.
A typical ideal class in our CLF school would be: Warm ups, kicks (stationary and mobile), stances training, basics, conditioning, bag training (different strikes on the bags etc.) partner drills (then sparring) and forms. We spend a big deal on forms.

For san shou we obviously train slightly different as we have those on different nights. A typical class would be, warm up, some heavy fitness and endurance training (more modern style), bag work, kicks, boxing drills, kicking drills, boxing and kicking drills, wrestling and throws, and lots of sparring (obviously depending on the level of class – intermediate class spend more time on sparring).

I do northern shaolin too. I train every Saturday for about 4 hours in one with a coach from China, and our classes are very similar in structure. Obviously slightly different when it comes to specifics, but generally its all the same. WE ALL DO KUNG FU! Which mean we all train hard (as earth dragon said).
Ed

[WinterPalm]

I train in Southern Black Tiger and our training is somewhat similar to Sho but obviously different in many regards. Our Sifu does focus on aspects for periods of time, such as a lot of sparring, forms, self-defense, and conditioning. OBviously you can't do it all in one night and so usually we focus on one or two things. As for forms, how can you not practice them? Nobody in your class? I don't understand this.

[David Jamieson]

probably you focus your time on learning forms in class, a little repitition to ensure you can remember and then youpractice form at home, and extrapolate from it to spar?

That's how i remember it. with the occaisional demo of form in class, but mostly learn in class, practice at home except for new materials learned.

cheers