splits needed for hung kuen???

[Shaolin101]

Hi All,

Just wondered what emphasis you put on being flexible in your class, or how important you think it is for hung kuen students to be flexible – can do the splits flexible.

Just asking due to a conversation I had with another martial arts practitioner. I have trained for around 7 years but am not very flexible in either my legs or back but I can be really strong and place my emphasis on power and technique rather that being able to kick to the head – although I can jump front kick and jump backswing really high.

The conversation was something like – He said I cant be a proper martial artist cos I cant do the splits! I sort of brushed the comment away saying that I can punch hard to head and kick hard low so never the twain shall meet etc. If I am kicking to the head then the head will be near the floor! Plus my forms don’t really need me to do the splits – neither does my self defence/sparring work.

Any thoughts on the above Q’s?

[David Jamieson]

Dude....

tell your friend to f- off, and when he starts training, he can make all the comments he likes.

[Shaolin101]

I didn't even know this guy! I was just reading a martial arts mag in W H Smith and he noticed so started converstion.

[Mano Mano]

I believe the British Hung Gar sifu & Hong Kong movie actor Mark Houghton had some snide remarks about his flexibility from some wushu people while he was warming up for some fight scene on a Hong Kong movie.
I don’t remember his words but he apparently convinced them that he didn’t need to be flexible to do then any harm.

[TenTigers]

-and Mark Houghton can bang out a split on top of that.

[Laukarbo]

A pic of Mark Houghton...

[CHAZ]

I remember years ago when Mark Houghton was teaching in Birmingham/UK, he had an interview with Combat magazine. And he stated that there was a higher than averge number of people in his Kwoon who could do the splits, he put this down to all the stance training he put his students through. He said that horse stance training helped open up and stretch the hips. That and alot of stretching.

[David Jamieson]

your body should be able to do what you want it do in the context of what it is actually capable of doing. it should be fully flexible and fully open and you should be able to fully command it in order to say you have achieved a level of kungfu.

having said that, you can still learn and practice kungfu and eventually splits will be a byproduct of your work.

[viper]

dynamic stretching is much diff to static splits is a static movement and is shown that it does not provide the abilityv to kick high. Dynamic stretching like leg raises make you kick higher. The guy was a chump my sifu cant do full splits doesnt mean hes not a great ma at all. Dont worry bout it I only do splits prob to show off maybe because most people dont know what kung fu really is sounds like that guy. Bttom line who cares your not johnny cage.

[k-no]

I can't do the splits at all but I've knocked out people with kicks that were MUCH taller than me.

I'm sure I can train to be more flexible in a static position but what for? I think that may just weaken the "wind up spring" power in my kicks.

[Shaolin101]

Unfotunately my high kick is not that powerful - so i dont do it!

Really just talking about the standard turning/roundhouse kick - this is my worst kick as i just look awkward when doing it.

I can do high on the rest of the kicks though - a lot higher than my legs go when stretching!