Shaolin Kung Fu Basics

[tattooedmonk]

This is what I teach to my beginning students , I do not teach anything else until these can be done properly. The are just the requirements, not the curriculum. And of course each class has warm up exercises , various forms of conditioning, sparring/ applications , etc.

What do you all think?

10 Stances - BU FA
10 Kicks/ legs - TUI FA
10 Blocks/elbows – LAN FA
10 Punches/hands - QUAN FA
10 Rolls/falls - SHUAI FA
10 Sweeps/throws/takedowns - JIAO FA
10 Ground skills - TU FA
10 Special skils – YI FA

If you would like to know the specifics of any of these areas I will be more than happy to answer them.

[Bacon]

10 rolls/falls? I did judo, jujitsu, and aikido, got thrown every which way and I only ever needed two!

[tattooedmonk]

..there are many variations.

Just like a ball; roll and bounce anywhere, in any direction to roll and fall from any angle.

Try doing a forward shoulder roll diagonally across your on the right and left , or a fall, or backward rolls from hip to shoulder, these are the variations.

Tell me they arent physiologically and psychologically different.

My favorite is the Tootsie Roll!

[Bacon]

..there are many variations.

Just like a ball; roll and bounce anywhere, in any direction to roll and fall from any angle.

Try doing a forward shoulder roll diagonally across your on the right and left , or a fall, or backward rolls from hip to shoulder, these are the variations.

Tell me they arent physiologically and psychologically different.

My favorite is the Tootsie Roll!

Well the only ones I've ever needed are the forward break fall (rolling and jumping versions) where the power travels diagonally across from the arm to the opposite leg, and the back breakfall (rolling and jumping versions). From there I can get thrown forward backward, left, right, or diagonally and be fine.

[tattooedmonk]

Well the only ones I've ever needed are the forward break fall (rolling and jumping versions) where the power travels diagonally across from the arm to the opposite leg, and the back breakfall (rolling and jumping versions). From there I can get thrown forward backward, left, right, or diagonally and be fine.

I get what you are saying , thats fine. do what you do for you.

I have my concerns about only training only two,but to each his own.

Mine are broken down a little bit more than that. Most people are afraid to fall, roll , be thrown or anything like that. Preparing them for it really involves a much more systemized and scientific approach psychologically and physiologically.

[Featherstone]

it's funny, the best place I learned to break fall in was the kitchen. The floors would get slick after a busy night! front, side and back were common falls due to water, food, silverware, moving to fast in crowded areas and all sometimes just because.

[pazman]

What are special skills?

What style is this?

[Empty_Cup]

This is what I teach to my beginning students , I do not teach anything else until these can be done properly. The are just the requirements, not the curriculum. And of course each class has warm up exercises , various forms of conditioning, sparring/ applications , etc.

What do you all think?

10 Stances - BU FA
10 Kicks/ legs - TUI FA
10 Blocks/elbows – LAN FA
10 Punches/hands - QUAN FA
10 Rolls/falls - SHUAI FA
10 Sweeps/throws/takedowns - JIAO FA
10 Ground skills - TU FA
10 Special skils – YI FA

If you would like to know the specifics of any of these areas I will be more than happy to answer them.

I'm interested in the details. Can you send me a PM?

[Lucas]

I first learned to fall / break fall by skateboarding for 13 years. When I started cma, it was already an old hat, but one that was refined. For instance, depending on why you are falling/rollilng, like if you are thrown you do not want to wrap your bottom leg under your top leg, as your top leg could smash your bottom leg and do serious damage, but if you are simply doing a diving forward roll, if you cross the bottom leg under out of the roll and have your top leg come sole of the foot down with the knee up, you can get to your feet much faster, and since you initiated the roll and were not thrown, the danger isn't really present. My favorite was diving over a staff held at upper waist/lower chest hight and rolling out on concrete.

The way I learned to roll in CMA was different than JMA.

[Lucas]

if you havnt sent that pm i would like one too

[pazman]

Oh wait...is this some kind of Shaolin Do thing?

[tattooedmonk]

What I have shared here is with basic english terminology.

Nothing more , nothing less.

Once again if you have a question or want to discuss details or would like Chinese characters / terminology, I will be happy to provide you with them.

This list is in no way complete or the end all and be all of martial arts basics training .

This is what I have used for many years now and it seems to be working fine with me and my students....

Enjoy.

Stances

1. Natural
2. Horse
3. Forward Fighting
4. Forward bow
5. Cross
6. Reverse bow
7. Reverse fighting
8. Kneeling
9. Toe
10. Single leg

Blocks/Elbows

1. Upward
2. Inward
3. Outward
4. Downward
5. Outward
6. Reverse
7. Rising
8. Sinking
9. Across
10. Back


Kicks / Legs

1. Knee
2. Straight
3. Front
4. Round
5. Side
6. Hook
7. Inside crescent
8. Outside crescent
9. Back
10. Cross

Punches/ Hands

1. Vertical fist
2. Horizontal fist
3. Back fist
4. Uppercut fist
5. Hammer fist
6. Vertical side hand
7. Horizontal side hand (palm down)
8. Horizontal side hand (palm up)
9. Vertical palm hand
10. Ridge hand

Falls /Rolls

1. Back fall
2. Side fall-left
3. Side fall-right
4. Forward fall
5. Forward roll- left
6. Forward roll -right
7. Backward roll- left
8. Backward roll- right
9. Side roll-left
10. Side roll- right

Ground Positions

1. East/West
2. West /East
3. South/North
4. North/South
5. Mounted /supine
6. Guarded/top
7. Guard/bottom
8. Mount /supine
9. Mounted/ prone
10. Mount/ prone

Throws/ sweeps/take downs

1. Front sweep-left/-right
2. Back sweep-left/right
3. Arm scissors take down-left/right
4. Arm/Shoulder throw-left/right
5. Hip throw-left/right
6. Double/ single leg take down- all sides
7. Leg scissor sweep- low/ high
8. Inside hook sweep- left/ right
9. Outside hook sweep-left/ right
10. 2 arm throw-left /right

Special maneuvers-

1. Turn right- changing directions
2. Turn left- changing directions
3. Step forward- alternating sides
4. Step backward- alternating sides
5. Shuffle step forward- same side
6. Shuffle step back ward- same side
7. Cross step in front- advancing
8. Cross step in front- retreating
9. Cross step behind- advancing
10. Cross step behind- retreating

[tattooedmonk]

Oh wait...is this some kind of Shaolin Do thing?

UHHH no

[rett]

Why exactly 10 of everything? Why not 9 or 11?

[jdhowland]

The number of each category looks like a mnemonic device. Useful for your group if it helps to remember what basics to cover in each practice. It seems to value completeness and predictability. It reminds me of the ba kua/eight directions designations in some systems.

But honestly, for my type of training it would be far too many techniques to treat as basic. For example, we spend a lot of time in the beginning developing power from the back, waist rotation and limb extension without being too concerned with a particular hand technique.

A student would do well in the first year of training to learn just three or four techniques from each category. Variations can come later after strength and balance have improved.