Kung Fu Basics: Everything You Need to Get Started in Kung Fu - from Basic Kicks to Training and Tournaments

192 Pages·2018·2.857 MB·English

by  Paul Eng

BA SIC S
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B A S I C S
Paul Eng
TUTTLE Publishing
Tokyo Rutland, Vermont Singapore
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Disclaimer: Please note that the publisher and author(s) of this instructional book are NOT
RESPONSIBLE in any manner whatsoever for any injury that may result from practicing
the techniques and/or following the instructions given within. Martial arts training can be
dangerous—both to you and to others—if not practiced safely. If you’re in doubt as to how
to proceed or whether your practice is safe, consult with a trained martial arts teacher
before beginning. Since the physical activities described herein may be too strenuous in
nature for some readers, it is also essential that a physician be consulted prior to training.
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
Copyright © 2004 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the pub-
lisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eng, Paul.
Kung fu basics / Paul Eng ; calligraphy by Paul Eng ; photographs by David Taran ;
illustrations by Don Hopkins. — 1st ed.
190 p. : ill., 25 cm
ISBN 0-8048-3494-6 (pbk)
1. Kung fu. I. Title: Kung fu basics. II. Title. GV1114.7.E53 2004
796.815’9—dc22
2003027773
ISBN-13: 978-0-8048-4702-5
(Previously published as ISBN 978-0-8048-3494-0)
Distributed by:
North America, Latin America, Asia Pacifi c
and Europe Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd.
Tuttle Publishing 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12
364 Innovation Drive Singapore 534167
North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Tel: [phone];Fax: [phone] [email protected]
[email protected] www.periplus.com.sg
www.tuttlepublishing.com
First edition
Japan 20 19 18 17 6 5 4 3 2 1 1710RR
Tuttle Publishing Printed in China
Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor
5-4-12 O–saki, Shinagawa-ku
Tokyo 141-0032
Tel: [phone];Fax: [phone] TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trade-
[email protected] mark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus
www.tuttle.co.jp Editions (HK) Ltd.
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Acknowledgments
Special thanks to David Taran, Don Hopkins, and Martha Dahlen
for their generous help.
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table of contents
Acknowledgments 5
Preface 9
Part 1: Introduction
11
Chapter 1 History of Kung fu 12
Chapter 2 Philosophy 19
Chapter 3 Styles 24
Part 2: Getting Started
31
Chapter 4 Choosing the Right School 32
Chapter 5 What to Wear 41
Chapter 6 Etiquette 45
Chapter 7 Your First Class 51
Part 3: Elements
55
Chapter 8 Stances 56
Chapter 9 Footwork 68
Chapter 10 Kicks 75
Chapter 11 Hand Techniques 88
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Part 4: Practice
103
Chapter 12 Warming Up 104
Chapter 13 Participating in a Workout 116
Chapter 14 Drills and Conditioning Exercises 122
Chapter 15 Forms 132
Chapter 16 Internal Training 142
Chapter 17 Safety 148
Part 5: Making Progress
157
Chapter 18 Your Training Program 158
Chapter 19 Gauging Progress 170
Chapter 20 Competitions and Demonstrations 175
Resources 185
About the Author 189
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preface
W
HAT IS KUNG FU? Kung fu is a living tradition of Chinese
martial arts that has been passed down from generation
to generation of dedicated practitioners, for more than
1,400 years.
It is the application of a science of body mechanics and energy dynamics.
Its drills, movements, techniques, and forms are the application of a deep
understanding of how the body works, how power is generated, how energy is
transformed—and of how fi tness and longevity can be achieved.
It is a way of life and a way of fi ghting, a method for total self-development,
as well as a collection of effective combat techniques.
It is Chinese. It is inextricably bound with elements of Chinese culture and
philosophy, with Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, as well as with ancient
legends, modern heroes, and age-old traditions.
It is both sport and art. Learning kung fu means undertaking rigorous train-
ing to learn specifi c stances, hand techniques, and footwork, while doing kung
fu is essentially artistic expression. Beauty and grace are as important as speed
and power.
Kung fu is also a community. It is a family of dedicated practitioners who
share a love of kung fu and who have committed themselves to one another,
to the teachers before them, and to the art and its preservation.
The purpose of this book is to help a new student get started. The chapters
of this book are organized roughly in the sequence of a beginner’s experience—
from choosing the school, through training, to participating in tournaments. It
is meant to cover the material taught in approximately the fi rst three to six
months of training, with hints of what comes beyond. We start with history
because that explains how the different styles developed and with philosophy
because that explains what the art is trying to teach.
We have tried to be complete and accurate, but words can only capture the
shadow of the reality. As it is written in the Tao Te Ching, “The Tao that can be
described is never the true Tao,” so it is with kung fu: that which you experience
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