Kung Fu, also known as Gong Fu, is an ancient Chinese martial art. If you're inspired to learn this martial art, but there's no college near you, you can't afford the monthly fees, or your schedule clashes, then you can learn it yourself. As long as you are committed and have a strong desire, you can do it. It's not easy, but the results will be worth it.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Getting Started
Step 1. Clear an area of your home
Since you're going to be doing a lot of jumping, kicking, punching, and basically knocking out anything that's in front of you (or left, right, or behind), choose an area of your home to practice kung fu. At least three by three meters is sufficient.
If you don't have an empty room to work with, just clear a corner of a room and remove anything that shouldn't be damaged or could hurt you
Step 2. Buy a punching bag
You can put it off for a while, but eventually you'll need a punching bag. At first you'll be making moves in the air, but eventually you'll need to have something to hold your punches, this is what punching bags are for.
You can hang bags from the ceiling (if space allows) or you can buy stand-up bags at most sports shops
Step 3. Look for the prompts
In short, getting a real teacher, or “temperature” is the best way to learn kung fu. But you can also learn kung fu on your own if you are diligent and persevering. Buy some DVDs, watch some videos online, or take a look at kung fu college websites. Many colleges have short videos that offer a bit of program experience, as well as teach you the moves.
It is best to look for more than one source. There are several different kung fu schools, and of course you want to make sure you pick the one that appeals to you the most. Moreover, there are some people out there who claim to be experts when in fact they are not. Seeking more than one source can help to ensure that you are doing the right thing
Step 4. Focus on one area first
There is a lot to learn in kung fu – and learning everything at once is a formidable task. If you are going to start, choose a focus. Once you've mastered a few stances, do you want to concentrate on jumping? Kick? Blow?
Writing a study plan will also make it easier for you. Say on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you will train your stance and kicks. Then, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can combine them with core skills, such as balance and flexibility
Method 2 of 4: Starting Basic Exercises
Step 1. Practice your balance and flexibility
In order to be able to do a solid stance in kung fu, you must have excellent balance. What's the best way to master it? Yoga. It may seem that yoga is unnecessary and will keep you away from the actual practice, but it will actually prepare you to become truly proficient in kung fu.
And for flexibility, each session should start with a warm-up and stretching. Warming up can be in the form of jogging, jumping, and push ups. Then, stretch your muscles. This not only prevents injury, but also makes you more flexible, kicks higher and your curves are more flexible
Step 2. Master some stances
The main element in kung fu is the stance. You can't make the right moves if you're in the wrong position. The first three stances below are not intended for fighting, but rather are intended for traditional kung fu and used with weapons. That said, this is an integral part of the kung fu ideology. Here are some horses that you can train:
- Horse stances (horse stances). Bend your knees about 30 degrees, spread your legs slightly wider than your shoulders, and clench your fists at your sides, palms facing up. Keep your back straight, as if you were riding a horse.
- Front stances (front stances). Bend your knee and pull your left leg back, as if you were doing a lunge. Then, slam your right fist forward, and hold your left fist against your chest. Switch to the other leg, moving the left foot forward. As you do this, replace the fist as well.
- Cat stances (cat stances). Move your right leg back slightly, and tilt your body back. Lift your left leg and use only your toes to touch the floor. Hold both fists in a resting position in boxing, protecting your face. If someone approaches, your front foot will automatically be able to defend itself.
- Horses fighting (fighting stances). If you want to practice kung fu against other people, you will need fighting horses. Basically, it's the same as the stance in boxing – one leg slightly in front of the other, fists pointing up and protecting the face, with relaxed knees.
Step 3. Practice your strokes
When hitting, remember that most of the power comes from the hips. Just like boxing, kung fu also has a jab, uppercut, and hook. Let's discuss all three.
- Jab. In a fighting stance, with your left foot in front of your right, bend your knees, move your hips toward your opponent, and hit your left fist, immediately followed by a right fist. When you hit your right fist, rotate your right hip as well.
- hooks. Contrary to intuition, it's best to start with a small hook. In a fighting stance, with your right foot behind you, prepare your right fist, rotate your hips, and swing hard through the left side of your body, forming a hook. Remember, the power is in your hips.
- Uppercut. In a fighting stance, prepare your fist from below and swing it upwards as if you were aiming it directly at the chin of the opponent in front of you. For each uppercut, always twist your fist a little because that's where the power comes from.
Step 4. Practice your parry
Your parry will vary depending on what you're parrying. But whatever comes your way, start with the fighting horses. In this position, you are well prepared to protect your face and render your opponent's attacks ineffective.
- For punches, jabs, and hooks, the parry is very similar to boxing. Whichever side is threatened, get your hands ready and, keeping your arms bent, stop your opponent's movement. Then you can attack with the other hand.
- For kicks and elbows, use both hands. Keep your arms bent near your face, but rotate your hips to the side of your body that is threatened. This prevents you from getting hit in the face yourself when you counter-attack and it's more painful for your opponent.
Step 5. Strengthen your kick
Kicking is one of the most fun aspects of kung fu and also one of the easiest ways to see how it develops. Here are three basic kicks to get you started:
- Step kick (step kick). Stand in front of a punching bag. Take a step forward with your left foot, then kick the right side of the bag with the inside of your foot. Then, switch to the other side.
- A stomp kick. Stand in front of a punching bag. Take a step forward with your left foot, and move your right foot forward, with your knee bent. Then, kick forward with a "stepping" motion on the bag, so that the bag bounces off.
- Side kicks (side kicks). Stand in a fighting stance, with your left foot in front of your right. Put your weight on your left leg, swing your leg in the air, kicking the bag at shoulder height with the side of your foot. Try pulling your leg back, but still standing on your back leg to practice balance.
Step 6. Practice the combination in the air and in the bag
Since you're just starting out, start off by doing some movement in the air. If you can be consistent and have a steady movement, switch to doing it on a bag. If you are getting tired, take a break or replace it with another movement.
Once you feel really confident, try finding a friend to spar with. This is if you have protective gear that each person can wear, or hand-fitting pads that you use to practice your training partner's punches and kicks
Method 3 of 4: Learn Traditional Movements
Step 1. Do the dragon move
This is a move to intimidate – all the time you have to stare at your opponent. Here's how to do it:
- Do an equestrian stance, but spread your legs slightly and bend your knees a little deeper.
- Hit your wrist like a jab, but shape your fingers like claws. It is used to punch your opponent.
- Stand up from a squat position and perform a side kick to your opponent, aiming for his stomach.
Step 2. Try the snake move
In this move, you bend back, and raise your head when you hit, like a snake moves. Here's how:
- Spread your legs apart, right foot behind left leg, placing your weight on the back leg. Keep your knees bent.
- Straighten your hand as if you wanted to slice your opponent. Hit your right hand forward.
- Parry your opponent by catching his hand, and give him a stomping kick.
Step 3. Come closer like a leopard
It's a slightly indirect move – so it gives you a chance to escape if needed.
- Do a wide fighting stance, resting on your hind legs.
- When you're ready to strike, transfer your weight to your arched fingers and hit your opponent with your palms and the backs of your fingers, not with clenched fists. However, this must be done very carefully or you could injure yourself.
Step 4. Fly like a stork
This is a very passive move. In this move, you wait for your opponent to approach you. Here's how to do it:
- Do the cat stance, but with the feet close together. It "hides" your feet.
- Spread your arms out to your sides, distracting your opponent.
- When he approaches, lift the front foot with only the toes resting on the ground and launch your favorite kick.
Step 5. Be devoured like a tiger
It's a fast, powerful, and effective move. Here's how to do it:
- Do a fighting stance, but wider. It's basically like you're about to do a squat.
- Place your hands in front of your shoulders in a paw shape, facing outward.
- Do a combination of two jabs, then perform side kicks at throat level.
Method 4 of 4: Understanding the Philosophy
Step 1. Know the two major kung fu schools
If you're not training, read some classic literature on kung fu and fighting, such as Sun Tzu, Bruce lee, Tak Wah Eng, David Chow, and Lam Sai Wing. It will teach you about two kung fu schools:
- Shaolin. This is the oldest kung fu school. The college is known for its “external” movements and exercises that strengthen muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This is what most people think of when they think of kung fu.
- Wu Dung. This college is rather new and is an interpretation of the original concept of kung fu. The school is known for its "internal" movements and exercises that strengthen and manipulate the chi or life force. It focuses more on focus, zen, and inner energy.
Step 2. Think of the movement as an animal
In many ways, it's very useful when you think about animals – after all, this is where the martial arts came from. It also puts you in the right mindset and allows you to unleash your inner potential.
There is a story that tells of a man from New Zealand who once dug a hole 90 cm deep and practiced jumping in and out of the hole. Over time he dug deeper, and little by little, he turned into a kangaroo man. You have to think about animals not only when you fight, but also when you train
Step 3. Meditate
Japanese samurai did meditation to improve their fighting skills. They believe (and do) that meditation enlightens them and helps them to make the right attacks. This clears their minds and slows things down. The same is still true today. Meditating for 15 minutes or more a day can help you find balance and strength from within.
Imagine you are in a car accident. When that happens, everything seems to be moving slowly. This is a meditative state. This peaceful, zen state can be useful in combat as things slow down, allowing you to react more quickly
Step 4. Practice, practice, and practice
The only way to understand the mind of a kung fu artist is to keep practicing. On his own, his moves might look ridiculous. Maybe you feel there is no progress. But if you practice daily, meditate, and read literature, this can become a path of life that you will never be able to leave.
- Try training in the air, battling a punching bag, and sparring with friends. Look for tougher challenges as your skills improve.
- Always improve yourself and make continuous improvement. Review your source material and make sure you do it right. If not, then you are not doing real kung fu.
Tips
- When fighting, try to use the same quantity of legs and arms. Unleash all the potential of your limbs.
- Practice each movement repeatedly, to synchronize your mind and body so that you can move quickly and accurately.
- Try looking for books with step-by-step instructions for the different moves.
- Get high-quality materials.
Warning
- Don't start hurting other people if you've already learned Kung Fu. Kung fu should only be used for self-defense.
- Don't show off. If your main goal of learning kung fu is to show off, it's better that you don't practice at all.
- Be careful when starting any exercise. Always be aware of the risks and dangers before starting a workout.
