Choy Li Fut: The Power of the Soft and Hard Movements Combined
This martial art originated as a fusion of the northern and southern styles of martial arts in China. The techniques employed use that of the five traditional animals that inspire Chinese Kung Fu- that of the tiger, dragon, crane, leopard, and the snake. Choy Li Fut was developed by Chan Heung in 1836 who whose martial arts training was through his uncle who was a famous and revered Shaolin boxer. He came up with the name for this martial arts after 20 years of training and education from the Kung Fu styles of his teachers, Choy Fuk and Li Yau-San. The word “fut” means Buddha in Cantonese to give credence to the Shaolin inspiration of his martial arts system.
One of the most acknowledged uses of this style is being an effective form of self defense as it contains a wide variety of fighting techniques such as short and long range punching styles, kicks, sweeps, takedowns, locking the joints, lethal pressure, point attacks, and grappling. Choy Li Fut includes among others over 190 forms and styles and are categorized under 3 levels of training. First is the traditional fist and weaponry training, which is either done in solo or multiple person sparring sets. Second is the Shaolin wooden dummy forms used for techniques of the hands and other forms of weaponry. The third includes non-combatant uses such as sandbag techniques, qigong or internal forms of healing and traditional Chinese medicine, and that one used in lion dance sets. The first two levels obviously are external and physical and they are primarily harder and faster movements designed to benefit bone and muscle control as well as strengthen body stamina necessary for physical combats. The third level on the other hand are styles which promote internal organ harmony and are primarily meditative in purposed aimed at correcting breathing control and enhancing a healthier body.
Choy Li Fut teaches fundamental principles such as power using both soft and hard techniques. Hand and body movements may seem soft but not stiff and are hard and strong enough to block and opponent’s attacks and at the same time employing counterattacks. Proper breathing is necessary and employs the yin and yang principles. Inhalation or yin conserves energy and exhalation or yang releases that conserved energy. This is the reason why during exhalation, shouting accompanies the leg and hand movements to add more power to the kicks and the punches. A strong shout that denotes so much power coming out also gives shock, as the opponent may get startled especially if the shout seems much stronger and fiercer. For body positioning, it is taught in Choy Li Fut that the body must be straight and erect but the limbs and the shoulders loose to achieve maximum reach. Leg techniques must be very quick and not noticeable along with equally fast hand movements. Along with quick leg movements are swift and almost unseen footwork that maintains the agility of the feet. Among the most important principles would be hand techniques since most attacks would be done using the hands. The shift from one hand technique to the other is smooth and any combination can be employed.
Choy Li Fut although that highly popular as a distinct form of martial arts in mainland China as it is viewed to be just a simple combination of many different Kung Fu styles is generally popular in Hong Kong and other parts within Asia and is also now gaining widespread popularity in the US and Canada. It was featured as one of the fighting styles used by the ninja Ermac in the Mortal Combat video game series.
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