The term “Chinese Martial Arts” embraces all the oriental disciplines whose practice, evolving in the form of fighting systems, recalls the study of values, psychophysical abilities and self-defense.
Although not a synonym, the term GongFu (Kungfu) has become a synonym by extension and indicates the ability referred to and underlying the martial field.
Traditional Chinese Kung Fu is characterized by a solid philosophical and cultural component that makes this discipline complete and sophisticated at the same time.
The style practiced by the academy is called “Choy Lee Fut”. Widespread in southern China in the early 1800s, is in the whole a scientific reworking that refers to the effective martial systems of the time (such as the “boxing of the Shao-Lin temple) accompanied by an influential Buddhist cultural matrix.
Traditional Chinese Kung Fu is a psycho-body discipline that aims to develop the physical capabilities of the practitioner and is characterized by a solid philosophical-cultural component inherent in the teaching focused on instilling confidence, respect, education and appreciation of the main social values.
THE TRAINING PLAN
The course is expected to teach both the techniques of solo work and, with a partner, the use of weapons to strengthen the skeletal muscle structure. Each individual can thus, regardless of their aptitudes, discover the harmonic balance of their body’s structural and muscular management.
DIDACTIC ARTICULATION
For Kung Fu Choy Lee Fut, our predecessors drew on the images of the natural world and the attitudes of animals to develop and enhance our intuitive nature. Thus, speed, power, intuition and technical supremacy are combined with the values of education, respect for self and others, determination and perseverance in the search for the serenity of spirit.
Martial arts are a means by which we can express ourselves, evaluate ourselves, compare ourselves and grow.
Under the technical aspect, great emphasis has the boxing of arms; effective and essential is the use of the legs; articular levers and a peculiar study of the fight complete what, in the jargon of the style, is configured as “control of the three distances”.
Once these technical characteristics have been achieved, the learning of the “Tao Lu” will follow, the form, a codified exercise in which the practitioner’s involvement in a sort of imaginary combat with one or more adversaries is implicit. This can be done with bare hands (free body) or with weapons (traditional tools).
BASIC POSITIONS
The work on the legs must be characterized by the solidity of setting, balance, dynamics of action and stability.
- sèi pei mà: four corners position
- lò quai mà: half squatting position
- tèn ci mà: position of the ideogram “J”(tèn)
- see mà: snake position
- Quai sàp ma: crouching position at an angle
- tiu mà: position on a point or hollow
- lau ma: position screwed to the ground
- tàn tai ma: single leg stance
ARMS – FIST TECHNIQUES
In the didactics of learning the fundamentals inherent to the arms, the fists play the main role in studying the first practical rudiments. In this phase is preferred shoulder fluency, rhythm and speed. Subsequently, the teaching deepens the use of the whole arm.
- pèn cioi: linear punch
- ciap cioi: arrow-shaped punch
- Chan Heon cioi: Chan Heon punch
- ARM TECHNIQUES – PALM
The bare-handed study common to all Wu Shu styles, in general, is based on the values of the ethics of respect. The offense becomes then proportionate to the attack, and respect for the other is also implicit in responding to offensive action. Hence the use of the palm recalls the sense of morality.
- chan gëon: straight palm
- tèn gëon: lightning palm
- ngon gëon: palm in pressure
LEG TECHNIQUES – KICK
The legs play a predominant role in all that they determine for movement, balance and action. In the study of the didactic sequence, the kicks define fluency of the waist, dynamic and structural balance. Their applicability is aimed at countering the lower stability of the opponent.
- ciün sam ghë: centered leg
- Quai ghë: reversed leg
- cian ghë: whipped leg
COMBINED EXERCISES FOR TRAINING
Consolidating the leg work’s didactic stability conforms with the waist area in the specific language (Yao), which favors the loose and instinctive work of the arms, developing coordination, dynamism, continuity, speed of execution and power.
- ciün CIC cioi: centered and direct punch
- pen ciap ciün sam ghe: straight arrow and centered kick
- qua cioi ten geon: upturned fist and lightning palm
- iam cioi Quai ghe: male fist and inverted leg
- qua sou can ghe: double circular blow and whipped leg
GENERAL CULTURE AND THEORY: historical background; family tree; differences in schools; philosophical principles.
Didactic material
All courses will be supported by extensive teaching materials (books, handouts, etc.) provided by IACMA and available online in a student area.
