There is no screaming in Kung Fu!

The Northern Shaolin Systems practiced at our school fall into the category of Chang Quan (Long Fist). These methods employ combinations of long explosive movements and require that several techniques be performed with one breath; this builds both speed and explosiveness. Combinations are often executed in quick bursts, like a string of firecrackers.

This peculiarity […]

Why do you wear shoes in Kung Fu?

Chinese martial arts have a history that spans four millennia. They originated as rudimentary fighting for survival and evolved into highly sophisticated methods of combat.

These methods developed in an outdoor environment, either for use on the battlefield in mass warfare or for individual combat. In both cases, some sort of footwear was necessary. Therefore […]

A Parent’s Guide to Kung Fu

Kung Fu (Gong Fu in Mandarin dialect) is a Cantonese term widely used in the West to describe Chinese Martial Arts.

Kung Fu is the Chinese art of self-defense. Its origins date back over 3000 years and it is regarded as the predecessor of all Asian fighting arts.

If you’re reading this guide, you obviously have […]

What is a Form?

Forms, known as Tao Lu (套路) in Chinese, are an essential aspect of training in traditional Chinese martial arts.

A form is composed of different stances, footwork patterns, blocking movements, evasive actions, and striking and kicking techniques. They represent the real fighting experience of the masters who developed the forms.

A style’s unique characteristics can be […]

Building Self-worth and Self-esteem

Many people suffer from a lack of self-worth (how much a person values himself or herself) and self-esteem (what one thinks of himself or herself). These are debilitating conditions that affect every aspect of a person’s life.

One is not born with a lack of self-worth or self-esteem; this is brought on by the conditions […]

Kung Fu: Its Real Meaning

The term Kung Fu (功夫) is written in Pinyin as Gong Fu, which is a more accurate and appropriate pronunciation. The term is made up of two characters: the first, Kung (功), can mean skillful work, hard training, or endeavor. The second, Fu (夫), means time spent. Together they mean time spent at skillful […]

Respect for your teacher

More than 20 years ago I conducted an interview for the Wu Gong Journal with Grandmaster Leung Shum. I asked him many questions pertaining to martial arts training and in particular Ying Jow Fanzi (鷹爪翻子) – Eagle Claw Kung Fu

During the interview GM Shum spoke about the relationship between student and teacher in […]

A Message from Master Scrima

I have been practicing martial arts for over four decades, and for more than 30 years I have been teaching Chinese martial arts on a full-time basis to a multitude of people from different walks of life. During my teaching career I have continued to expand, enhance and refine my own knowledge by endeavoring […]