Q: What is Kung Fu?
A:
Kung Fu translates to “skill achieved through hard work”. It is come to be synonymous with Chinese martial arts.
Q: What is Wushu?
A:
Wushu translates to “martial art”. There is both Contemporary Wushu and Traditional Wushu. Contemporary Wushu was developed about 100 years ago and incorporates a lot of dance and gymnastics and has taken out some of the martial application. It is the National Sport of China and is what you see most often in the movies. It is very flashy and good to watch, but no longer as practical as a self defense martial art. At Fu Hok Studio we teach Traditional Wushu, which still has all of the self defense applications.
Q: What is Shaolin Kung Fu?
A:
Shaolin was a monastery in China that is credited with the beginning of kung fu in the 5th century.
Q: What is Hung Gar Kung Fu?
A:
Hung Gar is an art from southern China that is primarily based on the animal movements of the tiger and crane. It is a very strong, rooted art. The tiger symbolizes ferocity and strength with open hand striking techniques, and fingers clenched in the shape of a claw. The crane uses evasive techniques, kicking (Crane standing on one leg), arms spread like wings opening, and fingers pressed together to form a beak-like weapon. It also incorporates other movements such as snake, leopard and dragon. See “What is Choy Li Fut Kung Fu” (below) to read more about those. Or, read a brief history of Hung Gar.
Q: What is Choy Li Fut Kung Fu?
A:
Choy Li Fut is an art from southern China that is primarily based on long fist movements. It also has tiger and crane movements like Hung Gar, (See “What is Hung Gar Kung Fu” to read more) but also snake, leopard and dragon. The snake uses fingertip thrusts to soft, vital areas, and hand formations that characterize the serpent’s forked tongue or head. The leopard uses fore knuckle strikes that imitate the animal’s paw. And the dragon uses open claw techniques, whipping back fists that symbolize a thrashing tail, and scissors stance techniques that imitate the twisting maneuvers of a dragon. Read a brief history of Choy Li Fut.
Q: What is the difference between Kung Fu and Gung Fu, Hung Gar and Hung Ga, Choy Li Fut and Choy Lay Fut?
A:
There are two major dialects in China, Mandarin and Cantonese. The different yet similar spelling we often see when translating the Chinese language to our alphabet comes from the different dialects as well as the “Americanization” of the language. There is not a correct way to spell the different words, just more popular, and it also depends on the dialect.
Q: What is Tai Chi Chuan?
A:
Tai Chi is a soft style of kung fu based on the movements of snake and crane. It is used mostly for health and relaxation. Read more about Tai Chi.
Q: What is Karate?
A:
Karate is a term used to identify Okinawan and Japanese martial arts. Literally translated it means “empty hand.” It is characterized by strong, straight forward punching and kicking.
Q: What is Tae Kwon Do?
A:
Tae Kwon Do is Korean in origin, and is a sport art. It is characterized by high kicks and straight forward punches.
Q: How is Kung Fu different from Karate or Tae Kwon Do?
A:
They are all considered martial arts with self defense applications. Generally speaking, Karate is straight forward punching and kicking, Tae Kwon Do is mostly high kicks and Kung Fu is more circular with more diverse movements. Each strike, block and kick but the delivery is distinctly different. For example, Hip Hop and the Waltz are both types of dance, but they are definitely different in their performance.
Q: Which martial art is better, Kung Fu, Karate or Tae Kwon Do?
A:
They are all good methods of self defense and each have their good and bad points. It is up to the individual and not the method when deciding what martial art to take. You should also take into consideration the instructor and school when looking for an art.