Different Types of Martial Arts
Tien Shan Pai, Double blocks, Boabom, Hop Gar Kung Fu, Hung Sing
Tien Shan Pai
This northern Chinese system was created by Hung Yun Tzu in the Tien Shan mountains in Xinjiang
Tien Shan Pai
province in the northwest of China. He was fanatical about martial arts and, as a boy, once knelt outside a temple for two days in order to learn an old monk’s fighting style.
Double blocks
Double Blocks
The art is known for its hidden footwork steps and for the unique way in which practitioners double-block attacks—meaning that if the first block should fail to stop an attack, a second hand always covers the first. Emphasis is placed on single strikes and, alongside the empty-hand forms, the art teaches a number of weapons forms.
Boabom
Boabom is a system that does not advocate repetition as a way of learning, and there is no contact between practitioners. They are encouraged instead to focus on achieving a feeling of self-confidence while avoiding fighting.
Exercises are designed to improve agility, balance, speed reflexes, spontaneity, and breathing. Movements with the aid of a stick are also taught. These martial arts weapons should be thought of as an extension of the body and the principles of movement—both with and without the stick—are the same.
Hop Gar Kung Fu
Hop gar Kung Fu is closely related to the lam; pai system and the Tibetan white crane system, both of which derive from an original system called lion’s roar. The system is now practiced mostly in southern China rather than Tibet, and hand techniques such as the “backfist” and the “overhead punch’ are perfected by the practice of forms.
The main characteristics are: no blocking; keeping opponents at arms length; deft changes of direction; and the idea of clarity of intention behind all movement.
Hung Sing
Hung Sing
Hung sing is a variant of choi li fut, which, it is thought, teaches over 100 “kata,” or forms. The system
Hop Gar Kung Fu
was taken to the US in 1931 by Professor Law Bun, who taught defensive maneuvers for fighting at the Hop Sing Tong Benevolent Association in San Francisco.
Known for its explosive and direct fighting style, it was developed by Hung-Sing Jeung using his experiences working as a security guard. For decades, it was only taught to people of Chinese origin, but it is now enjoying a growing practitioner base in the US, particularly in San Francisco.
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September 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Most Senior Masters of Tien Shan Pai (men who trained between 1953 and 1968 in Taiwan) have publicly stated that their sytem was founded, and first taught by their Martial Arts Coach, Wang, Jyue Jen, in Taiwan. His eclectic system, now known as Tien SDhan Pai, dates from the late 1940s. The system was introduced to the US in 1971.
Wang used the story of Red Cloud,(Chinese name: Hung Yun Tzu,)to teach martial art virtue to his students at the “Lei Shung Yuan” School in Taichung. The story is a legend, not a fact.
Wang’s system of Tien Shan Pai has persisted for over half a century, because it is comprehensive, and because it works. TSP has produced many skilled martial artists as well as tournament champions. It is currently practiced, around the world, by hundreds of thousands.
September 9th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Wow Greg thank you for such a great comment and very insightful. I will have to do some research on this and comment in a little while. You got me thinking! :)
Thanks,
Tony