The heaven figure 8 stepping pattern is very useful for tai chi practitioners to learn and essential for students of Jade Dragon Kung Fu. It forms a part of many of our styles and movements. You will find it in our leaping tiger form and discover many ways to use it. Practice the static heaven figure 8 until you have mastered it first before you even attempt to do it […]
In both tai chi and kung fu our aim is for power to flow through the body and out again. Energy usually travels in waves so by creating wave movements we can prevent ourselves tensing up and let the movement flow. The power this can generate is enormous yet effortless. It also teaches you to move your arms in ways that don’t hold tension in your chest, neck, back or […]
This is the second of the two figure of eight arm movements. In a previous post we covered the heaven figure 8 movement. This one goes the opposite way round. Both movements have the following benefits The earth figure of 8 is also a great rooting exercise that teaches you to ‘sit’ on each leg more firmly. Stay upright throughout the movement. Don’t allow your arms to pull your body […]
There are two figure of eight arm movements – heaven and earth. They have many uses: Today we are going to learn the heaven figure of eight. We will do a large movement that basically describes an anticlockwise circle to your left and a clockwise circle to your right. Stay upright throughout the movement. Don’t allow your arms to pull your body in any direction. Start in wuji position – […]
One of the main aims of tai chi and kung fu is for you to be able to hold and move your body in the most effortless and efficient way. This doesn’t come naturally as our habitual way of holding our body is from above by tensing up. This takes the weight off our weak legs but means we are constantly standing and moving as if we are always under […]
Developing an effective guard is essential in any combat situation. I have lost counts of the number of fights I have seen – both in real life and on video where one protagonist has his hands down around his waist and then wonders why he gets hit so easily. In fact, I can often tell before the fight really gets going who’s going to win by simply seeing who has […]
The dragon punch is the most powerful punch that is taught in the Jade Dragon kung fu system. It is a powerful forward strike, generally aimed at the chest area and the non-striking arm moves out at the same time to block or cover the striking arm. When you learn to punch with power you can take an assailant straight to the floor and wind him for seconds, even minutes. […]
The tiger punch is a powerful punch considering that most of your weight stays on your back leg. It is ideal for delivering a fast and powerful strike to the chest or abdomen area with a closed fist or striking the chin with an open palm from a short to medium distance. It turns you almost side on to your opponent so limits their choice of target for a strike […]
The back kick and the front kick are the 2 main kicks taught to new students in the Jade Dragon School. The back kick is an important one to learn and practice as it can protect you against attacks from behind, it is very versatile in its use and is the strongest kick in our arsenal. Why is it so strong? The back kick is so powerful because it uses […]
The martial arts are perhaps best known for the fancy high kicks that are so often seen in the films and in the ring. However, although these look great many of them are of limited use in real life. New students to the Jade Dragon school learn just two kicks – the front kick and the back kick. These are the most useful kicks in the armoury and even if […]
Please read this post. Because almost nothing else I can teach you (apart from good breathing) is more important. The strength of your legs directly relates to almost every element of your physical and mental health and wellbeing. Your legs are the foundation of your structure. They are your connection to the earth which is the only thing in your life that will always be there to support you. Without […]
The scissor stance (also known as the crossover stance) is one of the most useful stances in kung fu. It is often not the fastest or strongest fighter that wins the day but the one with the best footwork. Good footwork gets you quickly out of danger and puts you in a position where you can move from a position of strength into one where your opponent is weak. The […]