Posts Tagged ‘shaolin kung fu’

Tang Soo Do

September 4th, 2009

Tang Soo Do (Hangul: 당수도, pronounced [taŋsudo]) is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various styles of martial arts, including Shotokan karate, taekkyeon, and in some schools Shaolin kung fu.[1]
Prior to the unification of the initial schools (or kwans) of Tang Soo Do in Korea under the Korea Taekwondo Association, the arts were known as Tang Soo Do, Kong Soo Do, or Kwon Bup. The first recorded use of the term “Tang Soo Do” was by Chung Do Kwan founder, Won Kuk Lee. The Chung Do Kwan, along with the rest of the kwans, stopped using the various names when they unified under the name Taekwondo (and temporarily Tae Soo Do).
The Moo Duk Kwan, being loyal to Hwang Kee, pulled out of the kwan unification and remained independent of this unification movement, continuing to use the name ‘Tang Soo Do’. Some Moo Duk Kwan members followed Hwang’s senior student, Chong Soo Hong, to become members of a unified Taekwondo. Their group still exists today and is known as Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan (Moo Duk Hae) with an office in Seoul, Korea.
The late Hwang Kee officially changed the name of the art of the Moo Duk Kwan style to Soo Bahk Do as early as 1957, shortly after his discovery of Korea’s indigenous open hand fighting style of Subak. This change was officially registered, and the Moo Duk Kwan refiled with the Korean Ministry of Education on June 30, 1960. The organization was officially reincorporated as the “Korean Soo Bahk Do Association, Moo Duk Kwan.”

Tang Soo Do (Hangul: 당수도, pronounced [taŋsudo]) is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various styles of martial arts, including Shotokan karate, taekkyeon, and in some schools Shaolin kung fu.

Prior to the unification of the initial schools (or kwans) of Tang Soo Do in Korea under the Korea Taekwondo Association, the arts were known as Tang Soo Do, Kong Soo Do, or Kwon Bup. The first recorded use of the term “Tang Soo Do” was by Chung Do Kwan founder, Won Kuk Lee. The Chung Do Kwan, along with the rest of the kwans, stopped using the various names when they unified under the name Taekwondo (and temporarily Tae Soo Do).

The Moo Duk Kwan, being loyal to Hwang Kee, pulled out of the kwan unification and remained independent of this unification movement, continuing to use the name ‘Tang Soo Do’. Some Moo Duk Kwan members followed Hwang’s senior student, Chong Soo Hong, to become members of a unified Taekwondo. Their group still exists today and is known as Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan (Moo Duk Hae) with an office in Seoul, Korea.

The late Hwang Kee officially changed the name of the art of the Moo Duk Kwan style to Soo Bahk Do as early as 1957, shortly after his discovery of Korea’s indigenous open hand fighting style of Subak. This change was officially registered, and the Moo Duk Kwan refiled with the Korean Ministry of Education on June 30, 1960. The organization was officially reincorporated as the “Korean Soo Bahk Do Association, Moo Duk Kwan.”

Praying Mantis

September 3rd, 2009

Praying Mantis Kung Fu uses guards, strikes, and footwork that look similar to the way a praying mantis attacks its prey or any unwelcome visitors. There are two completely different versions of Praying Mantis Kung Fu : Northern and Southern.

Northern style is characterized by fast hand movements. The hook hands are found in all the northern sub-styles. Northern Tang Lang Chuen’s main weapon is the blinding speed of the hand trying to control and punch the opponent.
It has a balanced combination of circular and straight movements.
There are simultaneous block and punch and strong chopping punches. Grappling, kicking, nerve-attack and weapons complete the northern branch.
In Southern Praying Mantis, Movements are continuous and circular, soft and hard, except in attack, where the middle knuckle (phoenix eye) of the index finger is used like a needle to pierce the internal organs.
History of Praying Mantis
About 350 to 400 years ago, in eastern Shantung Province of China, a monk named Wong Long went beyond his Shaolin Kung Fu teachings to create a fighting system that has passed the test of time and is second-to-none. Praying Mantis Kung Fu has been inspired by a fight between a cicada and a praying mantis. The mantis, with its, motionless stance, waited patiently for its prey to move within striking range. Suddenly, the scissors-like action of the mantis’s front claws snared the attacking cicada immobilizing the larger insect before the mantis devoured it. Fortunately for the thousands of martial artists to follow him, Wong Long returned home and observed the emerald green mantis’ techniques as it fought various insects. In this way Wong Long replicated and adapted the creature’s style into one of the most devastating martial arts known to man.

Praying Mantis Kung Fu uses guards, strikes, and footwork that look similar to the way a praying mantis attacks its prey or any unwelcome visitors. There are two completely different versions of Praying Mantis Kung Fu : Northern and Southern.

Northern style is characterized by fast hand movements. The hook hands are found in all the northern sub-styles. Northern Tang Lang Chuen’s main weapon is the blinding speed of the hand trying to control and punch the opponent.

It has a balanced combination of circular and straight movements.

There are simultaneous block and punch and strong chopping punches. Grappling, kicking, nerve-attack and weapons complete the northern branch.

In Southern Praying Mantis, Movements are continuous and circular, soft and hard, except in attack, where the middle knuckle (phoenix eye) of the index finger is used like a needle to pierce the internal organs.

History of Praying Mantis

About 350 to 400 years ago, in eastern Shantung Province of China, a monk named Wong Long went beyond his Shaolin Kung Fu teachings to create a fighting system that has passed the test of time and is second-to-none. Praying Mantis Kung Fu has been inspired by a fight between a cicada and a praying mantis. The mantis, with its, motionless stance, waited patiently for its prey to move within striking range. Suddenly, the scissors-like action of the mantis’s front claws snared the attacking cicada immobilizing the larger insect before the mantis devoured it. Fortunately for the thousands of martial artists to follow him, Wong Long returned home and observed the emerald green mantis’ techniques as it fought various insects. In this way Wong Long replicated and adapted the creature’s style into one of the most devastating martial arts known to man.