STYLES
At our school we have several classes to suit different peoples aims, objectives and mentality. All the classes are suitable for beginners. When choosing it is important not only to choose a style that fits your aims and objectives but also one which trains in a way which suits your temprament. For this reason you may attend a class in each style for free to find one that suits you.
All styles are from a complete lineage teaching the full art.
This page is only meant as an introduction to the styles of the average layman, there is much more in-dpeth information availible by searching the internet and soon some articles will be put up for those who wish to learn more.
First we list the primary styles we currently have classes in (Astrex next to them), however advanced students may go on to study the other arts within the class listed if adequate progress is made in their foundation style. These other arts are also offered in private seminar form or private lessons.
QUANZHEN KUNG FU*
Teaching the original empowerments of the taoist warrior monk. This style is a series of methods to align the practisioner with their original source of power. Hence it is the root of all subsequent methods (Shaolin, XingYi, Bagua, Taiji etc).
It is designed to develop the body into a powerful, repressurised, sensitive instument and unleash the dormant power of the unconditioned mind. It is hard to compare it to 'orthodox' kung fu methods as it is truly a multidimensional practice which is individually tailored to affect every aspect of the practisioners being.
In practice it combines grappling, striking, takedowns, kicks and throws alongside internal and external conditioning and taoist Meditation methods, bringing about health, longevity and vigour.
This class will suit those interested in internal development, the essence of martial practice and those searching for the untimate convergence with themselves.
Splashing Hands*
Splashing Hands is a southern style legendarily designed to teach the Shaolin guards to defend the temple. Hence the style is an intensive no-nonesense method focussing on heavy repetition of a few techniques and highly practical fighting combinations until they become second nature. It utilises relaxed whip like (Bian jin) strikes in fast combinations alongside rapid yet rooted footwork to overcome the opponent.
The class is quite aerobically intense with heavy conditioning and suits someone primarily looking to learn practical fighting methods. It is suitable for beginners (and experienced martial artists) who are willing to put effort in.
TAOIST YOGA
Taoist yoga promotes health, fitness, vigour and longevity. It is a method of repressuring the body and de-stressing the mind. It is suitable for both men and women and is highly adaptable to people of differing fitness levels and aims.
Taoist Yoga (TaoJiaoYujiaGong) is a method developed to unify the body and mind (yuijia is from the same root word as yoga). Stemming from the monks of the QuanZhen sect of Taoism. It contains methods to aid health, flexibilty, mobility, strength and mental clarity.
WING CHUN*
Wing Chun is a well known southern system. It empahsises close range power applied with highly developed sensitivity. It is a compact system containing 3 hand forms and 2 weapons. It was populised by the late Bruce Lee. It was founded by Ng Moi and named after her (female) student Yim Wing Chun. It is a style suitable for older and younger practisioners of all fitness levels and makes an excellent first Kung Fu art..
OTHER ARTS
TAIJIQUAN
We teach Chen Taijiquan through the lineage of the well respected Pan Wing Chow. Chen Taijiquan is the oldest known form of Taiji and, whilst well known for its health development properties, is still closely tied to its martial roots. The first forms is in 13 sections and 64 movements to develop skill. The second form 'Cannon fist' is faster and further develops the powerful force (FaJing) this Taiji is known for.
XINGYIQUAN
XingYiQuan (Form-Mind Boxing) is another internal art. It is perhaps the most obviously martial. Most of the 'forms' are single movement drills which can be repeated until they are instinctive and natural. The method is based around '5 fist' techniques, each of which instills a method of power generation. The style also includes twelve animals methods which develop different fighting stratergies and body methods: Dragon, Horse, Chicken, Tiger, Snake, Sparrow-Halk, Vulture/Pheonix, Alligator, Eagle, Bear, Swallow and Monkey.
BAGUAZHANG
BaguaZhang (Eight TriGram Palm) is a method that Dong Hai Chuan learnt from taoists and made famous through his exploits and those of his disciples. It involves heavy repititions of 'circle walking' round a central point (origionally a tree) using a special walking method to develop evasive footwork skills. It is also known for its abilty to adapt to situations and generate power from a variety of different angles.
All of Dong's students developed in different directions to suit there own body type and approach to combat. We teach the old way based on the teaching of two fourth generation lineage holders. We teach a method from the famous Zhang Zhao Dong and Ma Wei Qi's method (extremely rare) both of which were very famous for there direct combat applicability.
ZIMENQUAN
ZiMenQuan is a soft style of kung-fu that was developed in the Shaolin Temple. The origin of this system is shrouded in mystery. The earliest recorded history of ZiMenQuan is in the Ching Dynasty, during the reign of the Emperor Chenlung (1736-1796). During this period, the style was transmitted to the Keangse Province and became very popular.
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The ZiMenQuan system has only 3 forms and 6 fundamental techniques along with the 18 characters. It also emphasises developing strong yet flexible hands and striking to specific points..
XIAO JIAO TIEN
Xiao Jiao Tien (Nine Little Heavens) Is an old Taoist method said to have influenced the development of TaijiQuan. It is extremely practical developing huge power from 'wrestling distance'. It has three aspects: Boxing methods, swordsmanship and internal cultivation. Orinigally it was taught to one Taoist Monk per generation, Chiao Chang Hung brought the method out of the temple and began teaching it to selected students in Taiwan. The lineage passed to James McNeil who is our teacher.
IRON HAND
Iron Hand was an essential aspect of Kung Fu. It is a method (or in fact each school had its own method) of increasing bone density, tendon strength and qi flow to the hand without damaging it or compormising the hands sensitivity. It is very difficult to use most of the hand positions in Kung Fu forms without the hand being conditioned.
Ironically Iron Hand is now seen as a specialism, yet originally it was a foundation practice then all Kung Fu students did to some level (alongside Iron Body), in all 'striking' styles of Kung Fu (internal or external).
True Iron Hand includes conditioning methods, striking techniques, Qigong and herbology alongside several levels of development. See the Iron Hand Dvds (upper left) website for more information.
IRON BODY
Iron Body is hugely beneficial for the health developing greater bone density. Traditionally thought to 'store marrow', It increase bone density and I believe it improves the white blood cell generation. It also helps the muscles and tissues to relax and repressurise.
Like Iron Hand it was a fundermental 'basic' practice in Kung Fu and also in Taoist/Buddhist cultivation methods. In fighting it allows one to take a powerful blow without damage (or at least with less damage, and so is a pessimistic form of self defence.
Nowadays it is seen as a specialisation, which is a shame and one of the many reasons Kung Fu as taught in 95% of schools is not a viable self defence method, it has been stripped of all the essential and left with only the a empty garment (forms) without 'body'.
QIGONG
Qigong is 'Energy skill'. It takes many forms and overlaps with NeiKung (Inner skill), It promotes good health, vitality and the development of specialised skills. One overlooked aspect of QiGong pracitice is that it should always be balanced with WeiKung (External skill) conditioning methods in order to develop harmoniously
HEALING ARTS
Any Kung Fu practisioner should learn some Traditional Chinese Medicine. We teach methods of Acupressure (stimulating pointsd to promote healing), TuiNa (Joint realignment and fast techniques for acute conditions), An Mo (Chinese Massotherapy) and some special Taoist healing methods unique to our family.
Much of what is taught as TCM in modern universities (in China and the west) is a far cry from the original methods abd paradyms of taoist medicine. Much was lost during the cultural revolution when only a partialised, cripppled form of TCM was allowed to be practiced. The void left was quickly filled when these methods went to the West and undertrained teachers filled these gaps with whatever new age gooblydigook they personally espoused.
Primary to our practice are traditional methods to actual develop the ability of the healer to be able to sense and move their own Qi through all the meridians, once one has genuine experential skill at this, then learning healing is easy, obvious and intuitive.
Without this ability at the foundation of practice any TCM healing skills will only be hyperthetical, second hand/book knowledge stemming from borrowed theories and disconnected from real knowledge. This is why the older generation of Chinese healers practiced kung fu and or qigong methods.
Healing and harming are opposite sides of the same skill, to develop one is to develop the other and they are in no way contradictory, only reversals of the same cycle.