Having a deep fascination with all things martial arts, I recently started looking into which of the arts are most suited to self-defense. I really want to find out just how effective each form of martial arts is for self-defense and how effective they are in a real fight. Today, my focus is on Kung Fu.
Kung Fu can be highly effective in self-defense and real fighting if you learn to use it under these 2 reasons; Kung Fu is good for self-defense because there are no rules in Kung Fu and the art is primarily focused on striking designed to incapacitate an opponent.
We live in a society where unexpected physical harm has become the norm, through muggings, break-ins, rapes and so on. Learning a form of self-defense is no longer a luxury, but for many rather a necessity. From various sources online I have learned that Kung Fu is one of the preferred methods of self-defense.
People who don’t just want to dedicate themselves to a martial art for the physical as well as mental and spiritual aspects, usually choose Kung Fu because it is deemed a worthwhile form of self-defense. Something I am happy to learn as I am quite fascinated with the art. If you want to learn a bit more about Kung Fu for self-defense and real fighting, read on.
Just How Effective is Kung Fu For Self-Defense?
If you’re considering learning Kung Fu, you probably want to know how effective it would be in self-defense. You probably don’t want to learn an art that might be effective, if self-defense is your main objective. When it comes to self-defense and street fights, you really need speed, agility and force on your side. Someone who is used to street fighting and has some skill in it will probably be able to overpower and “win” against someone who has only ever trained Kung Fu in a setting where there is no opponent truly fighting back.
The key, as I have found to be the case with all martial arts, is for the practitioner to put a lot of time and effort into training Kung Fu with the intention of combat. This means sparring, practicing with a partner who wants to win just as badly, and actually putting the techniques into real life scenarios. How effective is Kung Fu for self-defense? That really depends on you and how much time and effort you are willing to put into it.
Which Kung Fu Techniques Are Ideal For Self-Defense
If you haven’t spent much time watching Kung Fu videos on YouTube, you might not be too clued up on what the moves and techniques are and how they are applied to self-defense or real fight scenario. And of course, by now you are probably wondering which of the basic Kung Fu techniques can be used in a self-defense scenario and just how easily you can learn them.
The effectiveness of Kung Fu relies on a series of stances and blocks. First, beginners learn the stances and then go on to learn a series of strikes and blocks. Below are a few of the basic self-defense, stances, strikes, and blocks you can learn from Kung Fu and use in self-defense.
1. The Kung Fu Horse Stance.
To get into a Kung Fu Horse Stance, the feet are firmly placed wide apart (slightly wider than shoulder-width). The toes are pointed outward slightly and the practitioner goes into a squat. The knees should be bent slightly higher than 90 degrees. To test mental and physical strength, students are often asked to hold this stance for up to an hour at a time. This is the very stance that many Kung Fu movements are formed from, so it’s quite an important stance to know.
2. Kung Fu Punches and Blocks.
Most Kung Fu punches and blocks are done in the horse stance or in a straight standing position. They are fairly simple to carry out, but must be done correctly to avoid injury. The practitioner punches out straight with one arm with the elbow straight and knuckles facing upward. The hand is flipped over and the arm then pulled back slightly, into a block position. After the block position, the arm is pushed out into a straight punch position again. This has to be a powerful move.
3. Kung Fu Front Kick.
The front kick is a very simplistic yet powerful move. It is designed to be done quickly and with enough power to stop or an attacker in his tracks. The practitioner thrusts his leg forward into the attacker while making hard contact with the bottom of the foot.
4. Kung Fu Side Kick.
The Kung Fu sidekick is similar to the basic front kick, but instead of facing your attacker, you actually turn your body to face side-on to the attacker. These kicks are designed to stop an approaching attacker and are quite powerful if timed and aimed just right.
5. Kung Fu Round Kick.
This is a more complicated kick that requires the practitioner to turn his body in the same direction he is kicking. He must aim to strike the attacker with his shin or foot. There’s a bit more time to build up force with this kick, so it proves to be more powerful than the round kick and sidekick.
Do Kung Fu Classes Actually Teach Self-Defense?
One of the biggest questions to ask is if you can actually attend a Kung Fu class and expect to be taught self-defense. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Not many Kung Fu classes will advertise themselves as self-defense classes, even if that is their main focus.
The best thing to do is to chat with the school instructors about whether or not they can teach you Kung Fu specifically for self-defense. Just like in any martial art, if you aren’t taught how to apply the techniques for self-defense, you will struggle when the time to do that arises.
How Many Levels & Belts Are There in Kung Fu?
How many belts are there in Kung Fu and how many years does it take to work your way through them? For many who start learning a martial art, their main drive is to work their way through the belt system. It is safe to say that someone who has put in the time and effort to work through each and every belt grading in Kung Fu will be better off in a street fight than someone who has only just begun learning.
There is a lot to be said for time and experience. That being said, there are 9 belt grading and colors. Black belt is the 8th color and usually takes around 5 to 7 years to achieve. The 9th belt is the Leadership belt which is for those who want to instruct in the art. The bests are named and numbered as follows:
- White belt – New beginning.
- Yellow belt – Curiosity.
- Orange belt – Determination.
- Green belt – Growth.
- Blue belt – Control.
- Purple belt – Strength.
- Brown belt – Stability.
- Black belt – Mastery.
- Red belt – Leadership.
As you can tell, Kung Fu is very focused on mental and spiritual growth just as much as it is focused on physical strength and development.
The Actual Background of Kung Fu
Now that you know that Kung Fu is a worthy form of self-defense to learn, you might like to learn a little bit more about its background. I did a bit of digging into Kung Fu’s history and found that there’s a lot of legend regarding it, but nothing concrete. What we do know is that while Kung Fu is thought of as a Chinese martial art, it actually originated in India. While it originated in India in the first millennium, the majority of its development took place in China. The martial art is based on Buddhist philosophies.
Most historical documents about Kung Fu point to Bodhidharma who taught his art to sickly monks in Shaolin. When the art strengthened them physically and mentally, word got out about just how “potent” his martial art was. The first mention of this is made in documents dating back to 1624, but there are rumors that some of the writings from the particular author in question where not always factual.
The spread of the art into China is obvious. Many historical documents mention that Shaolin monks had a combat system and military presence during the Sui Dynasty from 581 to 618. The system was taught to Shaolin monks and this is said to be how the spread of Kung Fu was made possible.
Minimal Gear to Get Started in Kung Fu
Before you become a Kung Fu master, you need to get started. Nothing happens overnight and you can expect to put in many hours and years of training to get to where you need to be. Let’s think about day 1 for now. You have just booked your first Kung Fu lesson; what do you need? You won’t immediately have a Kung Fu uniform so you are going to need to dress comfortably.
Wear loose-fitting clothing and a pair of flat and flexible shoes. When you do get a Kung Fu uniform, you will notice that it is designed to allow free and flowing movement of the body. Your Kung Fu school will be able to provide you with your first uniform and belt.
What other pieces of equipment can you expect to encounter? Kung Fu is quite a workout and there are a lot of bits and pieces involved in the process. For instance, a jump rope is a worthy piece of Kung Fu equipment. Jump rope will boost your stamina if you practice regularly. It also is a great warm up tool and will strengthen the muscles in your legs specifically.
Other Pieces Of Equipment Used in Kung Fu
Using the Wing Chun Dummy in Kung Fu.
You might have seen these in martial art movies! They are a well-known Kung Fu training tool and really do train precise skills in the art. Repetition and speed are focused on while the equipment works on developing your accuracy, timing, power, and balance. All of these are required if you wish to be a powerful force to be reckoned with in a street fight. You can get your own to practice at home or just make use of the one that is bound to be available in your Kung Fu school.
Using Training Rings in Kung Fu.
These rings are made from various materials. Some are iron, brass or steel. It just looks like a ring, but it’s so much more than that when it comes to Kung Fu training. Training rings really provide stronger more defined muscles. These are placed on the arms during training. They work similarly to ankle weights. Where it is worn, the skin will also become tougher – usually in striking zones. In self-defense scenarios, you want to be tougher and stronger, don’t you?
Using Wall Striking Bags in Kung Fu.
Wall striking bags are typically made from synthetic of genuine leather, but they do also come in canvas varieties. These are used for perfecting kicks, palm strikes, and punches. You will use this to practice throwing strikes correctly so that you don’t hurt yourself.
You might find a variety of other items of equipment used in the school that you attend. This is mostly because fitness is key when learning Kung Fu. Make sure that you try out all of the equipment and pay close attention to how each item is used correctly.
Last Word
If you would like to learn a martial art that will also be a good form of self-defense or good in a real fight, then Kung Fu is a great choice. Apply yourself, learn with self-defense always in mind and make a concerted effort to thrive in the art. Enjoy!
