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5 Animal Kempos
Traditional Shaolin Kung-Fu has five animals in which their system of
fighting is based on. Each animal has its own movements, attitude,
principles, fist, way of fighting. These five animals are: Dragon,
Tiger, Leopard, Snake, and Crane. Each one has its own kempo, or series
of moves, that are taught just to get the idea of how the animal moves.
Dragon
The first animal in Shaolin Kung-Fu is the Dragon. Dragon is the wisest
of all the animals. It never moves forward without thinking out its options
first. Its sort of just flying around waiting for you to make the first move.
It never commits itself to a point where it has no second option. Dragon is
characterized by its wide, long, circular, flowing movements which are ideal
for defense against multiple opponents. The Dragon's fist is an open palms
with the fingers very slightly arched, much like you are palming a basketball.
Dragon kempo is as follows:
• Punch Comes in
• Step back
• Rising circular block to the inner wrist with left hand
• Dragon fist (palm) strike to the temple with the right hand
• Turn away and Back Snap Kick with the right leg
• Turn back and face opponent with Dragon Fists at ready position
Tiger
The second animal of Shaolin Kung-Fu is Tiger. Tiger has only one
direction - forward. It has only one motive - destroy anything and
everything in its path. Tiger does not wait for its opponent to attack -
it takes the offensive immediately. Every movement the Tiger makes is a
devastating move with the intent of maiming or killing its prey. The Tiger
attacks close up, almost skin-tight to its prey. Tiger fist is much like
you are holding a baseball - the finger curled downward tightly, forming
your hand into a claw. Tiger strikes with its palms and then rakes with
the fingers. Tiger kempo is as follows:
• Punch comes in
• Stepping forward with the left leg and a downward
• Tiger block with the left handon the wrist, breaking it
• Tiger strike with the right hand downward on the bridge of the nose,
breaking it and raking down the whole face
• Tiger strike with the left hand upward to the chin and raking up the
whole face
• Left hand settles down across the face; right hand grabs the throat
and the claw closes around the trachea
• Left hands rakes sideways, pushing off the face while the right hand
pulls back, pulling away from the opponent and ripping out the throat
• Settle back into a cat stance and face your opponent with Tiger fists
ready
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