Kung Fu – Many Techniques and Styles

Kung Fu is actually an umbrella term that is widely used to refer to a number of different martial arts with Chinese origins. Kung Fu was originally known as Ch’uan Fa, which translates to "fist way." This martial arts origin is rooted back to Northern China's Shaolin temples. There existed five different such temples located in five separate districts, which translated into five distinct martial arts styles, all taking the Shaolin Kung Fu name. Eventually these martial arts styles were categorized into both north and south styles, with each style having unique characteristics setting it apart from the other.

In Southern China, the Cantonese people refer to Kung Fu instead as Gung Fu. The southern styles of this martial art utilized primarily low stances, strong hand and foot techniques and low kicks. This is because in the south, many practitioners of the sport were stockier and shorter in comparison to practitioners from the north. Northern martial arts systems utilized difficult and stylish movements and patterns coupled with acrobatic and intricate legwork. Many of the newer, modern martial arts forms are derived from these ancient styles, showing how martial arts have evolved through the years.

Kung Fu is Chinese Mandarin for "skill gained from hard work." There is no single style of kung fu, but rather a number of different self-defense and martial arts disciplines that fall under this umbrella term. Many varieties of kung fu share basic core characteristics, such as the fluid movement of both hands and legs, and the tendency to focus on striking attacks on the most vulnerable areas of the opponent's body. There are said to be more than 1,000 different styles of this martial art, meaning that the practices and concepts are diverse. From kung fu and gung fu, many other martial arts have developed including tai chi and karate.

In Kung fu alone, there are many different styles. A style is simply a particular school of practice when it comes to martial arts. This can mean unique training methods, emphasis on specific attacks or favored techniques. Some examples of styles include crane, monkey and tiger styles. Each is distinct in some way, and this allows for certain styles to be best suited for certain people. Because there are so many different styles and approaches to this martial art, it becomes reasonably easy to find one that suits your own unique interests, physical attributes and what you hope to gain from the art.