Category Archives: Kung Fu Sayings
Small Weapons, Smart Weapons
The smaller [the weapon], the smarter it is. This saying could be seen as a departure from the previous ones that have been considered here. Instead of talking about the body, rooting, moving, standing, the use of limbs, etc., the … Continue reading →
Hardness within Softness
When hardness is contained in softness, attacks are unstoppable. When hardness does not contain softness, it cannot be maintained. In many ways, all movements are a balance between hard and soft. The human body itself has hard bones and … Continue reading →
Soft Preparation, Hard Strike
Softly prepare to strike hard! More literally this phrase can be translated as: “Softly gather qi, solidly strike.” There are two primary ways this phrase can be interpreted in martial arts. The first pertains to training, while the second refers to … Continue reading →
Striving for Natural Movement
Practiced thousands of times, the body method becomes natural. Gōngfu (功夫) – skill acquired through effort – practicing thousands of times. This is the foundation of martial arts training, as we should all know painfully well! Zìrán (自然) – natural – this … Continue reading →
Wiggling the Waist
One who practices boxing without being able to wiggle the waist freely will never reach a high level of skill. More waist motion! How many times did I hear that when I first started learning kung fu from my teacher, … Continue reading →
Shen Fa Society 