Animal Styles

Humans have been imitating other animals since the dawn of time. All our tools and weapons were crafted essentially to adapt some advantage another animal had over us. We honored animals in our primal dance ceremonies and merged our spirits with theirs to gain a deeper understanding of their mysteries and wisdom. As such, animal styles of martial arts could arguably be considered the most ancient of forms which have essentially been revived and adapted over the course of human history. In any case, practicing animal forms has many tangible health benefits. On a strictly physical level, these forms and movements make use of the entire body, building strength, flexibility, balance and coordination all at once. Forcing the body to move in an unorthodox manner provides a much more effective workout than does repetitive exercise using standard lifting, walking and jumping type movements. Also, because we are NOT repeating movements which we do thousands of times a day, we are also empowering our brains by forming new synapses and neural pathways, building entirely new nets of connections between motor functions- effectively making our bodies AND minds stronger and more agile. On a spiritual level, practicing animal forms could be seen as an almost shamanic exercise. It connects us to other creatures, so teaches us empathy and understanding. It lets us experience, in our own way, the body and mind of the animal, thus do our souls find a connection with their power. When practicing animal forms, you may begin to see the world through their eyes, gaining access to knowledge that cannot even be expressed in words. To be afforded such a glimpse into the world from such a wildly different perspective can also open our hearts to others whose perspectives we have difficulty comprehending. The gifts of knowledge, understanding, compassion, presence, health and vitality are endlessly given by way of embracing our kinship with these magnificent creatures. Following are the basic ideas which form a variety of traditional animal styles, just enough to whet the appetite and hopefully inspire some to seek formal training. Who knows, perhaps one of you will take the time to observe some other creature and devote yourself to the development of an as yet unknown animal style... Happy hunting

Tiger
Chinese name; Fu Jow Pai
Primary characteristics; Strength and ferocity.
Physical traits; great upper and lower body strength
Strategy; Direct charge with overwhelming force.
Signature weapon; Tiger claw- spread your fingers then bend them slightly. The muscles are kept relaxed but ready and the hand becomes solid only at the moment of impact. This allows for greater speed and versatility of action as the open hand can grab, deflect, claw, or strike (with the palm) without stiffening the muscles of the arm and hand, thus conserving energy.
Training; Hard exercises for strength and endurance.
Notes; qigong, iron shirt and iron hand training enhance this style. The not-so-secret "secret" of tiger style is that, while it seems to be extremely "external" in focus and application, it is actually the channeling of "inner" power which makes it so effective.

Crane
Chinese name; He Quan
Primary characteristics; Grace, subtlety, long reach.
Physical traits; superb balance and flexibility.
Strategy; Keep the opponent at a distance and strike at the very edge of your sphere.
Signature weapon; Crane beak- bring all of the fingertips together at the tip of the thumb. This is used to strike pressure points with great force while extending your reach almost to its maximum. Only the spear hand has a longer reach, but it sacrifices structural integrity, so, while the crane beak may look funny, it is akin to having a bullet with a brain, able to seek out and target your vulnerable points even in motion. Furthermore, the bent knuckles and even top of the wrist provide additional striking surfaces for other targets and striking angles, while the area below the hand forms a hook for deflecting attacks and setting up grappling and throwing techniques.
Training; Speed striking drills, plyometrics, flexibility (for long kicks)
Notes; the "crane stance" is not really meant to be a static stance, but rather a block with the leg which can also be snapped outward for a counter strike. Training in this stance builds balance and leg strength, both integral to the style, but it is not a pose you just assume in a street fight. He-Quan, crane boxing, was originally one all-encompassing system, but later broke into 5 branches;

• Su-He-Quan- sleeping crane- through timing, stillness, and focus, exploits openings created by offensive attacks rather than being the aggressor.
• ming-He-Quan- crying  crane- focuses on inner power. Uses breath and vocalizations to channel qi.
• Shi-He-Quan- feeding crane- utilizes the special "crane beak" strike to "peck" at vital points.
• Fei-He-Quan- flying crane- focuses on long-range fighting. Uses leaping and dynamic distancing to evade while delivering high kicks and sweeping "wing" (chopping) attacks.
• Zong-He-Quan- shaking crane- utilizes fa-jin, shaking power, for short range strength and qin-na grappling for in-fighting.

Leopard
Chinese name; Bao Quan
Primary characteristics; Speed, precision, simultaneous aggression and evasion.
Physical traits; exceptional strength and speed in the upper body coupled with strong, well balanced (though not "rooted" or fixed) stance that can quickly explode into a surprising leap if needed to close the distance and unleash an attack.
Strategy; Find a window, attack without hesitation, exploit vulnerabilities, get away. Better known as the "sting and move" tactic, only leopard stylists choose to "sting" at vital points to maximize effectiveness.
Signature weapon; Leopard paw fist- also called a half fist, this is formed by bending the fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joint, thus forming a "fist" of the intermediate phalanges rather than the proximal, as in a "standard" fist. The thumb is simply tucked in toward the palm, held parallel as in a ridge hand. This hand shape creates a hard striking surface which penetrates deeper and more precisely than a balled fist while also creating a strong back hand, ridge hand (thumb side) and knife hand (pinkie side) and solid palm, all valid striking weapons. While some force is sacrificed to protect the fingers when striking with the knuckles in the paw form, the smaller striking surface allows what force is transferred to be greatly intensified. Since this style targets vulnerable areas such as the kidneys, carotid sinus, and brachial plexus nerves, it makes for a more devastating attack than would simple punches.
Training; Leopard paw push-ups. Striking and footwork drills focused on creating a powerful stance while maintaining dynamic movement and delivering rapid strikes to small targets.
Notes; also sometimes called panther, this style is known for being technical and evasive while also fast and aggressive. Rather than block, it chooses to dodge and strike simultaneously at the opening created by the attack. One must be exceptionally quick of mind and body to achieve this. 

Snake
Chinese name; She Quan
Primary characteristics; deceptiveness, speed, twining movements and pressure point strikes.
Physical traits; supple muscles and a small frame can help with the effectiveness of this style.
Strategy; use body contact to redirect force, control the joints, strike quick, penetrating blows to most vulnerable targets.
Signature weapon; snake hand- fingers are held straight out while the thumb is brought to the center of the palm so the distal phalanx (thumb tip) contacts the point between the second and third metacarpals (lower bones of the middle and ring fingers) thus solidifying the structure. As with other kung fu hand techniques, the key is relaxed but poised muscles allowing the strike to be executed with maximum speed. The hand and arm must line up perfectly and become rigid at the point of impact, then, going "soft" again, the hand is retracted just as quickly. It is more like striking with a whip than a fist.
Training; tui shou, hand conditioning, speed and accuracy based striking drills, small circle exercises for throws and take downs. Pilates, isometrics, qi gong, ball training, and other such exercises which strengthen the core while building lean, flexible muscle and conditioning circular movement.
Notes; taiji is probably the best supplement to this style. Snake requires lean, but strong muscles to be used with fantastic control and precision. The slow, deliberate movements of taiji can train the body for all of that. Although the workout is low-impact, constant practice (at least once a day, if not 2-3 times) will have a surprising effect on the physical strength, as well as developing the all important internal power. Also, upon deeper analysis, you may see that the targets and strikes hidden in the seemingly peaceful and gentle movements of taiji are very similar to those used by the snake. That is, using the finger tips and whipping strikes to extremely vulnerable areas such as the eyes, throat, and groin. Or, when applied to limbs, not only divert the attack by redirecting force as is commonly portrayed, but actual conceal bone breaking and disjointing techniques.

Dragon
Chinese name; Long Xi Quan
Primary characteristics; Ferocity concealed with deceptive movements and snaking steps. Fluid transitioning between soft and hard style movement.
Physical traits; lower body strength with exceptional stance and footwork coupled with strong AND flexible upper body, particularly the arms and hands.
Strategy; Set up the attack then explode at close range with a series of brutal strikes.
Signature weapon; dragon tail kick- this is the favored "round house" of hollywood movies (a true round house does not involve spinning) wherein the rear leg is whipped at the target by rotating the hips 180 degrees as you spin to face the opponent from your other side. Also the dragon claw- like a tiger claw with a flatter, more rigid palm. Likened to palming a basketball. The fingers are used for ripping and gouging while the palm is used for striking, thus there is subtlety wherein even as the opponent is seized for a grappling attack or take down, the limb is struck by the hardened palm, shocking it briefly in order to better facilitate the intended technique.
Training; explosive power, dynamic movement, or any exercise which combines internal and external training together.
Notes; it is said that dragon style utilizes techniques of all the other classic five animal styles- leopard, tiger, crane, and snake. The constant shifting of yin and yang, softness and hardness, also make this one of the most balanced styles

Monkey
Chinese name; Hou Quan, also Da Sheng Men
Primary characteristics; compact and dynamic movement coupled with explosive strikes.
Physical traits; superb agility and leg strength, ability to maintain balance and focus in the midst of erratic movement.
Strategy; confuse, deceive, destroy, retreat.
Signature weapon; Monkey paw- a soft, semi-open hand used to deliver concussive slaps, but may also made hard at the moment of impact to be used for clawing and gouging attacks to vulnerable targets. The hou gun, or monkey staff, is a non-body weapon also associated with this style. It is a long stick used for striking at multiple levels and ranges as well as for limb control and joint locks.
Training; Di Tang Quan (breakfall Fist)- foot and body work to train the use of tumbling and momentum- also, strong stance work and plyometric leaping for surprising high attacks. Multi-level strikes and feints.
Notes; monkey style is actually exceedingly rare in its pure martial form these days. It is easy to find things calling themselves "monkey style kung fu" but most are really just performance arts masquerading as fighting styles. The nearest thing to acrobatics are "ukemi" type rolls (as seen in Aikido) and climbing the body of the opponent for devastating take downs and assaults to the upper anatomy, particularly the head and face. One unique principle of this fighting style is the use of "4 hands" or using the legs and feet for grappling and joint locks in a manner as similar to the hands and arms as humanly possible. Therefore, like dog fist, monkey has a strong ground game, targeting the legs and lower body to bring the opponent down. Martial monkey emphasizes limb destruction and a devastating barrage of multi level attacks which are both fast and strong, all while constantly moving and evading the opponent's attacks. Done correctly, the monkey seems to attack from all angles at once, and throws its entire body into every strike, using momentum to further augment the force when possible. Like crane, monkey has been divided into various schools as well;

• Drunken monkey- characterized by soft structure, attacks to vital points and low targets, heavy strikes, sacrifice throws and feints
• Stone monkey- the "hardest" monkey style which develops and utilizes iron body coupled with powerful attacks to weak points. Takes the hit to exploit the opening, using the defense as offense.
• Lost monkey- characterized by speed, agility, and feigning weakness
• Tall monkey- a long range style which, unlike other monkey styles, maintains a superior position. May “climb the limbs” as in moving up the body as openings are created (like in eagle claw), or literally climbing the opponent to drop down upon them, striking with gravitational force
• Wooden monkey- characterized by heavy movements and grappling. A balance of hard and soft.

Mantis
Chinese name; Tang Lang Quan (northern) or Nan Pai Tanglang (southern)
Primary characteristics; short/small circular movements, strong stance and footwork, patience, precision and inner power.
Physical traits; exceptional lower body strength and balance coupled with fast hands and arms. Well conditioned finger tips for both striking and gripping.
Strategy; redirect force, create a window, exploit vulnerable points. Tends to attack at angles and work to pull the opponent off balance.
Signature weapon; Mantis hook- like a combination crane beak and snake fang, the finger tips are used for striking vital points while the "hook" is used to guide and control the opponent's strikes.
Training; tui shou, footwork and precision drills, also hand conditioning for pressure point strikes
Notes; There are two main styles of mantis, Shandong and Shanxi. Shanxi style is "softer" employing more circular movements both in the hands and footwork. Shandong, alternatively, is "harder" and more linear.

Eagle
Chinese name; Ying Jow Pai
Primary characteristics; poised yet brutal.
Physical traits; Exceptional speed and agility, being light and fast on the feet, coupled with superb grip and fingertip strength.
Strategy; strike from any range and on any level, but quickly immobilize and finish the opponent with devastating attacks to joints and pressure points.
Signature weapon; eagle claw- this is formed basically by making a tight C shape with the hand. It is used with a grip-twist-shake technique, whether for controlling limbs and joints, pinching nerves, or ripping muscle and soft tissues. A properly executed strike of this sort even to a seemingly innocuous a target like the love handles is enough to drop most people or get them off of you. An eagle claw to the trachea could potentially kill and certainly incapacitate for a period.
Training; stance work, speed and grip training.
Notes;  based upon the "108 locks" of legendary progenitor Yue Fei, this system heavily emphasizes the chin na. A key element of this system is that every attack on a vital point opens up another vulnerable point. Speed, maneuvering, and quick, decisive attacks lead to quick progressions or chains of attacks aimed at incapacitating the opponent by displacing joints, ripping muscles and tendons, blocking the breath or blood flow, or attacking the nerves. Death, unconsciousness, or temporary disability are what eagle claw aims for, not submission. This is an important element to understand.

Dog
Chinese name; Gou Quan, also DiShang FeiLong "dragon flying over ground"
Primary characteristics; unleashing a surprising barrage of attacks from a seemingly inferior position.
Physical traits; strong core and legs
Strategy; get the opponent to the ground and use the advantage of leverage to augment strength.
Signature weapon; unknown- this style is so rare that some refuse it even exists. While I have found sufficient evidence that it does, I do not, at this time, know of any signature moves or weapons unique to the style.
Training; dynamic positioning and stance work, chin na and grip training, circular movement (particularly of the legs and waist, but also snake-like entwining and throwing with the hands and arms) and body conditioning.
Notes; a subtle characteristic of this style seems to be the use of sacrifice throws (those in which you use the opponent's force combined with your own body weight by intentionally falling to the ground) WHILE utilizing entwining techniques so as to destroy the offending limb in the process of setting up your attack. Low attacks to the legs and groin are also common, again, with emphasis on limb destruction in the grappling technique leading up to the final striking techniques. Strikes seem less precise and more focused on speed and ferocity, which is fine considering the assailant is likely crippled at this point anyway.