Northern Shao Lin Chuan

(Little forest Fist)

  This highly effective self-defense system is believed to be over 5,000 years old. The style is representative of its origin in northern China where the cooler climate required practitioners to develop their flexibility through fully extended movements. Characterized by its low, wide stances and large circular arm movements, this style is also sometimes referred to as Long Fist.

  Northern Shao Lin can be practiced by all ages for developing self-defense skills as well as increased flexibility, improved concentration and coordination, and self-confidence.

   In Chinese martial arts there are considered to be three levels of fighting. The first or lowest level of fighting is the use of force against force. In most cases the greater force wins.

   The second level is using the opponents' force against himself by learning to deflect or redirect the striking force. This method allows the practitioner to reserve full power for the counter-strike. The second level is where Northern Shao Lin begins. Although it is an external style of martial arts, making use of the skeletal alignment and muscular contraction, it is a soft style because of its deflective nature.

   The third level, a lifetime goal in kung fu practice, is to have such complete control over one's body that any force applied to the practitioners' body will set it in motion yielding to the oncoming attack. The development of this skill requires years of training and at it's highest level requires no blocking or redirecting of an opponents force. The traditional method of training to achieve this level of skill requires a strong ShaoLin base followed by training in the internal arts of Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing Yi, and Pa Kua Chang.

 

 

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Updated 7/7/04