The 5 animals

Hung-Gar uses techniques observed to animals; the five main are: the dragon, the snake, the tiger, the panther and the crane.

THE DRAGON :

The DRAGON is a fabulous mythical animal, dear to the Chinese culture.

According to branches we find four or five pillars in the forms of Hung Ga. All the others are forms brought back by various Masters to enrich the system according to their understanding and their experience, the five pillars are:

The DRAGON looks like a combination of several animals: body of theSNAKE, the head of the PIG, the ears of the DEER, the beard of the SHEEP, the legs of the CONDOR and the scales of the FISH. It is the fruit of the imagination of the Chinese people. Besides the Chinese emperors were persuaded that they were the real DRAGONS and the sons of the sky. The DRAGON was the real symbol of the imperial power.

In the martial arts, and particularly the Kung fu, the DRAGON represents the union of the internal and the extern: the style of the DRAGON is the most spiritual; he can be seen as a fusion of the TIGER style and the SNAKE style, because he is rather close both.

The movements are long, continuous and fluid. The whipped kicks symbolize the « blows of the tail of the DRAGON ».

THE SNAKE

The style of the SNAKE is one of the most dangerous for the opponent: he allows to strike devastating blows by mobilizing only not much strength and by taking a minimum of risks.

The attacks of the SNAKE are rather internal and aim at sensible spots of the body, as eyes or throat.

The techniques of the SNAKE are often realized with the gathered fingers, allowing to apply the strength to a reduced surface, engendering of this fact an important pain.

They are often circular and rolled up, symbolizing the attitude of the animal.

THE TIGER

The animal style of the TIGER is the most axed on the physical strength. His technique of fight consists in attacking with power.

The majority of the blows of the TIGER aim at making a strong external attack. The movements are short, dry, lively and very hard.

The practice of the TIGER style allows to strengthen the skeleton and to develop the resistance and the muscle structure.

THE PANTHER

The animal style of the TIGER is the most axed on the physical strength. His technique of fight consists in attacking with power.

The PANTHER (or LEOPARD is an external animal, less massive than the TIGER.

The style of the PANTHER is thus less based on the strength, but rather on the speed, the suppleness and the aggression.

The practice of this style develops the speed and the flexibility.

The knocks are carried by folding up phalanxes so as to form the fist of the PANTHER.

THE CRANE

The style of the CRANE (or of the WHITE CRANE, or still the HERON) is characterized by attacks in spade of fingers, positions on a leg, movements of arm calling back the movement of wings.
It is the style which favors in particular the precision and the balance. it is much more harmonious than the other styles presented here.
The practice of the style of the CRANEallows to strengthen tendons and ligaments.
The CRANE, as the SNAKE, calls on to techniques on the pressure points, so allowing to cause a severe pain without developing a big muscular strength.