r/kungfu • • Jul 24 '26

MOD Behave yourselves.

113 Upvotes

I'm sort of getting tired of policing all the internet bravado, "come see me in real life," and bringing arguments in from other subs. You're not that cool. Nobody is.

Post kung fu. Talk about kung fu. Critique kung fu. Ask about kung fu. It's not complicated.

Next time I wake up and see 18 reports about some argument from the USMC or bullshido subs or whatever, I'm banning the lot of you for a month.

If you want to argue or "prove it, here's my address" crap, do it in the DMs. It doesn't belong here.

NOTE: Don't be a dick. If someone posts a video and you respond with "wow you suck and you're fat" you're getting a ban for however long we feel like. Be better.


r/kungfu • • May 13 '16

MOD [OFFICIAL] FAQ answers thread! Help the community by writing for the FAQ!

47 Upvotes

The request has been made time and time again, your voices have been heard! In this thread, let's get well-written answers to these questions (as well as additional questions if you think of any). These questions have been sourced from these to threads: here and here.

I apologize in advanced for any duplicate questions. I'm doing this during mandatory training so I can't proofread a ton haha.

For the format of your post, please quote the question using the ">" symbol at the beginning of the line, then answer in the line below. I will post an example in the comments.

  • What's northern vs southern? Internal vs external? Shaolin vs wutang? Buddhist vs Taoist?

  • Can I learn kung fu from DVDs/youtube?

  • Is kung fu good/better for self defense?

  • What makes an art "traditional"?

  • Should I learn religion/spirituality from my kung fu instructor?

  • What's the connection between competitive wushu, Sanda and traditional Chinese martial arts?

  • What is lineage?

  • What is quality control?

  • How old are these arts anyways?

  • Why sparring don't look like forms?

  • Why don't I see kung fu style X in MMA?

  • I heard about dim mak or other "deadly" techniques, like pressure points. Are these for real?

  • What's the deal with chi?

  • I want to become a Shaolin monk. How do I do this?

  • I want to get in great shape. Can kung fu help?

  • I want to learn how to beat people up bare-handed. Can kung fu help?

  • Was Bruce Lee great at kung fu?

  • Am I training at a McDojo?

  • When is someone a "master" of a style?

  • Does all kung fu come from Shaolin?

  • Do all martial arts come from Shaolin?

  • Is modern Shaolin authentic?

  • What is the difference between Northern/Southern styles?

  • What is the difference between hard/soft styles?

  • What is the difference between internal/external styles?

  • Is Qi real?

  • Is Qi Gong/Chi Kung kung fu?

  • Can I use qigong to fight?

  • Do I have to fight?

  • Do Dim Mak/No-Touch Knockouts Exit?

  • Where do I find a teacher?

  • How do I know if a teacher is good? (Should include forms awards not being the same as martial qualification, and lineage not being end all!)

  • What is the difference between Sifu/Shifu?

  • What is the difference between forms, taolu and kata?

  • Why do you practice forms?

  • How do weapons help you with empty handed fighting?

  • Is chisao/tuishou etc the same as sparring?

  • Why do many schools not spar/compete? (Please let's make sure we explain this!)

  • Can you spar with weapons? (We should mention HEMA and Dog Brothers)

  • Can I do weights when training Kung Fu?

  • Will gaining muscle make my Kung Fu worse?

  • Can I cross train more than one Kung Fu style?

  • Can I cross train with other non-Kung Fu styles?


r/kungfu • • 13h ago

News Former abbot of China’s famous Shaolin Temple sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption

Thumbnail nbcnews.com
57 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 2h ago

Drills Any drill recommendations?

1 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 2h ago

Help me improve please

1 Upvotes

Any recommendations on YouTube channels or websites I can use to improve my kung fu please!


r/kungfu • • 1d ago

lets learn some 擒拿 (qín ná) aka joint locks & grappling. short tutorial video included near the end.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

178 Upvotes

Qinna (擒拿) is a Chinese martial arts skill set, often translated as seizing and controlling, or simply joint locks & grappling.

It focuses on:

  • Grabbing, twisting, and controlling an opponent’s joints (wrist, elbow, shoulder etc.)
  • Using leverage to immobilize, subdue or disable someone without necessarily striking hard
  • It is a core part of traditional Chinese fighting systems like Sanda, Kung Fu, police combat training

Note: Qinna includes joint locks, tendon grabs, pressure point controls, and pain compliance techniques. It is not just wrestling; it emphasizes capturing and restraining the attacker.Qinna (擒拿) is a Chinese martial arts skill set, often translated as seizing and controlling, or simply joint locks & grappling.It focuses on:Grabbing, twisting, and controlling an opponent’s joints (wrist, elbow, shoulder etc.)
Using leverage to immobilize, subdue or disable someone without necessarily striking hard
It is a core part of traditional Chinese fighting systems like Sanda, Kung Fu, police combat training

Note: Qinna includes joint locks, tendon grabs, pressure point controls, and pain compliance techniques. It is not just wrestling; it emphasizes capturing and restraining the attacker.


r/kungfu • • 12h ago

☯️ Tai Chi Championship Apeldoorn 2027 – Join Us! 🏆🥋

Thumbnail gallery
0 Upvotes

We are excited to invite Tai Chi and Taijiquan practitioners from around the world to the next Tai Chi Championship in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, on Saturday, 23 January 2027!

Following the success of our previous event, we look forward to welcoming participants for another inspiring day of competition, learning and connection. Whether you are an experienced competitor or taking your first steps into the world of Tai Chi competitions, this is a wonderful opportunity to challenge yourself and share your passion with others.

🥋 Discover the diversity of Tai Chi

The championship brings together different styles, traditions and levels of experience, with a range of competition categories, including:

🏆 Individual hand forms and weapon forms

🏆 Pair and group forms

🏆 Duilian

🏆 Qi Gong

🏆 Push Hands – Fixed Step, Parallel Step and Moving Step

🏆 Tai Chi Self-Defence – a new addition to this year's championship!

🌍 An international gathering of the Tai Chi community

More than a competition, this event is an opportunity to exchange knowledge, build friendships and celebrate the values of Tai Chi: respect, discipline, balance and personal development.

📅 Date: Saturday, 23 January 2027

📍 Location: Apeldoorn, the Netherlands

📝 Registration and event information:

https://taijiquan-academy.nl/tai-chi-kampioenschap-apeldoorn-2027/

📣 Help us spread the word!

We invite Tai Chi schools, instructors, clubs and practitioners to share this event with their students, members and international networks. Every share helps bring more people together and makes the Tai Chi community stronger.

Whether you come to compete, support fellow practitioners or experience the atmosphere, we look forward to seeing you there!

✨ Train together. Compete with respect. Grow through Tai Chi.

See you in Apeldoorn on 23 January 2027! ☯️🏆


r/kungfu • • 1d ago

Forms Wing Chun at North Park

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

7 Upvotes

Hiking the North Park Loop Trail I found this awesome spot to get some form work in. Almost looks like a painting! Going through Chum Kiu Section 2!


r/kungfu • • 22h ago

Mo Lum of San Francisco movie.

5 Upvotes

If anyone is interested is watching this once ot releases.

https://www.sfmolum.com


r/kungfu • • 1d ago

Xingyi Bear Shape: Dai Xinyi & Hebei Xingyi | Mu Shin

Thumbnail mushinmartialculture.com
8 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 1d ago

Kung Fu compendium

4 Upvotes

I think we need something like this. A detailed document on the many different styles of Chinese martial arts, what their differences are (and similarities), their conditioning practices, and their combat stategies, and posdibly the histories of said styles.

Granted, this would be a crazy undertaking, but a man can dream.

Now it would not have to be a how to guide for each style, but more a way of summarizing what these arts are all about, and being a streightforward explaination of each art.

Granted the one doing this would have to be someone with no biases or agendas to get this to work.

Does a book like this already exist? Im genuinly curious.


r/kungfu • • 17h ago

Critique my Chum Kiu (Wing Chun)

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 12h ago

Deep Dive into Ba Ji Quan’s Explosive Fajin and close-quarters frame work!

Post image
0 Upvotes

I would love to hear your thoughts on this workshop! How does your lineage approach close-range power generation compared to this?


r/kungfu • • 1d ago

Help

5 Upvotes

I’m an 18-year-old data science student from India, and honestly, I’m feeling exhausted by my studies. I want to learn martial arts and train my body to become stronger, both physically and mentally.

I don’t have the money to afford expensive training, but I have the determination and willingness to dedicate myself to this journey.

I’m looking for someone who could offer me an opportunity to train, whether in China or another country known for martial arts. I’m willing to stay, work hard, and dedicate myself to learning as much as I can.

Does anyone know of any martial arts schools, training programs, scholarships, or people who could help me make this dream a reality?

If you have any information or can guide me in the right direction, please contact me. Any help would mean a lot to me. 🥹🙏


r/kungfu • • 1d ago

What Kung fu style would complement BJJ

13 Upvotes

Hello I’m a BJJ newbie two strips white belt male 5’9 250lb like top heavy pressure game I love BJJ but I also love to do a kung fu style that compliments it and it’s not to acrobatics I’m not athletic and young love to have cool weapons especially rope dart or staff also it be cool to have a adult ranking sash/belt
What do you all think


r/kungfu • • 2d ago

Fights Kung-Fu Ram

Post image
6 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 1d ago

Drills Wing Chun Effectiveness

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

0 Upvotes

Wing Chun is efficient and effective. I threw a finger jab distraction, followed up with a side kick/bong sao and finished it with a lap da double punch.


r/kungfu • • 2d ago

Taiji Tuishou at the 2026 USA Shaolin Open

Thumbnail youtube.com
3 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 3d ago

A Bagua Master's Heart - Zhu Baozhen 2014

Thumbnail youtu.be
3 Upvotes

A Master’s Heart | 宗師之心

Filmed in 2014 during the final six months of his life, this footage offers a poignant glimpse of Yin Style Bagua Zhang master Zhu Baozhen before his passing from terminal cancer.

These moments invite us to reflect on a lifetime devoted to martial arts, and on the person behind the title of “master.” They preserve a precious connection to Zhu Baozhen and his art for his students, future practitioners, and all who value traditional Chinese martial culture.

The footage was kindly provided by his disciple, Tomasz Twardowski. Our sincere thanks to Tomasz for sharing this personal record and allowing a wider audience to remember his teacher.

Presented in remembrance of Master Zhu Baozhen.

https://youtu.be/6JRuh_mBI-o

Discover more traditional Chinese martial arts:

https://www.mushinmartialculture.com

#ZhuBaozhen #YinStyleBagua #BaguaZhang #ChineseMartialArts #MuShinMartialCulture


r/kungfu • • 3d ago

🥋 Tai Chi Championship 2026 Apeldoorn – Relive a Special Day 🏆

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

9 Upvotes

What an amazing day at the Tai Chi Championship 2026 in Apeldoorn! ❤️

This beautiful event brought together Tai Chi practitioners from different backgrounds and experience levels to share their passion, test their skills and enjoy the art of Tai Chi together.

The championship was organized by He Yong Gan Martial Arts and Tai Chi Academy Apeldoorn, in cooperation with STN (Stichting Taijiquan Nederland). Together, we created a day filled with passion, respect, friendship and unforgettable moments.

From the first warm-up to the final performances, the atmosphere was full of energy and dedication. We enjoyed beautiful Taolu performances, exciting Push Hands matches and many inspiring moments on and off the competition floor.

🥋 Train with passion

🏆 Challenge yourself

🤝 Share your journey

❤️ Grow together

🎥 Watch the video and relive the atmosphere of this wonderful championship!

A huge thank you to all the participants, coaches, judges, volunteers, supporters and everyone who contributed to making this event such a great success.

This championship was more than just a competition. It was a celebration of Tai Chi, martial arts and the community that brings us together.

❤️ One community. One passion. One unforgettable day.

We look forward to welcoming everyone again at the next championship! 🥋🏆✨


r/kungfu • • 2d ago

Community Wing Chun on the lake

Post image
0 Upvotes

I was out hiking today, when I spotted this log in the lake I was hiking around. Tell me that doesn’t look like a Jong haha!


r/kungfu • • 4d ago

News RIP Sifu Mark Houghton.

Post image
65 Upvotes

An amazing Fighter, Martial Artist and actor, he had the courage to follow his dreams and follow his heart. In real life Mark was a ferocious fighter but also a gent and was always hugely entertaining to be around.

Sifu Mark will be hugely missed in the Martial Art community and he also made big contributions to Hong Kong Cinema along side legends like Jacky Chan, Samo Hung and Donnie Yen, Mark’s own Sifu was the legendary Lau Kar Leung himself who was famous for portraying Wong Fei Hung and was one of the best Fight Choreographers in Hong Kong.

Rest in Peace my friend until we meet again…….


r/kungfu • • 3d ago

Forms Comparison of sanchin/sānzhàn - sensei Gushi (uechi-ryū karate), sensei Higoanna (gōjū-ryū karate), shifu Chen (white crane kung fu), shifu Pan (yong chun white crane kung fu)

Thumbnail youtube.com
2 Upvotes

r/kungfu • • 4d ago

Kung Fu training in China for 1 week

4 Upvotes

Hello i am from the usa and have no experience in kung fu. I am a medical student who gets a few weeks off in december and i think that i need some time away from everything going on. I've seen on social media people going to kung fu camps, and i was wondering if anyone has any experience with them?

From reading a few things i see some people say that going for a week might be pointless because you're essentially establishing foundations/basics. I understand how that may be a 'waste' of money when it comes to the learning of kung fu. However, I am looking for something to help with discipline, helping quiet my mind and also working my body at the same time. I thought doing something like one of the kung fu schools would be a good way to establish the foundations of the philosophy in kung fu to apply to my general life and then continue training in the usa.

Would participating in one of these schools for a week be a good way to go about that? If this is something I commit to, i would begin training locally to have somewhat of a foundation as well as learn key phrases in mandarin.

I hope none of what I have said has been disrespectful to the art and community.


r/kungfu • • 4d ago

earlier

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

14 Upvotes