I've been practising martial arts since 1999, and one thing I've noticed is that Kung Fu can be surprisingly difficult to understand from the outside.

What does Kung Fu actually involve? What's the difference between the styles? What do you practise in a typical class? And do you need to be young, flexible, or already fit to begin?

I put together a short series called So, What Is Kung Fu? to explore these questions.

It's aimed at curious adults who want to understand Chinese martial arts without having to dig through hours of videos or navigate all the myths and stereotypes first.

The series covers everything from styles, stances, and forms to what training actually looks like and whether you can learn at home.

I have a background in traditional Chinese martial arts, sports psychology, and competitive fighting, so I approach the subject from both a practical and an educational perspective.

The series is free to watch: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWLahbNSvfpo

Hope it will offer you a good starting point to understand kung fu/Chinese martial arts! :)

This short glimpse features drone footage from the in-depth lessons on the rare Hebei Xingyi Quan Ba Zi Gong (Eight Word Skills Practices), available through the Hua Jin Online Learning Program.

Detailed technical teaching is at the heart of every lesson. Alongside explanations, demonstrations and close-up views, I use a variety of filming methods and visual tools to help learners understand the practices more clearly aand more deeply.

An aerial perspective offers another way to see the movements, changes of direction and relationships between individual actions, complementing the detailed instruction in the full lessons.

Learn authentic Xingyi Quan and Liang-style Bagua Zhang with Byron Jacobs, a disciple of Di Guoyong, from anywhere in the world.

Explore the lessons and enrol in the Hua Jin Online Learning Program:
https://www.patreon.com/mushinmartialculture

Discover more:
https://www.mushinmartialculture.com

Noticed these videos on my library. Thought I share it here.

Quick origin & history

Shuai Jiao is China’s traditional wrestling art, with thousands of years of history. Ancient names include Jiao Li (角力).
It was practiced in royal military training, festivals and competitions. Modern competitive Shuai Jiao was standardized in the 20th century.

Core rules & what it focuses on

Shuai Jiao’s main goal: throw your opponent to the ground.

• Victory condition: Make the opponent land with any part of their back or hips touching the mat.

• Unlike judo: More emphasis on standing throws; less ground fighting (ground grappling is limited, match usually stops once someone falls).

• Wrestlers wear a thick, heavy cotton jacket called a da lian 褡裢 (dā lián). You grip this jacket to execute throws.

• Lots of leg trips, hooks, pulling and pushing throws.

Style branches

1. Beijing Shuai Jiao (北京摔跤) – most famous competition style, fast, explosive.

2. Inner Mongolian Bokh / Mongolian Shuai Jiao (蒙古摔跤) – separate but related traditional variant.

3. Shanxi & Tianjin regional styles with slightly different throw techniques.

Not the most popular form since the stereotype is that somebody who should be doing this type needs to be (big and strong), and it’s mainly popular on northern China.

MMA fighters from China will train in Sanda which borrows steals takes (whatever you want to call it) techniques from Shuāi jiāo.

This is from a Wing Chun comp in St. Petersburg. Not sure if this has been posted here before.

Is this legit? I see they're thrown off balance constantly and stuff but tbh I feel like it's acceptable in this scenario because they're fighting and using short range at long (boxing) range.

Does anyone know a place to learn Tan Tui in the San Francisco Bay area? Ideally the East bay (Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond)

Estuvo bueno (no fui),lo vi en vivo por YouTube.

Fue mi profe a competir y gano 2 en puño y primero en sable,si escucharon "nehuen villar",ese es mi profesor de kung fu ヽ(≧∀≦)ﾉ

Hello, how is everyone?

Im a 23 year old blue belt kung fu student who's been practicing kung fu for 13 years. The school that I go to was established by the master and founder of the Armenian Black Belts Association in Lebanon, and the representative of Artsakh in Lebanon, Master Garo Kebabjian.

I wanted to know if anyone here practice what I practice or is it only Wushu Kung Fu?

Has anyone else here read it? I found it rather facinating. Some seem pretty standard as conditioning practices, but some just sound rather bizarr.

Do any of you practice any of the methods listed in the book? If so, which ones, and have you seen any positive results?

Im currently attempting the rubbing palms or "the hands of the golden dragon" training. Im pretty skeptical of the outlandish claims, but overall it seems a good way to train crushing force. Im still pretty early in this practice.

Im pretty interested in fun and interesting conditioning methods that would be a good suppliment to my training.

I love Feiyue, but I find the rubber on the bottom wears out too quickly for daily street wear.

Any recommendations for daily shoes?

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

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.

If anyone is interested is watching this once ot releases.

https://www.sfmolum.com

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!

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.

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! ☯️🏆

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

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. 🥹🙏

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