Australian School of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

Australian School of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

The school teaches Chow Gar Tong Long (Southern Praying Mantis) kung fu in Brisbane.

Chow Gar Tong Long (Southern Praying Mantis) kung fu was designed with two main principles in mind - practicality and effectiveness. The Chow Gar style eliminates any techniques which would not be effective in realistic conflicts. Any moves which are flashy or just "look good" have been removed. Techniques that are complex and difficult to execute have no place in Chow Gar.

Chow Gar was developed for use on the battlefields of imperial China. Its goal was to cause maximum damage while expending as little time and effort as possible. Chow Gar has proven that it is equally suited for the confrontations of today's world as well.

The main characteristics of the Chow Gar Tong Long style are as follows:

Aggressiveness.
The principle behind Chow Gar is that the best offense is also the best defense. There are few techniques dedicated to blocking. Most techniques focus on attack. Any blocks that are involved are designed to redirect an opponent's force against them. The source of the problem should be dealt with, not the symptom.

Speed.
All techniques are designed for maximum speed. This is achieved by starting the technique from a relaxed state before finishing it with a quick contraction of the tendons. Fast footwork is also essential in Chow Gar to close distances as quickly as possible. The opponent is usually not allowed to throw more than one punch or kick before bearing the full assault.

Fluidity.
Most techniques are designed so that they can be seamlessly strung together in a fast, rapid assault. The practitioner will not stop the attack until the opponent is down.

Power.
Every single move in Chow Gar is designed for maximum power output. This is achieved by using external power (ging), which is triggered by the movement of the legs, waist, elbows, wrists, and fingers. ...read more