“I do not fear the 10,000 kicks you practiced once,
I fear the 1 kick you practiced 10,000 times.”
Shaolin Quan, or Shaolin Boxing, was created from the manifestation of the wisdom of the Monks of the temple, secular Wushu Masters
and Generals and Soldiers. It develops the body, mind, and raises the spirit. The moves and tricks of this style are short, simple, and brief
as well as versatile.
Practitioners of Shaolin Quan would advance and retreat straight forward when fighting. Not a lot of space is needed to execute the
techniques of Shaolin Quan. Strikes snaps like whip and twist as the Shaolin Boxer attacks and withdraws.
Shaolin Quan is powerful and speedy with rhythmic rising and falling body movements. It stresses hardness of actions and blows
but it also advocates softness in support of hardness. When jabbing, arm is required to be neither bent nor straight, in an attempt to
blend external and internal forces.
When a Shaolin Boxer faces an enemy he observes all parts of the enemy’s body. According to Shaolin Quan manual, enemies’ eyes
telegraph his intentions, his shoulders moves first before executing a hand attack, kicks are telegraphed by movements of the hips,
shrinking of body reveals an elbow strike, and gnashing of teeth means head strike. Shaolin Quan is one of the most complex styles of
Kung Fu, but the dedicated student of this art gains the mastery of martial arts itself.
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