Tag Archive for: choy li fut

Last Updated: 9/17/19

In October 2017 I ventured out for a place that will help me with my fitness goals. I was gaining weight due to medications. Let me say that practicing Choy Li Fut changed my life.

What is Choy Li Fut?

As fas as I was taught in White Dragon, Choy Li Fut is a martial art that focuses on self-defense. It’s not as fancy as other martial arts like Taekwondo, but the skill that I’ve learned is what matters. Nothing against Taekwondo or the other martial arts out there. I think every single one of them is equally important and unique.

Choy Li Fut focuses on circular strikes and makes use of both the upper and lower body. Basically, the style is similar to a rock at the end of the rope. We use relaxed strikes to conserve energy. Your fist is the rock, and your arm is the rope. But where do we get the energy? Well, we get it from the ground.

One of the main reasons why I like this martial art so much is because no matter how small you are, you can go against someone bigger than and still be able to defend yourself? How? It’s called redirection. Basically, you get close to your opponent and whatever energy they throw at you, you throw it back. Pretty cool, right? There’s a certain type of training in order to be proficient at this. It’s called pushing hands.

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The sashes in rank order. Red isn’t really part of the system, it just means that this person is an instructor. 

Stances

Every single stance we have has a main purpose. The first one is called the horse stance. It looks like you’re riding a horse hence the name. Legs are bowed out to make sure that you stay on the ground and don’t fall when you get hit by your opponent.

The second one is called the cat stance. I can’t tell you much about it except that it’s a stance where you’re prepared to kick, when your opponent gets close. As somebody who practiced gymnastics while younger, I have a hard time perfecting this. Why? Because I’m so used to walking in a straight line, that

The third one is called a bow stance. This stance is used with striking or striking and punching at the same time. It adds extra energy to your strikes as you lunge yourself to the direction your striking too.

Training

Besides the regular kicking and punching, we have this thing called arm conditioning. One of the instructors in my school particularly enjoys this, so he makes us practice this from time to time during class. At first you’ll get bruises on your arm but eventually your body will get used to it. Basically, in order for your bones to get stronger, you need to keep “hitting” it with other bones or wood. We usually practice this with a partner.

What school do I go to?

The name of my school is White Dragon Martial Arts. I think they’re logo is cool and modern. Their facilities are clean. Tuition is not exactly cheap but it’s worth it. I mean, are you really going to set a price for your health and life?

There are numerous branches in Southern California and the owner (Tai Si Gung Nathan Fisher) learned for Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong, who is part of the lineage. Hence, you can trust their system as they’ve been teaching and practicing Choy Li Fut.

In December 2018 I made Blue Sash. It’s the 4th Sash level and I was pretty excited. I used to think that I will never get there, as I always had an image of a cool martial artist that was athletic which I was far from. I guess, I know what I’m doing I suppose.

 

Last May 2018, I participated in the Dragon Cup Tournament, and recieved 3rd place in both forms purple sash! It was my first time winning something. I was genuinely flabbergasted.

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The close for Form 3: Gung Ji Taming Tiger Form

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Switching directions in Form 4: Hung Sing Stick