How to use this website

Welcome to Practical Kung Fu.

I don’t pretend to be an expert in Kung Fu, but I did train for a solid eight years.

This provided me with a solid foundation of knowledge that would’ve allowed me to develop further in the art if I had chosen.

Most people don’t have access to decent training such as what I experienced, so I felt that it would be a good idea to provide information that is beneficial to anyone willing to learn.

This website will ultimately contain numerous lessons from my training days.

While I am certainly not proficient at many techniques, I am able to present them so that they are easily understood.

With that said, I have significant opinions regarding how the information on this website should be applied.

I view my Kung Fu training as an art, and NOT a method of self-defense, or self-protection.

The fact of the matter is that very few people are capable of employing Kung Fu as a method of self-protection in an actual street confrontation with a violent thug.

Therefore, alongside some of the lessons you will learn some more practical tactics known as combatives.

Thus, the name of the website… Practical Kung Fu.

The best way to view Kung Fu training for most people is that you will develop skills.

It is indeed important to learn how to hit and kick hard, and training in Kung Fu will help you develop those skills.

In order to enhance your ability to kick and strike with power, and move swiftly, you will also learn modern approaches to strength and fitness training.

In the real world, if you are 5’7 and 135 pounds, you will find it difficult to deal with someone who is 6’2 and 220 pounds.

Therefore, modern strength training, rather than just calisthenics, should be part of your training routine.

How to apply the lessons you learn

First, you should start with the Beginner materials.  Those lessons are the foundation of your training.  It makes no sense to move on to more complicated techniques without developing the fundamentals.

It is critical that you regularly train your strikes and kicks on a heavy bag to develop proper form and alignment, which are needed for power.

You should find someone to train with as well so you can get the most out of the training.

Over time, as you progress, and more material is presented here, you will learn a few different forms.

Don’t get too wrapped up on trying to learn as many forms as possible.

In the world of Kung Fu, you can literally learn hundreds of forms.

Forms are not the end all be all.

Forms are simply choreographed movements that simulate how to deal with different attacks and situations.

Learn them and perfect them, as they will help you develop your skills, mobility and conditioning.

Combatives training

This website will present some information regarding combatives training.

Combatives training deals with real world violence.

Rather than rely on hundreds, or even thousands of different techniques, combatives are boiled down to a virtual handful.

The idea is that under duress, gross motor skills are what you will rely on to prevail.

Trying to think of what technique to apply to a situation will only result in failure.

The primary expert I follow in regard to combatives training is Lee Morrison, creator of Urban Combatives.  You will find some of his ideas here on this website.

Kung Fu Lifestyle

I believe that following a Kung Fu lifestyle is beneficial to anyone, and you can get started at virtually any age.

Kung Fu training will help you develop your body and your mind if you apply the right mindset.

That mindset should be to develop every single technique you learn to the best of your ability, and to develop your body and mind in such a way as well.

This will require dedication and commitment.

I had that dedication and commitment years ago, and I am working on that mindset once again.

Hopefully, this website will help you proceed on that journey as well.

Thanks for reading.