Chinese Boxing

Sil Lum Hung Kuen

Chinese Boxing is an ancient martial art with a long history. Its body of knowledge and practices has been hidden from the general mass of people throughout much of its history. As a result, most of what little historical records were kept have been lost or destroyed over time. There is no known record of when and who originated Kung Fu. The Book of Rites, which was written during the Chou Dynasty (1066-403 B.C.}, mentions martial arts, but does not furnish details. Historians believe, however, that methods of physical culture based on respiratory and mental exercise were developed and practised by Taoist philosophers during this period. Their techniques eventually had a strong effect in the philosophical foundation of several boxing systems.

The study of Kung Fu has been closely related to the study of physical therapy from ancient times. A strong body free from illness and an alert mind free from stress and tension became the goal of every Chinese boxer. Taoist and Buddhist meditative exercises were included in many systems of Kung Fu and they eventually became a part of the fighting techniques. The influence of psychology, physiology, medicine, and religion improved the primitive fighting movements, and they became a part of the fighting techniques.

The term Kung Fu is a colloquialism of Southern China that has come to mean any of the martial arts. Literally, it can be applied to anyone who is talented and proficient in a particular field. The styles of Kung Fu, as known today, are only few of endless styles handed down from generation to generation. They cover a broad area, including warfare and military strategy. Some styles include the highly specialised skill of throwing razor-sharp coins. Others specialise in the use of staffs, spears, swords, whips, axes, bows and arrows, daggers and dirks.

The unarmed methods of Kung Fu are even broader than those that use weapons. There are the soft and hard styles with a wide range of philosophies based on various concepts of cosmology and the laws of nature. There are also fighting techniques patterned after animals, birds, and insects. Sil Lum Temple boxers developed one of these styles which emulated the movements of the tiger, crane, dragon, leopard, and the snake.

Regardless of styles, most Academies were bound together like a family structure. The master was like a father, advanced students like older brothers and younger students like younger brothers. Everyone worked together to improve himself and eventually to teach his style to others. The study of Kung Fu requires great self-discipline and sacrifice. A student should not expect to learn it overnight. It might take years before he can even begin to grasp its basic teachings. Once he becomes a master, however, his status in the art is almost peerless.

It is generally agreed that the art emigrated from India to China around the year 525 AD. The style of Chinese Boxing that we of the Federation teach is known as Sil Lum Hung Kuen. Hung is a generic name describing particular southern styles of Kung fu. The name Hung is legendary in the realm of Chinese martial arts.

In addition to the set work of Sil Lum Hung Kuen Chinese Boxing, advanced students were introduced to the weapons sets of the Dragon Pole, and the Butterfly Swords. The art of the Long Pole, or Dragon Pole, or Double Dragon Stick, using both ends with speed and forceful strokes, is one of the best methods for defense against almost all other types of weapons. Interestingly enough, it was also the weapon Kancho had to fight against in order to gain admission to the Buddhist monk training in China, when he visited there.

The Butterfly sword, or Knives, is a weapon used primarily by Southern China masters. The blade length of the weapon is equal to the fist and forearm, and a guard is fixed to its hilt to protect the hand. The special length of the blade is designed for better maneuvering. The butterfly swords in Southern China are used chiefly in close-quarter fighting because of their short length, with emphasis placed on precision and co-ordination of both swords at the same time.

Kancho Bradshaw, who saw how easily Chinese Boxing could be adapted with TaiJitsu as an adjunct for a total Self-defense system, introduced the Sil Lum style of Hung Kuen into the Federation. So the Kancho together with Sifu Albert Lau, both of who studied Kung Fu at the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne, began a Chinese Boxing branch of the Australian Federation of Instructors. Sifu Lau remained as Technical Advisor for Chinese Boxing until his retirement from the Federation, to concentrate on his Chinese medicine practice.

Buk Tu Mua Kuan at the Honbu continues in the traditions set by its founders of the Federation providing Kung Fu tuition to our members. Students are introduced to the rigours of empty-handed forms and sets, and progress into learning traditional Chinese weaponry in the advanced stages of their training. They are also introduced to the courtesies and respect due their Sifu (teacher) and fellow practitioners as well as learning something about the culture of their martial art.

When practicing...

There are always many different ways to do a technique. Variations, adaptations, micro changes. The exercises described here are the base. Build on that. Push yourself to find what’s there. Once you’ve learn the basic steps, make sure you practice using different methods. Try;

  • Moving slowly.
  • Moving fast.
  • Move with every muscle relaxed.
  • Move with every muscle tensed.
  • With your eyes closed.
  • With your eyes open.
  • Breathing hard & fast.
  • Breathing slow and smooth.

Training in Isolation...

Training in isolation means you won’t have the immediate feedback of a partner who’s not moving how you would expect, or a sensei there to prod you in the right direction. So you’ll need to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Watch, listen, feel, explore. 

Ask yourself;

  • Am I on balance?
  • Am I smooth?
  • Who am I attacking?
  • Is there more than one person I need to deal with?
  • How am I breathing?
  • Am I leaning? Should I be?
  • Is everything starting and stopping at the same time?
  • Where is the Yin and Yang in my technique?
  • My Sensei has shown me one corner, where are the others?
  • What else can I be asking myself?

 

And lastly, enjoy yourself. 🙂

THE 8 SIDED SET.

Taken from our 2nd set of Sil Lum Hung Kuen

stances
Part 1

Base strikes & stances

Horse stance with side knife hand strike & Forward stance with reverse punch.

FootTransitions
Part 2

Transitional Foot Movements

Transition from Horse to Forward stance and back again.

Handmovements
Part 3

Transitional Hand Movements

Learn how to use your body to power your strikes as you step between stances.

16Movements
Part 4

16 Movement Sequence

Combine all that you've learned to complete the 8 sided set

16Movements
Part 4

16 Movement Sequence

Combine all that you've learned to complete the 8 sided set

EXTENDING YOUR CHI

1993

Camp Manyung

Kancho teaches how to body slam using our TaiJitsu.

circa 2003

Blackbelt VIP seminar

Kancho takes body slams to the next level

August 2019

Blackbelt VIP seminar

The Changing Hip, or Twitch 16 years later

RANDORI

Blackbelts be sure to read the thinking section before watching these randori videos

GROUNDWORK

From the Archives

Kancho teaches shoot wrestlers the first immobilisation

In a world of mounts and guards, the first immobilisation is often overlooked. A powerful, effective and simple technique to control your opponent. Just "a floating leaf" as Kancho put it. An apt description, and one that we can also clearly see in Mifune's demonstration below.

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From the Archives

Mifune Strangles

Mifune demonstrating strangulation techniques. See if you can spot the differences. We will be covering these strangles in depth our Monday night JiuJitsu/Judo Class.

Improve your Groundwork with these Drills

Practice your groundwork movements with various drills designed to improve your Randori and strengthen your core and agility

ISOLATION EXERCISES

ThrowingAChair
M. Kawaishi - My Secret Method of Judo - 1964

Training with a chair

In your Dojo, while training in Randori, you will repeat your technique frequently.  Always pay close attention to the preparatory stages, unbalance your opponent well and concentrate on your Tai-sabaki.

Tai-sabaki includes the art of correctly arranging the body for projecting or dodging, and accompanying that action with the thrust of and not by the sole action of one or more limbs. 

Finally train with lot the speed, repeating the attacks and accelerating them more and more.  You can also find time to practice outside the Dojo, for example at home you can help make your entries faster by attaching a belt to a chair (see fig. 93), holding the belt with both hand, then put yourself behind the chair and repeatedly enter the 5th hip (Harai-goshi) at least 300 times as quickly as possible (see fig. 94). 

You can also replace the chair with a pole around which you pass the belt, as if it were the lapel of your opponent;  what matters is that the hands, legs and hip act in unison in perfect coordination with each other.  Even if using a chair, it will train especially your legs and hip.

A3_onTree
Eric Dominy - Self Defence - 1957

Methods of Practice

Why not spend about 15 min a day, preferably on rising, using my counter movements as exercises? Exaggerate all the movements, turning your body by moving your hip first, this is a really fine abdominal exercise. Make your movements with the knee and hip relaxed. Try and move your arms with the shoulders relaxed instead of tensed and stiff. Relaxation is the secret of fitness and this is a good opportunity for you to practice it.

A great friend of mine has built a very simply dummy in his garden which he uses to practice Judo. It could be used just as well for pure self-defence exercises. If you look at the drawing of this dummy you will see that it is quite simple, consisting of no more than a post which has been padded. The two arms are no more than a bicycle inner tube fixed to the "body".

20 min workout

Iso Sandbag Training

Integrate sandbag counter weight training into your shadow training and visualisation to get a new perspective and a great workout.

Part 1

Warm ups

Squats
Swings up and down
Side to side
Swings round and round
Shoulder turns

Squats (with bag)
Squat and jerk (with bag)
Squat and pull out and in (with bag)
Plank and pull (with bag)

Part 2

Throws

Lift and 1st hip
Lift and 1st shoulder
Lift and third shoulder
Lift, Push out and 1st hand
Lift and 14th hip

Part 3

Striking

Lift and pass
Lift and push
Lift and under
Lift and hammer
Lift and strike

Part 4

Warm downs

Shoulder rounds backwards and forwards (5 each way)
Hip rotations (5 each way)
Quad stretch and slight squats

USING A JO

Getting started

Jo: Preparation & Warm Ups

Prepare for training with a Jo, making sure you have the right equipment and can warm up properly. Watch the video and download the PDF, both have different content!

JO SET: Part 1

JO SET: Part 2

SHADOW TRAINING

A Guide to getting started with Shadow Training

Shadow training is a kind of training in which you practice with an imaginary opponent or partner — metaphorically you train with your shadow. It combines movement with rich visualisation. Just “going through the motions” is not enough — you need to use your imagination.

The written Guide (downloadable below) gives an overview of how to get started with Shadow training.

A recording of the accompanying seminar will be available in the Connecting session.

Thanks for taking part in our Distance Learning Program.

Stay tuned for move content over the coming weeks.