Ching Wu Athletic Association
Ching Wu Programs
Shaolin Kung Fu
  Shaolin Kung Fu originated at the Shaolin temple located at the Songxian mountain in Henan, China. The Shaolin monks are renowned for their expertise in both armed and weaponless combat, having proven themselves on the battlefield in service of the Emperor. Shaolin, meaning "young forest", has historically and culturally been regarded in China - its country of origin - as the quintessential martial art, representing the highest levels of achievement in physical, mental, and spiritual development. Although Shaolin Kung Fu is the parent art to countless striking arts such as Karate and Taekwondo, it places an equal emphasis on the hard (striking) and soft (grappling) methods of attack and defense.
Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu
  Praying Mantis Kung Fu was created in the Song Dynasty by Wong Long, a Shaolin disciple who developed his style by observing the movements of a praying mantis in capturing its prey. First generation students of Wong Long were encouraged to invent their own styles to build on the foundation he had outlined, each presenting unique features while maintaining the powerful trapping and locking ability of the mantis. The most famous of these styles is the Seven Star system, named for unique markings on the praying mantis which resemble the big dipper constellation. This system is known for its strong and agile footwork.
Shuai Jiao
  Shuai Jiao is the general term given to the various styles of Chinese wrestling which date back almost 5,000 years. Exact origins are lost to antiquity, but Shuai Jiao is historically recognized as China’s oldest martial art, a favorite spectator sport of emperors, and a preferred hand-to-hand combat method of generals. While known primarily for its vast repertoire of throws and takedowns, the inclusion of the striking and joint-locking techniques, barred from competition but an integral part of the battlefield version, gives Shuai Jiao the largest arsenal of any empty-hand fighting art.
Sanda
  Sanda - also known as San Shou - is a modern free style fighting system originally developed for the Chinese military. The main focus of this practice is on combat training, and combines elements of various martial arts. Sanda is not a traditional style, but instead is a form of military training that evolved into a combative sport. Rather than pulling punches short as in traditional sparring, Sanda matches allow contact for scoring points with striking, kicking, and throwing techniques, using protective gear for safety.
Wushu
  Wushu translates literally as “martial arts”. The sport of Wushu was created in China after 1949 under the All China Sports Federation, for the purpose of nationalizing the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts. Wushu competition involves standardized choreographed routines which were derived from the traditional forms by government-appointed committees. Since 1991, wushu has been an international sport governed by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), which holds the World Wushu Championships every two years.
Chen T'ai Chi
  T’ai Chi is a “soft style” martial art, relying on coordinating with an adversary’s force to redirect it, rather than opposing it with your own. The oldest of the t'ai chi styles is that of the Chen family, originated by Chen Wangting of Wen County, Henan Province in the seventeenth century. Chen style can easily be distinguished from later variants by its deep, stable, stance work, its explosive strikes and kicks, and its unique coiling, winding, “reeling silk” energy.
Bagua
  Bagua, or Eight Diagram Palm, is said to have originated in the nineteenth century by Dong Haichuan based on his studies with Taoist monks. The foundation of Bagua is circle walking, which, over time, trains into the body a fusion of stability with mobility, in a synergistic manner that eliminates the need to sacrifice one for the other. Technically abstract, Bagua movements are intended neither to strike nor grapple, yet manage to end up doing both. Outwardly benign, the impacts actually overwhelm, and the joint manipulations (or Chin Na) are alarmingly efficacious.
Jiu-Jitsu
  Jiu-jitsu was developed during a period of clan warfare in Japan, from the eighth to the sixteenth centuries, during which time various methods of armed and unarmed combat were undergoing continuous revision and refinement on the battlefield. Although replaced in late nineteenth-century Japan by the modern arts of Judo and Aikido, the parent art Jiu-jitsu, driven by its emphasis on self-defense rather than sport, spread across the globe enjoying a sort of renaissance, becoming the world’s first truly international martial art. Jiu-jitsu is characterized by redirecting an attacker's force and using it against him through methods that include throwing, restraining (pinning, choking, and joint locking), and striking vital points.
Aikido
  Aikido is a Japanese martial art, created in the early twentieth century by Morihei Ueshiba (1883 – 1969). Ueshiba developed Aikido as a synthesis of the various styles of Jujitsu that he had studied. Aikido is a comprehensive system of throwing, joint-locking, striking and pinning techniques. Aikido also incorporates training with traditional weapons such as the staff and sword, and in fact derives much of its technical structure from Kenjutsu, the art of swordsmanship. Ueshiba conceived of Aikido as not only a means of self-defense, but as a path of self-development through intense physical and spiritual training to cultivate positive character.

Last updated March 15, 2022


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