Techniques Of Dragon Kung Fu

According to Quinn Early in "Power of the Animals," Dragon is one of the five traditional animals of kung fu, along with Tiger, Snake, Crane and Leopard. Kung fu styles are said to have arisen from observing animals fighting in the wild. Although nobody ever watched a dragon fight in the wild, Dragons play such a central role in Chinese mythology that dragon style techniques arose from how people imagined they would fight. Dragon style techniques are typified by circular movements, clawing with the hands and kicking low (like the sweeping tail of a dragon).

Sample Dragon Defensive Series

An attacker throws a punch while you stand in a relaxed, on-guard position. Your left hand blocks the punch and grabs it like a dragon biting its prey. Your right hand shoots out to grab the attacker's throat in a claw. Your right hand then circles clockwise to drive two fingers into the attacker's eye. Finish by sweeping the attacker's right leg, then kicking the left knee while it still supports all the attacker's weight.

Kung Fu Wrist

You are in between two attackers, each of whom has grabbed opposite wrists. Step your right foot behind your left into a twisted stance, then drop your weight sharply as your hands form claws and countergrab the arms holding your wrists. Face to your right and kick the right hand attacker in the groin. Lower your right leg in front of your left leg. You then use your left leg to sweep the left hand attacker's near leg, then kick the far knee just as you did with the defensive series.

Emotional Involvement

The dragon is the only imaginary animal in traditional five animal kung fu. According to Bill Packer, 9th degree black belt and founder of the AKKA system, this is because mental elements play a large part in correctly performing dragon style techniques. Getting involved emotionally, Packer says, makes your kung fu strong and vitalizes your experience. However, emotional involvement is not the same as loss of emotional control. A dragon is said to laugh with unabashed joy and to attack with unmitigated rage, but the dragon can turn either off at a moment's notice. To achieve this level of emotional control, dragon stylists engage in meditation to fine tune their awareness of and control over their emotional processes.