Kung fu is an ancient martial art that originated in China. It evolved from techniques used by monks at the Shaolin Temple, who developed it by watching animals fight, according to the Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan Kung Fu school. Old school kung fu consists of five basic styles, all named after animals, upon which subsequent forms of kung fu are based.
Crane Style
The crane style is graceful, and relies the least on head-to-head confrontation. It relies on mobility and the ability to evade an opponent's attack while striking from unexpected angles. A crane fighter creates a "beak" by putting his fingers and thumb together at the fingertip to create a potent striking instrument. The crane fighter uses soft, circular movements, and then explodes with sudden power, taking down an opponent with a minimum of effort. The crane style is practiced mainly in the south of China, according to ShaolinWolf.com.
Tiger Style
The tiger style requires the most strength of all five old school styles. Instead of circling or evading, a tiger fighter moves aggressively straight toward his opponent. Footwork is advanced in order to add power to a strike. The tiger fighter curls his hands into a claw and uses it to twist and tear his opponent's face, neck, groin, arms or wrists, with enough force to pull muscle from bone. A tiger fighter must develop strong bones for this style because of the force it requires.
Dragon Style
The dragon style utilizes both soft and hard fighting principles. It relies on soft, circular movements, in some ways similar to the snake style, that nevertheless strikes with sudden force. Like the tiger fighter, the dragon fighter uses a claw, although it is flatter than the tiger claw. However, the dragon style relies more on grasping than on squeezing and tearing. The dragon fighter uses his waist rather than his arms and shoulders to generate power. The dragon style utilizes internal conditioning to cultivate and concentrate vital force, greatly adding to the power of its external movements.
Leopard Style
Leopard fighters charge quickly at their opponents and don't bother trying to block their opponent's strikes. This strategy can work because the leopard fighter is so aggressive, his opponent is often too busy blocking the leopard fighter to attempt many strikes. The leopard fighter overwhelm his opponent with so many strikes that his defensive capabilities are overloaded and eventually fail. The leopard strikes with a "leopard paw" -- a half-fist with both rows of knuckles exposed.
Snake Style
The snake fighter strikes at his opponent's weak points -- his eyes, throat or groin. The goal is to defeat the opponent with as little effort and risk as possible. Snake fighters are masters of evasion, utilizing twisting motions. The snake style is a soft style that relies on surprise and cunning rather than brute force. Like the dragon fighter, the snake fighter cultivates vital force for focus and power. Snake fighters use a variety of finger striking techniques. There are two different snake schools -- one based in Henan province in central China, and the other based in southern China.
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