Golden Mountain Kung Fu

Introductory Class Curriculum

LEVEL ONE

I. Dynamic Stretches

A. Swallow Skips Water

B. Twisted Silk (Turning to Drunken Stance)

C. Scooping to Swallow Stance

D. Repulse the Tiger

E. Rhino Looks at the Moon

II. Strength

A. Cat's Arch Push-ups (10 repetions)

B. Panther Walk (5 forward, 5 back, 5 left, 5 right)

C. Frog Jumps

D. Push ups on knuckles (10 repetitions)

E. Windless (5 times up and down)

III. Stances: all stances require knowledge of the basic structure and the ability to generate a stable static posture for 45 seconds to 1 minute.

A. Horse stance: (To advance to the advanced class, the student must hold the horse stance for 5 continuous minutes)

 

Training Drills

 

1. Shaolin Basics #1

2. Shaolin Basics #4

3. Timed Horse Stance

 

B. Front stance (Bow and Arrow Stance)

 

Training Drills

 

1. Drop into Front stance/Change stance

2. Shaolin Basics #2

3. Shaolin Basics #3

4. Shaolin Basics #5

5. Four Position Front Stance drill

 

C. Twisted stance

 

Training Drills

 

1. Step Behind From Horse stance into Twisted stance.

2. Twist in place from Horse stance to Twisted stance.

3. Turn and slap with partner drill

 

Variations:

a) One partner faces the others back and offers a single hand target. Other student twists, locates the target and slaps it. (Also trains speed and eyes).

b) One partner faces the others back and offers an extended arm as a target. Other student twists and executes a block.

 

4. Walking drill from Horse stance, step behind to twisted stance then untwist to the opposite horse stance (see moving stance drills).

 

D. Offensive and Defensive Back stances

 

Training Drills

 

1. From Bow and Arrow stance alternate shifting into offensive back stance, Bow and Arrow and then into defensive back stance, repeat.

2. Four Position Front Stance drill (see above) drills offensive back stance.

 

E. Tiger Stance

 

Training Drills

 

1. Repulse the Tiger

2. Walking Tiger stances

 

F. Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg

 

Training Drills

 

1. Circle arms and step into Golden Rooster

 

G. Cat Stance

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Drop into cat stance

2. Walking in Cat stance

3. Turning Cat Stance

 

H. 60/40 Stance

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Horse Stance shifting to 60/40 Stance

2. Shift from Front Stance back into 60/40 stance

3. Shoot back into 60/40 stance

 

I. Moving Stance Drills

 

1. Horse stance, step behind to twisted stance, untwist to horse stance.

2. Sharpening with the Stone

IV. Kicks (must demonstrate competency and stability in each of the following kicks)

A. Rocket Kick

 

Training Drills

 

1. Walking Rocket Kick Drill

2. Consecutive rocket kicks across the floor (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

B. Front Snap Kick

 

Training Drills

 

1. Front snap kick on the wall.

2. Training with a hand held bag for proper foot position.

3. Front snap kick, grab pull and punch

a) Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

b) Work with a partner, focus on timing the grab and pull with the kick.

c) 90o turn and grab drill

 

C. Heel Thrust Kick: Kick should be trained both as a snapping kick which is quickly withdrawn, and as the extended heel thrust kick accompanied by the hand pull across the body.

 

Training Drills

 

1. Heel thrust kick on the wall for leg strength and static active flexibility.

2. Heel thrust kick over a staff to force the kick to be a thrusting motion.

3. Training with hand held target for proper foot position.

4. Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

D. Low Heel Thrust Kick

 

Training Drills

 

1. Low Heel Thrust kick on the wall .

2. Low Heel Thrust kick over a staff .

3. Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

E. Inside Crescent Kick

 

Training Drills

 

1. Step across drill from a natural standing position.

2. Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

F. Outside Crescent Kick

 

Training Drills

 

1. Step across drill from a natural standing position.

2. Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

G. Inside Crescent, Spinning Outside Crescent, Inside Crescent Combination Kick (aka: 1,2,3)

 

Training Drills

 

1. Step by step training by the count

2. Solo training consecutive kicks (Part of Kicking Drill One).

 

H. Combination Kicking Drills

 

1. Kicking Drill One

2. Kicking Drill Two

 

V. Hand Techniques A: Punches

A. Front Reverse Punch

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Shaolin Basics Three

2. Training with an embroidery hoop for accuracy.

 

B. Front Vertical Fist

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Replace reverse punch with vertical fist into Shaolin Basics Three and train as above.

 

C. Speed Back Fist

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Train in the air for form, and then on the back for speed and power.

 

D. Shaolin Hook Punch

 

Training Drills:

 

1. Shaolin Basics 5

 

VI. Hand Techniques B: Blocking Techniques

A. Four blocks from front stance:
Lead hand blocks upper outside block (Lady looks in the mirror), palm block across (fingers straight up), lower outside block, palm block across low (fingers point down).

Training Drills:

1. Solo practice as a group.

2. Practice blocking with a partner.

B. Walking four blocks from front stance:
Begin by walking (stepping) backwards, one step for each block. Focus on finishing the block and arriving at the new stance at the same time. Only when this can be down smoothly should the students do this drill while moving forward.

Training Drills:

1. Solo practice as a group.

2. Practice blocking with a partner.

C. Brush Block

Training Drills:

1. Introduced with Twisted Silk Drill

2. Solo and with a partner in a standing position for correct form.

3. Later work ith a partner while advancing/retreating in front stance.

4. Brush block and then attack with the same hand.

D. Rotating Forearm Blocks

1. Forearm Block with inward rotation.

2. Forearm block with outward rotation.

E. Upper and lower palm Blocks

Palm Blocking Drills:

1. Palm block up and then down with minimal movement of the elbow. Work until smooth and then add steps.

2. Brush block up and then palm block down. Work until smooth and then add steps.

F. Lower Hook Block
Practice against heel thrust kick and side cut kick.

G. Four Corner Blocking Drill:
When the blocks listed above can be performed smoothly, this drill may be trained. Four students form a square with a fifth student in the center. In a clockwise rotation (wrt the center student) the outer students step forward into front stance and throw a controlled punch of their choice. The center student must choose and execute an appropriate block. When the attacker withdraws, this signals the next attacker to step in.

Variations for advanced students:

1. Block and grab the attacking hand.

2. Block and counter.

3. Make the attacks kicks.

4. Randomize the attacks as punchs or kicks.

VII. Movement Drills

A. Moving Front Stance with hip turn

B. Step back and drop into 60-40 stance

C. Step back and turn into horse stance, deflecting to the side

D. Push backwards from front stance

E. Turn and Shoot the leg:
From left front stance, step through to right front stance, pick up the left knee and turn on the right foot >90o to the right. Shoot the left leg back to form a right front stance as the left palm pushes down along the left side (move is similar to throw following lady looks in the mirror in Tan Tui 4).

VIII. Forms

A. Stance Set (each stance held for 20 seconds)

Front, Offensive Back, Twisted, Horse, Cat, Step forward to finish.

B. Shaolin Chuan

C. Ten Section Tan Tui (Sections 1-5)

IX. Chin Na: Wrist Locks and Manipulations

A. Little Golden Thread 1

B. Little Golden Thread 2

C. Forward Wrist Press

D. Push the Boat to Follow the Stream

E. Low Inside Wrist Press

F. Low Outside Wrist Press

G. Child Worships Budda

H. Turn to Seize the Monkey

I. Wild Chicken Spreads Wings

J. Hero Shows Courtesy

K. Wild Chicken Breaks Wings

L. Turning Around Heaven and Earth

M. Lift the Spear to Strike the Tiger

N. Fan Tian's Seal

X. Shuai Jiao and Throwing Techniques

A. Side Breakfalls

B. Back Breakfalls

C. Front Breakfalls

XI. Theory

A. Definition of Centerline

B. Gates of the Body for Attack and Defense

1. Internal vs. External

 

2. Vertical Gates

a) Heaven

b) Man

c) Earth

C. Basic Understanding of the Concept of Gua

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