Kung Fu is known as a style of chinese martial art. The literal translation of this word in Mandarin to Portuguese is "work hard" or “time and skill”, and for the Chinese this expression is also used to refer to something that was acquired with a lot of effort and competence in the wrestling match.
Originally called wushu (which means “art of war” in Mandarin), kung fu has its origins in the need of the Chinese, for a long time, to fight against ferocious animals and enemies. This fighting style was supposedly created approximately 4,000 years ago.
Origin of Kung Fu
There are several legends about the true origin of this style, but the best known tells the story of a Chinese monk named ok, who climbed a mountain and began to observe the movement of animals, the positions they fought and also how they defended themselves. From this observation, kung fu emerged, which for orientals is considered an art, not a fight.
The term kung fu became popular in the late 1960s, due to the repercussions of martial arts films, starring actors such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, as well as television series.
Kung fu aims to work not only on the body, but also on personal development, creating discipline, persistence and respect for the limits of individuals; it structures the body and mind so that people learn to be defeated, and can face new obstacles without giving up or getting discouraged.
Over the years, kung fu has been reshaped. Currently there is the modern kung fu, which is more aimed at athletes, who are concerned with body constitution, while the traditional kung fu it still focuses on an essential part of training in Chinese philosophy and can be practiced by people of all ages.
Learn more about meaning of martial arts and Krav Maga.
Kung Fu Styles
There are many different styles, moves and techniques in kung fu, some of the best known being: Eagle Style, Dragon Style, Style Chin’Na, Monkey Style, Leopard Style, Praying Mantis Style, among several others that are usually related to beings or elements of the nature
See too:
- Boxing
