Short Fist Boxing is Pak Mei Kung Fu for beginners.
Quick, effective, and powerful, Short Fist was designed to work in a lot of different situations. Not a sport, not pretty, and not for movies, it was built from the ground up as a quicker method to learn than Pak Mei (白眉) and as a precursor to learning that style. The movements are based on boxing as in the west, and one of the sets in Pak Mei. The forms are designed as fighting forms, none are for exercise. They require an understanding of body control that is not taught in the majority of arts. Short Fist lays the foundation for Pak Mei while quickly furnishing the students with an effective and safe fighting style.
New students learn how to use Short Fist as their primary method. The beginning curriculum also covers some Hung Gar Kuen (洪家拳), Lung Ying (龍形) weapons, and Pak Mei weapons. Students are taught how to use each movement of their form, along with the principles to make the techniques work.
Students are safely introduced to body conditioning at an early stage in order to overcome the fear of being hit. The use of herbal medicine is strongly encouraged. Later on, a student will be able to accept blows at full power and bruising will be very limited. Students can then concentrate on protecting vital areas. Once a student is comfortable with taking strikes to the legs and upper torso, he or she will learn the principle of “swallowing” to absorb and deflect the blows. The student will then become one of the few who “know more than just words”. Other principles are reserved for members and will not be discussed here, as, without the knowledge put into practice, they are just words.
Qualifying students are eligible to attend yearly training retreats, advanced Short Fist Boxing classes, and may attend our other classes reserved for members of Tiger Emerging Martial Arts