Animal Techniques

The branch of Shaolin Kempo I study has a lot of "kempo" techniques.  These are similar to the combinations, but are not numbered, and are not rank required techniques.

Personally, I like teaching kempos.  Plenty of interesting techniques that isn't in the forms and combinations.  I throw a lot of them at my students, with the goal of having them remember the ones that work well them.

Some are sorted by the traditional five Shaolin animals.  That method helps in remembering them as well.  If you have two of each animal, you have ten kempos right off the bat.

When the students hit the brown/black levels, I want them to start identifying the animal techniques by principle, not just because their teacher told them so. So I put together short description of the principles of each of the five animals.  Here is the description of tiger techniques.  I'm starting with Tiger, because I like Tiger techniques.

 Tiger is an offensive strategy that deals with using committed force and structural alignment to attack with maximum power. The Tiger represents courage, tenacity and power.  By learning to use their whole body as a single unit, students exposed to Tiger are able to generate the most power possible. The Tiger relies on frontal assault, aggression, and power. Ripping and tearing as it moves always pressing. The Tiger is very powerful, direct and aggressive. The Tiger commits its entire mind and body into each move. There is no hesitation in the Tigers mind.  Tiger strategy is very effective when an opponent is trying to maintain distance using Crane.