The concept of a style is a
rather complicated one, and Chinese martial arts claim as many as 1500
different styles and there are many other Karate Styles. By "style”,
meaning a particular school of martial practice, with its own training methods,
favored techniques, and emphasis on attack and defense. While it is impossible to quantify
differences between most styles, it is easy to see the distinctions between
such disparate approaches to combat as practiced by Tiger, Crane, and Monkey
stylists. In choosing a style (contemporary
privilege: traditionally, styles were assigned by the teachers), try to find
one that suits your physical attributes, interests and sense of utility. It does no good to study the graceful
single-leg and flying techniques of White Crane if you have the flexibility and
grace of a turtle! On the other hand,
and gung fu practice will enhance your physical skills, dexterity, and
alertness, and it is not uncommon for a beginner in one style to change to a
more "appropriate" style later.
Whatever else may be said of styles, the first year basics are almost
universal--punches, kicks, and stances show little variation at the beginner's
level.
Styles
System:
1. An assemblage of things forming a collective whole.
2. A method, or comprehensive
approach.
In
the Sansei System, the term in used in the following way:
Martial
System: A recognized school of
martial arts comprised of distinct philosophy, theoretical basis, and training
methods, and which may specialize in a single, unified and comprehensive
approach to martial arts development, or may be eclectic, comprised of several
distinct styles of gung fu. Eg. Shaolin System, Wudang System, Chung Wah
System.
While a style is usually identified as a single approach, a system is generally eclectic, combining distinct elements from several styles. For example, from the famous Shaolin temple, several styles emerged, including Eagle Claw, Tiger Claw, Choi Lei Fat, Praying Mantis, Hung Ga, Luohanquan, and so on. To complicate things, some of these individuals’ styles have developed into systems in their own right. While people sometimes generically refer to anything that has connections to the Shaolin temple as ‘Shaolin Style’, Shaolin gung fu would be better classified as a martial system.
Style: A characteristic mode in the fine arts; type; external manner; methodology.
In
the Sansei System, we use the term to describe martial arts in the following
way:
Martial Style: A recognized school of thought and methodology in martial training and/or philosophy.
A distinct method of martial art: Example: Huquan, Praying Mantis Boxing, Shotokan Karate, Tae Kwon Do,
Baak Hok Kuen. A style is identifiable by any one or more of several aspects,
including aesthetics, philosophy and theoretical basis, genealogy, geography,
and nation of origin.
Thus,
when martial artists refer to different methods of martial training and
philosophy, they are usually talking about various styles. Distinguishing
factors that define a style are numerous and are largely subjective, ranging
from differences that are readily apparent to extremely subtle. Almost every
country in the world has one or more different styles of self-defense and
combat.
There
are hundreds distinct styles of traditional Martial Arts. In China this number
easily supersedes the combined total of all the other martial Arts. This aspect
is but one of many intriguing complexities involved with Chinese martial arts.
It may be argued that every traditional martial art in the world has a
developmental connection to the martial arts of China.
Chinese
martial arts have evolved for over 3500 years, and thus form an integral part
of Chinese culture. To gain a deeper appreciation, one must observe Chinese
history and the role of education, medicine, philosophy, art, science, as well
as the sociocultural structures that shaped, and were shaped by, the evolution
of Chinese martial arts. This is important for you to understand and appreciate
Sansei Goju-Ryu