At East Wind Training Hall, we offer a traditional form of Kung fu as well as Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung. East Wind is the public school that teaches the first phase of curriculum of the Guardian of the Temple Benevolent Society. This society oversees and directs the teaching of Ling Mo Fa Qi, a classical system of northern Shaolin Tiger Kung fu. This is a family style; Ling being the family surname of Donald Finley's master whose ancestors were Shaolin masters for many generations.
Our system of teaching is a combination of private lessons and group classes. Private lessons are necessary because of our material's depth and complexity, and allow the student to progress at his or her own pace. Each student receives a weekly half-hour private lesson. In addition, a variety of group classes focus on stretching, physical conditioning, and reflex training. The private lesson guarantees advancement in theory, while the group class covers physical transformation and application. There are no colored belts to denote ranks (a Japanese convention mimicked by the Koreans when they developed their system in 1949).
This system contains three phases of knowledge: External, Internal, and Animal systems. External refers to the external physical body (muscles and tendons) and the knowledge of Shaolin Boxing and self defense. Internal refers to the internal body (bones and ligaments, organs, and energetics) and the use of the opponent's energy rather than your own. Animal systems are highly specialized forms, each utilizing an animal as its model.
East Wind trains the general public in the first phase, External. This encompasses physical conditioning, self defense, and Shaolin Boxing. The physical conditioning develops strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination through a combination of group classes and individual private lessons. Theory and much additional material is taught in the private lessons, and students have plenty to work on outside of the group classes.
Self defense is an overall cognitive strategy of movement premised on disadvantage. In other words, it's a system for dealing with being attacked by someone bigger, stronger, and faster. At East Wind we teach a specific body of self defense techniques based on seven categories of attack (specific disadvantage). These categories include things like pushes, grabs, etc. The specific techniques are taught in the private lessons as pieces composing the student's first form: the Long Form. They are practiced individually to achieve proficiency with each one. The Long Form is also practiced in its entirety to teach the student principles of performance which relate to fighting.
Practicing the Long Form also teaches the student principles of the Shaolin Boxing fighting style (also known as Temple Boxing). This is an external style which is the basis of all kickboxing systems. After the Long Form is learned, the student is introduced to Shaolin Boxing in private lessons. He or she must achieve a certain level of proficiency with the instructor before sparring with the other students. The learning process is gradual and tailored to the individual. When sparring, emphasis is placed on applying an established body of theory rather than reinforcing instinctive aggression.
To enter the family system and share in the advanced knowledge of the next phases, students must pass a test on the Long Form. Fighting is never part of the testing at East Wind. Subsequent tests cover large blocks of material learned over a period of years, not months.
Internal theory is inherently more advanced and sophisticated than External, and requires great skill for practical application. Tai Chi Chuan is the best known form of Internal Kung fu. But both Internal and External theory exist in all Kung fu systems to greater or lesser degrees. Internal theory is especially important in weapons techniques, which is why weapons are not taught to beginning students in most martial arts systems. In our system we start teaching Internal theory after the Long Form test is passed.
After the Long Form, students learn a form representing Chang Chuan or "Long Fist Boxing". This form is a beautiful introduction to Internal principles but retains many External aspects. It has its roots in classical Kung fu and many of the techniques it teaches have their origins in weapons applications.
The third major form we teach concentrates primarily on Internal theory and represents the Internal Kung fu system, Tai Chi Chuan. This form begins with a Sun-style interpretation of the archetypal postures of Tai Chi Chuan, and finishes with three sets of Internal Tiger unique to the Ling Mo system.
Our first three forms take a student from External to Internal theory. Afterwards, Internal theory is always part of his or her training, but it never completely replaces External. There are still many additional forms to be learned covering different aspects of both Internal and External theory. Like Yin and Yong, the two are intimately related and one cannot exist completely without the other.
Animal systems represent the pinnacle of Shaolin Kung fu theory. They are rooted in Taoist philosophy and its deep connection with nature. An Animal system utilizes a single animal as a model for strategies, postures, and hand forms. Traditionally a Shaolin master is denoted by mastery of one animal form. It is possible to master only one animal form in a lifetime. Southern styles of kung fu have five animals and northern styles have seven: Tiger, Snake, Dragon, Crane, Eagle, Mantis, and Monkey. Ling Mo Fa Qi is a northern Tiger system. Ling is the family name, Mo refers to the philosophy of Mo Tzu, and Fa Qi means method of seven animals.
Even though beginning students do not dwell on it, Animal theory is infused throughout the early part of our system. The first three forms were created as intentionally well-balanced examples of the essence of Kung fu theory at its peak. Northern and Southern Kung fu are represented, as well as hand forms from all the Animal systems. We teach the historical derivation of these different influences as well as the practical techniques and forms in the private lessons.