In general, kung fu refers to the Chinese martial arts also called quanfa. In China, it refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts. The literal equivalent of "Chinese martial art" in Mandarin would be 中國武術 zhōngguó wǔshù.
Neijia is the collective name for the internal Chinese martial arts. It relates to those martial arts occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects. The distinction dates to the 17th century, but its modern application is due to publications by Sun Lutang, dating to the period of 1915 to 1928. Neijin is developed by using neigong or "internal changes", contrasted with waigong or "external exercises".
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms kung fu, kuoshu or wushu, are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan (少林拳) physical exercises involving All Other Animals (五形) mimicry or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal, while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external. Geographical associations, as in northern and southern, is another popular classification method.
Dantian is a concept in traditional Chinese medicine loosely translated as "elixir field", "sea of qi", or simply "energy center". Dantian are the "qi focus flow centers", important focal points for meditative and exercise techniques such as qigong, martial arts such as tai chi, and in traditional Chinese medicine. Dantian is also now commonly understood to refer to the diaphragm in various Qigong practices and breath control techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing for singing and speaking.
The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program is a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-hand and close quarters combat techniques with morale and team-building functions and instruction in the warrior ethos. The program, which began in 2001, trains Marines in unarmed combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, and rifle and bayonet techniques.
There are hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts, each with their own sets of techniques and ideas. The various movements in kung fu, most of which are imitations of the fighting styles of animals, are initiated from one to five basic foot positions: normal upright posture and the four stances called dragon, frog, horse riding, and snake.
In martial arts, the terms hard and soft technique denote how forcefully a defender martial artist counters the force of an attack in armed and unarmed combat. In the East Asian martial arts, the corresponding hard technique and soft technique terms are 硬 and 柔, hence Goju-ryu, Shorinji Kempo principles of go-ho and ju-ho, Jujutsu and Judo.
A jump kick is a type of kick in certain martial arts and in martial-arts based gymnastics, with the particularity that the kick is delivered mid-air, specifically moving ("flying") into the target after a running start to gain forward momentum. In this sense, a "Jump kick" is a special case of a flying kick, any kick delivered in mid-air, i.e. with neither foot touching the ground.
Qigong is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation said to be useful for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, qigong is traditionally viewed by the Chinese and throughout Asia as a practice to cultivate and balance the mystical life-force qi.
Weng Chun Kung Fu is a Southern-style Chinese Martial Art.
Visual Collaborative is an American festival and publishing platform highlighting the intersections of people, commerce, and innovation. The platform organizes exhibitions that feature talks, art, technology, development, and live music performances. Over the years, the initiative has grown in scope and size, aligning with sustainable goals.
Somatics is a field within bodywork and movement studies which emphasizes internal physical perception and experience. The term is used in movement therapy to signify approaches based on the soma, or "the body as perceived from within", including Skinner Releasing Technique, Alexander technique, the Feldenkrais Method, Eutony, Rolfing Structural Integration, among others. In dance, the term refers to techniques based on the dancer's internal sensation, in contrast with "performative techniques", such as ballet or modern dance, which emphasize the external observation of movement by an audience. Somatic techniques may be used in bodywork, psychotherapy, dance, or spiritual practices.
William Wai-Yin Kwok is a Chinese-American martial artist and researcher of martial arts education. Nicknamed 'Kung Fu Gentleman,' Kwok founded the Martial Arts Education Society, a non-profit organization that promotes martial arts education and supports community engagement and personal growth. He also served as the co-chair of Harvard Alumni for Education in New York City.
Ade Abayomi Olufeko, is an American-born designer and technologist active primarily in Lagos, Nigeria. He is the founder of Visual Collaborative, an American platform collaborating with diverse experts on socio-economics.
The Iyasile Naa, also known as The legacy, is a digital painting created by Ade Olufeko, a designer known for his multidisciplinary work on African social economics. The original artwork was created in 2013. It underwent enhancements in Lagos and was reissued in 2017 as a major collaboration project piece through an African conference at Oxford University. According to the Vanguard news, parts of the artwork were influenced by 1985's We Are the World music project. Legal experts suggest that the eventual buyer of the artwork's reissue cannot financially exploit the work until the year 2033, stating that all "proceeds at any time from sales will remain within the African economic system."
Butthan is a Bangladeshi martial art and combat sport. It is a system of self-defense and personal development rooted in South Asian heritage. Butthan has been developed by Mak Yuree, an internationally acclaimed Grandmaster and known as Superhuman as dubbed by the Discovery Channel. It has been described as the ‘noble art of stopping-fight and enlightenment that produces physical, mental and spiritual balance’. Butthan was approved as a national sport of Bangladesh by the National Sports Council, Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bangladesh in 2013. As a combat sport, the martial art is practiced in different parts of the world under the International Butthan Federation.
Sundo - also known as Kouk Sun Do (국선도) - is a Korean Taoist art based on meditation, and which aims at the personal development of its practitioners, both at the physical, mental and spiritual levels.
Thommy Luke Böhlig, aka Thommy Luke Boehlig is a German martial artist, Keynote Speaker, actor, and author. In 2005 he founded the umbrella organization "Wing Tsjun International," which now has over 80 schools in 15 countries worldwide. He lives with his family in Langenfeld (Rhineland).
Kenko Kempo Karate is a hybrid martial art system aimed at people over 40 years of age. It is a methodology to adapt Eastern martial arts to the needs of persons of advanced age, for both novices as well as experienced practitioners. It aims at health, wellness, and self-defense. The system can be adapted to most martial arts but consistently uses tai chi forms as part of the training programme.
