About Sifu Richard Mieir-King Expertise Since 1971 I have been involved, trained and instructed in 5 Animal 5 Family Kung Fu and can answer questions on subjects such as Qi Gong, Hand Conditioning (Iron Palm and herbal practices), Southern Kung Fu Systems, Weapons, 5 Animal 5 Family Kung Fu, health aspects of Kung Fu and fighting aspects of Kung Fu, and various techniques. Our system is based on the 5 major Animal Styles which are Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Leopard, and Crane. We also teach a variety of other animal styles such as Black Bird, Peacock, Horse, Donkey, Elephant, Ram (also called Small Cross Set) and other Animal Styles. Besides Animal forms we also teach forms such as Butterfly Palm, Praying Mantis, Combination, Crab, and others. The Family Forms we teach are Hung Gar, Choy Gar, Li Gar, Fut Gar and Muk Gar. We also teach a variety of weapons such as Staff, Quarter Staff, single and double batons, Spear, 3 Sectional Staff, Nunchaku, Iron Sais (Gen), Chain Whip, Kwan Dao, Darn Dao, Single and Double Daggers, Chinese Wand, Axes, and more. Kung Fu is a way of balancing Body, Mind and Spirit.
Experience
Past/Present Clients Besides teaching the general public we have also taught law enforcement officers, prision guards, boarder patrol agents, bouncers and more.
Question i have been studying different martial arts for 8-9 years but i have focused on power and speed. what i would like to know is how to be able to do the movements of tiger kung fu. it involves a lot of flexibility and balance which i don't have. what can i do to improve that.
Answer Hi Tony,
Thanks for choosing allexperts and me for your question.
I don't know who your current Sifu is but if you are studying under one he is the best person for you to go to for training in Tiger, if he teaches a tiger form as well as balance. I would suggest that you settle into a single system in something, I am guessing you are seeking Kung-Fu. I say this because floating around to alot of people does not give a single instructor sufficient time to focus on your needs. If I had someone for 8 to 9 years I would not have only developed their power and speed, I would have also been working on flexibility and balance. These attributes need to work together as a whole. I don't know if there are any specific points or areas of flexibility or balance that you are looking for in general. However, not to sound overly simplistic, but to be more flexible, you need to stretch more :-). There is not a substitute for doing the work on making yourself do plenty of stretching. This is a very important aspect of working out anyway. Bear in mind as well, that you will develop flexibility to the level that your body will allow. No 2 bodies are exactly alike and so if you see a guy that can drop down into full splits with no warm up, that may OR may not be something you will be able to do. On balance, in your training I am sure your instructors must have discussed with you the part of the body referred to as the "Dan Tien" (or "hara" in Japanese). This is an area about 1.5 to 2 inches below the navel and is like the hub of a wheel. It is your center and it is a balance point. You must establish your balance from the Dan Tien down and from the Dan Tien up. If you are balancing on one foot you need to get your Dan Tien, that spot just below the navel, right over your weight bearing foot. At the same time you need to make sure your spine and head are stacked on top of the Dan Tien. If you are leaning forward, backward or to the left or right, you will have a tendency to tip that direction. It is called "standing on your bones". This means that everything from the foot up to the Dan Tien, and the Dan Tien up to the crown of the head are all balanced one on top of the other. Keep those points in mind for balance. I also know this may sound simplistic regarding balance but I am guessing you are looking for the simple answer since you were not necessarily specific. Remember, too, that while this is a simple answer, it does not negate the hard work of acquiring the flexibility and balance.
I hope this has been of some assistance. Best of luck in your training!!
Sincerely,
Sifu Richard Mieir-King
Kings Kung Fu and Tai Chi - www.kingskungfu.com, http://home.sprynet.com/~rmieir
King's Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung - www.kingstaichi.com
Great Martial Arts Stuff - www.GreatMartialArtsStuff.com
Fighting Masters Seminars - www.FightingMasters.50megs.com
