For instance, two of my personal favorites are, So Chan, the vagrant style of kung fu, and Bo Zi Quan, the cripple style of kung fu. There are many obscure styles I could have included but they remain a mystery in the West. Mok Gar, (created by legendary Shaolin Monk Mok Ta Shi).Praying Mantis, (the second most famous Hakka style).Li Gar,(Li’s Family kung fu fist from Gonshu province).Hung Gar, (the legendary Wong Fei Hung’s style).Jow Ga, (a blend of Choy Ga, Hung Ga, and Northern Shaolin).All kung fu styles are useful for self-defense and fitness. On the contrary, if you can learn them, do it. Perhaps I should have made a top twenty list.īy the way, it does not mean they are not as effective or practical for self-defense. These are the kung fu styles that barely missed the top ten. The base style of Bruce Lee (enough said). The only style named after a woman and reportedly created by a woman (a Shaolin nun). Wing Chun – The so-called Eternal Spring Kung Fu style.This Southern-style combines Hung Gar and Choy Gar, two amazing styles on their own. Fut Gar – The Buddha Fist or Buddha Palm style of kung fu is not for worship! Also known as Lohan Gung Fu (Lohan means also Buddha).Ying Zhao Quan – This Northern Shaolin style of kung fu imitates the eagle and it is quite acrobatic and just as deadly as Pai Mei for close fighting.The idea is not to fight drunk but to imitate a drunk person’s movements. Zui Quan – Drunken kung fu was popularized by Jackie Chan.Balance and grace combined with hard strikes. Fujian White Crane – Harder than most Chinese styles, it is believed this was the ancestor of karate.Choy Lit Fut – Although their forms look like the practitioner is splashing water, this is perhaps the best kung fu style to defend against multiple attackers.In many ways, it is the opposite of Tai Chi Quan or Baguazhang in that is not as circular. Xing Yi Quan – Of the internal Wudang styles, it is perhaps the closest one to mine.Northern Shaolin’s Flowing Fist – This long-fist northern style is fluid, fast, and beautiful to watch.An explosive style that is ironically more popular in Japan than its native China. Virtua Fighter’s Akira Yuki is perhaps its most famous practitioner. Bajiquan – The “rake fist” kung fu style (or eight extremes) was the kung fu style of the Emperor’s bodyguards.It is my favorite style for hand to hand combat. The phoenix-eye punch is its signature move. Pai Mei (Pak Mei) – The White Eyebrows style of kung fu is the most famous and deadliest of the Hakka kung fu styles.Of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese styles, this is my personal top ten (besides my own style): NOTE: for further information about each style, click on the red hyperlinks.

Kung fu fighting styles list