The White Crane kung Fu has its origins in Tibet and is probably the oldest classical style other than snake.
Crane is physically demanding of its practitioners and difficult to learn but is a highly effective combat system, so effective it is believed to have been used by the emperors of Chinas body guards.
The Chinese believe that “jing” or libido is the essential energy which is characteristically associated with the crane and it is there for reputed to for its amazing libido and longevity and only natural that it was chosen to become a Shaolin animal. The crane demonstrates amazing powers of concentration - standing on one leg for hours with out the slightest movement, holding its energy within its body, the crane principle of patience but strength is incorporated into a Crane practitioners training. The crane can over throw or control and opponent with little effort using soft, circular techniques that can exert a rush of power on contact. Crane use long and short movements for disabling opponents with long techniques to vital pressure points and short ones to disable limbs. To accompany these techniques the Crane will strike across an opponent with its wing in a slicing action. Practitioners replicate the cranes long neck and wings with stretched movements and the hands forming the cranes beak by pressing fingers and the thumb together to form a point. Crane practitioners can expect to gain better balance with speed, become supple with light footwork.
