What would make Kung Fu a not so good M.A. for fighting?

Answer 1

I have studied both Chinese and Japanese styles and the only thing I have noticed about Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do over Karate is that they use alot more energy to do all those gracefull moves and kicks, it takes up your strength and endurance. Karate being more linear, which is the weakness of Karate sometimes uses less energy and retains more stamina but in the end it really comes down to the individuals capabilities no matter the style, they are all good and have good and bad points, you have to make it work and fit for you. Dont be a clone forever, sure follow the structure of your teacher but once you become a bb you then need to learn to make the style fit to you and be unique.

Answer 2

Well I have been to martial art open tournaments, competing in the Taekwondo field. I see the Kung Fu martial artists, and though it looks very graceful and coordinated, I don't know how good it would be in a combat fight. Kung Fu, from what I've seen, looks more of a grappling martial art. For example if someone were to grab a Kung Fu martial artist i have a feeling the attacker would have several broken bones in a matter of seconds, but as far as combat, kicking and punching fighting, not quite sure it's the best.

Answer 3

Depends. Are you talking for self defence or for sport?
For sport it is not so good because the rules restrict the moves of the practitioner. No punching to the head, no striking the legs and so and so on rules would limit any art. Whereas in a self defence situation where there are no rules except for the defence of your own safety then it is lethal and should not be underestimated. If you judge a kung fu practitioner to be flashy and with no real grounding then you will be in for a surprise when you wind up struck so fast your eyes couldn't follow or end up on the ground and wondering why your arms feel like they're about to snap.

But to answer you answer truthfully and to the point.
The answer would have to be "The practitioner".
It usually always returns to the individual practitioner and their level of skill and understanding and no system or secret move on earth would save them.

Answer 4

Thats the same way you could look at the question of "what would make Taekwondo not so good for fighting?"

Its just as sporty if you ask me. I see TKD guys get straight blasted all over the place by most other arts in open tourny's. I practiced TKD for 5 years and then started recently in opens. I have dominated 3 TKD guys in less than 2 rounds. They rely on flashy, not so powerful kicks and are off balance 70% of the time with their high kicks. Grab a leg and send em flying! I have been pounded on by Ju Jitsu and MT guys...

Kung fu falls under the same stigma as TKD.... its mostly for flash. I have seen a few kung fu guys that I would NOT want to tangle with just as a few TKD masters as well. But the VAST majority are a joke and easily taken out.

Answer 5

What Bluto says is true and it isn't limited to Chinese martial arts. Train like you fight and fight like you train. If you don't train against a resisting opponent, you will not be prepared when the opponent doesn't go where he's supposed to.

I have a problem with any style that uses a "fighting stance". Chances are the fight is going to start with or without you getting into position. If you can't execute without "posing" you are going to get hurt. These stances are used for tournaments so that each fighter starts from an equal position.

And another thing, I'm sick of guys who say that what they see in the octagon is real. In the real world do you wear nothing but skin tight shorts to that can't be used against you? Do you wear gloves to protect your hands? Do you walk around barefoot? No. In a real fight, you have a shirt that can be used to choke you. You don't have gloves, so you are less likely to tee of on someone. And you have shoes, in some cases steel toed boots which can do a heck of a lot of damage. Those guys are tough, and I'm sure they can (and in some cases do) fight. But to say that what they do in the octagon is real fighting is like calling boxing real fighting. It's a sport with rules.

All martial arts have rules that are intended for students safety. In a real fight, safety is not a concern.

Answer 6

Nothing,

the disciplines of Kung Fu are just as good as any other Martial Arts discipline.

the Martial Arts all have their own focus, not one is better or worse than another.

The disciplines of Kung Fu have more of an internal focus.

they're just as much physical as they are mental or spiritual.

Answer 7

u must first specify fighting in streets or fighting in competitions

chinese martial arts is good for self defence coz they got really good techniques

sucky for competition coz they dun do much other than dancing around with swords and poles

martial arts like kickboxing is the type that really will do well in competitions.. the rest of them.. well they are just fine for everything..

Answer 8

because most chinese martial arts schools (CMA) are crap.

the vast majority of schools don't train with resistance and dont do ANY level of sparring. pushing hands is not sparring, it might be a part of it, but to say that it is is like a wrestling coach saying "we don't need to wrestle in practice because we do pummeling drills". This makes it a bad ma for fighting, because if the students don't train to be able to fight, they won't ever learn how to use it in a fight.

There are so many bs teachers in CMA out there looking to make a buck off of people's stupidity or thier desire to dress up in pajamas and wear indoor slippers.

There are a few CMA schools that do actually teach students how to fight, but they are few and far between, and unless you are in a big city like NY or chicago, chances are there are no real CMA teachers.

Answer 9

Kung Fu is just a good of Martial Art as any. I practice Muay Thai myself but have sparred with some damn good kung fu guys. Some styles of Kung Fu are more brutal and more focused on fighting while others are mainly for forms or show. Sort of like TKD. I think Eagle Claw Kung Fu is the most fight/combat oriented.

The traditional Chinese martial art known as Eagle Claw (Ying Jow Pai 鷹爪派) is one of the oldest and most complex of the surviving Northern Shaolin kung fu systems. Along with the long strikes and kicks that typify Northern systems, the Eagle Claw system is distinguished by its powerful gripping techniques and intricate system of locks, takedowns, and pressure point strikes, which represent one of the oldest forms of the Chinese grappling known as Chin Na


Many people today study martial arts primarily as sport or exercise, for fun or health. Even so, Eagle Claw’s main historical emphasis has been on fighting. In particular, its seizing and locking techniques have genuine value for self-defense in close encounters. However, the antiquated weaponry of ancient China has little to no value for modern military practice and is unlikely to come in handy in a self-defense situation. Instead, weapons training has become more performance-oriented and a way to build strength and coordination. That said, with a proper understanding of handling weaponry it is perfectly possible to translate the weapon practices of a system such as this to almost any everyday object with great effectiveness. An emphasis on the understanding of weapon handling in this context can be found in the art of ninjutsu where it is of vital importance to be adaptable to any situation.


Because the dramatic acrobatics and precise footwork of Eagle Claw depend highly upon the flexibility of the student, it is said that the ideal age to begin training is in childhood or adolescence. Starting early also gives the student a greater chance of learning the system in its entirety, since the range of techniques it encompasses is vast.


While many Eagle Claw practitioners do participate in martial arts competitions, the range of techniques they can use in actual sport sparring are limited. Most of the techniques that characterize Eagle Claw, such as grabs for the throat and joints, are banned in sport sparring. Forms practice, however, is one place where Eagle Claw practitioners can excel, since its acrobatic flips and jumping kicks give the performer plenty of opportunity to display his or her skill.

Answer 10

It is not a complete martial art. Isn't good for boxing or kicking neither for wrestling or submissions.