Teacher’s

Manual

Introduction to teaching Guide for New Instructors of Choy li fut

By: Oscar Valadez

White lions of shaolin

Style

I. Name pg 4

II. History pg 5

III. Lineage pg 6

School

I. School info pg 7

II. Teaching guidelines pg 8

III. Schedule pg 9

General Teaching

Basic

I. Stances pg 10,11

II. Hand strikes pg 12,13

III. Arm blocks pg 14,15

IV. Kicks pg 16,17

Exercises

Cardio

I. Formwork pg 18

II. Tuck jumps pg 19

III. Back falls pg 19

IV. Counting pg 19

Strength training

I. Stone warrior pg 20

II. Pushups pg 20

III. Abdominals pg 21-26

IV. Extending and holding

Pad work

I. Basics pg 28

II. Speed drills pg 28

III. Conditioning pg 28

Kid’s class

Motivation pg 29

Games pg 29

Testing for a new belt

Formalities pg 30

Price/date pg 30

Citation

Sources pg 31

Table of contents

Choy li fut

The name choy li fut has been spelled several

different ways. One spelling is choy lay fut, where lay is

the standard sound for the proper name “Li.” Choy lee fut

is another spelling commonly seen. In this instance, lee is

another spelling of the name “Li.”The li in choy li fut

comes from the kung fu style of li yua-san. His last name

can be spelled li or lee, but no one spells that last name

lay. In Hong Kong, some martial arts associations use

these spellings: choi, lee or fat. Fat is used because, in

Hong Kong, the people pronounce fut as fat. Correct pro-

nunciation is fut (as in but)

Choy is sometimes spelled tsoi. That is a different

Romanization of the family name which is spelled choy in

the United States.Choy li fut in mandarin Romanization is

spelled tsai li fo. However, since choy li fut is a southern

Chinese system, we use the Cantonese pronunciation and

Romanization.

Brief History

Choy li fut kung-fu has its origins in both northern and southern china. The founder, chan heung, had three teachers, two from the south and one from the north. Choy li fut combines the arm techniques of the south with the footwork of the north.

Choy li fut was founded in 1836 by chan heung. He began learning at age seven. He first learned under his uncle Yuen Woo, a famous boxer from the legendary shoalin temple. He became so proficient, at age seventeen he could defeat any challengers from nearby villages. At age seventeen, chan heung was ready to assimi-late more martail skills. So Yuen Woo took him to Li Yau-San, Yuen’s senior classmate from the Shaolin temple. Chan Heung spent the next four years perfecting his kung-fu under Li Yua-San.

It was apparent to Li Yua-San that after only four years of trainng, chang Heung was again ready to move on to higher levels. Li Yua-San suggested a shaolin monk who lived as a recluse on Lau Fu mountain as the best teacher for Chan Heung. The problem was that the monk, Choy Fok, no longer wished to teach martial arts. He only wanted to be left alone and cultivate Buddhism.

After much begging Choy Fok agreed to take Chan Heung as a student, but only to study Buddhism. Chang heung studied Bud-dhism by day and practiced martial arts by himself late into the night. Only much later did Choy Fok relent and take on Chang Heung as a student. For eight years Choy Fok taught Chang Heung Buddhism and the way of martial arts.

White lions of shaolin

Training Center : 12895 Josey Ln. Suite 114 Farmers Branch, TX 75234

Telephone: 972-484-8822

E-mail : ggiatrakis@gmail.com

Assistant Instructor’s Guidelines

1. Always show respect for the school, system, instructor and students.

2. Be polite to all students and educate them in martial arts etiquette.

3. Never get too involved with students

4. Never criticize another instructor’s teaching. personality, or technique.

5. Be positive, enthusiastic, and articulate when teaching.

6. Keep professional distance from students and maintain professional posture and manners at all times.

7. Never teach class sweaty , dirty, or chewing gum.

8. Always wear a complete uniform.

9. Pace lessons properly. Do not go overtime.

10. Always show each technique slowly and with precision. Do not try to show things you cannot do.

11. Care about the school as you would yourself. Help keep it clean.

12. Never answer questions if you do not know the answer. Tell them to ask sifu.

13. Never make comments about students with other instructors. You may be overheard and create tension.

14. Never disagree with the school rules, system or instructors. A house divide against itself will not stand.

15. Any problems should be reported to sifu behind closed doors.

16. If a student is out of line (talking loud, horseplay ) politely approach them an guide the student as to how to behave properly and then thank them for their cooperation.

Basic strikes

Sei ping ma

Four corner horse

Knees over toes.

Thighs parallel to the ground

Both feet flat on the ground

Ding-ji ma

Bow and arrow stance

One leg stays bent, the other straight-

ens

Weight evenly distributed

Diu ma

Cat stance

Front leg on the ball of the foot

Back leg 45° outward

Weight shifted back 80%

Nau ma

Twisting horse

Knee touching calf but not resting on it

Back leg in a ball of foot

Weight 80° on the front foot

Basic strikes

Lok quei ma

Kneeling horse

Weight 70° on the front foot

Rear foot turned outward for more

stability

Basic strikes

Fu ja—Tiger claw.

Attack to the head.

Heel of the palm leads.

Nails pull down and scratch the face.

Opposite arm out for balance.

Tsop chui— Fisted Punch

Attack to the solar plex.

Fore arm is parallel to the ground.

Opposite arm guarding at the elbow.

Cheong ngan chui—Leopard punch

Attack to the eyesocket.

Inverted leopard fist.

Opposite arm gurading at the elbow.

Kwa chui — Back fist to the face

Attack to the face, breaking the nose.

Rotate at the shoulder

Momentum directed outward.

Opposite fist out for balance.

Basic strikes

Fan jon— Uppercut

Attack to the chin.

Leading with the first two knuckles.

Opposite arm in wu tau.

Kup chui —Down ward kup.

Attack to the face, breaking the nose.

Li Yall-San fist

Momentum directed outward.

Opposite are out for balance.

Kei sow chui — .

Attack to the side to the head.

Turn fist inwards, keeping a bent elbow.

Hitting with the first knuckel.

Opposite arm in wu tau.

Basic blocks

Chuin nau — “anchor hand”

High block.

Out ward, with sideways palm

Thumb aimed towards the pinkie

Jop sau— High pete

High forearm block.

Block leading inwards, rotating the fore-

arm.

Pete

Low block across the body.

Arm does not go beyond the legs

Quan qu

Across the body.

Forearm rotated to an outward facing

palm.

Blocking with the side of the forearm.

Basic blocks

Yeung kiu

Outward high block

Flat palm facing towards

Poon kiu

Inward and downward

Blocking with the middle of the forearm

Circular movement

Basic Kicks

Yung gut

Knee breaking kick

Hitting with the heel of the foot

Frontal kick

Liu yum gut

Groin kick

Hitting with the top of the foot

Aiming for the groin

Frontal kick

Chiu sum gut

Ball of foot kick

Aiming for the solar plex

Frontal kick

Cheung gut

Side kick

Aimed towards the body or knees

Hitting with the blade of the foot

Chamber the kick sideways

Basic Kicks

Sow ming gut

Round house

Aimed towards body or head

Hitting with the top of the foot

Cardio

Formwork

Separate the half roughly in half according to belt ranking.

The half of class chosen stays on the mat, the other half steps off

Higher ranks go first. Starting with Ng lun ma and going up.

After completing one form, switch out the active group with the group

off the mat.

Lower ranks start with jau san ma and go up.

After completing one form, switch out the active group with the group

off the mat.

*When a student cannot continue following their designated group, the

student can repeat their latest form alongside their group.

Cardio

Tuck jumps

Hands out in front

Bring knees to chest level

Single or double jumps

Back falls

1. Arms cross to prevent reaching

2. Arms go out to the side just before im-

pact

3. Palms make contact first

4. Release any air in lungs with a kya

5. Tuck legs to protect the body

6. Tuck the chin to prevent the head from

hitting the ground.

Counting

Choose any arm strike.

Every student counts on their own

The amount ranging from 50 to 300, depending on student

level and movement required for the strike.

Strength

Stone warrior

Can be put into formwork or by itself

Low stances

Flex arms and fists, avoid flexing shoulder.

If possible, flex abdominals and back

Focus on breathing and move slowly

Push ups

palm, fisted, or leopard style

Ten reps of each

Slow reps for more focus on endurance

Abdominals

Six pack work out

1. Upper half

arms by the head

Coming up to a crunch

Shoulders come off the ground

Twelve reps

2. Lower half

Toes pointed

Lifting legs a couple of inches

Twelve reps

4. Rock

Arms by the head

Toes pointed

Flex stomach and legs

Move in a rocking motion

Twelve reps

3. Both

Arms by the head

Toes pointed

Coming up to a crunch

Lift legs

Twelve reps

5. Hold

Arms pointed forward

Toes pointed

Lift legs

Come up to a crunch

Hold for 20 seconds

6. Top oblique

Toes pointed

Palm on the ground for balance

Lift shoulder

Crunch at the waist

Twelve reps

7. Bottom oblique

Toes pointed

Palm on the ground for balance

Lift legs

Crunch at the waist

Twelve reps

8. Both

Toes pointed

Palm on the ground for balance

Lift shoulder

Lift legs

Crunch at the waist

9. Back - top half

Toes pointed

Arms by the head

Lift shoulders

Crunch at the waist

Twelve reps

10. Back - bottom half

Toes pointed

Arms by the head

Lift legs

Crunch at the waist

Twelve reps

10. Back - both

Toes pointed

Arms by the head

Lift shoulders

Lift legs

Crunch at the waist

Twelve reps

11. Back - hold

Toes pointed

Arms by the head

Lift shoulders

Lift legs

Crunch at the waist

Hold for 20 seconds

Extending and Holding

Ground extension

Palms on the ground

Back leg in a ball of foot

Extend leg in a sou ming gut or cheung gut

Hold for 20 seconds

Pad work

Basic

Lower rank holds pad first

Basic hand and kicks

Five each side

Speed drills

Thirty seconds to a minute

Kick or punch until time is up

Goal is muscle failure

Conditioning

Basic hand strikes

Beginner students use bean bags

Advanced used gravel

Start slow

Avoid bleeding on the bag

Goal is to punch through

Kid’s class

Motivation

Start class with meditation

Be vocal

Make children say ‘yes sir’

Constant movement

Games

Relay running

Running then hitting the pad

Simon says

Testing bearing

Ball of foot kicks from ground

Holding stance

Sparring

Gang sparring

Group sparring against instructors

Belt testing

50 dollars

Last Saturday of the month

Begins at one o’clock

Testers must be at least 15 minutes

early

Formalities

1. Students start in the back room

2. Form a line, higher ranks in front

3. Formal bow

4. Sit along the southern wall

5. When called, bow to sifu

6. Begin form

Citation

White lions of Shaolin. George Giatrakis.2007.WLOS.Dec 12, 2012.<http://

www.wlions.com/>

Hallander and Master Doc Fai Wong.Choy Li Fut: Kung Fu. Unique Publica-

tions,1985.