Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu – 長拳

 

Long Fist Kung Fu, or Changquan (長拳), is a broad family of traditional Northern Chinese martial arts renowned for its powerful kicking, long-range striking, dynamic footwork and expansive movements. The name “Long Fist” refers not simply to long techniques, but to a fighting method that develops the ability to bridge distance, attack from range and flow continuously from one technique to the next.

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Long Fist has deep roots in the martial traditions of Northern China. Over centuries, numerous systems contributed to the wider Long Fist family, including Shaolin Long Fist, Cha Quan, Hua Quan, Hong Quan, Pao Quan and Tan Tui. During the early twentieth century, traditional Northern systems were further organised and promoted through institutions such as the Jing Wu Athletic Association and the Central Guoshu Institute in Nanjing, helping preserve and spread Long Fist training methods throughout China and later Taiwan.

 

Training Methods

Traditional Long Fist training develops the practitioner progressively from basic body mechanics to practical fighting ability. Training typically includes:
 

• Ji Ben Gong – Fundamental Training: Stances, stepping, balance, flexibility, kicking, punching and body mechanics.

• Tan Tui – Springing Legs: Repetitive lines of techniques used to develop strong stances, accurate kicking, coordination, endurance and powerful transitions.

• Forms – Taolu: Traditional sequences such as Lian Bu Quan and Gong Li Quan teach combinations, footwork, angles, balance, power generation and fighting strategy.

• Applications: Techniques from the forms are extracted and practised with partners so that movements are understood as practical fighting methods rather than choreography.

• Kicking & Leg Training: Long Fist is particularly famous for developing fast, powerful and versatile kicking skills.

• Two-Person Training & Sparring: Timing, distance, reaction, defence, combinations and tactical movement are progressively developed against a resisting partner.

• Qin Na: Joint controls, locking, seizing and controlling techniques complement the striking methods.

• Weapons: Traditional Long Fist training includes weapons such as the staff, saber, straight sword and spear, together with more advanced weapons.
   

Combat Specialty – Fighting at Range

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Long Fist's particular area of expertise is long- and medium-range combat.

The practitioner learns to use agile footwork to control distance, move rapidly in and out of an opponent's range and attack with combinations of punches and kicks. Rather than remaining stationary and exchanging techniques, Long Fist encourages mobility, changes of angle, deceptive movement and the ability to suddenly close a large distance.

Its extensive kicking repertoire is one of its defining characteristics. Front, side, round, crescent, sweeping and turning kicks are combined with hand techniques and mobile footwork. At an advanced level, however, the spectacular appearance of some Long Fist movements should not be confused with their purpose: traditional training places considerable emphasis on timing, distance, speed, power and practical application.

A skilled Long Fist practitioner should therefore be difficult to contain — capable of maintaining a favorable distance, attacking from outside an opponent's reach and rapidly changing range when an opportunity appears.

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Our Long Fist Lineage

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Our Long Fist tradition at YMAA comes through an important twentieth-century Chinese martial arts lineage:

Grandmaster Han, Qing-Tang (韓慶堂)
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Master Li, Mao-Ching (李茂清)
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Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (楊俊敏)
↓
YMAA
 

Grandmaster Han, Qing-Tang was associated with the famous Central Guoshu Institute in Nanjing, one of the most important organisations involved in preserving and developing traditional Chinese martial arts during the early twentieth century.
 

His student, Master Li, Mao-Ching, carried these Northern martial traditions to Taiwan. Master Li was known not only for Long Fist but for his extensive knowledge of traditional Chinese martial arts and demanding approach to training.

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While studying physics at Tamkang College in Taiwan, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming began studying Shaolin Long Fist under Master Li in 1964. Dr. Yang has described Master Li as an exceptionally disciplined teacher whose Long Fist demonstrated remarkable speed, mobility and control of fighting distance. Dr. Yang eventually became an assistant instructor under Master Li.

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Dr. Yang later brought this knowledge to the West and founded Yang's Martial Arts Association (YMAA) in Boston in 1982. Through decades of teaching, research, books, instructional material and the international YMAA school network, Dr. Yang has played an important role in preserving traditional Shaolin Long Fist for future generations.

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Within YMAA, Long Fist is therefore taught not simply as a collection of traditional forms, but as a complete martial training system. Fundamental conditioning, forms, applications, kicking, Qin Na, weapons, partner training and sparring progressively develop the attributes that made Northern Long Fist famous: speed, flexibility, mobility, power and the ability to fight effectively across distance.