Techniques

Võ-Thuật-Việt-Nam is the art of techniques. This is the part most people think of when speaking about Kung Fu. It is important to first become familiar with the basics, which are predefined stands, defences, punches, kicks, etc. Partner techniques are a short series of defences and re-attacks following an attack of the training partner. With progress, students start to learn forms, which are predefined series of techniques usually trained without a partner. It is important to carefully train the movements focusing on all the details, such as coordination, fluency, power, etc. Partner techniques and forms are graceful as well as effective and often inspired by the movements and characters of animals such as tiger, monkey, crane bird, fish, snake and even mythical animals such as dragon and phoenix.

On Thursdays the training takes place in the main hall, where there is room for forms with one of the eighteen traditional weapons, such as sticks, sword, sabre, lance, etc. After becoming familiar with the basic principles, it is a challenge to elaborate the techniques and forms, applying them in controlled free fights with one or more opponents.

One may distinguish between hard and soft techniques, where one either directly blocks the attack of the opponent or, respectively, uses and redirects the flow of the opponent’s energy. The style of Võ-Đạo-Việt-Nam distinguishes itself through the fluency of the movements and the preference for using the opponent’s flow of energy.

In summary Võ-Thuật-Việt-Nam, the art of techniques, contains:

• Exercise techniques (exercises for the mind, body-control)
• Fighting techniques (defence, attack, re-attack, variation of forms and techniques)
• 18 traditional weapons as well as other non-traditional weapons