Traditional shaolin kung fu forms ?

Question

Does anyone know what the traditional kung fu forms are? Also would the five animal styles, zui quan (drunken boxing), monkey and eagle kung, and bagua be considered tradition? Thanks for answering i will answer a few of your questions for helping me

Answer 1

The same forms done as "modern wushu" are traditional forms. There are some that are used more than others, mainly for their aesthetic properties.

It's good that you know the difference.

Answer 2

traditional kung fu has evolved from fighting methods rooted in chinese buddhist temples

'modern' or sport wushu is the jumping and show sport nowadays you see

this is not to be confused with traditional kung fu

typically each new kung fu master (chosen disciple of previous master) adjusts or changes the forms as he sees combat fit.. so it is unlikely that forms practiced today in traditional kung fu were practiced hundreds or a thousand years ago!

traditional kung fu training has the most emphasis on the horse stance, as all attacks must come from a strong base if they are to have power. so if you find a kung fu school that trains extremely hard (not the high horse stance you see at karate or TKD schools but a very low horse) on stance, and application of techniques, then odds are you found a good school   (ensure that the instructor is not a mcdojo-master, in other words see how long he studied before he opened up his school.) my Sifu trained for 12 years under his master before running his own school. (not counting his non-kung fu experience, as he did karate for a couple years before he started his  12 years of hung gar training)

Answer 3

Well I know the Shaolin Kung Fu curriculum requires;

1)  The Snake, for speed.  Although in the south I believe its the Mantis.

2)  The Crane, for balance, and one aspect of dodging.

3)  The Monkey, for agility, and the other aspect of dodging.

4)  The Tiger, for power blows, and strong stances.

5)  The Dragon, for developing the chi I believe.

I don't know if THOSE are the 5 forms, or if I got the animals right but I know for certain that every animal form serves to condition the muscles for a given aspect of fighting.  That way a monk is conditioned to be trained in evasiveness, focus, and if necessary power.

Bruce Lee was wrong; there IS a complete style, and its name is Shaolin Kung Fu.  Problem is, each of the forms is 108 steps long, and takes 5 minutes to execute.  It does not sound like a long time, but considering that your average Karate Kata, or Tae Kwan Do Poomse lasts only about 30 seconds to a minute, throwing punches and kicks, doing blocks, and jumping around, at a vigorous pace, for 5 minutes, that is a long time.  Think of how tired boxers get after only 3 minute rounds, and these are professionally conditioned athletes here.

Why, if you practice the 5 animal forms in succession, you are blocking, punching, kicking, dodging, and jumping, for 25 minutes straight.  Oh and, by the way, the Shaolin temple of China requires that you practice each of the 5 animal forms 100 times a day.  Do the hourly math.

Oops, my bad; it came out at 41 hours!  Assuming I did it right.... never had a head for numbers, but for that I blame more myself than my environment....

Still though; the temple requires that you repeat each sequence over a period of 4 hours, however many reps that will allow.

To say the least its extremely grueling, and that does not even cover the running, calisthenics and weight training, among other things.

later.