威勇

Kung Fu Sets

Sets or taolu (Chinese: 套路; pinyin: tào lù) in Chinese are series of predetermined movements combined so that they can be practiced as one linear set of movements. Sets were originally intended to preserve the lineage of a particular style, and were often taught to advanced students who were selected to preserve the art’s lineage. Sets were designed to contain literal, representative and exercise-oriented sets of applicable techniques which would be extracted, tested and trained by students through sparring sessions.

There are two general types of sets in Chinese martial arts. Most common are “solo sets” which are performed by a single student. There are also “sparring” sets, which are choreographed fighting sets performed by two or more people. Sparring sets were designed both to acquaint beginning fighters with basic measures and concepts of combat, and to serve as performance pieces for the school. Sparring sets which utilize weapons are especially useful for teaching students the extension, range and technique required to manage a weapon.

These sets in today’s Chinese martial arts training are used daily in class to help the student learn the fundamental stances and sequences of movements in the style they are training.  These sets are meant to help a practitioner gain a better understanding of the flow of movement, as well as, speed, stamina, strength, flexibility and coordination.  In training, students are also taught various weapons forms that teach them to use the weapon and how to move their bodies in the correct manner while using the weapon.

“Northen Shaolin martial arts are as steady as a nail;
cocked like a bow while turning like a leaf.
Heavy as iron yet moving like a wave.
As quiet as a mountain.”
~Master Gu Ru Zhang 顧汝章