Kung Fu's Panther / Leopard style combat.

Sep 28, 2022
 

Kung Fu's leopard/panther (for writing purposes only, let's stick with "leopard") is my favorite animal style. It's fast, rhythmically powerful, agile, attacks at the periphery, and uses your body's momentum to disrupt your opponent's attacks. The leopard style is much like a bouncy wheel that keeps spinning. This style tends to strike as soon as the attacker moves into striking range and never hits only once.

Movie vs. Real life: Rolling punches ala 'Yip Man" movies won't work the way you might think it does in a real fight. If your first rolling punch connects, the following punches will hit nothing but air since your opponent is reeling backward from your first punch.
Also, striking the same target over, and over again is not very efficient. Practice hitting your high-value targets, and hit low-value targets to open up better targets. I.e. Hit your opponent's shoulder out of the way to expose his throat or heart.

Leopard Kung Fu's rolling motion sucks in your opponent much like a tornado.

A really cool leopard-style tactic is how it operates at the periphery. I love how leopard techniques tend to stay outside your opponent's sights but keep close enough to do massive damage.

Above: Sifu Gus at the end of a rolling leopard throw.
Warning: Watch the video on how to practice safely.  I've seen a few times where the partner breaks their tibia or fibula from the defender landing on their calf.

If I have to make a comparison, if you add rolling, sweeps, and some boxing techniques, then you're halfway there.

Remember you're not Sonic the hedgehog or the movie version of Yip Man.  Leopard style is fast initially but it uses a specific combat rhythm.  Check out KKP episode 18 for more.

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