Learn Eagle Claw Wushu
The Eagle Claw is one of the most traditional wushu styles. In Chinese, the traditional term for this style is Ying Zhao Pai = 鷹爪派 = Eagle Claw, but in modern wushu it is commonly known as Ying Quan = 鷹拳 = Eagle Style or Eagle Fist. The Eagle Claw is an external style known for it's powerful gripping techniques, locks and pressure point strikes etc. However, there are also modern eagle claw forms which are used for shows and competitions. Modern forms look better, involve more acrobatics and running movements. The downside of modern Eagle Claw is that all these nice application are often lost. In China, most young athletes start with modern forms, and when they are older, and if they decide to emphasize on the Eagle Claw only, they learn the application and old, standardized forms. The reason for this is that young athletes are more agile and have more fun doing acrobatic jump kicks. For more traditional wushu styles, click here.