What is Siu Lum Kung Fu?

You probably already know what Siu Lum Kung Fu is, but you know it from another name: Shaolin (made famous by the Shaolin monks movies). Other spelling includes Sil Lum, Si Lum, and the pronunciation varies by province (Chinese) and local dialects. The statement, “A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet,” is our position on the semantics/politics of the name.

SiuLum Kung Fu (or Gong Fu) is considered to be the root form of any and all martial arts in practice today. We are not here to debate any claims otherwise, and we believe it would be foolish to contest over 1600 years of Siu Lum history.

Instead, we are going to focus on explaining how the art is relevant and effective in today’s increasingly violent society.

SiuLum is considered to be as true to the original form as possible. The art has not suffered the degradation like so many other martial arts seen today. It remains true to the ideals and principals as they were when they were first taught. Based in counter attack, the psychology of its users differs from more sport-based self defense, where consequences are minimized by controls and rules. Students are taught to focus their mind to directly deal with the task at hand. Siu Lum provides real-life attack environments which prepare students for potentially violent situations. This approach reduces stress experienced by practitioners when they are exposed to violence.

SiuLum techniques are undiluted, and for that remain effective, regardless of the amount of time that has passed. 1000 years ago if you were to be robbed and killed at the side of a pathway or dirt road, there would be little consequence, if any, to the criminal. Because of that, techniques from that time period needed to be extremely effective and able to escalate in a moment, or it could have ultimately led to death.

We hold this philosophy true, and it shows in our teachings. Techniques range from simple escapes to restraining techniques to weapon defense: breaking techniques, as well as advanced counter attack.

The techniques are not suited for a sport environment due to the nature of the art, and the consequences to the attacker. Because of the potential consequences to the attacker, students are screened prior to training and supervised at all times during classes by a qualified instructor. Student safety and proper practice are emphasized over the speed of execution, which helps train “muscle memory” and proper technique. As proficiency increases, instructors authorize an increase in execution speed. Minimal padding is used. Students must experience "the feel" of every technique to develop confidence in their ability to execute the technique, as well as the confidence in the effectiveness of the movements.

New techniques are taught once per week to allow the body and mind time to recuperate. Daily practice exercises are encouraged to decrease response time and improve reflexes. Siu Lum Kung Fu is a comprehensive system which allows practitioners to learn at their own pace. Students can choose the movements that best suit their individual needs and body style. This flexibility in development allows each person to become the best they can be in an atmosphere that instills discipline, perseverance, and healthy life choices.

Many martial arts schools are rigid in teaching and systematic in execution; more emphasis is placed on readiness for competition/evaluation than actual development. This produces robotic actions, predictable attacks, and a false sense of security.


Watch our promo video at www.siulum.ca and get a glimpse of some of the things you'll learn.

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