10 Essential Tips for Kung Fu Beginners
Train Smarter, Not Harder – The Secrets Every Beginner Must Know
Starting Kung Fu is exciting, but many beginners fall into common traps—rushing techniques, ignoring footwork, and struggling with tension. Traditional Kung Fu (傳統功夫) is about efficiency, structure, and lifelong mastery.
💡 In This Guide, You’ll Learn:
- ✔ Why slowing down is the fastest way to improve your Kung Fu skills
- ✔ The #1 mistake beginners make—chasing techniques instead of mastering movement
- ✔ How to build unstoppable power through stance training (馬步, 弓步, 虛步)
- ✔ The secret behind Fajin (發勁)—explosive power comes from relaxation, not tension
- ✔ Why footwork determines everything—bad movement = bad fighting
- ✔ Internal training isn’t optional – Breathwork, tendon strength, and energy flow separate skilled fighters from amateurs
- ✔ How pain is your greatest teacher—embrace discomfort to grow stronger
- ✔ Why a teacher matters more than videos – Get feedback, avoid bad habits, and accelerate your progress
💭 Do you want to avoid beginner mistakes and build real martial skill from Day 1?
Essential Tips for Kung Fu Beginners
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The Drunken Boxing Project: Semester 1
The foundations of the Drunken Fist style (_Zuiquan_). This ten week semester covers the eight secret power generation exercises of the style (_Fu Zhu Gong Fa_) in depth. The first Drunken fist form is also covered including applications over the course of ten classes. - Drunken Hand Form One - The Eight Secret Exercises - Wash the Barrel - Roll the Barrel - Snake Body - Shake the Body - Spitting Wine - Three Cannons - Lotus Stepping - Lotus Palms
The Drunken Boxing Project: Semester 4
This ten week session begins intermediate Drunken Fist. The second Drunken Fist form is taught covering new movements like Drunkard toasts the Moon and Lightning Legs in detail. Applications of the four types and four layers discussed alongside body methods training for lower and middle Dantian. The First five of the ten core principles are discussed in depth. These principles are strategy methods for combative applications of Drunken fist on live opponents. Interception, Controlling the Terrain, Patterns/Habits, Stepping Past, and controlling the diameter of the Sphere. The 18 Ghost Steps are also covered. This is the Sixth of the Ten principles and is based completely on studying footwork. The 18 steps create opportunities to kick and throw opponents with 'Cutting Legs' methods.
The Drunken Boxing Project: Semester 2
These ten weeks are devoted to two training methods. A second secret section of the Drunken form taught only to disciples of Ma Qinglong. The form is a study of the eight secret exercises with combative applications and Qigong. In an effort to preserve the entire style this is being shared publicly for the first time. Secondly the internal Iron Palm system Daoist Heavy Hands is taught with detail. The system is not a typical body hardening type of iron palm but a method for releasing the bodies own weight through the hands. No toughening of the hands is done. The system includes three methods: 12 posture qigong, Light-as-air exercises, and the Five Elements Iron Palm (bean) bag striking. This qigong helps to build the intangible heavy force of Drunken boxing