Southern Shaolin Five Animals

For the information on  the Five Animals choose your animal then click it

   Chinese martial arts are unique in the emphasis placed on the study of animal habits and fighting tactics. These creatures were studied not only for their fighting abilities, but also for any health benitits they could contribute to their human counterparts.
    One study that had an enormous impact on Chinese martial arts was the Southern Shaolin Five Animals, an intergral of the Shaolin martial arts system and a strong influence in the development of other Kung Fu styles.
    The Shaolin system originally was comprised of eighteen exercises or techniques and at the end of the Ming Dynasty it increased from eithteen to one hundred twenty eight movements These movements were divided into five seprate animals. Each animal, Dragon, Crane, Leapord, Snake, and Tiger have different outstanding and distinctive features.
    According to the traditional teachings, students must develop five aspects of their being to condition the entire body The Southern Shaolin Five Animals form was devised to assist in the development of all five strenghts of the student and put him in line with the universe.