Leopard (Bao Xing)
In China the leopard or panther is second to the tiger in terms of ferocity and power. Although smaller then the tiger the leopard is actually for his size faster than the larger powerful tiger.
The leopard is an animal comprised of long, smooth, even toned muscles, enclosed with a sleek fast body frame. The leopard depends upon lightning fast speed and footwork to produce their strenght and power. Leopards do emit solid power, however, it is not a tense forceful tyupe of power, instead the leopards power is produced from loose, relaxed, whip like techniques which are generated by speed and balance coupled with limber waist and hip based movements.
The leopard form develops both strength and speed for the students. This kind of penetrating strenght is an external form of conditioning for skin, tendons, bones and muscles. There is little internal chi training available from the leopard form, since internal development is promoted by slow precise movements which genreate and sink the body's chi level, the quick, sharp techniques that characterize the leopard are valuable mainly as external fighting techniques.