Shaolin Five Animals [Paperback]

Doc-Fai Wong (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Unique Publications (June 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865680809
• ISBN-13: 978-0865680807
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good basic book on Five Animals, but needs much, much more, September 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shaolin Five Animals (Paperback)

I have trained in Five Animals for 15 years and taught the art for five. I consider this book to be a good basic introduction to this style of kungfu, but it needs a LOT more info to be considered a martial arts masterpeice. #1. To get very much out of this book, you really need a good bit of prior martial arts experience, preferably a kung fu style. #2. The book really needs more explanation. The transitions to each move are not descibed in enough detail and a whole lot more self defense is needed. In fact, much of the self defense shown in the book is a cover up for the real moves that the Chinese masters intended. Overall, it is a great intro to 5 animals, but it needs much much more to be considered a great work. As far as an overview of the five animal essences, well, it rates a B- with me.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars .......A Journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step, May 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Shaolin Five Animals (Paperback)

This book is a treasured piece. For one this is rare " NORTHERN " temple stlye. To master this form requires dedication, and kung fu which means time and effort. First one must learn the form only, if one remains humble and ponder the movements the form will manifest. If one still has trouble there is a corresponding video tape at esptv.com . Third since this is a northern form it is trained differently, for example when performing in the slow stage it must be done 1000 times literally. Then the external stage must be 1000 literally. Lastly, the proper power and animal manifestation must be done 1000 times at the minimum. If you want to make it a fighting form, then must run a mile then do the form in its last stage immediately afterwards, the run 800 meters do the form, then sprint 400 meters and do the form. When you have acheived this it will be complete your form and all. But as americans everybody wants the easy way or the highway, if one spends time diligently and researches other information on northern kung and their power development this will enhance your 5 animal form even more. This is a excellent book for northern stylist. One may also what to get a tan tui or chinease springy legs book...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but Seriously Uneven Muscle Development, January 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Shaolin Five Animals (Paperback)

I am a black belt in Kempo, and TKD with an Instructor Sash in Kung Fu who learned the whole form as best as I could from just using the book. I found it clear and easy to follow. It took a couple of months to learn, after which I ordered Doc-Fai Wong's instructional video on the same 5 animal form later. I found that I'd done a fairly decent job on learning the form by book. I'd missed about 10% of it, which were mostly circling movements transitioning from one step to the other. One problem I had, which eventually led me to discontinue practicing the form is that it's seriously unbalanced. If you practice it regularly, you will have very uneven muscle development, especially in your legs. There is a big stress on jumps and standing on one leg using your right only. To alleviate this problem, you'd have to learn how to do the whole form with the opposite side and if you are just starting, it could easily take you half a year to learn this extremely long form both ways. Once you do learn it, it'll take you about 12-14 minutes to practice it just once on each side. To become really proficient at learning a martial art form, you should practice it several times each session. For a form such as this one, you would need a significant time committment to practice enough to do it justice. If you like to train in other ways such as running, weights, other martial arts, etc., be prepared to commit a lot of time.