Kuntao

Kuntaw

Kuntao........ a Deadly and Devastating art used for Combat and street situations. Kuntao is a southern Chinese word (Hokkien) used to describe many of the Chinese empty hand methods of fighting, and properly translated it means as fist way.

It is said to have been created between the 14^th and 16th century by the Muslims of Indonesia. and is basically a blend of Southern kung fu (hands) and Indonesian Silat (footwork, sweeping) and you'll sometime hear it called kuntao silat. Because of the strong kung fu influence Kuntao also incorporates many different animal moves, such as tiger, snake and monkey. There are also many types of Kuntaw (Kuntao) in the Philippines and it is sometimes referred to as Filipino kung fu.

Weapons training in Kuntaw (Filipino spelling) consists of long & short staffs and the use of bladed weapons (swords& knives) of various types. We also teach the rare Fighting Sash as well as other weapons such as Gun defense and retention. Because Kuntaw was such an effective fighting system it was originally reserved for the rich or royalty. This is not totally uncommon, other styles such as Hop Gar (White Crane) and certain weapons like the Straight sword in Chinese kung fu were treated the same way. That is why you may have heard of styles such as Royal Kuntaw.

The difference in Kuntaw is that many of the fancy or superfluous moves were stripped away leaving only the raw combat techniques. It is a fighting system that utilizes all the natural weapons of the body, such as hands, elbows, knees and feet. The hands are used for parrying, striking and joint locks, while the legs are used for low line kicks, off-balancing sweeps and takedowns. The techniques all focus on evading and redirecting the energy of attacks, a common principle in many Filipino and Chinese styles.

Kuntaw is such a punishing, lethal, and destructive art that it is actually outlawed in Indonesia!

Long Distance Training Course

(Top of page)

Last modified: December 27, 2008 dynamicfightingarts@aaahawk.com