The forms you will learn within the Lau Gar system shall teach you the essence of this Kung Fu style.
Each and every movement within the patterns form the basis of all the defensive blocks and counter strikes you will need to hone your skills and master the art. The forms range from very simple blocking techniques through to mastering weapons such as the broadsword.
Weapons training is of course not the most practical of skills to learn, as you are hardly going to be taking your sword with you as you go to the shops… Or is it?
Weapons training gives you the ‘tools’ you need to apply to whatever defensive aids you may have to hand when it comes to self-defence – you may simply have an umbrella, a walking stick or a broom to hand, all of which you can adapt your weapons skills to use in an effective manner to protect yourself from an assailant.
A weapon should be considered an extension of the body. As such weapon training provides an ideal platform for advanced martial art practice requiring strength, speed and coordination. All of these are to the benefit of any martial artist
The dao is known as "The Marshall of All Weapons" and is one of the four major weapons of Kung Fu, along with the gwun (staff), qiang (spear), and the jian (straight sword). Dao is actually a generic word used to denote any member of a family of single-edged, broad-bladed cutting or slicing tools, but in common, everyday usage means knife. The weapon, also known as dan dao (single knife) when just one is used.
The gwun is known as "The Farther of All Weapons" and is the first major weapon to be taught to students of Lau Gar students is the wooden staff ('gwun'). Gwun simply means wooden staff, and is typically about 1.8 meters in length and approximately 3.5cm in diameter. It is made of hard wood and is therefore almost completely inflexible.