Shequan
From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source
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She Quan or Snake Fist is the name for several Chinese martial arts that imitate the movements of snakes in their execution of offensive and defensive movements. These arts feature strong yet soft movements so that a fighter imitates the suppleness of a snake’s body to achieve powerful and if need be deadly attacks. Thus, She Quan's techniques and movements rely on speed to be effective. The snake is one of the five major animals whose imagery is especially widespread in Kung Fu.
Styles
There are several styles of Kung Fu that are called "Snake Style." The styles' origins are obscure. They either imitate the attacks of venomous snakes, and thus use fast, pin-point finger-strikes to sensitive parts of the opponent's body; or they imitate the killing method of constrictors, and thus feature mostly grappling and joint locks (Chin Na). Most use a bit of both, usually emphasizing one set of skills more than the other. Examples include Shaolin Snake and Southern Snake.
Techniques
Finger-strikes, Chin Na and pressure point attacks (Dim Mak) are the emphasis of these several arts. These attacks are extremely fast, mimicking the natural speed of a snake’s attack. She Quan practitioners use an upright, mobile stance and rely less on the horse stance than most other styles of Kung Fu. Using finger-strikes and quick jabs, the She Quan fighter drills at a foe, sidesteps his/her counterattacks, then drives home the final blow. The strikes fly quickly, one after the other in rapid succession, hitting the same opening over and over, making it a very deadly art.
