The Chow Gar Kuen Kung-Fu system contains many different hand, weapon and partner fighting-forms. These forms, that contain a fixed order of stances, hand and feet techniques, steps and jumps, are one of the important aspects of this kind of fighting. Every form arranges all different kinds of basic rules of this art of fighting and every move has a purpose and a meaning. The practitioner is trained mentally and physically, techniques are refined, endurance and commitment of strength intensified, reaction and co-ordination improved. The more often and the more intensive one practices the faster he will understand the purpose of these techniques and the deeper the comprehension of this art of fighting will get.

Traditional chinese weapons are solid part of the Chow Gar Kuen Kung-Fu training. They are roughly divided into the following categories: long and short, single and double, and distinguished for example between weight and handling. In the Chow Gar Kuen Kung-Fu there are numerous types of weapons being taught. The most important are the long-stick (staff), sabre, butterfly swords, double-sabre, the nine-ring-sword and the spear, only to mention a few of them.

The Chow Gar System is well-known for its strong and dynamic stances. Stress is laid on this training of stances. The value of this stance-training can’t be pointed out often enough. It is the basis of all techniques and moves as well as one of the most important key-elements to a successful development and understanding of the Chow Gar Kuen. In a traditional sense, the stances were the first thing students had to learn. Over long periods of time (5-6 months), they had to maintain in different stances before they were allowed to begin with the forms. A famous example is that students had to maintain in the deep Si Ping Ma stance, until a joss-stick was burnt. With this exercise, the will of the students was tested. The one who gave up on this exercise wasn’t allowed to continue the training under the lead of the master. Of course only very few students of the western countries would accept this kind of strain. This shouldn’t be a reason though to neglect a solid training of stances. But it should be avoided to perform this exercises of moves and stances in a too stiff and static manner. In the forms, the stances are meant to be performed energetically and fluently. A chinese saying states: “When you are standing in a stance, be like a mountain, strong and steady, when you are moving, be like the wind, fast and stormy.

The self-defense techniques of the Chow Gar Kuen Kung-Fu are mainly based on the animals-techniques (tiger, leopard, crane, dragon, snake and so on). At this point it should be mentioned that the overwhelming majority of schools and styles of Kung-Fu where originated by the observation of animals and their fighting-behaviour. Through the intensive and sudorific examination of the specific forms of the Chow Gar System the students learn to master the techniques and are able to adapt them in partner-fighting exercises at any given situation at any given opponent. Enclosed are especially block, grab, lever, stitch and fist-techniques to neuralgic points of the human body. Low and explosive kicks and sweepers in combination with hand-techniques complete the self-defense aspects of the Chow Gar Kuen training.

Curriculum of the German Chow Gar Association:

Beginner Level 1:
- Sei Ping Kuen (Four Level Fist)
- Self-Defence Techniques
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Beginner Level 2:
- Siu Sap Ji Kuen (Small Cross Fist)
- Self-Defence Techniques
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Beginner Level 3:
- Siu Hung Kuen (Small Strong Fist)
- Two Man Fighting Hand Set
- Self-Defence Techniques
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Intermedia Level 1:
- Seung Tau Gwan (Double Head Staff)
- Two Man Fighting Weapon Set (Staff vs. Staff)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Intermedia Level 2:
- Fu Mei Dan Do (Tiger Tail Broadsword)
- Two Man Fighting Weapon Set (Staff vs. Broadsword)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Intermedia Level 3:
- Sap Ji Jit Fu Kuen (Cross Tigerblock Fist)
- Two Man Fighting Weapon Set (Broadsword vs. Broadsword)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Advanced Level 1:
- Fuk Fu Kuen (Subduing Tiger Fist)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Advanced Level 2:
- Ying Jow Kuen (Eagleclaw Fist)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Advanced Level 3:
- Siu Ying Cheong (Spear Form)
- Two Man Fighting Weapon Set (Spear vs. Broadsword)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Expert Level 1:
- Sap Ji Mui Fa Sheung Do (Double Broadsword)
- Two Man Fighting Weapon Set (Spear vs. Double Broadsword)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Expert Level 2:
- Fa Kuen (Flower Hand Form)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques
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Expert Level 2:
- Man Gee Kuen (10000 Character Fist)
- Gao Wan Dai Do (9 Ring Big Knife)
- Sanda + Self-Defence Techniques