The Hidden Power Behind The Claw

Re-Post from Medium.com. Link below to read on Medium Platform.

By Alvin Raúl Cardona, 9th-Generation Eagle Claw Master

In the world of Chinese Kung Fu, few systems are as recognizable or as deeply rooted in internal energy as Northern Shaolin Eagle Claw KungFu.

Developed for battlefield effectiveness, Eagle Claw is known for its powerful seizing techniques, joint locks, and signature claw grip. But behind its visible strength lies something far more subtle: Chi power.

Chi, often translated as “life force,” is the internal energy that fuels every movement in traditional Chinese martial arts. In the Eagle Claw system, Chi is not an abstract concept. It is developed through years of standing postures, breathing exercises, internal conditioning, and focused practice. My SiGung, the late great Grandmaster Lau Fat Mang (劉發猛), often emphasized that true strength doesn’t come from brute muscle alone , but from the connection between breath, intent, and structure.

According to his writings, he once demonstrated this by standing in horse stance against a wall while students pressed into his abdomen. Using rooted posture (horse stance) and internal chi energy, he could push them back without losing balance. His ability to transmit force from the ground up without tension was a living example of Chi at work.

That same energy fuels the legendary Eagle Claw grip. Trained over years through special gripping drills, finger-strengthening methods, and focused intent, the claw becomes more than a hand it becomes an extension of the will. Without Chi, it is just squeezing. With Chi, it becomes unshakable.

The late great grandmaster, Lau Fat Mang believed that the Eagle Claw system is a balance of hardness and softness. A hard grip without inner power will fail under pressure. But when Chi is harmonized with technique, the grip becomes effortless, fluid, and devastating.

In Eagle Claw Kung Fu, the true strength of the claw begins inside, where breath, focus, and Chi become one.

https://medium.com/@alvinraul/the-hidden-power-behind-the-claw-chi-and-the-grip-in-eagle-claw-kung-fu-079c660bf2dd