Animal Sub-Styles - Rare Kung Fu Styles
Imperial Combat Arts teaches a complete Eight Animal system with numerous rare sub-styles preserved through our martial lineage. These sub-styles are not separate commercial arts, but specialized expansions of the primary animals. Each one fills tactical gaps, develops unique attributes, and strengthens the parent system.
Some sub-styles are extensive combat arts. Others are highly specialized technical modules. All require the toughening, conditioning, and structural training of their parent animal.
Some sub-styles are extensive combat arts. Others are highly specialized technical modules. All require the toughening, conditioning, and structural training of their parent animal.
The Imperial Eight Animals
IMPERIAL TIGER KUNG FU
A dominant forward pressure system built on structural power, crushing grips, throat attacks, and relentless pursuit. Tiger forms the backbone of many sub-styles.
Sub-Styles of Tiger:
IMPERIAL LEOPARD KUNG FU
Fast, deceptive, ambush-based combat emphasizing lethal hand weapons and guerrilla tactics.
Sub-Styles of Leopard:
IMPERIAL PANTHER KUNG FU
Stealth hunter-killer with balanced power and silence. Body collision takedowns, spinning flesh grips, and controlled ground transitions.
Sub-Styles of Panther:
IMPERIAL EAGLE CLAW KUNG FU
High-level Chin Na system emphasizing gripping, tearing, and precision joint destruction.
Sub-Styles of Eagle:
IMPERIAL CRANE KUNG FU
Angular striking, balance, leg control, and precision beak-like weapons.
Sub-Styles of Crane:
IMPERIAL SNAKE KUNG FU
Precision, speed, and fluid redirection with five complete internal sub-systems.
Sub-Styles of Snake:
IMPERIAL PRAYING MANTIS
Capture-and-counter system built on speed, accuracy, and single-digit strikes.
Sub-Styles of Mantis:
THE THREE FORCES MARTIAL ARTS
Legendary temple-influenced systems emphasizing entrapment, stealth, and mobility.
BLACK SCORPION GROUND SYSTEM
The umbrella ground-fighting framework used primarily by Crane and Mantis.
Includes:
Crab
Manta Ray
Moray Eel
Sting Ray
Golden Dragon (prone combat posture)
Alligator
Lizard
Turtle
Squid
Octopus
Frog
Toad
Salamander
Centipede
Shark
Barracuda
These systems train supine, prone, kneeling, and terrain-specific combat with seamless transition between positions.
DRAGON
Dragon represents the fusion of two complete animal systems. Each pairing creates a unique strategic expression aligned with deeper structural principles of the system. Advanced ranks reflect progressive Dragon mastery.
A dominant forward pressure system built on structural power, crushing grips, throat attacks, and relentless pursuit. Tiger forms the backbone of many sub-styles.
Sub-Styles of Tiger:
- Northern Tiger – The most physically powerful interpretation of Tiger. Emphasizes mass, crushing grips, and overwhelming forward force.
- Shanghai Tiger – A more intricate, intelligent Tiger with advanced digit striking and expanded Chin Na.
- Southern Tiger – Faster, lighter framed Tiger emphasizing speed and precision while retaining intensity.
- Black Tiger – Stealth, ambush, and guerrilla combat tactics within Tiger structure.
- White Tiger – One-arm matching and unilateral dominance training.
- Imperial Bear – Tiger’s pursuit into the lower realm. Focuses on fighting downed or half-down opponents without committing fully to the ground. Emphasizes lifting, dragging, flipping, crushing drops, and low-realm domination.
- Elephant – Heavy structural collision and rooted driving power. Emphasizes immovable stance and crushing forward pressure.
- Imperial Rhino – Horn-shaped hand weapons and driving penetrative force.
- White Rhino – Large framed, pure power interpretation of Rhino.
- Black Rhino – Smaller, faster Rhino focused on mobility and precision penetration.
IMPERIAL LEOPARD KUNG FU
Fast, deceptive, ambush-based combat emphasizing lethal hand weapons and guerrilla tactics.
Sub-Styles of Leopard:
- Canton Dog – Brutal close-range and ground fighting with ripping and gouging tactics.
- Imperial Phoenix – Phoenix-eye knuckle striking and refined vital point penetration.
- Golden Leopard – Two practitioners fighting as one coordinated entity.
- Fox – High striking and overhead leopard paw tactics designed for fighting taller opponents. Emphasizes deceptive posture, leaping entries, and cunning transitional attacks.
IMPERIAL PANTHER KUNG FU
Stealth hunter-killer with balanced power and silence. Body collision takedowns, spinning flesh grips, and controlled ground transitions.
Sub-Styles of Panther:
- Northern Wolf – Group fighting, low-realm combat, and vicious ripping tactics.
- Enter Page > Wolf Kung Fu
- Imperial Lion – Dominant crushing grappling and mounting tactics with powerful grips.
- Horse – Long-range hammer fists, extended punches, stomping finishes, and standing power added to Panther’s close-range base.
- Bear Cat (Wolverine) – Panther’s low-realm pursuit system. More intimate and mounting-based than Bear. Focuses on half-down control, turning opponents over, and close suppression grappling.
IMPERIAL EAGLE CLAW KUNG FU
High-level Chin Na system emphasizing gripping, tearing, and precision joint destruction.
Sub-Styles of Eagle:
- Imperial Hawk – Mid-build grappling and leaping emphasis with expanded ground transitions.
- Imperial Falcon – Smaller frame variation emphasizing striking and kicking over heavy Chin Na.
- Owl – Rear takedowns, silent ambush, soft landings, and the most yin interpretation of Eagle. Focuses on yielding engagement and subtle capture.
IMPERIAL CRANE KUNG FU
Angular striking, balance, leg control, and precision beak-like weapons.
Sub-Styles of Crane:
- Black Crane – Integration of Snake and Mantis concepts within Crane structure.
- Grey Heron – Leg-dominant fighting system.
- Green Heron – Smaller framed Crane emphasizing speed and leaping entries.
- Duck – Close-range Crane with flurries, elbows, and blade work.
- Goose – Heavy knuckle punches, knees, and headbutts added to Crane. Stronger, stockier close-range interpretation that completes Crane’s striking range.
IMPERIAL SNAKE KUNG FU
Precision, speed, and fluid redirection with five complete internal sub-systems.
Sub-Styles of Snake:
- Imperial Python – Powerful palm strikes, grappling, chokes, and crushing constriction.
- Imperial Cobra – Long-range fang strikes and standing Chin Na throws.
- Imperial Adder – Pain compliance, nerve attacks, and twisting bring-downs.
- Imperial Viper – High-speed striking and anti-grappling system.
- Imperial Asp – Extremely fast fingertip and blade-hand specialist.
IMPERIAL PRAYING MANTIS
Capture-and-counter system built on speed, accuracy, and single-digit strikes.
Sub-Styles of Mantis:
- Red Scorpion (Yang Scorpion) – Fast, mobile, accuracy-based ground and anti-grappling emphasis.
- Black Scorpion (Yin Scorpion) – Crushing ground control, powerful holding, and body-weight domination.
THE THREE FORCES MARTIAL ARTS
Legendary temple-influenced systems emphasizing entrapment, stealth, and mobility.
- Spider – Rope fighting, entanglement, and capture systems.
- Large Spider (Yin Spider) – Strength-based rope control and dragging.
- Red Spider (Yang Spider) – Mobile looping, evasive entrapment, and dynamic tie-ups.
- Tibetan Ghost Bat – Circular running, stealth maneuvering, and evasive positioning.
- Golden Rat – Long-range kicking, horizontal circular movement, and fast entry-exit tactics. Muay Thai-like leg dominance with distance control.
BLACK SCORPION GROUND SYSTEM
The umbrella ground-fighting framework used primarily by Crane and Mantis.
Includes:
Crab
Manta Ray
Moray Eel
Sting Ray
Golden Dragon (prone combat posture)
Alligator
Lizard
Turtle
Squid
Octopus
Frog
Toad
Salamander
Centipede
Shark
Barracuda
These systems train supine, prone, kneeling, and terrain-specific combat with seamless transition between positions.
DRAGON
Dragon represents the fusion of two complete animal systems. Each pairing creates a unique strategic expression aligned with deeper structural principles of the system. Advanced ranks reflect progressive Dragon mastery.