Chan Family Choy Lee Fut includes:
- Barehand forms (one-man, two-man or more) containing internal, external, hard, soft, long, and short techniques
- Weapon forms (one-man, two-man or more)
- Wooden dummy forms with and with-out weapons, or training with devices/implements which are designed to develop and deepen the understanding of Chan Family Choy Lee Fut
- Chin na / Cum na, or self-defense/attack techniques consisting of different joint locks, grappling and pressure points
- Competition in fighting and forms
- Qigong, or energy and breathing exercises
- Qigong 'dummy' training, or practising with devices/implements which are designed to develop and deepen
the understanding of qigong
- Traditional chinese medicine
- Lion dance
- Feng shui
The roots of Choy Lee Fut are in the Shaolin temple. Chan Heung, the founder of Choy Lee Fut, had three main teachers, who were skilled in the Shaolin arts. Out of respect for his teachers, Chan Heung named his style after them. Choy comes from monk Choy Fook, Lee from monk Lee Yau Shan, and Fut (meaning Buddha in Cantonese) is a commemoration to the Shaolin origins as well as to Chan Heung's uncle and first teacher Chan Yuen Wu.
Choy Lee Fut is one the most popular kung fu styles in Asia, where it is estimated that one out three kung fu practitioners train Choy Lee Fut. The style is known for its southern long and fast hand techniques as well as for its northern versatile kicks and relaxed footwork. Choy Lee Fut emphasizes intelligent use of force and also the collaboration of external and internal power.
In Choy Lee Fut the external exercises are harder and faster than the internal ones because they are developed to increase endurance as well as strengthening the muscles and bones. Internal exercises are slow, relaxed, and flowing and are meant to improve the harmony of internal power. With the correct breathing a healthier and stronger body is achieved.
Choy Lee Fut has a world wide reputation and it is the most widely practised kung fu style outside of China.