The Crane embodies defensive grace and poise, relying on one-legged balance and quick hops to elude danger.

Inspired by the Crane’s claws, wings and beak, students learn to block blows from an attacker. They learn to position the index and middle fingers and thumb into a three-claw hand formation and strike back at an opponent’s limbs, neck and face.

Unlike the Tiger and Snake forms, used for relentless and powerful counterattacks, the Crane forms focus more on graceful balance and tactical defense.

These forms also emphasize tensile strength of the sinews rather than raw strength of muscle and bone.

TIGER | SNAKE | CRANE | LEOPARD | DRAGON