Training in the animal styles brought to the student the qualities of that animal so that you would become more like the animal whose style you were studying. Each animal would also develop certain physical and personality traits within the student such as patience, aggression, fluidity of movement, awareness of environment, playfulness and so on.
Many Kung fu styles were created to mimic and emulate specific animals with their movements as Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Leopard, Eagle, Crane and Mantis styles. some of these style can trace their origin back hundreds of years.
Dragon:
Dragon style is essentially an internal, Ch'i cultivating method, but initial training is far more similar to a hard, external style than a delicate reptilian approach. In learning the moves, the student will strike hard, block hard and stamp into each position. The method of transmitting power is retained and the physically strengthened body is able to make transition in the proper manner. In turn, this reptilian smoothness helps disguise the attack making it extremely difficult for an adversary to effectively counter.
Tiger:
Tiger style is to develop bones, muscles and tendons. Tiger utilizes a hard external approach to combat that meets force with force and is very like to maim or kill an opponent because of the nature of the counterattack.its primary hand weapons are the closed fist and the tiger claw while kicking maneuvers are usually low to middle range kicks of great power. Tiger claws are used for grabbing, all fingertips strike first then the claw grabs. so that the area between the fingertips and the 1st knuckles break the target, Ch'i projection will allow you to explode a target by putting massive amount of energy into 5 small areas.
Monkey:
Monkey styles is essentially to adopt extremely low stances.this is done through conditioning the muscles, joints and tendons in your legs to endure the strain of holding a crouch for an extended period of time. it requires that you immerse yourself completely in the personality of the animal. one essential trait that needs to be emulated is unpredictability. It contains low stance, practice moving your head around while displaying an army of different primate expressions. Monkey style are essentially useful at night when the blinding hand and foot movements are invisible.
Snake:
Snake style is to take unassuming stances and rapid attack that make snake such a deceptively simple looking Kung fu style. snake stylish are taught to spring from rest posture to full attack. there are no preparatory stances or threatening gestures.
Leopard:
Leopard style can use for close range attacks, which you make by bending four fingers at the first joint, elbow smash and knee strike. Leopard style is specially for aggressiveness and surprise attack.
Eagle:
Eagle style is known for its gripping techniques, system joint locks, takedowns and pressure point strikes.
Crane:
Crane style is focussing the two basic hand techniques, the crane's beak, formed by contacting the thumb with all four fingers to make pinpoint strikes and the crane's wing a finger rake.
Mantis:
Mantis style is the use of the "Short power" movements. Its exhibiting short jerky movements, the use of legs and waist to generate power in techniques instead of the usual upper body.