The Tiger represents aggressive conflict and direct external force, similar to hard style Karate. The Tiger stylist explosively moves in and overpowers the situation utilizing powerful knockout and knockdown blows.
The Crane, a style opposite to the tiger, cautiously maintains a safe distance from which they can evade and launch their own attacks. Crane, who emphasizes balance and serene concentration, utilizes kicks and whip-like attacks, beak-like strikes, knees, elbows, hooking maneuvers, and takedowns. Crane is a long-range counterfighter.
The cold-blooded and dangerous Snake sits there, slowly weaving and circling on the outside. When the time is ripe, snake springs in close, jamming and tying up their opponents similar to a wrestler. Snake is a powerful and fast striking internal fighter that destroys limbs and utilizes stand up grappling maneuvers known as ‘trapping’. Snake also pinpoints weaknesses and fights using ‘chi energy’ which makes it ‘poisonous’.
The Leopard, a strong and exceedingly fast infighter, hovers at mid-range painfully blitzing combinations with which to force an opening. Then the leopard stylist quickly springs to the inside where they pick the opponent apart.
Long and flowing, the wise Dragon, who fights from a distance, similar to crane yet different in its tactics, causes the opponent to run headlong into ambushes, boomeranging their own energy and aggressive force against them. Dragon stylists deceptively create smokescreens, luring their opponents into clever snares. Dragons can also go on the offense, unleashing and firing off their incredible internal power.