Training in martial arts and self-defense is important because it allows someone to defend themselves against an attacker. Martial arts are a matter of self-preservation and self-protection. But to be able to defend yourself in a stressful real life self-defense situation you have to train for many hours. Simply knowing the moves will not help in a real self-defense situation because you will be very stressed out and very excited. It is very easy to forget the things you learned in such situations. This is why martial arts students train for so many hours and repeat each move and motion so many times. The goal is for the movements to be committed to muscle memory so that the student can do the moves without having to think about them.

Kung Fu also places a lot of importance on footwork. Fast footwork is very important to performing moves and defending against attacks. But Kung Fu is not about jumping around or trying to show off. Kung Fu requires flowing footwork that allows for speed and change of direction to be accomplished without putting too much stress on the knees. Your body should give to each step and react like a spring, not a stuff board. This does not just help protect your knees during hours of training, but actually helps you move faster and change direction sooner.