As a 90s kid who grew up smashing buttons on the PlayStation, I felt a surge of nostalgia when I watched the official Street Fighter movie trailer released earlier this year.

Seeing Chun Li in the iconic blue qipao had me reminiscing about the little girl who awkwardly imitated Chun Li’s signature moves in front of her classmates.

That said, it isn’t surprising to know that many new fans are suddenly googling “how to fight like Chun Li” or at least possess a fraction of the ability and feminine strength that she has.

Chun Li is the epitome of poise and power; who wouldn’t want to be like her? She has inspired a whole generation of girls to be just as strong as they are graceful, including me.

The game may exaggerate Chun Li’s moves with jaw-dropping combos and visual effects for entertainment, but did you know that being able to fight like Chun Li isn’t a childish fantasy? Callina Liang, who portrayed Chun Li in the upcoming movie, actually proves exactly that.

What Is Chun Li’s Fighting Style?

In the Street Fighter lore, Chun Li’s creators made it clear that she is a master of many martial arts disciplines.

Inspired by Peking Opera and Bruce Lee, she started her training at the age of five under her father’s tutelage, where she mastered Tai Chi (Taijiquan). This early mastery serves as the foundation for her fluid movements and impressive ability to cultivate Qi.

Later on, her father introduced her to Hong Quan (Hung Gar), which helped her develop the powerful leg stances and the explosive power behind her iconic moves that fans can’t stop babbling about to this day.

To maximize her combat prowess, Chun Li mastered Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), which is considered to be highly explosive. This modern martial arts discipline adds a more aggressive edge to her fighting style by complementing traditional Kung Fu with powerful strikes, high-impact takedowns, and throws.

You simply could not box Chun Li’s fighting style into just one category since she has mastered different Chinese disciplines over the years. Her relentless pursuit of progress also led her to weave in influences from taekwondo, karate, judo, and capoeira.

Ultimately, Chun Li created a multi-layered fighting style that makes her a formidable threat at any range.

Can You Recreate Chun Li’s Moves in Real Life?

Now, to answer the question: Can you fight like Chun Li in real life?

Well, if you are imagining her trademark moves, Kikoaken (Spirit Energy Fist) and Hyakuretsukyaku (Hundred Rending Legs), both of which involve energy beams and supernatural velocity, the answer is obviously no. Video game characters often operate on ludic physics.

Then again, Chun Li’s overall combat style is authentic and replicable. Many elite athletes and modern fighters have already demonstrated impressive approximations of her other signature moves, as they are grounded in real martial arts.

As mentioned earlier, the actress who is bringing Chun Li to life in the upcoming 2026 reboot is living proof that you can fight like your favorite videogame character if you have the right training. Callina Liang is a legitimate martial artist with years of training in wushu and silat. In addition, Callina has undergone specialized conditioning for a more game-accurate performance.

While achieving lightning speed remains impossible, master taekwondoins can pull off a version of Chun Li’s Hyakuretsukyaku by throwing a string of insanely fast kicks while balancing perfectly on just one leg. Along those same lines, seasoned wushu practitioners and capoeiristas can nail a flashier version of the overhead axe kick, which looks similar to Chun Li’s Hazanshu.

Even the Tenshou Kyaku finds its real-world counterparts in the tornado kick and double flying kick in karate. Finally, the closest thing elite gymnasts and capoeiristas can do to mimic the Spinning Bird Kick without defying the laws of physics is the air flare.

Beyond the world of Hollywood, another standout example is Japanese kickboxer Mona Kimura, who has gone viral for her "shadowboxing" routines that look like a frame-for-frame recreation of a Street Fighter match.

Other notable names include Chloe Bruce, a world-record-holding martial artist famous for her incredible flexibility; Rayna Vallandingham, a 13-time world champion and Callina’s own co-star; and Juju Chan Szeto, often called the "Female Bruce Lee."

Final Words

Not all of us can fight like the iconic Chun Li, but there are some who have almost reached the level of combat prowess that she possesses. Those are the seasoned martial arts practitioners and renowned combat athletes who are committed to years of consistent training with relentless discipline.

If you are feeling inspired, then you will want to start by building strength and improving speed as well as being mindful of what you consume starting today. Physical mastery demands a total transformation of both mind and body. Then you will want to find a local dojo and invest in quality gear. Above all, make sure you equip yourself with the confidence and self-discipline required to show up every single day.