Huo was born in Xiaonanhe Village in Jinghai County, Tianjin, as the fourth of Huo Endi's ten children.
The family's main source of income was from agriculture, but Huo Endi also made a living by escorting merchant caravans to Manchuria and back.
Although he was from a family of traditional wushu practitioners, Huo was born weak and susceptible to illness.
He had asthma and, at an early age, he contracted jaundice, which would recur periodically for the rest of his life.
It is theorised that he may have had a mild form of congenital jaundice known as Gilbert's syndrome.
Due to his frail frame, his father discouraged him from learning wushu.

Huo Endi hired Chen Seng-ho, a tutor from Japan, to teach his son academics and moral values.
In return, Chen was taught the Huo family's style of martial arts, mizongyi.
Huo still desired to learn wushu, against his father's wishes, so he observed his father teaching his students martial arts in the day and secretly practised at night with Chen.

In 1890, a martial artist from Henan visited the Huo family and fought with Huo's elder brother, who lost.
To the surprise of his family, Huo fought with his brother's opponent and defeated the latter.
As Huo proved that he was physically able to practise wushu, his father accepted him as a student.
As he became older, Huo went on to challenge martial artists from neighbouring areas and his fame grew as he defeated more opponents in bouts.

Huo joined his father at work as a caravan guard.
One day, while escorting a group of monks, Huo was confronted by a group of bandits, who threatened to attack the monks.
Huo fought the bandit chief and defeated him.
News of his feat spread and added on to his growing fame.
In 1896, Huo went to Tianjin and made a living there by working as a porter in the Huaiqing pharmacy and by selling firewood.
Huo was born in Xiaonanhe Village in Jinghai County, Tianjin, as the fourth of Huo Endi's ten children. The family's main source of income was from agriculture, but Huo Endi also made a living by escorting merchant caravans to Manchuria and back. Although he was from a family of traditional wushu practitioners, Huo was born weak and susceptible to illness. He had asthma and, at an early age, he contracted jaundice, which would recur periodically for the rest of his life. It is theorised that he may have had a mild form of congenital jaundice known as Gilbert's syndrome. Due to his frail frame, his father discouraged him from learning wushu.
Huo Endi hired Chen Seng-ho, a tutor from Japan, to teach his son academics and moral values. In return, Chen was taught the Huo family's style of martial arts, mizongyi. Huo still desired to learn wushu, against his father's wishes, so he observed his father teaching his students martial arts in the day and secretly practised at night with Chen.
In 1890, a martial artist from Henan visited the Huo family and fought with Huo's elder brother, who lost. To the surprise of his family, Huo fought with his brother's opponent and defeated the latter. As Huo proved that he was physically able to practise wushu, his father accepted him as a student. As he became older, Huo went on to challenge martial artists from neighbouring areas and his fame grew as he defeated more opponents in bouts.
Huo joined his father at work as a caravan guard. One day, while escorting a group of monks, Huo was confronted by a group of bandits, who threatened to attack the monks. Huo fought the bandit chief and defeated him. News of his feat spread and added on to his growing fame. In 1896, Huo went to Tianjin and made a living there by working as a porter in the Huaiqing pharmacy and by selling firewood.
Huo Yuanjia