Houston Backyard Wing Tsun Kung Fu

I was forwarded this video a few days ago. Upon his first viewing, he noticed that the flow was good but he questioned how powerful these attacks can be delivered.

I had to watch the clip a few times to see if there is the "potential" for power or if it's simply a very well rehearsed and choreographed demonstration. For some, it might be easy to quickly judge and say, "yah that's crap" simply because it's not your typical MMA or muay thai stuff... think of typical street brawler wailing at a heavy bag..but upon closer inspection, you can see his shoulder pops back just a slight bit upon impact of his punch - goes to show the lack of power alignment.

Others may look at the flow and see how the joints (shoulders, spine, elbow, legs) are aligned with the attacks - so that even though it's "weak" on the video - it can have great potential for damaging the attacker - think as if it's Bruce Lee demonstrating some cool moves slowly and with no power. You can still see the way his body moves, that there's something rooted and potentially powerful.

So what do you see? do you see these students as "potentially powerful" or "fairly weak"?

I watched it a few times already..and my conclusion - it's weak. Although they have the potential to tweak their structure/alignment/positioning, etc and it can be greatly improved. They got the flow down - now it's adding the power.

Your thoughts?

Until then.

What Do You Think Of THIS Guy?

Here's a link a fellow WT colleague sent me - what are you thoughts on him? he may have skill and what not..but right off the bat, doesn't he come across the type of guy that may know the technical/theory but really can't apply it?

Also, the whole white guy submerged in chinese clothing, atmosphere kind of offends me. Should it? Maybe not. But it does. To me, it's an easy way for him to gain credibility by latching on chinese culture..rather than actually showing good skill. It's as if I were to take up golfing tomorrow, and buy all the Nike golf shirts, pants, shoes and hats that Tiger Woods endoreses and buy the most expensive golf club out there - showing up on the green with my ridiculously new outfit. You know..like how high school kids dress in all new stuff on their first day of school.

Look at the Chinese wing chun teachers..majority of them teach in a t-shirt and jeans.

I understand that uniforms have a role, but it's a bit much.

And then you have his "David Carradine" tone..c'mon! He's totally playing on this white-wanna-be-chinese-wisdom guy..all to make money or something.

He's like the Temple Kung Fu of wing chun - remember Temple kung fu? what a scam.

Very annoying.

He may have skill for all I know. But then you'll see in the first video of him on the wooden dummy..and i can't say it's impressive at all. It's the equivalent of him using chopsticks for the very first time.

Your thoughts?

Until then.

Old Training Partners

Last week i had the pleasure of working with an old kung fu brother of my ("Si-Hing"). This guy started his wing chun training many years before me, completing that system and then moving over to the "WT" system under my instructor.

He has continued his learning outside of the kung fu school over the last few years and has focussed on his own training, training with other students and teaching. Last week, he came back to class and it was awesome to cross hands with him again.

He threw me into the wall, destroyed my structure, made me really work, and it was all in good atmosphere and learning. Very talented guy, and good natured, but ridiculously well rooted and has amazing basics and stance.

These are the moments that freshen things up, that push you to your boundaries and, best of all, reveals gaps in your training that i could not see for myself.

Thanks Si-Hing.

until then.