Fierce Healing Kung Fu

Interesting applications of Lian Bu

Yang Style Gongfu frame The training of frames/levels/stages was a common process in the older Taijiquan traditions, as experts developed there own understandi...ng and to appeal to different types of students these evolved into a single frame of their own understanding or preference. However, within the family and older traditions we maintain this process which is evident in such conservative heritages of Zhaobao, Chen style and Yang style Taijiquan. Since martial arts skill acquisition is a process of refinement it is important to have the system to achieve it. It is sometimes a risk that a teacher's very refined frame without going through the process or stages of development achieves little beyond imitating the teacher and some knowledge of function without the gong fu to achieve it. It is no wonder that most Taijiquan experts evolved into their own frame of understanding because in the end it is theirs not something they have imitated. taipinginstitute.com - preserving the combat arts

https://youtu.be/hiQZzzE3iAE

I think it’s great that students of Wong Jack Man are sharing stories and remembrances of him and would encourage others to do so. I studied with him from 1982 ...until 1994 when I moved from Oakland to Hawaii, and then returned to study with him intermittently during the period when I had a full time Chinese Martial Art school up to his retirement in 2005. I have my own prism that I see the man through, as every one of his students will haveall of them valid. Grandmaster Wong was exactly that: a Grandmaster. In a world populated by Sifu’s, he towered above the packanyone who studied with him knows how perfect his rendition of every set was. Those who were lucky enough to Push Hands or do fighting Hsing Yi/Kung Fu sets with him know how iron-like his bones were, how he could speed up so that you were so far behind you couldn’t catch up, or how he could completely disappear so you couldn’t find him. He once remarked to me back in the 80’s, There are more Sifu’s than students now. He should be remembered as a Grandmaster in a world of Chinese Martial Arts that will probably never see a man of his accomplishment again. Which leads another fact that seems to have been lost when remembering him: he was the funniest man alive. His humor, which was biting and deadpan, was one of his main tools for educating his studentsif they were smart enough to understand his sense of irony and implication. He would make a comment completely straight faced, which was actually a joke, one that would typically take the recipient a few moments to decipherif they could at all. I can’t say that I knew him better than anyone else, but I did enjoy a special privilege that a few other students enjoyedwe regularly dined together after workouts and as well as outside of them. Many students had dined with him at one point in their studies, and Grandmaster Wong was pretty good about including peopleeven the more annoying students who didn’t understand how to work a lazy susan or properly share a dish Chinese family style, i.e. the stupid gringo who would dump an entire plate onto theirs, saying something lame like this is my favorite. He had enough Zen-like patience to tolerate even the most obnoxious students. These group meals would ebb and flow in size from year to year. At one point, the post-Wednesday night class in the City was just the two of us eating rice plates in SF Chinatown for about a year straight. It was at one of these meals that I had a transformational exchange with him that re-energized my almost obsessive effort to perfect what he had taught me. It is incredibly egalitarian in its didacticism, one that should inspire any serious student. We were sitting at a table, him enjoying his typical rod cod and bitter melon black bean rice plate, when I asked him a question that troubled me. Earlier in class that night he had been instructing a less qualified student in double hook sword, a set that requires a bit of gymnastic skill to pull off. I said to him, Aren’t you a bit worried that you are teaching gymnastics to students who really can’t do a horse stance all that well. It keeps them off the streets. Well, why don’t we just put on newspaper hats and play pirates with wooden swords in a tree house? Now came the part that was a bit unnervinghim chewing on his food, staring at you intently without talking. He could do that for minutes at a time. Which would lead me to blurt out some kind of nervous questionthis time was the question I had been too scared to ask for about a decade, but finally had assembled the nerve. Aren’t you worried that your legacy won’t survive you? Now came the tough part, his answer. He would look right through you, contemplating your question. Then continue eating while he was formulating the most perfect answer that a human could assemble. But he had no problem staring at you while he was doing it. When I came to this country as a young man, I was much stronger and had such high goals. Now I am older and not so strong, so my goals are much more realistic. In this country, every one thinks of themselves first. If I am to be happy, I must do the same. (Giant pregnant pause for effect) If I had one student who was able to continue what I have started, I would consider my life a success. One of his favorite things to say, especially to the question Is it possible for me to become a Sifu? was Up to you. He did find Americans to be lazy in not understanding what is took to be a masterAmericans want something for nothing all the time. Yet he held out the hope that any of his students could ascend to mastery through their own effort. After that speech, my two training partners, Brent Hamby and David Tircuit, and I redoubled our efforts. We trained like crazed chimpanzees in the attempt to live up to those words. For our efforts, Grandmaster Wong unveiled two practices to us first that he had not taught previously: the fighting Tan Tui set and the Five Element Hsing Yi Sword. He was a man who was full of surprises, one who did appreciate the effort that any student made in sincerity. So for any student who continues to sweat in unbreakable dedication and noble purpose, he’s looking down on you, smiling. For all of my fellow students of Grandmaster Wong, I know how much you love him. I just hope that we can all live up to his words. See more

I give thanks to my ancestors. I give thanks to the land and my brothers and sisters of land,air and water. I give thanks for all the blessings of my life, my friends and family. Blessed be,blessed be, blessed be.

Shaolin monk performing monkey stick . A little monkey business to kick off....

Good morning folks Instrutor Spencer Lagosta is offering a beginner berimbau series, and has been kind enough to donate the proceeds to our GoFundMe Charity Fu...ndraising for Jogo Novo. He is a long time music teacher and has adapted knowledge to teach berimbau. He has a great approach and I am sure that those of you looking to learn how to play the berimbau will appreciate. Thank you Lagosta for reaching out and for your generosity. LET'S TRAIN!!!

Bom dia capoeiristas do mundo inteiro! Estarei fazendo esta aula no dia 01 de novembro, no Brasil, mais do nunca, quero continuar nesta caminhada junto com vocês! Será um prazer poder compartilhar com vcs meus aprendizados. Vamos lá Camará! Espero por vocês.