Sunday May 27, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Bruce Lee's kung fu style draws new generation

Lifestyle Dec. 08, 2011 - 06:23AM JST ( 26 )

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Kung fu 'wing chun' style is on the rise again, decades after the death of its most famous follower, Bruce Lee

Sam Lau is the founder of the Yip Man Martial Arts Athletic Association in Hong Kong

Exact numbers of kung fu wing chun style students around the world are hard to come by

Students learn to outwit opponents with speed and deliver multiple punches in quick succession

Order by Time Order by Popularity

26 Comments

6

cadmium31680Dec. 08, 2011 - 10:02AM JST

Bruce Lee studied Wing Chun, but moved on to form his own style, Jeet Kune Do. So I think the title is incorrect.
1

It"S MEDec. 08, 2011 - 10:54AM JST

Bruce Lee was more trained in Tai Chi Chuan(from his Father) than Win Chun, he never got all that far in Win Chun.

People also need to realise that the MA(really more Acrobatics than MA) you see in Movies or inside the ring is not how it will look outside those.

Just tired of people claiming this is the real and best stuff out there. In the end all serious MA got the same goals and share more than they differ.
0

anglootakuDec. 08, 2011 - 10:56AM JST

At one stage they were going to do a CG film based on his likeness but it got cancelled..
1

2020hindsightsDec. 08, 2011 - 11:12AM JST

Bruce Lee studied Wing Chun, but moved on to form his own style, Jeet Kune Do. So I think the title is incorrect.

Right on. I thought I was going to be reading about Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee's attempted at using the best of all fighting styles.
-1

RPMillarDec. 08, 2011 - 11:16AM JST

There is good, Yip Man family Wing Chun in Japan : http://chienwingchun.com
-1

cactusJackDec. 08, 2011 - 11:16AM JST

Check out on Youtube "bruce lee rare video tribute". Just plain awesomeness.
0

toguroDec. 08, 2011 - 11:24AM JST

@2020hindsights:

I was thinking the exact same thing as you were.
1

MaboDofuIsSpicyDec. 08, 2011 - 12:33PM JST

Tai Chi Chuan

That is what I always thought Bruce was doing but at high speed.
1

WilliBDec. 08, 2011 - 03:02PM JST

RPMillar:

" There is good, Yip Man family Wing Chun in Japan : http://chienwingchun.com "

Woha! 12,000 Yen/month for one training session/week? Looks like a good business.
-1

RPMillarDec. 08, 2011 - 04:04PM JST

Well, you get what you pay for. There are plenty of "cheap" martial arts schools in Japan, if that's what you want.
1

WilliBDec. 08, 2011 - 06:27PM JST

So, why don´t the cheap martial arts schools raise their price and thus become incredibly valuable?

Frankly, I don´t see that connection. And neither do I see that you can learn much of anything at 2 hours/week. Seems to me any physical skll would need a bit more time.
-1

RPMillarDec. 09, 2011 - 02:20PM JST

"So, why don't the cheap martial arts schools raise their price and thus become incredibly valuable?" It's simple. When I said 'cheap' the context was 'cheap and nasty'. Raising their prices wouldn't make them incredibly valuable, but rather incredibly unviable. You can't pick up a turd by the clean end.

"Frankly, I don´t see that connection." Between paying an above average price for a higher quality service? Oh, ok.

"And neither do I see that you can learn much of anything at 2 hours/week. Seems to me any physical skill would need a bit more time." Firstly, remember that Wing Chun was originally created from a mix of other kung fu to be learned by soldiers in the minimum amount of time. The Manchus were invading China at the time and Chinese soldiers needed to be able to engage them effectively with a minimum of training. So you'd be surprised what you can learn in even a couple of hours a week of good Wing Chun training. I've seen young guys and girls put in 6 months of training like this and come out able to defend themselves confidently and effectively. Secondly, it doesn't say anywhere that training sessions are limited to once a week. We get to attend free events and seminars and even trips to Ip Man's nephew's Wing Chun school in Taiwan to better our skills and understanding. We are also given plenty of work to practice at home away from formal training. So, hands-on training by the master who originally brought Wing Chun to Japan, for just ¥6,000/hour is to me nothing short of a bargain. Your mileage may vary, though.
-1

It"S MEDec. 09, 2011 - 02:31PM JST

I have trained MA for a long time.

What I found the pricing of the Instruction depends a LOT on how famous a teacher wants to be and the property/location of the teaching place.

There are many top-notch MA Instructors in Japan(KMA, JMA, CMA, etc.) that teach out of gym or community halls or in parks and charge 3000-5000Yen/month(free if you become an inner door student). Most of those teachers work full-time and teach after-hours/weekends. They can be found but not in the yellow pages.

Said that if you want to get anywhere in MA, IMHO, follow the rule 90% of training on your own and 10% for corrections/new stuff direct with your teacher. That means 2-3hrs+ daily practice, most on your own or with a partner. Stretching and warmup should be done before the class starts.

Win Chun is not the only art that was taught to soldiers and needed to get results quick, said that soldiers worked their daily shift and than trained, modern students struggle to follow a similar regime.
1

WilliBDec. 10, 2011 - 01:07AM JST

Err... Wing Chung was taught to soldiers? But on the website of this club, it says: "The original founder of Wing Chun was a woman and the best practitioners are often only slight in build. "

... so what? Armees of small women, or is somebody having trouble getting the corporate message straight?
-3

RPMillarDec. 10, 2011 - 12:11PM JST

Wa har! Funny, Will.

You can look the history up yourself, but it goes a little something like this - When the Manchu's were invading China, it was taking too long to get soldiers up to the point where they could fight effectively. The royal guards were taught "The Great Ultimate" (Tai Chi) at the time, which took at least 10 years to master - too long. So 5 grandmasters gathered at the Northern Shaolin Temple to put aside their differences and put together a new style that could be mastered in just 3 years, discarding anything that wasn't 1) direct, 2) efficient and 3) effective. As they were putting the finishing touches on this new super-style, the Manchus raided the Shaolin Temple and burned it to the ground. 4 of the 5 grandmasters were killed in an epic battle which has been re-told for generations, and about which many books (and movies) were made. The 1 that escaped was the Buddhist nun named Ng Mui. She hid in a small village ewhile the Manchus searched unrelentingly for her. In that small village was a young girl who was the victim of the local bully. Ng Mui felt pity for the girl, and while she couldn't take on the bully and expose herself, she taught the girl the new, quicker-to-learn fighting style, and the young girl defeated the bully. That young girl's name was Yim Wing Chun.

So come to Yokohama tomorrow at 1pm and let us show you, Will. We have a few smaller, lighter guys and girls who can dispatch bullies with the short, fast hand movements that makes Wing Chun so famous, just like the young girl in the story (I'm 100 kg though, so I won't be as impressive...) Honestly, come and have a look. I promise you'll be treated with respect. http://chienwingchun.com/category/chien-wing-chun-schools/
0

It"S MEDec. 10, 2011 - 12:19PM JST

Short/fast hand movements you are talking 'Fa Jing" here?
0

It"S MEDec. 10, 2011 - 12:22PM JST

Just asking as many styles use it and it can be taught in about 10 minutes. BTW, I do spar with Win Chun guys.
0

It"S MEDec. 10, 2011 - 01:12PM JST

Who me?

Sorry, got training in the morning and family commitments afterwards. Yokohama is also a bit far.
-2

RPMillarDec. 12, 2011 - 04:52AM JST

Hey, check out the up-coming Wing Chun webinar : http://ewebinars.com/476/k5b04chjl/webinar-register.php

There's an into here : http://www.facebook.com/WingChunJapan?sk=app_222219647807785
-1

tokyokawasakiDec. 12, 2011 - 11:25AM JST

Blah, blah, blah. Thai boxers always beat Kung Fu fighters. Sure Kung Fu looks nice, but in a head-to-head fight the sheer power and ferocity of a Thai boxer destroys the delicate moves of a Kung Fu fighter.
0

It"S MEDec. 12, 2011 - 11:29AM JST

tokyokawasaki.

Depends on the fighter and how he was trained.

Agree Muay Thai Fighters are tough but most are severely crippled after a few years of hard training/fighting = not a good long-term strategy.

Same with many JMA styles, great for soldier training when actual battle-field survival expectations were counted in weeks/months vs years and decades.
1

tokyokawasakiDec. 12, 2011 - 02:30PM JST

It's me: Don't get me wrong I like Kung Fu too. I studied Shanxi boxing for a few years in the UK. Whenever I attended an open MA tournament, it was always the Thai boxers kicking everyone else into submission (or worse being knocked out).

A full force leg attack from a Muay Thai boxer is very hard to defend against using the delicate movements of wing chun.
0

GurukunDec. 12, 2011 - 03:15PM JST

Ahhhhh....The ol' "Ahht of fighting, wit' out fighting" "It's like a fingaa, pointing to da moon, doooooon't con-sentwate on da fingaa or you miss ahhh da heavenwee gwoweee"
-1

RPMillarDec. 13, 2011 - 11:26AM JST

"delicate movements of wing chun"

I don't think so. Chain punching the shite out of someone is hardly "delicate".

And "I studied Shanxi boxing for a few years in the UK" hardly qualifies you for sweeping statements like "Thai boxers always beat Kung Fu fighters." I've beaten Thai boxers plenty of times in the ring in Tokyo using Wing Chun, so that statement is false.

Also, consider that with 14 oz gloves on, the Muay Thai fighter is in his comfort zone, while the Wing Chun fighter is a bare knucle fighter. I've known boxers to damage their hands on the street because they have little experience punching without big pillows on.

Before people jump on the band wagon, I mean no disrespect to Thai boxers. JFYI I have qualifications in, and truly love, both styles.
1

tokyokawasakiDec. 14, 2011 - 12:10PM JST

RPMillar I meant no disrespect to Kung Fu. If I offended anyone I apologize :) I just posted based on my limited experience...
0

RPMillarDec. 15, 2011 - 09:36AM JST

All good, TK : )