Martial Arts/Wing Chun

[Benjamin]

I was just thinking that some of you might be interested in seeing a couple of really good movies I recently watched about the origin of the best style of martial arts available (Wing Chun) …ha…yuk-yuk. They’re called IP Man and IP Man 2, they are subtitled but good stories and great fighting. I really enjoyed seeing them (I admit some of my excitement might of had a little to do with the subject matter) but they really are good and knowing of John of Japan’s love for martial arts among others here I thought I would mention them.

 

[MichaelBuckingham]

These sound like really good movies, I might have to go check them out

 

[John of Japan]

Thanks much for this thread, Benjamin. My son mentioned these to me, and I'm looking forward to hopefully picking them up while on furlough starting this fall.

I trained some in Wing Chun in the lineage of Ip Man's nephew, Lo Man Kam. But I never learned the wooden dummy, so I can't claim to be advanced in Wing Chun. But the movies sound like a blast.

 

[John of Japan]

I see Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan's buddy, is in #2. Sammo is an amazing martial artist for his size and build. The wife and I always enjoy his acting and fight scenes.

 

[convicted1]

I was just thinking that some of you might be interested in seeing a couple of really good movies I recently watched about the origin of the best style of martial arts available (Wing Chun) …ha…yuk-yuk. They’re called IP Man and IP Man 2, they are subtitled but good stories and great fighting. I really enjoyed seeing them (I admit some of my excitement might of had a little to do with the subject matter) but they really are good and knowing of John of Japan’s love for martial arts among others here I thought I would mention them.

Wing chun?? Never heard of it. Is it a move that we who are way down the line at KFC use to move up?? LOL J/K Brother!!

Now wing chin? I might know something about that. You get this by eating way too much KFC!!! LOL.....I know, oh brother......

 

[John of Japan]

Wing chun?? Never heard of it. Is it a move that we who are way down the line at KFC use to move up?? LOL J/K Brother!!

Now wing chin? I might know something about that. You get this by eating way too much KFC!!! LOL.....I know, oh brother......

Boy are you in good humor today, LOL!

Wing Chun is only probably the most famous kung fu style from Souther China! It's the style Bruce Lee originally trained in and based a good portion of his kung fu on.

 

[convicted1]

Boy are you in good humor today, LOL!

Wing Chun is only probably the most famous kung fu style from Souther China! It's the style Bruce Lee originally trained in and based a good portion of his kung fu on.

Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee? Hmmmmm....why does that name ring a bell? Oh, I remember. He was the one who won the decathalon at the 1976 summer olympics for the USA?? Nah, just funning ya, Bro. John.


Wasn't Bruce Lee a tenth degree black belt? I had heard that. I do not know what he black belted in though. Was it judo, jujitsu(sp?), or something else. I know next to nothing about these different oriental combat styles, and I feel that using the word "karate" is kinda a generic term. Is "karate" a class to itself?

 

[John of Japan]

Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee? Hmmmmm....why does that name ring a bell? Oh, I remember. He was the one who won the decathalon at the 1976 summer olympics for the USA?? Nah, just funning ya, Bro. John.

What? You mean it was all a joke??? :laugh:

Wasn't Bruce Lee a tenth degree black belt? I had heard that. I do not know what he black belted in though. Was it judo, jujitsu(sp?), or something else.

Old Bruce trained mostly in boxing and the traditional Chinese art of Wing Chun, which has no belt ranking, which was a Japanese invention. Most Chinese martial arts have no belt ranking, though in recent years some have started to do so. Bruce then trained off and on with various people, studying and thinking until he came up with some unique concepts he called Jeet Kune Do, "The Continuing and Returning Fist."

I know next to nothing about these different oriental combat styles, and I feel that using the word "karate" is kinda a generic term. Is "karate" a class to itself?

In modern American English, karate means any time you kick and punch at someone. But to martial artists, karate is the traditional Japanese kick and punch martial art. Karate originated a couple of centuries ago (depending on what history book you read) when Chinese kung fu masters from Fukien Province would travel to Okinawa and teach the people there how to fight.

 

[Benjamin]

I was introduced to Wing Chun Gung Fu at 17 after getting in a fight ("friendly fight", I guess you could say, you gotta see the movie to get a perspective on that term) with an instructor at a Wing Chun studio. Long story short after he went to demonstrate how great his style was by telling my friend to try to punch him which resulted in a block and a punch in the chest back he told me to try to punch him. I surprised him with fake punch and delivered a hard kick in the side, he lounged at me and being the wrestler I was quickly did an arm drag and flipped him to the mat in a head lock. Just then the “Master” came out of the office and asked what was going on.

This guy looked like a stocky Bruce Lee (turned out he knew Bruce Lee back in China) had forearms that were like steel and there was NO WAY I was messing with him! I told him I was “just” checking out his style and he explained and demonstrated why his style so effective. He offered us two weeks of free lessons but only I went back and these 2 weeks of “free” lessons turned into 4+ months of free personal lessons. I had no money but he loved me and kept teaching me on the promise I would begin to pay. I trained constantly.

Sometimes I would arrive and he would have someone for me to fight when I got there. One time after I quickly beat a taekwondo black belt I asked him was belt “I” would be if I had one. He said, “You don’t get no belt, you no pay!!!” LOL He would talk about the gangs back in China (he and Bruce were in different gangs but they were friendly with each other) and always would ask me what kind of gang I hung with.

He was preparing me for a tournament with a lot of one on one training and I was to represent his style but I was supposed to pay him and promised to do so on a Friday. I couldn’t come up with the money and being too embarrassed I never went back. It is still a sad thought for me because I now believe he would have just used the money to get me a uniform and belt and put me in the tournament. I think I really let him down.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What? You mean it was all a joke??? :laugh:
Old Bruce trained mostly in boxing and the traditional Chinese art of Wing Chun, which has no belt ranking, which was a Japanese invention. Most Chinese martial arts have no belt ranking, though in recent years some have started to do so. Bruce then trained off and on with various people, studying and thinking until he came up with some unique concepts he called Jeet Kune Do, "The Continuing and Returning Fist."
In modern American English, karate means any time you kick and punch at someone. But to martial artists, karate is the traditional Japanese kick and punch martial art. Karate originated a couple of centuries ago (depending on what history book you read) when Chinese kung fu masters from Fukien Province would travel to Okinawa and teach the people there how to fight.

Okinawan Karate is what they used to teach the Marines. My buddy became a black belt (Ive no Idea what level) & used it to defend himself in a Auto Garage break-in in Newark. There is also a pressure point method used to incapacitate an opponent but they dont generally teach you that.

Now I think they teach some kind of Israeli fighting

 

[John of Japan]

Okinawan Karate is what they used to teach the Marines. My buddy became a black belt (Ive no Idea what level) & used it to defend himself in a Auto Garage break-in in Newark. There is also a pressure point method used to incapacitate an opponent but they dont generally teach you that.

A lot of the Marines based down in Okinawa train in Okinawan karate on their own time. Personally I think it's much better than the watered down Japanese version. I love the Okinawan weapons (the Japanese versions don't teach weapons) and still do sai (a truncheon with three tines) and nunchaku ("nunchuks") forms from Okinawa.

Now I think they teach some kind of Israeli fighting

That would be Krav Maga, which I've never trained in but have heard it's effective.

 

[John of Japan]

I was introduced to Wing Chun Gung Fu at 17 after getting in a fight ("friendly fight", I guess you could say, you gotta see the movie to get a perspective on that term) with an instructor at a Wing Chun studio. Long story short after he went to demonstrate how great his style was by telling my friend to try to punch him which resulted in a block and a punch in the chest back he told me to try to punch him. I surprised him with fake punch and delivered a hard kick in the side, he lounged at me and being the wrestler I was quickly did an arm drag and flipped him to the mat in a head lock. Just then the “Master” came out of the office and asked what was going on.

This guy looked like a stocky Bruce Lee (turned out he knew Bruce Lee back in China) had forearms that were like steel and there was NO WAY I was messing with him! I told him I was “just” checking out his style and he explained and demonstrated why his style so effective. He offered us two weeks of free lessons but only I went back and these 2 weeks of “free” lessons turned into 4+ months of free personal lessons. I had no money but he loved me and kept teaching me on the promise I would begin to pay. I trained constantly.

Sometimes I would arrive and he would have someone for me to fight when I got there. One time after I quickly beat a taekwondo black belt I asked him was belt “I” would be if I had one. He said, “You don’t get no belt, you no pay!!!” LOL He would talk about the gangs back in China (he and Bruce were in different gangs but they were friendly with each other) and always would ask me what kind of gang I hung with.

He was preparing me for a tournament with a lot of one on one training and I was to represent his style but I was supposed to pay him and promised to do so on a Friday. I couldn’t come up with the money and being too embarrassed I never went back. It is still a sad thought for me because I now believe he would have just used the money to get me a uniform and belt and put me in the tournament. I think I really let him down.

Thanks for sharing your personal history, Benjamin. Sounds like you got some wonderful training while you were in it. I hope you still practice what you learned! I was without a teacher for many years until I got back under my old instructor, but trained in what I knew and taught my son. It was a great way to keep in shape and fellowship with my son.