Does anyone Know?

[vt guy]

Does anyone know of a Wing chunner by the name of Brian Lewadney? I just want to know a little about his system of Wc and his credentials. I read on his site that he learned wc in 8 months. Can anyone learn wc in that short of a time period or is he just bull?

[ddrive]

Does anyone know of a Wing chunner by the name of Brian Lewadney? I just want to know a little about his system of Wc and his credentials. I read on his site that he learned wc in 8 months. Can anyone learn wc in that short of a time period or is he just bull?

I think you can learn the general principles of wing chun in a short amount of time, but perfecting those techniques is the real challenge. I was already working on the 3rd form in a year and a half.. go figure.

[sihing]

Master Brian Lewadny

vt guy,
The information on Master Lewadny's website is correct. He is a very skilled Wing Chun Master, and did learn "Cheung" style Wing Chun in 8months back in 1986-87, as he already had learned Wong Shun Leung style Wing Chun in the seventies. Since there are genius’s in every field, I would consider him one of these types of people when it comes to martial arts. He trained 8 to 10 hrs a day for the 8 months that he trained at William Cheung's academy in Australia and he has certification from GM Cheung as a full instructor (Sifu of the art). What is taught by Master Lewadny is a combination of the Soft (Cheung style) and Hard (Wong style) at the schools under his association, Canadian Wing Chun Kung Fu Association. Master Lewadny is also a certified instructor in the Butterfly and Hung Gar systems of Kung-Fu. Your best bet is to go down to his school in Calgary and check it out for yourself.
Sihing

https://www.wingchun-canada.com

[vt guy]

Sihing,

I'm wondering how much "hard" WC he learned because it doesn't say when he completed the "hard" system of wc in his bio. From your statement "Since there are genius’s in every field, I would consider him one of these types of people when it comes to martial arts" how did you determine this? Did you go out and compare him with other sifu's out there in the world? When did you start training with him and were you able to complete the system in 8 months as well? Do you find him to be the best in the world? Have you had the chance to meet other practioners outside of like HFY WC and CSWC? Is your school open to other systems of WC and martial arts or do you find that you have everything you need? Have you ever met GM Cheung, what did you think of his skill? I'm sure that there are others who have blended the "hard" and "soft" and teach what they think is the best of both styles. Do you believe that other's have done the same, or is Master Lewadny the only one to do this?

Thanks for the info

[sihing]

vt guy,
My understanding is that Master Lewadny has a complete knowledge of the Wong Shun Leung(what we call "Hard" style) Wing Chun system. He knows all the forms, chi-sao and applications. How did I determine he is a martial arts genius? Throughout my own martial arts career, which started with Master Lewadny back in Thunder Bay Ontario in 1988, I have always had a curiosity to see what the "other guys" were up to, especially other Wing Chun people. Back then, as it is today, most of the wing chun in publications and videos is of the Hard style type(what GM Cheung would call "modified" wing chun, he calls his system of WC "Traditional"), so I would trade with others to obtain videos of other WC systems. Today with the advent of the internet I have been able to obtain quite a few videos of lots of hard style Wing Chun players, and IMO I still haven't seen a system that is more logical or more scientifically based or more effective than the one that Master Lewadny teaches, nor have I seen anyone demonstrate it as well as he has(most people demonstrate WC by using speed, Master Lewadny demonstrates without using any speed and the techniques still work in real situations). Although I do not believe in the words "worlds best", I would say the Master Lewadny is definetly one of the most skilled Martial artist and teachers in the world today, although he is not famous. Plus others have stated there opinion of Master Lewadny skills, including GM Cheung himself when he said that "I've had two exceptional students and both had the same intials, BL(Bruce Lee and Brian Lewadny). One is dead and the other is standing over there(in reference to where Master Lewadny was standing)". I was there when he made this statement.


I myself did not complete the system in 8 months, as when I first started my training back in 88', this was my first serious attempt at martial arts training. Master Lewadny was already a 20+ yr veteran of the martial arts, and was very keen to learn soft style WC, especially since it was of interest to him. He was accustomed to 8 to 10hr a day training sessions as this was the norm for him at that time.

I haven't meet any HFY or Chi Shim Wing/Weng chun practicioners. I have read the Mastering Wing Chun book, and have visited GM Hoffman's website, that's about it. It would be great to meet others in these arts as I'm sure all of us would learn something from each other.

Not sure what you mean by "open to other schools of WC or martial arts", but I believe(as I'm sure Master Lewadny does too) that what we have in our WC will cover everything that one would need for combat. IMO, the WC we practice is similar to GM Cheung's version but there are differences, and I have no problem saying that IMO Master Lewadny has improved allot of it since he learned the system almost 20yrs ago.

Yes I have met GM Cheung, twice as a matter of fact. The first time was in Denver in 1990, it was in celebration of GM Cheung's 50th birthday party and seminar. The second time was when GM Cheung was in Canada doing a nation wide seminar tour, he came to T.Bay Ontario, in 1994, and while he was there I got to spend allot of time with him. I found his skill to be tremendous, fast too. A little bit on the cocky side though, I found he had a "god" complex to him. It was at this time that GM Cheung promoted Master Lewadny to Head Instructor of the North American branch of GM Cheung's association(WWCKFA)(all of this can be verified by documentation and video tape, in GM Cheung's own words). But due to personal differences, Master Lewadny turned down this offer, and soon after he cut all ties with GM Cheung's association.

As for your last question, do I believe anyone in the past has tried to blend the systems( hard and soft) together. Well since the soft side of the art was held in secret until GM Cheung opened the doors in the 70's, not too many people have had the chance to try this. I believe allot of GM Cheung's technique is still based on the hard style because he had no one to practice the soft techniques with when Yip Man was teaching it to him, back in the 50's, since Yip wanted it to be a secret. But Gm Cheung has the knowledge of the soft system in his head, just that sometimes it doesn't come out in his technique, which IMO is based allot on his natural speed. Master Lewadny once said at a seminar that all aspects of the art can be used, soft and hard, just that the softer aspects involve more footwork and place the practicioner in better positions in relation to the opponent, in other words its more fool proof. Also Master Lewadny has recognized more of the Chin-na aspects of WC, and we incorporate those elements too when the opportunity arises.

Hope this answers some of your questions vt guy...

Sihing

https://www.wingchun-canada.com

[vt guy]

sihing,

Thanks for the reply sihing, very informative. I do believe that in your opinion Master Lewadny is a great martial artist, he has obviously achieved many great accomplishments throughout his martial arts career, and has had lots of experiences. I have to ask, you said that you would trade tapes to see what the other wc systems were like, did you just watch or did you touch hands with other wc practitioners because in wc it's all about the sensitivity, isn't it? Did you get to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between what you do and someone else. In the system I'm learning right now my sifu emphasizes on being relaxed, the more relaxed the more speed and power. I understand that in the "hard" style people start in contact range then working farther and farther till they aren't touching, but I also understand that "soft" style wc starts from a distance and work their way into contact range. It's like both "hard" and "soft" systems are working from opposite ends of the spectrum.

You also said that you started with Master Lewadny back in 88', what did you study before that, and have you gone out of your school to learn from other systems during your 16 years of experience? Has all your training been strictly with Master Lewadny? Does Master Lewadny offer seminars for other wc practitioner to share his views on wc? I feel that all martial artists are all in the same pursuit, and to share theories and techniques are a great way to bring together people, rather than separate them. If people aren't willing to share with others, does this not perpetuate what has already happened in the wc family, with all the in-fighting?

I do believe that when a person has trained for years, he can demonstrate without the need of speed, but what if, hypothetically, a person were to have the same skill as Master Lewadny, wouldn't speed play a factor in winning the fight. So many factors play in a fight situation, so wouldn't having an up on a person be to your benefit. I know that in wc theory that the fastest route from a to b is a straight line, but doesn't the person who gets there first matter too. When you watch Bruce Lee he moves so quick, usually what we see on his movies are only at his partial speed. If you get a chance try to find his documentary I think it's called " A Warrior's Journey" or something, it has clips of him sparring with Taky Kimura when he was younger and damn he was fast. That's pretty cool that Master Lewadny's compared to Bruce Lee, I think any martial artist would like to achieve what Bruce did, would you say that Master Lewadny acheived what Bruce did for himself, as a martial artist, or surpassed that level?

As for blending the systems, you say there aren't many people who have tried this, how can this be since GM Cheung has the second largest organization in the world. There are many people that have come from "hard" families and learned "soft" from GM Cheung and most of them stick with GM Cheung's way of wc, people like Philip Redmond, Philip Holder, and Victor Parlati have come from other families and found GM Cheung to be the best wc, and they haven't bothered to try to blend them together. If you were to learn from HFY or CS wc would you think it would be logical to try and blend this systems together to have a more complete wc system, as Master Lewadny has done with the "hard" and "soft". In the village of gu lao, were Dr. Jan finalized his wc (gu lao wc), wouldn't that be a great source of wc since it was the most evolved form of wc from the "king of wc".

You say that your system has everything covered and I'm sure this came from the evolution that Master Lewadny found as time went on, but to introduce something like BJJ or some of the MMA that is out now, wouldn't that be something useful to introduce into the curriculum? And in the last statement "Also Master Lewadny has recognized more of the Chin-na aspects of WC" did this come from his training in Chin-na or some other source because how can a person recognize this aspect if he didn't have some training in this area to recognize it.

Thanks for your input Sihing you know your stuff

[sihing]

Quote: vt guy
"I have to ask, you said that you would trade tapes to see what the other wc systems were like, did you just watch or did you touch hands with other wc practitioners because in wc it's all about the sensitivity, isn't it? Did you get to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between what you do and someone else. In the system I'm learning right now my sifu emphasizes on being relaxed, the more relaxed the more speed and power. I understand that in the "hard" style people start in contact range then working farther and farther till they aren't touching, but I also understand that "soft" style wc starts from a distance and work their way into contact range. It's like both "hard" and "soft" systems are working from opposite ends of the spectrum."

Vt guy, I haven't had much opportunity to actually meet other WC players from other lineages. You must understand that in the city I came from, T Bay, there weren't much of any martial arts schools, never mind WC clubs. Since moving to Calgary, I believe there are only 3 or 4 WC schools here, besides the one that Master Lewadny operates himself, and that's in a city of almost 1 million. I would very much like to meet and discuss/practice WC theory and concepts and drilling with them all if I had the opportunity. As for WC being all about sensitivity I would have to disagree with you there. IMO, sensitivity is but one aspect or attribute used by a WC player to help them acheive the ultimate goal, and that is to end the confrontation by using whatever means possible. Chi-sao is just a drill and is used to develop many attributes besides sensitivity. Forward Intention, two arm coordination, close range vision, timing, reflexes, speed, etc...are some of the things one can learn from the chi-sao drills in WC. In watching the tapes of others I do realise that I can only evaluate to a certain degree. For example, I have Emin Boztepe's Chi-sao video, some of what he teaches is reflected in the system I am a part of, and when watching him chi-sao with others I know that what he is getting in on them would not work on a equally skilled exponent of the WC I have learned, its just as plain as that. No disrespect for Emin and what he teaches, its obvious that he is a very skilled practicioner of WC, and he definetly knows his stuff.

Yes, you have to be relaxed in WC to make it all work more effectively. Forward Intention in one's thoughts and actions are the key, but this has to be a instinct in one's fighting nature to make it work effectively, otherwise you will not be relaxed, and things won't work naturally.

There are many theories out there as to what to teach first, what to practice first, how many ranges are there, and so on and on....Working in close then going out to non-contact range or visa-versa is really irrelevant, the fact is one must be accustomed to all the ranges of combat to be able to function effectively in them.

Quote: vt guy
"what did you study before that, and have you gone out of your school to learn from other systems during your 16 years of experience? Has all your training been strictly with Master Lewadny? Does Master Lewadny offer seminars for other wc practitioner to share his views on wc? I feel that all martial artists are all in the same pursuit, and to share theories and techniques are a great way to bring together people, rather than separate them. If people aren't willing to share with others, does this not perpetuate what has already happened in the wc family, with all the in-fighting?"

I studied about a whole months worth of judo and karate, back in my early teens, before I found the WC that school that Master Lewadny had in T. Bay. When I first started my training WC was taught on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The other styles (Shil Lum arts) were taught the other days. I had to progress to level 4 in WC before I was allowed to study in the other arts, so my plan was to get to level 4 fast so I could learn it all. Before I got that level, Master Lewadny decided to stop teaching those styles of Kung-Fu, basically he believes that WC has it all. Today he teaches these styles to those that really want to learn them, in a private lesson atmosphere. My original plan was to learn WC then learn the Shil Lum styles then maybe a kicking art like TKD, that way I would have it all. About 2 yrs into my training I changed my mind and basically realized that WC had it all, my ambitions to learn it all was transmitted to learning more about WC and become the best I could be in that art.

All my training has been with Master Lewadny. Master Lewadny does offer seminars to all who would like to be involved. As a matter of fact we just ended our 9th annual summer camp, and it was the most successful one ever. I issued a press release on another MA forum with a invitation to anyone interested in attending the summer camp. In the lineage I belong to we try not to get involved with all the political scabbles in the WC world. We like to train and train hard, and share what knowledge we have with whoever wants to learn it.

Quote vt guy
"I do believe that when a person has trained for years, he can demonstrate without the need of speed, but what if, hypothetically, a person were to have the same skill as Master Lewadny, wouldn't speed play a factor in winning the fight. So many factors play in a fight situation, so wouldn't having an up on a person be to your benefit. I know that in wc theory that the fastest route from a to b is a straight line, but doesn't the person who gets there first matter too. "

My answer to this is the same I tell the students in the school. The only time strength or speed is really needed is if one has exactly the same skill that you also possess. If two people are fighting and they both have equal skill then of course the one the has either one attribute advantage over his opponent can win the fight, but there is also the element of desire or "the heart" of a fighter, this attribute is very unpredictable and can change the course of a fight from bad to good. I also think that the odds of actually getting into a fight with another WC player would be very low, and if it did happen and I recognized his technique as a WC stylist, then I would probably stop fighting with him and take him for a beer to talk shop, lol.

Not sure why Phil Redmond, Victor P(who I've meet, I was present during his level 10 test in Denver) or Phillip Holder haven't blended the systems, maybe there understanding of them was limited, not sure......

As for adding in other styles like BJJ or MMA stuff to WC, I honestly believe that WC has all the answers. Remember this, do not box a boxer, do not wrestle a wrestler, do not kick a kicker, as so on. I believe it is wise to be aware of these forms of fighting and to be aware of their tactics and strategies, but I do not necessarily believe incorportating them into WC would be recommend, all the answers are here, you just have to recognize them. Yes, Master Lewadny is a skilled Chin-na master also, that's why he is able to recognize the Chin-na aspects of WC more clearly than others with no Chin-na experience.

Sihing

[vt guy]

sihing,

quote "I would very much like to meet and discuss/practice WC theory and concepts and drilling with them all if I had the opportunity."

Why don't you go out and search for other wc people to practice and share theories with, do you not have enough time? You have completed the system already, so what is holding you back from searching for more wc knowledge. To not have experienced other systems how can one say that the system they're doing is the one and only. There is no compare and contrast. Did someone prove to you that what you do is the best out there, or is it just your belief?

Quote "Chi-sao is just a drill and is used to develop many attributes besides sensitivity. Forward Intention, two arm coordination, close range vision, timing, reflexes, speed, etc"

This is true, but why would you need close range vision when you're already in chi sao range, I've seen sifu's who could do chi sao blindfolded. As for speed, I thought that your system didn't need to rely on speed, but technique?

quote "IMO, sensitivity is but one aspect or attribute used by a WC player to help them acheive the ultimate goal, and that is to end the confrontation by using whatever means possible"

Why bother with any of this when you can kick a person in the crotch and run, this would end a confrontation.

quote "when watching him chi-sao with others I know that what he is getting in on them would not work on a equally skilled exponent of the WC I have learned"

I think there's a EB school out in Calgary, would you even consider going to meet the instructor to "beimo". Does Master Lewadny encourage his students to go and check out other schools to find what the individual is searching for in their martial art pursuit or even to compare styles? My instructor encourages us to go out and find for ourselves what we are looking for in the martial arts world. He believes that if one leaves the club then it was meant that that person was to train in whatever style he found. He is very open to other systems and wishes the best for his students. He's not like some other instructors I've had that is only doing it for the money. He does it for the love of wc.

When you mention "forward intention" do you mean through the arms or mind because if you do it through your arms then isn't that a signal for someone to use that energy against you?

quote "When I first started my training WC was taught on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday."

Did you get to experience the evolution of Master Lewadny's wc when he first started to teach or did he already come to that conclusion back in 88', that he would blend the two systems, when you first started? Did he teach a distinction between the "hard" and "soft" before he combined the two? Are there any differences that you have found in your 16 years of training with him? You started pretty close to when he finished his training with GM Cheung, so have been through it all with him.

quote "As a matter of fact we just ended our 9th annual summer camp, and it was the most successful one ever."

How many people from other wc schools came to attend the summer camp? Did any people from other MA attend?

quote "and share what knowledge we have with whoever wants to learn it."

Have you had lots of "hard" wc people come to your academy and complete the system? How long did they learn "hard" wc"?

I've looked at your affiliate schools, Kelowna, Penticton, Victoria, T. Bay, how are the instructors there, are they as knowledgable as you about the system? Are they evolving the art as Master Lewadny has done? What would you say their skills are like? I believe that the instructor in T. Bay and Victoria are still termed Sihing, so what does that mean about their skills, they can only teach what they know right?

vt guy

[sihing]

vt guy,
Boy, you have allot of questions in you. Seems your very curious about me and my Sifu and his association...

If the opportunity arose, I would share knowledge with any other WC player, but I have no desire to go out and look for it. Yes I have completed the system that Master Lewadny teaches but learning never stops. As for the Emin Boztepe instructor here in Calgary, I know him, he used to be a student of Master Lewadny years ago but left our association for reasons that I will not mention on a public forum, since others are involved and its no one's elses business anyways. So its fair to say I am his senior, so why would I go down to his school to learn something, regardless of what lineage he is learning from now. I've seen the Ting/Boztepe system and have no ambition to learn it. Yes it is my belief that the WC as taught by Master Lewadny is of a high quality, like I said earlier words like "best" are subjective, but I will say that I haven't seen any other style that looks better, but again I can only evaluate so much from observation only. We have never said in our association that our WC is the "one and only". There's lots out there and if someone does not like the WC we promote then they are free learn else where, it is a free country right.

As for chi-sao and close range vision, what happens when in a fight and while in trapping range the opponent pulls both arms back, therefore there is no contact with his arms, or you are in contact with only one arm, you vision should be concentrated on the other arm to give you more warning of what's next. Yes, I have practiced blindfold chi-sao before but this is only a drill and is used as a training plateau for one to not rely soley on sight in trapping range. You have to remember that once a trap is applied(that is if the trap is even needed in the first place) then a strike or some type of attack must accompany it simultaneously.

We all need speed in fighting arts, just that we don't need to develop any more speed than we already possess naturally when we first start training. All you really need is to coordinate the movements within yourself first, then learn how to apply them effectively against another. To do this you must attack the instant the opening is there, therefore speed is needed, just not the speed your thinking about. There are lots of definitions of speed in relation to fighting. Plus techniques alone will give you nothing, it has to be combined with various other things that one learns in their WC training, like perception, distancing, timing, contact reflexes, etc...You can have to most perfect technique ever developed, but if I put a blindfold on you and you are not in contact with your opponent, then what are you chances of success with your perfect technique.

Quote :vt guy
"Why bother with any of this when you can kick a person in the crotch and run, this would end a confrontation."
What happens if your opponent dissolves your groin attack and comes back with his own, then what???

As far as Master Lewadny encouraging students to go out and experience other MA, let me say this. Since this is a free country, people are allowed to do whatever they like, if someone asks me or Sifu that they want to check out other schools, what do you think we are going to say to them, NO? When people join a MA school they should do the comparison of such schools before they decide to join one, then when that decision has been made they should concentrate all their efforts on learning what is taught and asking questions of the instructors so that they have a thorough understanding of what is being taught to them. In other words give the school a chance, and do not distract yourself by constantly questioning what one is learning by looking for answers that are already right in front of them. I always tell prospective students to go out a compare our school to anything out there now, I have no problem with that.

As for the recent summe camp I do not believe anyone outside the associaton attended the event, but like I said it was available to anyone that wanted to try it.

Concepts like forward intention and things like this are frankly quite hard to explain on a MA forum , one has to experience it. But when I say forward intention I do not mean leaning forward onto someones arms, think of it like a dam holding the water back. The water has a constant forward pressure against the dam wall and wherever you put a hole in that dam is where the water will flow. If one thinks they can use this against use then they are always free to try, but I haven't seen anyone yet that can, lol.

As far as has the WC changed since I've started my training, I would rather say it has evolved. Master Lewadny has added things to the art that IMO have improved it greatly. We as Instructors ourselves are incouraged to develop new drills and such to constantly be improving the way we teach it to others. Eventually everyone that spends any signifigant amount of time training in WC will also after a while do things with their own individual flavor added to it. We are not robots and like things the same way. My WC is not the exact same as my Sifu, Sihing or Sidis, but everything we do is based on the same principals and concepts.

All of the schools in the Canadian Wing Chun Kung Fu Association are authorized to teach at their respective locations by Master Lewadny. Presently there is not a active school in T Bay, but that may be changing soon. The instructor in Victoria is not a Level 10(Sifu) yet but is progressing and is only allowed to teach things up to his level. All other affiliated schools are run by Level 10(Sifu) level instructors. All people authorized to teach at these schools are of a high quality level , as this can be seen when one visits these schools.

Again, vt guy if you are so curious please come down and visit one of our schools, we would be happy to see you try out one of the free introductory lessons that we offer to those interested in the school. Before I go, may I ask you a question vt guy, with whom are you presently training in WC with and are you living in Calgary AB?

Sihing

[vt guy]

Sihing,

Thanks for all your info, am I starting to irritate you because I get the feeling that I am, if I am then we can stop our Q.A. As for your questions I am currently training under Moy Yat - Sunny Tang lineage and unfortunatly I don't live in Calgary. When I get a chance to go over there I'll try to make it over to the academy. Could you answer one more question, would you blend the other systems of wc, outside of YM, like HFY, CS into your blend of wc? Let me know if you want to stop our conversation.

vt guy

[sihing]

vt guy,
I don't really mind all your questions, just that some of them are related to things that may not be appropiate on a public forum like this.

As for combining HFY or Chi Shim Wing Chun with what I know, firstly I only have limited exposure to these arts. I've read the Mastering Kung-Fu book which is a HFY lineage book. I found it interesting to read, but to really understand what was described I would have to study it again, and since I borrowed the book that may not be possible until I decide to purchase one. As for Chi Shim, my only exposure is throught GM Hoffman's site, with some videos and such. It looks like classic Shaolin to me, and from what I understand it is supposed to be the highest form of Shaolin MA. I don't think I would be inclined to incorporate any of these Wing Chun systems with the one I am using now. I'm totally satisfied with the system I'm involved with now and believe it has everything I would need in the relem of combat. It would be nice to maybe someday attend one of their seminars to get a better look at what they do, I would like that, just for the sake of seeing what they are like in person.

Sihing

[vt guy]

sihing,

Since you don't mind me asking questions, I would like to continue our QA. If you would rather do it privately then we can do that through this site. I ask all these question to find out more about your style of wc because it seems that your ways are very different compared to the way most schools teach these days. I am curious about the evolution of your system? Could you elaborate more on the changes that have occurred since you started, like has it become more softer, or has it included more grappling and locks?

I believe that all people change and develop their own way as training continues, but wouldn't it be more fair for a student who begins to learn a system that teaches a blend, to teach them each system, "hard" and "soft", as separate systems and then teach the blend or maybe let the student discover/realize the blend for themselves because then it would be an expression of the individuals blend of the two systems. I think that there could be many benefits because 1. it allows a student to use what he feels as effective from both systems 2. the curriculum could be broader, allowing more information to be passed on to the students from both systems 3. students would be able to see the differences between the two, so that if they have friends who practice the "hard" way then they can explain the differences.

I understand that wc is a fast system to learn and you might ask why would you want to make learning any longer than it needs to be, but wc is life long learning, right? So why wouldn't a student want to learn more about "why you do this or that" To teach a blend of the two is a great way of showing people what the art can become and for an individual to experience that, is a great realization, who wouldn't want to experience something like that? I’m sure if you studied “hard” wc and then came to Master Lewadny you would have tons of questions to ask about the differences. It just seems to me that he’s done what Bruce Lee did, only that he’s taken both of the full systems and formed what he thinks is the most effective, and teaches that.

I’ve found a site where they have taken many wc lineages and formed a system as Master Lewadny has done. Check out their history and lineage, you'll be suprised.

https://www.vikoga.com

I think that you might like it

vt guy

[sihing]

vt guy,
I'm envious of your incurable curiousity, lol.

Throughout my training with Master Lewadny, there have been changes(improvements, evolution) of the art. More chi-sao drills have been developed. The way we do the forms is different from the way GM Cheung does them and teaches them(e.g. in the SLT form, once the tan sau in the first section is extended and huen to wu sao is performed, as the fook sao is done we do not bring the elbow back to the body, we keep it on the same plain and same distance away from the body(same distance as when you are in tan sao). The reason is the immovable elbow theory and to maintain forward intention.). More Chin-na has been incorporated into the system and of course since the BJJ,GJJ explosion people have been curious how WC would deal with them, so we have those techniques taught now too.

When I say the we teach a blend of the hard and soft systems, it is more in the line of concepts and principals. I remember once when Sifu was doing a seminar and he was demonstrating how the common combat techniques we use against various attacks, are from the Mok Jong form, then he explained how some masters from the past tried to seperate themselves by developing new techniques or concentrating only on certain techniques and ignoring others, he then explained for example, how we use gan-sao and side step against a low round/hook punch, (if you threw a low right round/hook punch, we would step left with left foot, face the point of contact and perform gan-sao and punch simultanously), that we could also step in straight with our right foot, into a right forward stance, gan-sao and punch simultaneously and attack that way, more of a hard style defence, but still applicable. This is what is meant by teaching a blend of both systems. I do not neccessarily have to learn the whole hard style to learn how to apply it. The chi-sao, footwork training, and strategies are better in the soft system than in the harder one. Sifu once taught some of the Hard style Mok Jong at one of the summer camps years ago, I have seen the tapes. I'm sure if someone was really interested, he may teach it to them, but that would be up to him.

If I were to learn hard style WC I probably wouldn't have many questions for my Sifu, as I already have enough experience in WC to figure it out myself. Your point #2, the system could be broader and more info passed on to the students. You have to realize that everything in the hard style is already in the soft style, just that there are certain things, like the example above with the low round/hook defence, that are IMO more effective/efficient than what the hard style would recommend.

Gotta go, bye for now...

Sihing

[vt guy]

Sihing,

I've been reading over our conversation and I have some other questions.
When Master Lewadny was with his previous school, sil lum pai, how many of his students from that time period followed with him to present? It was before your time and it says that he taught the "hard" wc, so I'm wondering if his students from that school transfered over to the association in 88' to the "soft" system, when you were there? You had said that Master Lewadny had been promoted to head master of the association in N.A., but declined, so why does it say that he has this postion in his profile, is it just a typo? In your last post you were talking about techniques, how you would side step rather than stepping in. I'm not sure how you determine "hard" in a technique, if it's easier then is it "hard", while doing more stepping is refered to as "soft"? When you bring the elbow out in the SLT, does this action not expose your ribs for attacks?

In regards to the BJJ/GJJ, "since the BJJ,GJJ explosion people have been curious how WC would deal with them, so we have those techniques taught now too."
does this mean that your system just show stuff as 'whatever system to watch out for' dictates? Would you add stick fighting/trapping into your system as arnis or escrima does, since they are very skilled with those weapons. You also said, "then he explained how some masters from the past tried to seperate themselves by developing new techniques or concentrating only on certain techniques and ignoring others" isn't this what he has somewhat done by devoloping new techniques in his evolution of wc, while ignoring other techniques. Because what he teaches now isn't what he learned from his sifu's right? It's a blend of both of them, so everything from both the "hard" and "soft" are combined in what he teaches now.

"If I were to learn hard style WC I probably wouldn't have many questions for my Sifu, as I already have enough experience in WC to figure it out myself" I'm sorry, I was implying that you first learned "hard" wc from someone else and then came to the association, I think that you would have questions as to why they do the things they do.

"As for chi-sao and close range vision, what happens when in a fight and while in trapping range the opponent pulls both arms back"
According to your "water in a dam" analogy wouldn't the force would just rush though your opponent?

I do agree with you that each person who learns WC changes it for himself and applies it their own special way, but I think the way a person learns it though should be the way the instructor learned it. In your system all students do things the way Master Lewadny does it, but he doesn't teach it the way he learned it from Master Wong or Master Cheung. Do you think it would be right if you were to take what you have learned from Master Lewadny and added some other system and then teach things different from Master Lewadny? The tradition of passing on the Wc skill has changed from each practitioner, if things were to progress this way it would become something like Jeet Kune Do. Does your school allow full contact sparring at a certain time in a persons training?

That's it for now, Thanks

[sihing]

vt guy,
From my understanding there are only a few people left from that era that are still active, for whatever reasons, marriages, divorces, job changes, etc..people drop out, myself I have made the conscious decision to make Wing Chun a very important aspect of my life, rather than just a hobby as most people do. Most of my own students from back home are also no longer active, but I do keep in touch with a few of them, as Sifu does to with his older students.

Yes you are correct, Sifu was appointed Head Master of the North American Chapter of the WWCKFA, and the Bio of Master Lewadny is just that, a listing of achievements and points of interest throughout his Martial Arts career.

As for your inquiry regarding definitions of "Hard" and "Soft" and when one is used over another, this is something very hard to explain on a forum such as this. In my mind, when these words are used in the academy, which is a rarity, I'm thinking of the distinction between what Sifu learned from his earlier WC teacher(Hard) and what he learned from GM Cheung(Soft), and these are Sifu's own personal labels. Basically the difference in technique between the two is in the realm of footwork and combat strategy. Since I have personally taken it upon myself to learn more about the differences, this is of course my own personal opinion. Soft style Wing Chun is a system that can definitely be used by all practitioners, and is extremely useful for smaller people. Now if this is true then it is also correct to say that it is useful for larger people, the difference is that larger people have a choice. In contrast, the "hard" style is one that is effective for larger people solely. Because of the footwork limitations and lack of a combat strategy, the only way to make it truly work is to have a physical advantage of your opponent, IMO. Using the example given in the last post, a larger person utilizing the soft style can choose either way to move against a low round punch(using kan sau tech.), either moving to the side or straight in. Whereas a smaller person, with less physical attributes advantage, would be advised strongly to use the side step version, to allow them a positional advantage, and more time to react to the attackers follow up. Again this is something that cannot be easily explained on a MA forum.

As for just developing or exposing techniques to student’s dependant on what is "hip" in the MA world this is not true. Think of it this way, when the UFC came out, there where plenty of people asking the question "What IF". At the same time there where lots of new students in the WC school that I was a part of. Although I could see the techniques and strategies that I would use against a grappler, others couldn't(those that train in WC as a hobby, as compared to those that train in WC for the love of the art), so it was decided to expose these techniques at an earlier time in the progression of a student’s development. You see, it doesn't really matter to us whether someone is throwing a punch, a kick or is trying to shoot for my legs, it’s all universal and is basically dealt with in the same manner. As for "stick fighting and escrima", it is all already in the WC system taught by Master Lewadny. The butterfly swords techniques utilize similar combat theories as those used by the Filipino Martial Arts, and since WC specializes in trapping, it is a simple transition from empty hand to either butterfly sword or sticks.

Quote:vt guy ""As for chi-sao and close range vision, what happens when in a fight and while in trapping range the opponent pulls both arms back"
According to your "water in a dam" analogy wouldn't the force would just rush though your opponent?"

Yes, the forward intention would still kick in, but there is always a very slight delay. People can retreat faster, especially if I'm chain punching them 6 to 9 times in a second, than one could actually keep up with. My philosophy is this, when it is no longer possible to hit them with your fists, due to their retreat, you should IMMEDIATELY front kick, the forward intention is transferred to the legs, and when at all possible this should be the response. I have practiced the blindfold chi-sao, and yes it does work, but I found that after I countered my partners attack while blindfolded, it was difficult to find his head to punch, especially when the partners arms where by his side. One should always use all of their senses to the highest degree when in a confrontation. Sometimes we have to look at things in a realistic way, in this case just because you have contact reflexes and excellent forward intention, you still will need every tool you can access to defend yourself in self defence/combat environment. Chi-sao just helps us do this in a more effective manner..

I do not believe Sifu is "ignoring" techniques or whatever that is available to us in our WC. He may not be teaching us in the exact same manner as his teachers did, of course not, he's not them, and as a matter of fact from what I understand of the situation over there in Australia, I wouldn't want to learn that way either. Through his 40yrs+ experience he has IMO, developed a curriculum that is the most efficient and effective way to relay the information of the WC system to the students, so that they can learn it and understand it for their own needs. Each student in the academy has opportunities to access private instruction in any technique that is "bewildering" to them, and Sifu's door is always open for questions to be answered. I believe your comment, "but I think the way a person learns it though should be the way the instructor learned it" has to do with have we missed something along the way that is crucial to the students development in his WC journey. Well trust me when I say this is not the case in the Canadian Wing Chun Kung Fu Association....


Sihing