Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming [Archive] - Kung Fu Magazine Forums

Ky-Fi

07-19-2002, 04:36 PM

Natgun,

I've taken quite a bit of stuff from Dr. Yang over the last few years---IMO he's a very impressive individual on a number of different levels.

His chin-na ability is really amazing, and I doubt you'll find too many people with first-hand experience that will disagree with that. I've also found him to be very good at explaining CMA theory in great depth, and giving very clear, real-world examples of what he's talking about. He's also a very nice, humble,funny guy.

I don't know where you are in Mass, but he also teaches once a week in North Andover, which is where I've taken a number of his classes. In fact, I just got a flyer today that he's offering a series of small workshops there every Tuesday night in September (starting the 10th), on basic qigong, White Crane kf, and chin-na. These might give you an idea to see if he's teaching what you're looking for.

You can probably get more info at:

www.yangsandover.com

NatGun

07-19-2002, 06:53 PM

would you reccomend his tai chi program? im trying to decide. his school teaches 3 styles, shaolin longfist, white crane, and tai chi. i am interested in tai chi, but i also want to learn practical self-defence. is white crane a better choice?

BrentCarey

07-19-2002, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by NatGun
i am interested in tai chi, but i also want to learn practical self-defence. is white crane a better choice?
Well, it depends on whom you ask. I am a Long Fist instructor and will tell you that Long Fist is your best bet out of those choices. Ask Gazza99, and he might tell you Taijiquan. White Crane people?

I don't have any experience directly with Dr. Yang, but endorse his books.

Best regards,

-Brent Carey

Shaolindynasty

07-19-2002, 07:45 PM

I've never met Yang Jwing Ming but hear his White crane is the best out of his three styles. BTW check out the local bookstore and you can probally find books written by him or check out www.bn.com and do a search on him.

NatGun

07-19-2002, 11:36 PM

i dont know much about shaolin longfist or white crane, can you guys give me an idea of what the strengths of each style are? what the philosophies of each are? i always have been interested in wing chun because of its handwork and emphasis on close-quarters battle. ive also heard that longfist styles are more acrobatic and designed for medium to long-range combat. i am a pretty big guy, 6'2" 240, would longfist be a poor choice for me? thanks for the help guys.

BrentCarey

07-20-2002, 12:25 AM

Originally posted by NatGun
i dont know much about shaolin longfist or white crane, can you guys give me an idea of what the strengths of each style are? ive also heard that longfist styles are more acrobatic and designed for medium to long-range combat. i am a pretty big guy, 6'2" 240, would longfist be a poor choice for me?

I like to call Long Fist "generic" kung fu. It is a good style to learn before deciding what (if any) more specific style you want to go on to. It is really pretty broad and loosely defined.

Bear in mind, I say this because I have somewhat of an eclectic background, having studied with experts from various styles. So it is easy for me to say this because I don't really practice "pure" Long Fist, but then neither does anyone really. Remember that people can't even really agree completely on what "Long Fist" is.

You are right that it tends to be mid to long-range, but not exclusively. There are short and mid-range techniques as well, but not many. At 6'2", you should take advantage of that height. You are never going to get very low very quickly or have good short-range mobility with your relatively long limbs. However, no one should be able to get near you if you can develop your speed and reflexes.

One of the most punishing experiences I have had while training was sparring with a fast Long Fist student that was several years my junior. His arms were about 10 feet long, and I just couldn't get in close enough to counter - not fast enough.

Your enemy is going to be the weight. It will slow you down whether it is muscle, fat, or both. Also, consider studying plenty of Chin-Na techniques. These will be useful to you, especially while you are developing your speed. Dr. Yang knows his Chin-Na.

Best regards,

-Brent Carey

HuangKaiVun

07-20-2002, 03:44 AM

Just go and try a few classes with Dr. Yang, NatGun.

The rest of your questions will answer themselves in the course of your training.

Brad

07-20-2002, 07:27 AM

I think Dr. Yangs Shaolin Longfist is a specific style created in the 1920's also called Northern Shaolin. Longfist styles are generally able to compliment any other style well, and provide a good base if you ever decide to move on to something else. You don't really specialize in any one range or way of fighting; it's well rounded. There was a good article about longfist that was posted on Royal Dragon's forum, but I can't get there from this computer.

Mr Punch

07-20-2002, 07:36 AM

My taichi teacher trained under him a few times and wholeheartedly recommended him. I don't know personally, but his books seem very well-researched.

As Huang said; try it!

Ky-Fi

07-20-2002, 10:35 AM

"would you reccomend his tai chi program? im trying to decide. his school teaches 3 styles, shaolin longfist, white crane, and tai chi. i am interested in tai chi, but i also want to learn practical self-defence. is white crane a better choice?"

Well, I have heard Dr. Yang say "If you want to learn to fight quickly, study kickboxing". His method is to teach the complete art systematically. Free sparring is part of the training for Taiji, White Crane and Northern Shaolin, and it's considered crucial to actually learning to use the art, but it's not emphasized early on. You can check out the "training manual" on the main YMAA website to give you more specifics.

As far as which art does Dr. Yang know best--I'm not sure. I know he's done all three of those styles since he was a teenager. I have heard him say that while he still teaches Northern Shaolin, he can't perform it as well as he did in his youth. This was in the context of him urging the Shaolin people in their 20's and 30's to really push themselves, because they wouldn't be able to reach the same heights as they got older. I have NOT heard him make similar comments about his White Crane or Taiji.

But, a lot of the students there study more than one style, and Dr. Yang will sometimes mix elements of the different arts if the underlying theories are compatible, so you wouldn't necessarily be getting locked in to one art, anyway.

SevenStar

07-20-2002, 05:09 PM

check him out - you won't be disappointed

fa_jing

07-20-2002, 05:18 PM

I'm a wing chun man through and through, but if I had the opportunity to study under Dr. Yang, I would take it. White crane, baby. It's the hardest to come by among the styles he teaches.

NatGun

07-20-2002, 05:24 PM

does white crane have powerfull hand movements like wing chun?

fa_jing

07-20-2002, 05:39 PM

Well, I don't know too much about White Crane, actually it's a long-range style that focuses on inflicting pain and focuses on evasion, not mixing it up with the opponent. But then you may go there and it might be completely different from that description. I know that someone on this board saw Dr. Yang perform a white crane strike that was extremely powerful. It is a very well-regarded style but also a very serious endeavour, if you want to learn to fight the fastest do longfist.

NatGun

07-20-2002, 06:00 PM

thanks for all the help guys, i really appreciate it. im excited now that i have found a well-reguarded instructor.

rogue

07-20-2002, 06:21 PM

I'm primarily a Korean stylist, but I use his books on chin na all of the time. If he teaches half as well he writes you'll learn alot.

NorthernMantis

07-20-2002, 06:43 PM

Well I've read some of his books and seen him on video and all I gotta say is that this guy knows his stuff.

Crimson Phoenix

07-21-2002, 02:08 AM

It was me who saw the strike...it was very impressive considered the weight and rigidity of our sandbag (this sandbag is an old school one, been there for over 30 years without being changed, THICK leather).
His jings are really impressive. Yet, at the same time, when he asks you to punch him and he blocks, you feel nothing, he just absorbs...
Usually in YMAA, the curriculum is mixed, longfist and white crane. But I heard from good sources that Dr Yang is giving more and more of his white crane knowledge away these days (who knows, maybe in the Boston HQ you could find specifically White Crane lessons, or at least regular White Crane gong fu seminars), because he realized that at the difference of longfist, he hasn't really passed the white crane to someone. And since he's all about transmitting to not let the arts die in oblivion, it seems like he nowadays speeds up the process of exposing white crane (there's MUCH MUCH more than you can judge by just viewing the training curriculum on the website).
Go for it, White Crane is a fascinating art with powerful jings, one that trains very soft jings à la Taiji as well as very hard ones. It contains hard and soft qigong, lot of qinna, takedowns, and surprising kicks (surprising in the sense of "unusual"), even if white crane is primary a upper limbs striking art.
By the way, I want to correct: White crane, the fujian version, is a SHORT RANGE style, not a long range one. I find white crane much more suited than longfist for personal defense somehow (don't flame me), because of its theories, ways of moving and striking, the fact that once you got the jing right you can turn it into many techniques (instead of learning plenty of techniques like in longfist and having to adapt them when used for real, in white crane you directly train the jing, the driving force and principle underlying the technique). It also seems to me that white crane can be made efficient at ANY age, whereas long fist....well, gotta be young...take it from Li Mao Ching: "the secret of achievement in Shaolin is...youth". Arrrgghhhhhhh

Kilik

07-21-2002, 02:30 AM

I would highly recommend Dr Yang, Not only has the man got a doctrate in Engineering (i think, or at least that's what i've been told) he has the ability to explain complicated eastern concepts in Western terms as anybody who has read his column for Inside kung fu would know.

Funny, this thread should come up as he is our Si-Gung's kung fu brother as our Si-Gung studied Chang Quan under Li-mao Ching with Dr Yang. His also rumoured to be visiting our school with Li-mao Ching so i pretty excited about that :D

Crimson Phoenix

07-21-2002, 02:45 AM

Kilik, that seems likely, every year there's a YMAA summer camp now, and this year's summer camp was supposed to be held in South Africa but it got changed and will be held in Hungary instead.
Definitely, I'm sure he'll come down!
Li is an incredible man too...

taijiquan_student

07-21-2002, 08:58 AM

I have heard that Dr. Yang is good (doctor of engineering or mechanics, not medicine, by the way--kilik mentioned that already), and that he is really a white crane guy. I have heard that he has the taiji forms but that his jin and fajin is that of a white crane practitioner. I know people will disagree with me, this is just what I've been told. Go see him yourself--I think most of his books are pretty cool (the qin-na ones especially).

Ky-Fi

07-21-2002, 09:17 AM

Yes, there is the criticism of Dr. Yang that his Taiji is White Crane "flavored". As I mentioned, Dr. Yang has studied all 3 of his styles continuosly since he was a teenager, so if the implication is that he's had a lot more White Crane instruction/practice than Taiji---I don't believe that's accurate.

There is no denying that Dr. Yang mixes elements of his White Crane into his Taiji. When I took the Taiji chin-na class from him, he said that he adapted a lot of these from his White Crane chin-na (I think he says that in his Taiji chin-na book). Also, I know that he brought in a lot of chest and spine qigong into his Taiji curriculum from White Crane, because he thought it was very important. I think critics of Dr. Yang infer that if he mixes elements of different styles, it must be because he has an insufficient knowledge of certain aspects of the styles, and has to fill in gaps. From my personal experience, I would draw the opposite conclusion. I feel that Dr. Yang's knowledge and understanding of the theories and training methods of the various styles is so strong that he's comfortable mixing elements of different arts WHEN the underlying theories are compatible. For example, in the Taiji chin-na, we did virtually all of the techniques in the context of single or double push-hands---all the principles of Taiji were in effect while we were learning those "White Crane" chin-na locks. Similarly, he does NOT bring things like 3-star blocking or the dynamic tension/hard qigong from his White Crane into the Taiji.

Anyways, that's just my opinion and observations--to each his own. But yes, if you have a concept that martial styles are "pure", and shouldn't be mixed, then Dr. Yang would probably not be your choice for a teacher.

GLW

07-21-2002, 10:11 AM

A bit of misinformation was done here...

The White Crane that Yang teaches is the Fukien variety. It is NOT the Tibetan version.

As such it is in all likelihood the Crane style that if you go back far enough was the foundation for styles like Wing Chun.

It is a close to middle range version of White Crane with heavy emphasis on Fa Jing. If you have seen this version of Crane as well as the Tibetan long hand version of Crane, the differences are VERY obvious.

TaoBoy

07-21-2002, 05:41 PM

I have no first hand knowledge of Dr. Yang, however from his books and various articles/interviews it was my understanding that his predominant style was White Crane. Did I interpret that incorrectly?

Anyway, if I ever get to that part of the world I'll definitely be visiting his school. Hmmm White Crane.

Go forth NatGun. Just try it out.

NatGun

07-22-2002, 08:33 AM

i wrote an e-mail to the school with a few questions, and Dr. Yang replied personally. good PR goes a long way with me, now i just have to get enough money together to pay for classes, man it sucks to be a poor college student.

jun_erh

07-22-2002, 11:30 AM

if that doesn't work out, the place I go is right at the needham heights train stop in Needham. The class is 60 a month for 3 times a week. The teacher is a prison guard. It's called "Chinese Submission Fighting". At the end of the last class, some guy had to run around the room carrying a 90 lb punching bag, running in a circle while we kicked him in the stomach.

NatGun

07-22-2002, 02:28 PM

right near the attick bar? i think i know that place, whats it called? chinese submission fighting huh? sounds like fun, but i am out of shape, sounds like you need to be in reasonably good condition before you can start something like that.

jun_erh

07-22-2002, 02:47 PM

the attic? I can't remember isn't that in Newton? The place is called carassco martial arts or something, It's TKD during the day, then we use the space the other times. You wouldn't really need anything except determination honestly. We are usually either doing chin na or punching drills. I only been going a few weeks and haven't done any sparring but it's all very physical. The class appears to be made up of bouncers. It's kind of like jail actually. come check it out anytime wed 6pm fri 6pm sun 10 am

NatGun

07-22-2002, 02:56 PM

wow man, that sounds like fun. do i call the school? or is there a specific person i need to get in touch with? your right about the attick though, im thinking of the newton centre T stop

jun_erh

07-22-2002, 03:12 PM

firstly, needham heights is on the commuter rail. If you have a car it's right near an exit on 93 though. call 1781 4558184. Ask about the chinese submission fighting class. They'll proabbly just ell you to come down and do a class, better than having them sit there and tell you how great it is. There's nothing to buy or fees or contracts. I'm Chris by the way. I'm the younger of the two white guys in the class. It's a very small class. good luck.

Former castleva

07-25-2002, 06:40 AM

I have some of his books,and I´ve found him to be impressive on chi-kung and kung-fu.

GeneChing

04-28-2017, 07:40 AM

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for Meridian Qigong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-meridian-qigong.php) Autographed by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 5/11/17.

GeneChing

05-15-2017, 11:20 AM

See WINNERS: Meridian Qigong, Autographed by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70268-WINNERS-Meridian-Qigong-Autographed-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming).

GeneChing

06-07-2017, 07:38 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCwmVMg7T2k

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/images/mzine/Cov2010_02.jpg
MARCH+APRIL 2010 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=877)

Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9982-Jwing-Ming-Yang) at the Kung Fu Tai Chi 25th Anniversary Festival (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69762-KUNG-FU-TAI-CHI-25TH-ANNIVERSARY-FESTIVAL-May-19-21-2017-San-Jose-CA)

Unfortunately, there was a lighting fail at the end of Dr. Yang's demonstration, even with the professional union lighting person that we hired.

GeneChing

09-28-2018, 08:01 AM

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for The Dao De Jing: A Qigong Interpretation Autographed by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-dao-de-jing.php)! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 10/11/2018.

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THREADS
Qigong with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54872-Qigong-with-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)
Tao Te Ching (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?53222-Tao-Te-Ching)

GeneChing

10-29-2018, 01:02 PM

See our WINNERS: The Dao De Jing: A Qigong Interpretation Autographed by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71041-WINNERS-The-Dao-De-Jing-A-Qigong-Interpretation-Autographed-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming) thread.

GeneChing

01-12-2021, 11:14 AM

Here's another feature I wrote for YMAA: Working Together: A Powerful Writing Team
(https://ymaa.com/articles/2021/01/working-together-a-powerful-writing-team)

https://ymaa.com/sites/default/files/images/article/articles-20210111-working-together-a-poweful-writing-team.jpg

Threads
Push-hands (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?11935-Push-hands)
Jwing-Ming-Yang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9982-Jwing-Ming-Yang)

GeneChing

01-22-2021, 10:34 AM

Enter to win Tai Chi Push Hands Autographed by David Grantham and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/tai-chi-push-hands.php)
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Threads
Push-hands (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?11935-Push-hands)
Jwing-Ming-Yang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9982-Jwing-Ming-Yang)
Tai Chi Push Hands Autographed by David Grantham and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71974-Tai-Chi-Push-Hands-by-David-Grantham-and-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)

GeneChing

02-08-2021, 03:04 PM

See our WINNERS-Tai-Chi-Push-Hands-Autographed-by-David-Grantham-and-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71984-WINNERS-Tai-Chi-Push-Hands-Autographed-by-David-Grantham-and-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming) thread.

Push-hands (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?11935-Push-hands)
Jwing-Ming-Yang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9982-Jwing-Ming-Yang)
Tai Chi Push Hands Autographed by David Grantham and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71974-Tai-Chi-Push-Hands-by-David-Grantham-and-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)

GeneChing

03-18-2022, 09:49 AM

Enter to win Grand Qigong Circulation autographed by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJqDbtidgA5IdiK9Lawz8xuqc99ch77Q2F9wLQeWL3 vQXEuw/viewform)!
Contest ends 3/31/2022

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threads
Grand Qigong Circulation by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72287-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)
Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?14751-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming/)
Qigong-with-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54872-Qigong-with-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)

GeneChing

04-06-2022, 07:46 AM

The Path to Inner Peace? READ Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming and Grand Qigong Circulation (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1632) by Gene Ching

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/8065_Grand-Qigong-Circulation_Lead.jpg

threads
Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72287-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)
Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?14751-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming/)
Is-anyone-else-paying-attention-to-the-YMAA-Retreat-Center-program (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66183-Is-anyone-else-paying-attention-to-the-YMAA-Retreat-Center-program)

ShaolinDan

04-06-2022, 12:16 PM

After six years of "training on my own" (which translates to getting progressively more out of practice and out of shape :o), I've started going to a YMAA Taiji school for the last few weeks.

I'm really enjoying it so far. The teacher (a student of Dr. Yang) has a really solid and rich understanding of the martial aspects of the style--I'm impressed.

GeneChing

04-10-2022, 03:00 PM

See Winners-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-autographed-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72298-Winners-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-autographed-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)

Grand Qigong Circulation by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72287-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)
Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?14751-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming/)
Qigong-with-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54872-Qigong-with-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)

GeneChing

05-30-2022, 12:39 PM

Submitted for your approval, my latest interview for YMAA: Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming on the Changing Times and Enlightenment

https://ymaa.com/sites/default/files/images/article/articles-20220530-dr-yang-on-the-changing-times-and-enlightment.jpg (https://ymaa.com/articles/2022/05/dr-yang-jwing-ming-changing-times-and-enlightenment)

Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72287-Grand-Qigong-Circulation-by-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming)
Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?14751-Dr-Yang-Jwing-Ming/)
Is-anyone-else-paying-attention-to-the-YMAA-Retreat-Center-program (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66183-Is-anyone-else-paying-attention-to-the-YMAA-Retreat-Center-program)