how much wing chun did bruce lee learn?

[gooner]

i have heard that he had learnt the first form and the hand techniques to the second and third forms, he also learnt the first 40 moves on the wooden dummy. but according to t,kimura and d,inasonto he only knew the first form and the first 50 moves on the wooden dummy. can anyone clear this up?:confused:

[PQS]

I understood he only learnt the first form but I may be wrong
welcome to the forum
shame about the nickname
regards
Pete

[old jong]

Looks like he learned enough to make himself the originator of his own system.;)

[WingTsun20]

Supposedly he did one year and a half of WingTsun
He learnt part of Chum Kui
Also he offered Yip Man an house for the Wooden Dummy form and Yip Man told him to........ you get the point!

Bruce Lee had problems doin the WingTsun stance due to a tendon shorter in his foot, thus why he fights side on and explains why in the other forums hes doin Chi Sau side on!

[Grendel]

Originally posted by old jong
Looks like he learned enough to make himself the originator of his own system.;)
Agreed, and a system that incorporates a lot of Wing Chun principles. :)

Originally posted by gooner
but according to t,kimura and d,inasonto he only knew the first form and the first 50 moves on the wooden dummy.
I find this odd. When did Kimura and Inosanto claim this? When Bruce Lee left Hong Kong for San Francisco in 1958, he had already learned Chum Kiu and knew 60 hands of the jong set.

If you look at his movies, years later, Bruce Lee is employing a lot of Wing Chun, especially when he is being presented with multiple opponents simultaneously. Obviously, he wouldn't use only Wing Chun because he was trying for dramatic effect. When he played Kato, he had learned that he had to slow down his moves and that the studio was looking for more spectacular (Read: "big") moves, such as high kicks.

[stuartm]

The general view is that he got to Chum Kil level. Ive seen that BL Chi Sau clip before - where is it on the net? Am i right in thinking its the one with him and Taky Kimura??

Regards, Stuart

[Lindley57]

What amount of Wing Chun training Bruce Lee actually learned will always be a mystery. When one asks this question, you must not bias it with how people train today. In those days, there were no records, only photos and accounts of what people witnessed. Most of those guys did not play hands directly with Yip Man, which meant they had to depend on their Sihings to learn and their Sidai to practice on. Bruce Lee, William Cheung, and Hawkins Cheung and others were part of those students who "ran the streets", testing the Wing Chun for realistic applications in street fights.

It is safe to say that Bruce completed Siu Nim tao, as is evident in the famous Green book "WING CHUN KUNG FU" by James Y. Lee. Many accounts indicate that Bruce learned a lot by observing his Kung Fu brothers, more in an informal manner. Most ambitious and successful martial artists do this (going "beyond the box"). According to Hawkins Cheung, Bruce did not have a strong horse when they engaged in Chi Sao, which might suggest that either Bruce did not learn Chum Kiu or did not finish it. Note that there are no publications (to my knowledge) that Bruce discusses or demonstrates either of the other two Wing Chun forms. During a world tour in 1992, Yip Chun stated that based on observing Bruce's moves on the Mook Jong, he probably did not learn it - formally from Yip Man. Bruce traveled back and forth from the U.S. to Hong Kong, so this would obviously impact his training in Wing Chun. As there were no known Wing Chun masters in the US during this time, Bruce's training was "on its own" which lead to Jeet Kune Do, and this not really due to any failing of the Wing Chun system, but more realistically his lack of resources to progress ahead in the U.S.

A serious and well schooled Siu Nim Tao level practicioner, with some Chi Sao skills, would do well against most martial artists. Hence, Bruce Lee would be no exception. His physical athletic skill and ability to language and understand the essence of Martial Arts is something everyone should strive for from their Wing Chun (or any martial art) training.

While I was in Australia in 1994, a well known Wing Chun man, when I asked him about Bruce Lee, said " Bruce Lee was great for the martial arts but also an actor. Which would benefit his stature more - being the best and Grandmaster of your own style (Jeet Kune Do) or not the best and one of many good practicioners of another style (Wing Chun)?"

[Mr Punch]

some answers (in the 'articles' section). (http://www.hawkinscheung.com/)

[Fresh]

Lindley57, what you say makes sense.

[williamsremo]

I simply love these stories of Bruce Lee, Hawkins Cheung, William Cheung, and others "Testing Their Wing Chun on the streets. These stories make for great martial art urban legend, but guy's, think about it. They were only kids. Bruce Lee and the others were in their teens when these events took place. Let's not make more of these stories than what they are. These were punk kids from one school sparring with the punk kids from other schools. Not challenge matches between masters. As for how much WC Bruce Lee had, I think Dan Inosanto would be the best source, he was Lee's close student and training partner. If he say's Lee had only the SLT and part of the Jong, I would tend to believe that.

[Grendel]

Originally posted by williamsremo
I simply love these stories of Bruce Lee, Hawkins Cheung, William Cheung, and others "Testing Their Wing Chun on the streets. These stories make for great martial art urban legend, but guy's, think about it. They were only kids. Bruce Lee and the others were in their teens when these events took place. Let's not make more of these stories than what they are. These were punk kids from one school sparring with the punk kids from other schools. Not challenge matches between masters. As for how much WC Bruce Lee had, I think Dan Inosanto would be the best source, he was Lee's close student and training partner. If he say's Lee had only the SLT and part of the Jong, I would tend to believe that.
William Cheung and to a lesser degree Bruce Lee had some street/roof-top fights with other teenagers. Hawkins, being smaller than those two, and better behaved, was not so involved in fights.

As I said before, re Bruce Lee, he had learned Chum Kiu and about 60 hands on the jong before coming to San Francisco in 1958. In addition, his ability was precocious for his time in as has been often noted.

[Rolling_Hand]

Bruce Lee learned enough to creat his JKD.

You are seeking that special WCK connection...<JEET>