Hung Gar question

[rfbrown3]

I just moved from Midland TX to Plano TX. I am 44 years old and pretty much am out of shape with a bad left knee from playing too much tennis and too much Taekwon-Do (ITF). In Midland I discovered a Wing Tsun school that I liked but I had interrupted my career to go back to school with a very heavy schedule and was waiting on finishing school to start the Wing Tsun class. I did take a few lessons there when I fist found the place and was impressed with its effectiveness although I was disappointed to find less traditon and protocol there than what I would have expected. Recently though I have since moved to Plano which is close to Dallas and presently am taking some Tang Soo Do classes at the local Y. However I just found out about a Hung Gar school in Richardson(which is just south of Plano) that I think is pretty traditional. I do not know much about Hung Gar though. I do know that it is a Southern style but from what little reading I have done, it seems to rely more on strength than agility and speed? Does Hung Gar have the chain punching that Wing Chun and SPM does?
My real interest for many years has been SPM ever since I first read about Gin Foon Mark in Black Belt magazine in 1969 when I was just 12 years old! I have never ever lived anywhere that taught SPM, but I am intrigued though about this Hung Gar school. Its URL is www.hungfist.com/ (http://www.hungfist.com/) .
I hope to get to check it out sometime in the next week or so.

Thanks for any info.

Robert

[wufupaul]

Hello, I have heard nothing but good things about Philip Ng and his Hung Gar school. I knew someone who went there a long time ago, they seem to be very traditional. I train in Tai Chi and Bagua at another school, but I could give you info. on schools around here, if you need it. My email is in my profile.

"But I hope you leave enough room for my fist, cause I'm going to ram it into your stomach!"-Arnold Schwarzenegger

[Hungmei]

GM Henry Poo Yee was in Texas for a while. Perhaps Bruce C., who is the "door" for the GM Yee's hand and is on this forum, would provide you with some guidance.

You might have a hell of a difficult time with Hung Gar if you have a pre-existing knee problem.
You may want to consult with a sports medicine person prior to going the Hung Gar route to determine whether or not the required stance work is going to exacerbate your problem. Might be just the cure but a trained medical professional should make that determination as the damage we walk through tends to come back to haunt us. John

[kungfuyou]

I'm not from Texas, but to comment on your ability to do Hung Ga with the knee problem. I have a knee problem as well. I had little or no problem doing the stances or forms with my problem. A neoprene knee brace helps a lot!! But do consult a Dr. first. I'm only 24, so that may have something to do with why I can do it, and maybe you can't. But don't limit yourself! It's a GREAT ART!! I loved it! Don't do it anymore as I moved and no Hung Ga school near! :(

[rfbrown3]

Well thanks all to who responded to me on this board and by e-mail. WuFuPaul, I will e-mail you after this weekend, pretty busy right now. I just moved here to Plano and am still going back and forth to Midland and West Texas on the weekends. I have other questions about this area for you also.
So I take it that Hung Gar does not feature the chain punching that Wing Chun and SPM has?

Robert

[denali]

Hung Gar has chain punching.

[rfbrown3]

<<Hung Gar has chain punching. >>


OK that settles it! I'm just going to have to check out Sifu Philip Ng's Hung Gar kwoon sometime this next week.

Thanks

Robert