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06-18-2000, 10:12 PM
A two hour seminar consisting of theories and applications will be given by Grandmaster Ip Shui on the:

16th of July. 4.00pm - 6.00pm

at Sifu Paul Whitrods school:

14 Leytonstone Road

Stratford. London E15

(Behind Marcon Carpets)

Nearest Tube: Stratford. Nearest Overland Station: Maryland

This will be the last Seminar given by the Grandmaster, and it is advised that all students of Chow Gar attend. Detailed analysis of the foundations of the system, theory of Dim Mak and Iron Shirt Chi Gung, Fighting techniques and application are but a few of the things that will be discussed. The price for the seminar will be £40 for those who wish to participate and train under the Grandmaster. £10 for those who only wish to watch and gain an insight to the Chow Gar system. Fees paid on the door.

All student from all branches are welcome. Student of other styles are also welcome to attend.

This will be the last visit to the UK the Grandmaster will make.

(well guys, if any of you can make it, I advise you to come along, especially as this will be the last seminar given, visit the site for cantact details.)

djh
06-19-2000, 06:21 AM
Phu Le,

How was the seminar? I did a few seminars with him and his son the last time they were in Australia. We were hoping to get him to visit again this year but it's a long way...

Hope you enjoyed it and made the most of the opportunity!

06-19-2000, 04:55 PM
Oh, are you a student of Sifu Paul Brennan? I've never met Sifu Paul but I've seen some video footage of a seminar, he looks really impressive.

The seminar in London UK, hasn't taken place yet, it's being held next month.

I'll let you know how things go as soon as it happens.

Take Care.

Phu Le

djh
06-20-2000, 04:53 AM
Yes- I've been training under Sifu Paul for about 3 years now. Have you seen Ip Shui before? he's an amazing man.

Are you a student of Sifu Paul Whitrod?

Would you have an idea of how many Chow Gar students are in the UK?

06-20-2000, 05:12 PM
No I'm not a student of Paul Whitrod (he's Kung Fu is really impressive too). I'm a student of your Si-Gung, Ip Chee Keung.

Please, Sifu Paul Brennan doesn't know me but, please could you give him my regards.

Back in December I made a visit to Hong Kong, and was lucky enough to stay at Grandmaster Ip shui's home for that month. And it's very true, for an 87 year old man, he is amazingly active... Si-Gung Ip Shui still wakes up at 6 in the morning to train!

And you can tell your sifu, I even had to sleep on that horrid wooden bed!!!

Are you asking for a number of students? Paul Whitrod is probably still teach around 50-60, your si-gung has around 30.

but then theres still plenty of students who are teaching for themselves....

What's traning With Paul like? I heard you do a lot conditioning.. By the way, do you know Victor? Stocky Chinese guy? He was making a visit to Hong Kong the same time I was, if you do, give him my regards and my e-mail address..

[This message has been edited by Phu Le (edited 06-21-2000).]

djh
06-22-2000, 05:58 AM
Victor trained with us for a few weeks but I haven't seen him for a few months now. If he shows up again though I will pass on the greeting.

Training with Sifu Paul is both demanding and very rewarding. He is willing to teach anyone who shows an interest, but he only spends time with those who are committed.

We usually spend time at the end of each class specifically on conditioning (plus the conditioning inherent in most of the jongs (sp?)). I have heard from guys in the class that have travelled with Sifu Paul to HK etc that the main difference in our conditioning work is the time we spend on toughening the legs.

Training with Ip Chee Keung must be great. The thing that really impressed me about his kung fu was his speed- very skillful.

06-22-2000, 11:30 PM
There is one thing I both really admire and dislike about the way Sifu Ip teaches.

His whole philosophy regarding kung fu is it's foundation. Which is good, because the standard of your kung fu is pretty much determined by the foundations you have in Chy Sao, Duy Chong and Sam Bo Jin.

But the problems is, things get really boring.

Yeah, heard from Victor that Sifu Paul has added alot more leg work to his teachings, which is different from his sifu as Sifu Ip hardly ever does any leg work with us.

Maybe someday (when I can actually pay for it), I'll take a trip with Sifu and vist you guys....

djh
06-24-2000, 11:06 AM
Sifu Paul has said that the way they train the style in HK can be like that too. They will spend days on nothing but Shu Bo etc.

Do you guys do any sparring? I read on one of the UK Chow Gar websites that you don't. With Sifu Paul we do quite a lot e.g. one session we might spend 45 mins with hands only, then next session legs only, then hands and elbows, then grappling with elbows and knees allowed etc. I can't see how you could develop calm under pressure without this type of work.

06-24-2000, 10:29 PM
Sparring is a funny one. Personally I don't see how any art can be effective and praticle unless there is some hands on fighting involved. But as yet, we havn't done any. But I have heard stories of Sifu sparring in the past with both Pauls...

Maybe we're just not good enough yet.

djh
06-25-2000, 07:49 AM
Very odd. Do you have any idea as to why Si-Gung Ip Chee Keung doesn't incorporate sparring into the training?

Under Sifu Paul all the intermediate / advanced students get into it (anyone who has passed first grading and up). Sure, a lot of flailing goes on at the beginning but after a few months confidence improves and people begin to relax and use techniques.

Do you guys do it on the sly anyway?

06-25-2000, 03:19 PM
Spar on the sly? Of course we do...

I think maybe sifu has the idea that to spar before a decent foundation has been made is just too dangerous. Or maybe he thinks that we, his students arn't up for it.

But none the less, I do believe conditioning will come into play eventually.

Oh yeah, anyone of you guys broken anything during sparring?

David
06-25-2000, 03:40 PM
I've sparred out of class only and found the 'calmess under pressure' issue non-existent when it came to it. I've sparred (fairly friendly) boxing, jujitsu, karate, lau gar, s. mantis and haymakers without having much to worry about. And that's from a background of not know which end of a fist to point at the opposition.

I would like sparring in class for one reason only - so I could get an 'official' line on what's permitted and what's not.

------------------
The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey

djh
06-26-2000, 09:58 AM
I was speaking with one of the senior guys last night and asked him about this situation. He told me that traditionally Chow Gar students did'nt spend much time sparring and that this element to the training has been a recent addition by Sifu Paul Brennan. He also told me that you guys spend more time on training the 36 step fighting form etc which helps teach distance.

Regarding the question about anyone breaking anything- I have seen a few split lips, people getting winded and a chipped tooth but these are rare occurances. I accidentally clipped a junior students nose with the tip of my elbow the other night and made the poor guy bleed- Sifu was standing right next to me when I did it and berated me in front of the class afterwards for not attending to what I was doing. The whole point of it is control- of your limbs, of the other guy and your temper.

06-27-2000, 03:42 AM
But having said that, I think Paul Whitrod and his student like a bit a sparring too...

Maybe it's just Sifu Ip's approach.

Paul Skrypichayko
06-28-2000, 01:51 PM
Hi guys. Nice topic you've got going here. I was pretty shocked to find that Yip Sui (Ip Shui) is still alive.

I practice hung style mostly, and my sifu was lucky enough to meet Yip Sui a number of times in HK in the 50's and 60's, and even learned a little bit of your southern mantis. I really like the way you guys make use of your punching techniques.

When you mentioned going over the same boring exercises over and over and over again, it shows that you guys seem to have the real essence of training. Real kung fu can be boring as hell, but if you keep it up, you get the rewards.

By the way, any of you guys know about Yip Sui's other style?

David
06-28-2000, 02:59 PM
I believe Ip Shui studied hung gar when he was young and has an affection for the style. When he last came to London, Sifu Paul Uglow's seniors performed hung gar sets and lion dances for sigung Ip. Cool stuff.

06-28-2000, 08:04 PM
I remeber sothing about that, Si-Gung studied Hung Gar up until he got beaten by Lau Sui...

Paul Skrypichayko
06-29-2000, 03:31 AM
Who is Lau Sui, and how/why did he beat up Yip Sui?

I didn't know that Yip Sui studied/practiced hung gar either. I guess it just shows how close the martial arts community was in HK.

David
06-29-2000, 02:57 PM
Lau Sui was the previous grandmaster of Chu/Chow Gar (1878-1942).

Lau Sui saw young Ip Shui practising horse and spoke to him. Ip Shui wanted to test Lau Sui and was 'introduced' to mantis shock power there and then. I guess he became a mantis student at that time.

06-30-2000, 03:46 AM
David... Some slight corrections....

Lau Sui used to study Ma Gar (Hourse Style.

What I've heard was that, a friend of Ip Shui's introduced him to Lau Sui. As Ip Shui wasn't too conviced of Lau Sui's kung fu, he did a little demo. And Lau Sui said, Your Kung Fu is really good, but it's a shame that your foundations aren't too hot.

This led to a fight, Ip Shui was beaten, and thus joined under Lau Sui.

I remember Sifu saying that quite a few months later, some of Ip Shui's old kung fu brothers laughed at him for gripping thin air (part of the sam bo jin form, but they were duly conviced after a few sparring matches....