Pan QingFu

[Zaveesha]

Hi,

Pan QingFu seems to be one of the best modern wushu teachers in the world. He also appeard in a few movies so that makes him a little bit more known to the world. But I was wondering what do you guys know about him? Is he just a forms teacher ? Or maybe he teaches also fighting skills ? Anyone here trained under him ? His "iron fist" is well known as well as his work for chinese police - so must be a good fighter. However , I have never heard about his students fighting - "just " form champions. Why such a knowledgeable guy with experiance in fighting did not train good fighters - or maybe he did ? what you know?

He seems also to be quite knowledgeable about chinese martial arts 'cause trained under many teachers and later while teaching and judging competitions had contacts with other masters. Please share what you know about him.

Thanks in advance

[MeatTosser]

I think he still lives in Canada right now, and currently teaches traditional boxing techniques and Modern Wushu techniques, depending on what you're interested in. I definitely think he's a solid fighter. I'm pretty sure he's also taught many students practical traditional fighting methods, but I don't know any specific people that trained with him for very long either. Well, there is one that I met a while back, who had trained Iron Palm with him for a little while, his feedback was positive. But if anyone here has trained with him for a good long while, I'd definitely be interested in what they have to say as well.

[GeneChing]

He's been on our cover twice: FEB 2000 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=109) & APR MAY 1996 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=56). I've never watched him teach, but he has great qinna technique and he did some police work, so he can fight. His star pupil, Dianne Naughton, has some fearsome Ditang skills.

[Swordless]

Several years ago, my teacher got the opportunity to train with Pan through the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy in Kitchener (Canada). He learned a couple of very cool forms from Pan, including Five Tiger Staff and the Ferocious Fist empty hand form. I would expect training with him to be expensive; the last rate we heard was $60 a week. He's tough as nails though. Wouldn't want to get hit by one of his iron fists.

[brothernumber9]

some martial artists I've met that I know have trained their fists extensively against various hard surfaces have almost completely flat knuckles rather than protruding bulges. I wonder what his regimen was to develop his knuckles to attain that result.

[Brad]

I think he walks around with a piece of metal beating on it all the time (at least he used to, acording to my first coach).

[norther practitioner]

He has a unique ability to make a traditional form interestingly modern, yet, still no butterfly twists and crap... also has some nice traditional two handed sword forms from what I hear. My teacher has worked with him before, I'm just relaying.

[Zaveesha]

Such a great teacher and not many infos on him - why ? My guess is very humble, he tries to live a simple life, teach those who are willing to visit him.

I have seen a few movies with him - I especially liked "Iron and silk" , I also read a few articles he wrote with Dianne Naughton and they always were a great read.
I really like when he speaks about seeking quality in people and how he uses histories from the past to explain some concept in training. Here are some articles from his web page www.grandmasterpan.com .

Still, if anyone has some infos or opinions about the guys please share.

[brothernumber9]

yeah here's my opinion. He needs to stop washing his demo uniforms in hot water, they continually get smaller and flashier. Last time I saw him he looked like an old cast member from "fame". Having said that, I'm a small fish, so If anyone is offended by those comments, take solace in knowing that they were from a nobody and can totally be ignored. Nonetheless, it's true. His uniforms are bordering on the ghey.

[tug]

Uniforms notwithstanding, I do believe he pounds a 300lb block of steel several hundred times daily.

And on that note, I've read in the past about the ideal iron fist training, as most of you have I'm sure. My question is, why must you break your knuckles at the beginning of training? I would guess that is the difference between flat and bulging, but I am still puzzled as to why one would need to break before building.

[Samurai Jack]

Actually it's the broken knuckle type of conditioning that results in flattened knuckles.

I wonder if he uses a special jow.

Gene, you should get an interview with him on the mag and put these questions to rest once and for all. I've always wondered what his precise regimen was myself. Most of the stuff put out about his training is anecdotal. It'd be really cool to hear what he actually has done to get his iron-fist in detail.

[SimonM]

Hi,

Pan QingFu seems to be one of the best modern wushu teachers in the world. He also appeard in a few movies so that makes him a little bit more known to the world. But I was wondering what do you guys know about him? Is he just a forms teacher ? Or maybe he teaches also fighting skills ? Anyone here trained under him ? His "iron fist" is well known as well as his work for chinese police - so must be a good fighter. However , I have never heard about his students fighting - "just " form champions. Why such a knowledgeable guy with experiance in fighting did not train good fighters - or maybe he did ? what you know?

He seems also to be quite knowledgeable about chinese martial arts 'cause trained under many teachers and later while teaching and judging competitions had contacts with other masters. Please share what you know about him.

Thanks in advance

I got to meet Pan Quing Fu at a tournament a few years ago in the KW area (I think it was Waterloo) and he was certainly impressive. If he teaches his students to fight in the same manner he can I would definately reccomend him. I had his autograph for a long time but I lost it... To the best of my knowlege he is still in Canada.

[tug]

Either way, Jack, can you or someone shed some light on the breaking and what the end result is supposed to be? (obviously knuckles of iron, but would like more info on the process involved)

[DragonzRage]

I remember seeing a martial arts documentary featuring this pan ching fu guy awhile back. Initially, he sparked my interest as the program related some background info on him (how he was supposedly a bada$$ Chinese cop, such a widely regarded MA coach, etc). But then it showed his fighting applications and some clips of his classes. The applications looked highly questionable, to my mind. What they showed of his classes didn't reveal much in the way of functional training. And none of his students on the film looked anything remotely resembling a fighter. I know he seems to have a lot of credibility in kung fu circles, so I hope I don't offend anyone as its not my intention. But speaking as an outsider, what I saw of him left me distinctly unimpressed. Its just my opinion based on a limited perspective.

[GeneChing]

Gene, you should get an interview with him on the mag and put these questions to rest once and for all. What? Me do your dirty work? Like I don't do enough research already. :rolleyes: You can do an interview too. It's not as if GM Pan is unapproachable, like Jet Li or some celebrity. As for his exact regimen, you'd have to spend some time and follow him around. I will say this. He used to carry his punching tile everywhere - and I do mean everywhere. If he had any free time, like riding in a car, he'd whip out his tile and start pounding away. He always practiced.

[norther practitioner]

Such a great teacher and not many infos on him - why ? My guess is very humble, he tries to live a simple life, teach those who are willing to visit him.

lol, except for the MOVIE that he made....

[Swordless]

Movies, that is. Iron and Silk, Talons of the Eagle, Shaolin Temple...
My teacher used to drive Pan around, and he did indeed carry his "travel-sized" tile to pound on in the passenger seat.
I don't understand all the hating on his outfits though...when are shiny gold suits and bright green shoes NOT in style?

[SimonM]

and I do mean everywhere. If he had any free time, like riding in a car, he'd whip out his tile and start pounding away. He always practiced.

I can vouch for that; he was working on it when I met him, paused to sign his autograph and then went back to it. :)