Brendan Lai appreciation thread

[diego]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M7M7rLxcYg

I heard about him in the Gung Fu media and only now got the chance to see him live:cool:

Very good instructor!. Post your fave clips, stories.

R.I.P.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Always loved his speed and precision, never seen him spar, but did see him actually hit a bag and pads once, hit them just as fast and hard as if he was doing it in the air, something that most "fast hands" guys can't come close to doing.

[SoCo KungFu]

I have no personal experience with him other than talking to him on the phone to order weapons. But he has long been, through the various footage, my "mantis idol" if you will.

And even still he has influenced my kung fu. My sifu trained some 7* under him (I have no idea when and where as it was before I came into the system) and added it to his repertoire (sp?) of mantis...san bao pai's mantis curriculum is mostly tantui variety and supposedly some TJPM though I never seen it. But that's a tangent.

Anyways so I took leave and came to visit home for a month when I was still in Japan. Of course...I spent at least half the time in the kwoon. Since I had been working the same material for about 2 years, sifu decided to throw me a bone and teach me something new. And he asked me the question that any kung fu student loves to hear, "So...what do you want to learn?"

And as I had loved to watch Brendan Lai, of course I said 7*. I didn't really know at the time what was in our system from that as 7* is not part of the standard curriculum, but I figured what the heck. And sure enough...there was some things. So he taught me some techniques and my first 7* form. The techniques where nice. At the time I didn't realise it but now its apparent. While the approach might be a little different, they helped form up a basic frame for some of the leg bridging that now I'm encountering in Hung Gar.

So anyways...it's a cheesy story, but its mine. And since then I have been in love with 7* and while I don't really study so much with my mantis sifu anymore (we still meet up every-so-often though), I still practice that 7* stuff he taught me. And probably not so coincidentally, the tan tui stuff that I most favored, was the stuff more closely (read less modified I suppose you could say) to 7*

You know I actually have on VHS that old demo that was done at the Wah Lum temple in Orlando. The one that had P. Chan, Doc Fai Wong, Adam Hsu and Brendan Lai. The whole time Master Lai is doing his presentation (which was mostly application, another reason I liked him) all I could thing was, "I'm so glad I'm not that human mook jung that he keeps pounding into the hardwood floor."

[yu shan]

SoCo

That is the "Living Legends" tape. The human mook jung was Troy Provenzano, I hope I got his last name correct. I just called him Troy. He was the fighter at the temple in those days and was good, he basically did kick boxing but a good fighter non the less. Watch the video closely during Master Lai`s demo. You will see Troy get upset about getting clobbered in the neck. I guess Troy was not use to being hit like that, he usually had the upper hand. I like this tape and break it out now and then. If you are ever over Nashville way give me holler, maybe we could do some training.

Jim

[Xiao Tang Lang]

I had the pleasure of meeting Brendan Lai and he mentioned that he had severe stomach flu while filming the Living Legends tape and was vomitting constantly. He certainly did not move like someone who was sick! He performed a few techniques on me and his speed, power and accuracy were all quite impressive.

Yu Shan, hope you are doing well!

Regards,
Mike

[yu shan]

Hi Mike

Nice to see you post. I have never heard this info before, stomach virus and still moves like lightning.

You were lucky to have spent time with this man. I`ll send you a pm.

I do like Chan Pui on this tape, I admire the way he carrys out a form.

[mickey]

Greetings,

I only spoke to Master Lai once on the phone about the difficulty in finding Chariot Brand kung fu shoes. They were made with real rubber soles.

My real intro to him came through the Houston National tournament videos Jeff Bolt had available for sale. He had great technique and had a sense of humor that I really enjoyed. On one video, Master Lai was the Master of ceremonies for the Master demonstration. After the lion dance, etc., he opened by using Han's entire banquet speech from Enter the Dragion-- I mean, everything, down to the "Welcome everyone." He delivered it totally straight faced and ALL of the masters present clapped enthusiastically like Lai had just said some seriously original shyte. I watched the spectacle painfully doubled up in laughter.


mickey

[EarthDragon]

here is one of my favorite pictures taken in S.F at golden gate park many years ago of my teacher james shyun. brendan lei, and adam Hsu.

One of the rare times they all got together in uniform to represent. classic

[kal]

On one video, Master Lai was the Master of ceremonies for the Master demonstration. After the lion dance, etc., he opened by using Han's entire banquet speech from Enter the Dragion-- I mean, everything, down to the "Welcome everyone." He delivered it totally straight faced and ALL of the masters present clapped enthusiastically like Lai had just said some seriously original shyte. I watched the spectacle painfully doubled up in laughter.




BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

You mean he gave them the whole spiel about how "we are unique gentlemen" and "we forge our bodies in the fire of our will"?

That's priceless!

:D

He sounds like he was a wonderful person with a self-effacing sense of humour.

[mickey]

Hi kal,

He delivered it alright. It was wild.



mickey

[yu shan]

Great picture ED, thanks. I am a photography junkie, I look at these great photos as historical.

[Vajramusti]

I am not a mantis stylist but I was sad when Lai sifu passed away. I bought things from his SF shop several times and bought from him at several kung fu tournaments. I have said hello to Mrs Lai as well. He was even tempered, friendly and remembered people.His store was narrow and long and jammed with CMA stuff of many kinds.His inventory was large and sometimes overwhelming..
He helped arrange some major demos from China including the mainland. He was involved with others in arranging the first Beijing wu shu team tour.
There was a simply beautiful Chinese girl at a tour demo who did a Chen style taiji demo. I told Brendan Lai that
I was struck by lightning. He laughed and said that if my interest in her was serious that he could fix things up. For many reasons including that I was spoken for- I couldn't. We just laughed. Would he have? Could he have? Now I will never know!
He did have a great sense of humor in addition to kung fu and business skills..

joy chaudhuri

Sorry for typos- it's Brendan Lai-I coudnt change it in the title

[diego]

Thanks for the replies you guys:). Did Brendan Lai Sifu have any video tapes...maybe Panther Production series?. I'm on a mission to create an archive on the Gung Fu Master!.

[EarthDragon]

your welcome Yushan, yes its a classic and probably the 3 together shall never be caught by the lens again.

[Young Mantis]

To my knowledge, Sigung Brendan Lai never produced an instructional or demo video except for the "Living Legends" video filmed at Wah Lum Temple.

I believe a great testament to his skill and confidence is that he often used non-students for demonstrations as mentioned for the "Living Legends" demonstration as well as during his demo in Houston, Texas in 1987.

[diego]

To my knowledge, Sigung Brendan Lai never produced an instructional or demo video except for the "Living Legends" video filmed at Wah Lum Temple.

I believe a great testament to his skill and confidence is that he often used non-students for demonstrations as mentioned for the "Living Legends" demonstration as well as during his demo in Houston, Texas in 1987.

Thanks for the info:cool:

[mickey]

Greetings,

I do remember reading in an early IKF article that Brendan Lai had planned to write a book on his style. Does anyone know if he ever came close to finishing it?

mickey