That Yip Man pic with the Iron Rings

[Liddel]

I agree with Mat's call, but i dont use small weights in the forms.
My Sifu has shown me several different types of VT specific weights drills.
Things for improving elbow power, punching power and stepping power etc.

None are using very heavy weights but merely applying a little resistance to certain actions for more benifit. Some can make you faster, or more powerful, without compromising relaxation / tension etc

There are other examples of adding resistance to your training without using actual weights.
I notice some people practice Bui Sao wilst using the elbow, where as when i 'practice' it in form i have my elbow straight and just pivot/rotate my wrist 'only' for greater resistance. (some lineages do it this way all the time in the form)

I also from time to time hold the thin end of my Lok Dim Boon when doing certain actions so as to make the far end heavier thus giving me a greater resistance helping endurance, stance stucture etc.

Mocking the weight 'training' idea only shows a difference of opinion or a narrow mind....
which one are you ?

[anerlich]

LOL at extrapolating this photograph into the a political statement or verification of any lineage's approach.

LOL at lifting weights without muscular tension.

[Airdrawndagger]

I could be wrong but it has been said that the jedi can also lift weights without muscular tension... if only yoda was here to explain how...

[Don J]

The last pic posted made me laugh so hard, good job on the photoshop.

[Lindley]

I believe that this was a "photo shot". At the gathering of the 5 grandmasters at the Ving Tsun Museum years ago, the question was posed about using weights during siu nim tao and other Ving Tsun training, brought up as a result of this photo. Their response was that one should NOT use weights.

It is possible that Yip Man was illustrating something with this photo, or caught trying them out. But we cannot assume he incorporated it in his training or that this represents his opinion this is valuable.

In my own opinion, there may be some value of using weights during training but not by the novice.

Good luck with your kung fu....

[viper]

iv got some proper old footage of him doin the little ideas form and some of him working the dummie hes fast

[Phil Redmond]

I was just informed by another prominent WC Sifu (not my own), that those altered pictures of Yip Man are distasteful so I have removed the attachment I uploaded. My intent was to show that those pictures don't prove that Yip Man used Iron Rings and in no way was I trying to be disrespectful to Si-Gung Yip Man.
Phil

[Matrix]

I was just informed by another prominent WC Sifu (not my own), that those altered pictures of Yip Man are distasteful so I have removed the attachment I uploaded.

Hey Phil,
I don't know who the "prominent WC Sifu" is, but I agree 100% with his judgement. Poor taste, maybe not by some modern standards, but poor taste none the less. Thank you for removing the image.

[Mr Punch]

I thought they were funny, not disrespectful in any way and they made a couple of points well.

Oh and btw, he died you know... but when he was alive he just maybe had a sense of humour...

[marcus_pasram]

Attention everyone,

Recently, we stumbled across these pictures of SiFu Yip Man and strongly feel it is in bad taste to depict the Late Wing Chun Grandmaster in pornographic and degrading images. We are ashamed that Wing Chun practitioners would engage in this type of public conduct. Grandmaster Yip Man dedicated his entire life to the preservation of Wing Chun. He even spent portions of his life in poverty because he didn't want to teach the wrong people. Eventually, he opened the door to this wonderful Art in Hong Kong and gave it to the next generation. Most of us are Wing Chun practitioners because of his generosity. All of his direct students gave him the highest possible honor and their students consider it a great honor to be a member of his Kung Fu family. It is unthinkable that any Martial Art school would condone this behavoir. Now later Wing Chun generations mock the Late Grandmaster in childish images one would find in bathroom-stalls. This isn't the way to repay his generosity.

Some in the present generation may consider these images to be funny but would they laugh if it were their grandfather, grandmother, father or mother being mocked? There is a set of rules for every Martial Art club that members should observe. The least of which includes the preservation of morality, dignity and respect to society and our elders.

If you feel this behavoir is acceptable, ask your SiFu how funny it is. Ask him/her what is the right thing to do. As Martial Artists, we all have a responsibility to conduct ourselves with honor and dignity.

Sincerely,

Marcus Pasram ( for the Yip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy )
wingchunnyc@gmail.com

[Chief Fox]

Attention everyone,

Recently, we stumbled across these pictures of SiFu Yip Man and strongly feel it is in bad taste to depict the Late Wing Chun Grandmaster in pornographic and degrading images. We are ashamed that Wing Chun practitioners would engage in this type of public conduct. Grandmaster Yip Man dedicated his entire life to the preservation of Wing Chun. He even spent portions of his life in poverty because he didn't want to teach the wrong people. Eventually, he opened the door to this wonderful Art in Hong Kong and gave it to the next generation. Most of us are Wing Chun practitioners because of his generosity. All of his direct students gave him the highest possible honor and their students consider it a great honor to be a member of his Kung Fu family. It is unthinkable that any Martial Art school would condone this behavoir. Now later Wing Chun generations mock the Late Grandmaster in childish images one would find in bathroom-stalls. This isn't the way to repay his generosity.

Some in the present generation may consider these images to be funny but would they laugh if it were their grandfather, grandmother, father or mother being mocked? There is a set of rules for every Martial Art club that members should observe. The least of which includes the preservation of morality, dignity and respect to society and our elders.

If you feel this behavoir is acceptable, ask your SiFu how funny it is. Ask him/her what is the right thing to do. As Martial Artists, we all have a responsibility to conduct ourselves with honor and dignity.

Sincerely,

Marcus Pasram ( for the Yip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy )
wingchunnyc@gmail.com

Macus, I apologize if I have insulted you, the memory of Yip Man or any other Wing Chun practitioner.

I agree with your comments about responsibility and conducting ourselves with honor and dignity". But IMO, I feel laughter is also very important. There is never a bad time to laugh. Of course, I've never met Yip Man but I have to believe, based on the discussion of this thread, that he would have laughed when he saw the picture. The picture wasn't meant to dishonor a great man. It was meant to poke fun at some of the speculation in this thread.

Again, I apologize if I have insulted you. I've removed the picture.

Brian

[Mr Punch]

Recently, we stumbled across these pictures of SiFu Yip Man and strongly feel it is in bad taste to depict the Late Wing Chun Grandmaster in pornographic and degrading images.

Where was the pornograhy? In what way were these images degrading?

He even spent portions of his life in poverty because he didn't want to teach the wrong people... Most of us are Wing Chun practitioners because of his generosity.

I would guess he also spent portions of his life laughing at Bruce Lee's stunts (even the ones that supposedly lost him money) and WSL's sense of humour among other things. You are denying him the generosity of his spirit by denying him human traits, and just honouring his photo in your kwoon does not honour not the real man himself. It leads to semi-deification and is not healthy.

It is unthinkable that any Martial Art school would condone this behavoir. Now later Wing Chun generations mock the Late Grandmaster in childish images one would find in bathroom-stalls.

I completely understand your position, as you are a high-ranking individual with a public face, but that's not to say I agree! No martial arts schools are condoning this behaviour, you are chastising individuals for their actions.

Plus you are ignoring the intention behind these images. They were not made to ridicule Yip Man.

Some in the present generation may consider these images to be funny but would they laugh if it were their grandfather, grandmother, father or mother being mocked? There is a set of rules for every Martial Art club that members should observe. The least of which includes the preservation of morality, dignity and respect to society and our elders.

I appreciate Chinese cultural values, but I'm not Chinese, and I have to remain faithful to my cultural values also. These include a GSOH, a dedication to some degree of freedom of speech and action, and a healthy disrespect for political correctness and the status quo of whatever 'governing class'. I do not think these are at odds with Chinese cultural values either... the Chinese people I've met and are friends with and drink with would probably agree with me.

So yes, I would mock my grandmother (though she may have chosen to have beaten me for it - she was a hard woman!) and I firmly believe that although the Confucian ideals you're espousing would condemn me for it, the common history of many revolutionaries, rebels, freedom fighters and criminals who would have made up the martial arts classes of China would have no problem making fun of theirs either!

If you feel this behavoir is acceptable, ask your SiFu how funny it is. Ask him/her what is the right thing to do.

I laughed so I know how funny it was. I don't ask my sifu (or my dad, or anyone else) before I go to the toilet either.

[Mr Punch]

So we had the edict then Mr Pasram?

Just wondered...

[Mr Punch]

Hi Marcus, looks like we're both online again.

I was seriously wondering if you'd considered responding or if you feel it is below you in some way, or just not a serious enough issue, or whatever...?

[marcus_pasram]

So we had the edict then Mr Pasram?
Just wondered...

Hi Mat,

I expressed my opinion on the images and respect other's opinion on the matter. Lol at the thought I issue edicts. I'm a WC student like most ppl here and would prefer to discuss WC with open minded people sans the politics, trolling and other diversions.