In light of the Chan Tai San thread, does anyone else wish to share any of thier own stories, either of themselves or their sifu(s)?
In light of the Chan Tai San thread, does anyone else wish to share any of thier own stories, either of themselves or their sifu(s)?
My Master one day was explaining the concept of seizing the opponent while fighting. He wanted us to know how important it was to not let your leg get caught when you kicked someone by demonstrating leg capture techniques.
He asked one of the senior students (which he knew was fond of kicking) to throw a few diferent kicks at him so he could show the different methods. Jair (the senior student) complied and threw a variety of kicks all which were seized, rather easily, by Shifu. The last kick Jair threw was a side kick, to which Shifu seized the leg and moved on to control the foot with his hands. Master Wu then explains that then you can "play" with your opponent, he demonstrated this by manipulating Jair's foot gently from side-to-side while he laughed. Jair at this point decides to pull a "Bruce Lee" on Shifu and tries to kick him with his other leg. Shifu goes from smiling to his "serious intent" (very scary) face in an instant and twists Jair foot the opposite way he was turning. Jair slams the floor face first... My Master turns to us and says "See?! It's like playing!" and let's out this big belly laugh!
for real, that made me laugh out sooooo loud! Good thing I have a home office... ::grin::
Please, more stories from everyone!
My sifu told me when he was teenager in HK he would from time to time challenge other sifu to test his skill. On one occasion he went to challenge a (what I think he said was a) southern praying mantis sifu. The SPM sifu recommended him to a northern mantis teacher if he wanted to really test his skill. (I will try to get the name and edit it in later.)
This northern mantis teacher was maybe in his late 40's maybe up to 60 yrs old, you know how sometime it is so hard to tell. Anyway this mantis teacher had some reknown for doing a powerful tornado kick from a crouched position on one leg. My sifu had heard of him and decided, yes, that he would go challenge him. My sifu located him and the older mantis sifu accepted.
Mind you, not to make my sifu sound super special or anything but he was (and still is) fast. He said most of his classmates had a hard time to even block his punches.
My sifu decided to attack first, he thought he would feint a lower attack, then punch the old man in the face and follow up and finish him. Not only did the old man block his punch, he CAUGHT it, like one would catch a baseball. My sifu was stunned, no one had ever done this before. Instantly he felt the old mantis man's fingers start digging behind his knuckles, my sifu knew then he was in big trouble. My sifu slid one arm under the other and pulled away to break the man's grip and immediately followed with a pek choi to the man's collar bone. In amazement, the old man simoultaneously parried the attack and counter attack with a sweeping downward hook straight to my sifu's groin. My sifu instantly jumped backward and bowed out, ceding victory to the old man. Some time later the old man met my Sifu's teacher, Sigung Hung Yiu Jung, and became good friends with him, never revealing that his student had challenged him before.
Every once in a while a group of students from different KF schools in Rio would get together to fight each other on Sundays. Now, this used to be done behind our Masters backs and even though some instructors would not agree with it they would turn a blind eye on what was going on and not tell on us.
The agreement was that we would fight for five minutes, no strikes to the groin, no poking eyes and nothing that could risk death. At the end of the five minutes the group would decide who won, inevitably this led to several arguments and full out fights would break out between the different camps, as you can imagine.
It was my first time in this type of environment so my body was shaking with adrenalin I was nervous looking at everyone and not knowing what was going on, for the most part. This Hung Gar guy steps up and wants to know if anyone wants in… my blood brother Paulo says “he’s ready!”, pointing his thumb at me and one of my classmates whispers “the guy is short and light you can take him”, so I step up too. We bow to each other (using our respective school bows) and immediately the HG guy gets into this strong guard-up stance with his fists and forearms covering his head, I was like “WTF?!” and get into my guard (your typical “I know Kung Fu and I’m gonna look pretty stance”). The HG guys isn’t moving so I close the gap and start kicking the sh*t out of this guy, shin, thigh and torso, problem is, he’s not moving… he’s just there taking it, I’m getting tired and discouraged, I noticed that his forearms are far enough apart that I can strike his chin with an uppercut. I go for it and next thing I know, I’m on the ground with my nose bleeding , my KF brothers around me asking me if I’m ok and everyone else is laughing. I turn to Paulo and asked him what happened, he said that when I went for the punch the HG guy threw a reverse punch straight to my face… one punch from him and I was out.
The other guys from the school did well in their fights. It was that day that I learned a few things from a few people.
The HG guy name was Marcelo (we became good friends) and he taught me that the measure of a fighter is not how much damage you can make but how much punishment you can take.
My KF brothers made me see the value of fighting people from other styles and learning how to adapt accordingly.
My blood brother Paulo told me that he knew I was gonna get my ass kicked the minute I got into that “g@y stance” (his actual words were “base de viado” for the Portuguese speakers).
BTW we fought with no protective gear, not because we were badazz but because there was no sparring gear available in Brazil at the time (80’s).
I remember when I drove to Madison with a fellow student and my son (who was 4 or 5 at the time) to check out your school. Must've been '96 or '97. We came in there trying to look and act all tough, but were completely disarmed by your very kind and open attitude. We observed your class and then demonstrated some things for your students and ended up having a pretty good time. As I demonstrated the Tiger and Crane form you said "You can almost hear the Wong Fei Hung theme from the movies in the background". I heard that story then, and then was totally embarrassed when my son spilled a soda that you so generously provided on the floor in your office...Of course you then told us about the next fight after you'd practiced some iron palm skills.Originally posted by SaekSan
Every once in a while a group of students from different KF schools in Rio would get together to fight each other on Sundays. Now, this used to be done behind our Masters backs and even though some instructors would not agree with it they would turn a blind eye on what was going on and not tell on us.
Last edited by SiuHung; 12-17-2004 at 09:09 PM.
one story i heard about my teacers teacher Kaido is he taught hells angels in montreal so he was used to dealing with big types as an average hieght asian...two local TKD guys came into his school talking about we could kick your head off feeling proud that they are bullys...they were standing beside each other and as soon as one of them said we want to fight...kaido it throug them both with a roundhouse kick splitting their lips and yelled at them to get the fuq out...then class continued.
Saeksan, care to share any more stories of your training in Brazil?
A few years ago, there was a school that was trying to “harass” the whole kung fu school. Wherever we went, if they were there, they’d try to start crap, pick a fight, or just make us look like an ass. They were always starting rumors about the school and trying to get Jason (Tao of Wushu) to lose his students by saying that Jason was a crappy teacher, our students couldn’t do kung fu to save their life, etc. etc…
Well, one day, I was at a club, and the instructor (whom we’ll call Ralph) and 4 of his flunkies were there. As soon as they saw me, they came over and started in on me about Jason and the school, trying to “intimidate” me, and pick a fight with me. I just laughed at them, and told them to come prove our worthlessness at the tournament that was coming up the following weekend. Hey, all I wanted to do was dance and drink.
That next weekend was the tournament. It was small, basically an internal tournament for this schools students, but other schools got invited anyway. We went because our school and the hosting school were friends…we’ve all trained together for a long time. Well “Ralph” and a bunch of his students were there. Ralph went and talked to the senior student of our school and was asking him if they were signed up for the team sparring competition. The senior student said no, but he was sure something could be arranged.
Our senior student, another student of ours, and a friend that did TKD all formed a team to fight in the team sparring division. There were 3 teams fighting; Ralph’s school, the hosting school and our school. They got to draw for the wildcard spot since there was only 3 schools and our school got it. So, Ralph’s school and the hosting school had to fight. Ralph’s team got mangled. His students were destroyed by under belts and a greenbelt creamed Ralph. (The best part?? I took video of the fight…it was hilarious). So, they lost. We had to fight the hosting school. We won. While our school was fighting the hosting school, Ralph came up to another student of Jason’s and started saying that we’d cheated; it was all rigged, etc. etc. Ralph said that our team should fight his team. The student from our school just laughed and asked “Why?? You just got your ass kicked by a green belt!!! Don’t you think you’ve had enough humiliation for the day??” Needless to say, this student that he was talking to used to be one of Ralph’s students.
Ralph then walked up to Jason and started talking crap about how we’re cheaters, and how everything was rigged from the beginning. Jason asked him to walk over to the corner where they could talk in private and get these matters all solved once and for all. Jason went over there, and then proceeded to tell Ralph how sick and tired of all the rumors he is, how he’s tired of every time we turn around, someone from his school is harassing someone from our school, and it won’t be tolerated anymore. It was either going to stop, or there would be repercussions.
It didn’t stop. A week later we heard rumors about how Ralph had told all of his students (and others) that Jason had backed down from Ralph’s challenge, and how Jason had apologized for all of the “bad energy” between the 2 schools, etc. etc. Jason had had enough. He and 2 students went over to Ralph’s school, walked right in the middle of the black belt class, and proceeded to ream Ralph. Ralph’s students all moved to the back of the wall, and Ralph just stood there with his mouth wide open. Jason told him that he wasn’t going to tolerate all of the rumors anymore, and they’d quit talking crap, and trying to cause fights everywhere we went., otherwise there’d be a lot of his students in the hospital with broken limbs. He told Ralph that we all had his BLESSING to start breaking bones on Ralph’s students if they continued to create havoc for us. All he could do was stand there and shake his head yes and look at the ground. After Jason asked him if he wanted to fight to solve this problem once and for all, he just shook his head no, and looked at the ground some more. Jason then walked out of the school, and all the students just looked at him. (He got a few of them as students the following day).
The next time Jason saw Ralph, it was a tournament about 6 months later. All Ralph did was walk up and say “Hello Sifu, I hope all is well at your school.” He then walked away, and the next week, going by his school, all of the signs on his school had changed to MMA, instead of Kempo. He changed his style, and a LOT of his students then went and joined other schools (including Jason’s).
I’ve heard some stories that there was a lot more said between Jason and Ralph, and all of the students of both schools….but for now, they’re all leaving me out of it!!!
~Wen~
The greatest thing about me is that I know that I am the ONLY one that knows the truth about all! Damo lives within me, and me ONLY - for there is nobody that knows the truth more - so stick that in your pipe and smoke it sparky's!!!
My old Kungfu Sifu told me this great story about a friend of his who never trained in a fighting system at all. The guy was a cement-mixer in Canton. He would stand knee deep in cement for hours everyday using the churning of his legs to keep the cement from setting. Sifu said his thighs were about as big around as an average man's waist. One day a horse went berserk in the middle of a crowded marketplace and started charging around biting and kicking innocent bystanders. When the horse got to Sifu's cement-mixer friend, the guy kicked the horse in the throat so hard he killed it. Sifu said that later some of his Kungfu brothers got mad at him and accused him of teaching the cement-mixer in secret, but the guy had never set foot in a kungfu class in his life.
That's my favorite martial arts story of all time.
Bodhi Richards
My Shifu is very humble and doesnt boast.....when asked if he ever hurt someone badly before he replied that he once fractured someones skull with a punch (gloved!) in competition......
We did press for details!
I think, therefore I am awake!
It's easier to learn to do it now and maintain it in old age than to try and learn it in old age.
The world is my oyster.....Unfortunately I'm vegtarian.
"I remember when I drove to Madison with a fellow student and my son..."
Great to hear from you! How are things going? I remember that day as well and with very fond memories! It's not everyday that you get visited by high-caliber TCMA people.
"Of course you then told us about the next fight after you'd practiced some iron palm skills."
LOL, yup!
"Saeksan, care to share any more stories of your training in Brazil?"
Sure! As I have time I'll post a few more. Now, if memory serves me right you shared a great story, that same day, about visiting a school down south...
wendy-
what comes around goes around. as time passes this will become more and more apparent to you.
you and others who hang with you have been on these forums and your own talking trash and throwing bull**** around like you are authorities on stuff you have never ever even encountered.
so when it happens to you and your tribe, expect it. I wouldn't be surprised if there are still a few more people out there waiting to unload on you.
just sayin.
Kung Fu is good for you.
I am well! Still in the lower part of the state...maybe I should come visit again sometime...Originally posted by SaekSan
"Great to hear from you! How are things going? "
" Now, if memory serves me right you shared a great story, that same day, about visiting a school down south...
"
Stories, I've a few. Not as cool as Sifu Ross's or your own, but kung fu related none the less.
In my less cooth days when I was in the army staying at Ft. Huachuca in AZ, I had a friend stationed in El Paso, TX. He wanted to learn kung fu, so I when to visit on weekends with the intent of finding a good school (as well ast the perfect margarita). We visited one MyJohngLawHorn (sp?) school...or supposedly it was. We watched a testing session they were holding, and the forms were decent. After the testing was over, the sifu approached my friend and I to see if we were interested in lessons.
I told him that I wasn't, but my friend was.
He asked if either of us had some martial arts experience, and I told him I was in Hung Gar...
He went all freaky, got very excited and exclaimed that they had our tiger and crane form in thier curriculum. (mental sigh )
He went on to explain how "different" thier school was and emphasized thier fighting guard and how it was unique...
He showed how they held thier lead hand inverted kind of like a half-azzed bong sau. He said it was hard to get past that guard and proceded to bounce around in front of me like Muhammed Ali on crack.
I couldn't believe this guy actually thought this was somehow superior to all other guard postions, so I trapped him at his elbow with a pak sau, and punched him ever so lightly in the nose.
Needless to say he got mad...And asked us to leave rapidly, which we did. However, my friend decided not to take lessons there
Shifu one day decides to explain the value of understanding chin na for combat. He begins with asking me to help him demonstrate (he liked using me because I was the biggest guy in class). I step up and both of us get en guarde, Shifu begins explaining the three lines (or circles) theory in combat and asks me to throw a few attacks (punches and kicks) which he easily fended off with his first line then explains when and how to use it. Shifu then asks me to “go deeper” on the attacks, I comply, and he fends these off (easily again) using his second line, explanation follows and on to the next command…
“Get very close and push or throw me.”
Now I had trained in Judo and Jujitsu (both JJJ and BJJ) and figured that this would be more a test on Shifu than on me, I knew how to grab, throw and more importantly how to fall so I’m thinking “No big deal if he gets me I’ll just go with the flow.” I throw a punch for the set-up and follow-up striking his chest with my palm (with the intent of grabbing his shirt and then throwing him), the second my palm reached his chest there was a thud and both of his hands trapped my open hand against his chest so I couldn’t grab, the next thing I realize is that his chest muscles expanded like they were suddenly inflated with iron, I felt a sharp pain on my wrist as I tried to brake my fall to the ground with my free hand… unsuccessful. I landed on the ground with my hand still trapped. My teacher helps me back up as I held my wrist and he says “Not like Judo, right?” I nodded in agreement.
Shifu then explains the technique he used to everyone and says that now it’s my turn to “hurt him” (I knew where this was going because he always did this when new students were there), he doesn’t even set me up he goes straight to the strike on the chest (he hit hard even when demonstrating) I do the trap and before I know it his elbow hits me square in the stomach, it shakes my whole body, he then pushes me away. He goes on to explain (to the new people) that knowing the technique is not enough, that you need hard practice and hard work to make your kung fu work.
Shifu then went on to share two of his favorite sayings:
“There’s three secrets to having kung fu 1.Parctice; 2.Practice and 3.MORE PRACTICE!”
“Those who know but do not do, only know but they are not” (“Quem sabe mas nao faz so’ sabe mas nao e’ ”)
Siu Hung,
"I am well! Still in the lower part of the state...maybe I should come visit again sometime..."
Good to hear! You definately need to stop by, just give me a heads up and I'll make sure to be there when you come.
So, have you started your son on HG? What've you been up to?