Chiu Family Hung Gar weightlifting

[sanjuro_ronin]

Nice bump Gene.
I doubt they do/did 'endurance" type work ( high reps low weight), they are Hung Guys, I am sure they did the classical ST of the time and what is still the good soild core basics:
Moderate to heavy weights, low reps and sets, minimal time in the gym, get strong and get the hell out.

[David Jamieson]

Chiu Wai is like a Chinese version of Jack LaLanne

[iron_leg_dave]

Tu Jin-Sheng's photos always impress me. His lats look like bat wings, and his facial muscles make it look like he could bust a picnic table with his face without popping a zit.

[Jimbo]

I remember visiting Chiu Chi Ling's school one night in Kowloon on one of my visa trips to HK from Taiwan, in 1988. When I got there, Chiu Chi Ling hadn't arrived yet, and none other than his father, Chiu Kau, answered the door and let me in. As I recall, the training area was small, with weight equipment to the sides of the practice area.

[jmd161]

I know through my sifu that Chiu Chi Wai was always into body building. I think I remember him saying that Chiu Chi Ling was also but can't remember for sure.

[5thBrother]

For Their Todai...

I'd be interested in a exact breakdown of their weights training routine, no doubt from what i can tell its just standard weight lifting / basic body building training ontop of their MA training... but would be interested in any their "routines"

Q's would include.. "how was your weighs routine in your 20s/early years", "how is your weights routine changed now that your in your eg. 70s"

would be interesting for the curious like me...

Or for any "MA journilist types" that wanna do an interview with their Sifu etc...

nice thread

[SevenStar]

I'm doubting it was basic body building. body building training is counter productive to the results MA typically go for. There is a difference between strength training and body building.

[David Jamieson]

weight routines for kungfu are not typical bodybuilding routines although some stuff is shared like big compound lifts, military presses, punch outs etc.

there are some that are never gonna be seen in a gym like weighted full range of motion lifts, wrapping lifts, and lifting from postures to stress points (similar to some types of lock lifts).

[JamesC]

With such basic equipment, it seems like compound lifts would be the emphasis.

Full squats, deadlifts, bench press, and press will always be king. They're the best for you and require no specialized equipment, really.

I've always wondered why people thought you had to have a bodybuilding routine in order to get huge... Those routines are tailor made for each individual AFTER having reached their genetic potential. In most cases, to help push themselves beyond their genetic potential with the aid of anabolics.

In my opinion, Sifu Chiu Wai looks like someone who could have easily done nothing other than basic compound lifts, his kung fu training, and just practiced a healthy lifestyle.

[jmd161]

I'm doubting it was basic body building. body building training is counter productive to the results MA typically go for. There is a difference between strength training and body building.

According to my sifu he competed and was really into body building big time! I think he was a champion or something like that.... My sifu knew him when they both were much younger and in HK.

[JamesC]

According to my sifu he competed and was really into body building big time! I think he was a champion or something like that.... My sifu knew him when they both were much younger and in HK.

What was the time frame for his competitions and stuff?

I ask because the state of bodybuilding then was probably still in it's infancy, and thus, still included the major lifts as their staple.

[sanjuro_ronin]

The Chuis trained ST in the 50's and 60's so yeah, it would have been more like strength building than body building as we tend to know it nowadays.

Hung Kuen and ST have always gone hand in hand in my view, Hung guys love their power

[jmd161]

What was the time frame for his competitions and stuff?

I ask because the state of bodybuilding then was probably still in it's infancy, and thus, still included the major lifts as their staple.

I'll find out more this weekend when my sifu returns... I'll ask him and get back to you.

[Frost]

What was the time frame for his competitions and stuff?

I ask because the state of bodybuilding then was probably still in it's infancy, and thus, still included the major lifts as their staple.

to be fair most good bodybuilders suggest building strength first with the big main lifts, arnie suggested this, franco colombo was a power lifter too, coleman still deadlifts heavy right up until competition.

the problem is as you say people see the pre comp routines of lifters and assume thats all they do or thats all they ever did, without realising they build size and strength with the big lifts first

[JamesC]

to be fair most good bodybuilders suggest building strength first with the big main lifts, arnie suggested this, franco colombo was a power lifter too, coleman still deadlifts heavy right up until competition.

the problem is as you say people see the pre comp routines of lifters and assume thats all they do or thats all they ever did, without realising they build size and strength with the big lifts first

Yeah, and I get so **** aggravated when I see people who weigh 120lbs walk into the gym and start doing 3 sets of 10 on bench press and dumbbell curls just because they saw it in Flex. Gah.

I've also noticed that a lot of body builders are pretty tight-lipped when it comes to telling newbs about building a base in strength training first. All the good ones did it, but it's almost like they want the rookies to think that if they train from the routine straight out of magazines without actually getting stronger first.

Anyways, it just seemed that with the equipment that was most likely available to Sifu Chiu Wai at the time, that the core lifts were most likely his staple.

However, thanks to Muscle and Fitness, and other crappy magazines, the general public seems to think that you can't look huge, cut, or in-shape unless you do at least 3 sets of 10 on every machine in the gym.

Full squats, press, bench, deadlifts, and pullups are all anyone needs to get huge. The determining factor is going to always be the diet.