Straight Form (Wah Lum)

[Black Mantis]

Hey, does anybody have a good video showing Wah Lum''s straight form? And does anyone know where it originated? I like the strong hard techniques in it. Thanks in advance. -BM

[Corwyn]

I know the form it's on my next test actually. There used to be VERY bad version of it on utube, but I am not sure it's still up.

According to the handbook it is a Wah Lum Temple form that Si Jo Yuk Tung
got from the temple, but I don't know anything beyond that.

C

[shuaichiao]

I have a few versions of it on tape somewhere but i would have to dig around to find them. I can tell you one thing though. The name is supposed to be street form because the techniques where supposedly good for street fighting in Hong Kong. Apparently a lot of the early Wah Lum students couldn't understand the Chan's accents when they first started teaching in America so the name got mistakenly changed.

[Corwyn]

somehow I rather doubt that there is any truth to that

[Yao Sing]

Wow, serious senior moment. I started to post, got pulled away with something else, then came back and posted about a completely different form.

I checked to see if I have Straight Form on the computer and I don't see it but I might have it on an old tape. Right now my old camera (VHS-C) is broke and I can't play or capture my tapes but I'm sure I have it recorded somewhere.

I need to get all that stuff off the tapes and onto DVD.

[Tainan Mantis]

And does anyone know where it originated?

Most likely comes from MC Chan or his elder after going to HK.

Not part of the Lee Kwan Shan original series of forms.

The name Straight Form could be a shortened version of the 2nd hard technique, straight punch to the face.

The form does have that technique pop up several times.

The story about street fighting sounds highly unlikely.

Or, the name could have been added in the states, like some other WL forms eg
little mantis and big mantis lost their original names in the translation to English.

Kevin

www.plumflowermantisboxing.com

[yu shan]

I never really liked straight form, it always made me feel like I was doing a choy lee fut form and not mantis. In the same level, I think Little Mantis form has much more content. Is the original name for LM, Iron Door Bolt?

Anyone here train Big Mantis form? I understand BM is Wah Lums version of beng bu.

[Corwyn]

Most likely comes from MC Chan or his elder after going to HK.

Not part of the Lee Kwan Shan original series of forms.

The name Straight Form could be a shortened version of the 2nd hard technique, straight punch to the face.

The form does have that technique pop up several times.

The story about street fighting sounds highly unlikely.

Or, the name could have been added in the states, like some other WL forms eg
little mantis and big mantis lost their original names in the translation to English.

Kevin

www.plumflowermantisboxing.com

Kevin,

Loved to get some info on what is/was original to Lee Kwan Shan and where were you able to find the info.

Thanks in advance.

C

[ironfenix]

someone put up the list of lks original forms here a while back. Make a search.

jim - I train big mantis and can't see very much in common with Qi Xing BB, but the opening is similar to tai ji BB I think but that is about it. I will be going to florida next weekend. I will ask Shifu about it.

israel

[yu shan]

Hi Israel, hope all is well in South Texas. I will be in Tampa this weekend April 11th, are you going to be there? Who taught you big mantis? Where in Brandon is Shifu`s store?

I sent the list via pm to Corwyn, not sure if he has seen it yet.

[Yao Sing]

Straight Form has a very southern feel to it and even though it has common WL techniques it still feels a bit different. I've always liked this form myself but then I also play some CLF so I don't have a distate for the southern arts.

I'm also not a purist so I don't mind mixing the arts. It has some good apps plus I do my own thing half the time with all these set and moves anyhow.

ironfenix
I originally didn't see that much of a similarity between them but after digging into it more I can see a lot of similarity. There's also a couple of different versions of Big Mantis from what I've heard and hopefully someday I'll get a chance to see the video tape of one version that's in the possession of a mutual friend.

If you guys all get together for dinner or anything let me know and I'll try to hop down there.

[ironfenix]

Jim,
i am going up the weekend of the 17th-20th. Bad timing. Shifu's store is I think on kingsway in front of Earl Harris (i think) Taekwondo. There is a walgreens and a subway on the other corners of the street. Shifu taught me big mantis.

Hua lin - I also heard there were a couple of versions of Big Mantis. I still think it has similiarities to tai chi mantis bb.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uvHsXQNkMXw

thanks

[SoCo KungFu]

I train the big mantis form. I personally don't know Beng Bo however, but from what I've seen of the versions of the set, there are some techniques that appear in big mantis. Its just difficult to tell. From in Beng Bu a lot of them are done in a combination with other techniques. Where as in big mantis a lot of techniques (that I see cross-over) are done on one side, then the other, then moving into different techs. Did I make sense there?

If somebody could let me know how to post a vid I can try. I'm not very technologically savvy though. My vid recorder is the type that uses the mini tapes. What would I need to put them onto a computer and then to a host? I record all the forms I know so I can go back, cuz I forget a lot now that I'm not in FL anymore. I been meaning to put em all on the compy anyways in case something were to happen to my tapes.

I guess I will need to double check with my old mantis sifu to see what he says about it though. I don't think he would have a problem with it, its not like I haven't done the set at tournies anyways. But I would like to just as courtesy. I wouldn't want to flame any of that old FL mantis scene drama my sifu's way.

Its been a while since I had some criticism for my forms anyways.

[yu shan]

Yao

Better clarify... nothing wrong with CLF, an awesome style for sure. I just did not like the way straight form felt. I always liked little mantis. It must have been one of Chan Pui`s favorites, he did it a lot didnt he.

SoCo, I have a closet full of vhs I have to preserve, some of it is going bad.

[Yao Sing]

That's because of the southern feel it has to it, bit of a different flavor and power generation I think. The long moves probably feel odd to you

There are a couple of moves that I'm not real comfortable with but nobody said you have to like it all. It some have some of the typical WL deceptive moves where you appear to retreat but turn into an attack. I like that.

Little Mantis is a good form for sure but I'm not thrilled with the second half of the form repeating the first half, unless it's done on the other side like can be done with 7 Kicks. I feel like there's a hidden second half that's not available to the average student (read non-family member).

Although, mixing it with the second half of Say Lok seems to work well which is why it's done in competition and performances.

I have created a ling side for LM which I think should be the second half of the form (attacking in first half, defending in second half). At least then you get the counters for all the moves. :-)