Straight Form (Wah Lum)

[Yao Sing]

Frogman,
Step behind elbow turn uppercut, no block. Your left fist rests on the hip then fires right after the spin. . . I have chow choy double elbow, gwa, low hook, turn heun choy, gwa again, low hook, turn low chop, kick, kick.

Hmm, maybe we misunderstood. Sounded like you had a block between the elbow and the Pow Choy (after the turn). Elbow, turn Pow Choy, Chow Choy. Not really all that critical in terms of usage.

I think the first one is called "fist punching the sky" and the second immedieate punch would be called "continuosly punching the sky" or "Lianhuan Tong Tian".

"fist punching the sky" (Di Tien Pow Choy) is the straight up punch found near the end of 16 Hands and at the end of Lok Low pt. 1. I don't think an uppercut would fit that description. I really wish we learned the names of these moves.

[Yao Sing]

If you do post a video of Straight Form I suggest you step (walk) through it and do each move clean and don't worry about impressing anyone with speed or power.

Impress us with clean, crisp moves instead.

[Black Mantis]

Will do. There is another sequence in SF that I love. It is the "long gwa choy" then uppercut then straight punch then high block to pek choy (all with the right arm as you quickly advance forward). What is the name of that "long gwa choy?" (as I so eloquently call it).

[Yao Sing]

Just a Gwa Choy as far as I know, no other name.

[mantid1]

Its called fist punches the sky in Hung ga. Not sure what wl would call it. But it is the same technique. The second technique in the hung ga is continuously punching the sky...I doubt that there are two punches straight up in a row like that.

It may not have a "poem" type of name in WL but it sounds like they are executed the same as mentioned above.

[yu shan]

Is there a correlation between WL and Hung ga? Also it was mentioned recently by a member the resemblance of WL`s "big mantis form" and Tai Ji Praying Mantis "beng bu". I heard from a friend that Chan Pui use to visit Chiu Chuk Kai. I wonder if Chan Pui picked up anything from CCK?

[yu shan]

Hmm, maybe I should change my member name from yu shan to thread killer.

[mantid1]

I have read that Chan wan Ching was a Hung Ga stylist before a wl practitioner. I think he also developed many of the forms (or at least was a big influence) for the wl taought in the states.

It would be my guess that is where the southern stuff comes from. I see some techniques that resemble choy li fut...but think the guys who make the clf conection are off base.

From what I have seen of the mok style it seems to resemble the appearance of Hung Ga. So, I think that is your southern connection. Really not so hard to figure out.

[ironfenix]

thread killer. LOL

[Black Mantis]

Is there a correlation between WL and Hung ga?

Just recently we were discussing the "iron finger" YEE used in some of the forms. It was explained to a group of us that when LKS moved to southern China, he incorporated some "Hung Gar-like" things into the forms because only southern forms were allowed in tournaments there.

[yu shan]

Never said it was hard to figure out, it is really plain as day. Just trying to make conversation.

Thread Killer

[mantid1]

I know you knew the hung ga connectin....just laying it out for others.

I didnt want it to look like you killed the thread

[Yao Sing]

So now it's Hung Gar in Wah Lum instead of CLF? Anyone care to lay out this connection?

I still haven't had the chance to see enough Mok Gar to make a determination but it makes sense that would be where the southern influence came from.

The problem is that LKS was a fighter by trade so anything he picked up that worked would get incorporated into his Kung Fu. I doubt he was concerned with style purity or lineage.

In fact he created his own style based on what he learned and used over the years so had no intention of carrying on any styles lineage. He did, however, pay tribute by stating where he got most of his stuff and incorporated it into the name of the style.

The big question is how much did the next generation of WL change the style. It seems that CWC probably made most of the changes with MC picking up where he left off and adding what he collected from the WL elders on his yearly China trips.

[Black Mantis]

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. :-)

What is ling? My guess is that it is kind of like using 2 man drills? Help me out on this one.

[Yao Sing]

Basically it's the defend side of the form making it a complete 2-man set. I'm sure one of the experts can give a clearer definition.

If you get a copy of the 2003 (?) anniversary show tape you can see the ling side I created for 1st Form (not an impressive display, we didn't get much practice). At least it highlights some possible applications.

The intent was to showcase some apps plus prove it could be done. My partner, Art, only wanted to do the first half since we didn't get much practice time and it was all new to him (and me, I only had it worked out in my head) but while we were practicing out in the hall I convinced him to do it all the way through. Like I said, not trying to showcase any skill.