Hung Gar footwork & training questions

[TopCrusader]

I have a question regarding Hung Gar and its footwork. I study Jun Fan Gung Fu and was recently reading Jesse Glover's book "Between Wing Chun and JKD" where Glover mentions Lee's training in Hung Gar:

"Several of the actors that Bruce knew practiced Tai Chi, but the man who first taught him was from the Hung style. Bruce showed me some pictures of the man and he appeared to be a tough individual. He was about five foot 10 inches and weighed over 200 lbs. Bruce said that the man was a good teacher and that he had learned a lot from him about the Hung and other styles. One picture that bruce had of the man showed him practicing his footwork on two foot high stakes that were driven into the ground. Another picture showed him practicing footwork on small bottles that were spread out in a form pattern. The top of the bottles didn’t leave the man much margin for error, but Bruce said that he had seldom seen the man fall from the bottles as he went through his practice sessions.”

Bruce showed me some books that the man had sent him on Chinese jiu jitsu. He said the man was highly skilled in the use of these joints and wrist locks and that he had taught a few of them to him before he had left Hong Kong.
Bruec said that in those early days he had a strong feeling for the Hung style because of its reputation for strong footwork and punching. He often talked about members of the hung style who could resist the pull of several men once they were firm in the horse stance.


I would appreciate some more information about this type of training and if anybody knows the name of the Hung Gar Sifu that taught Lee in Hong Kong in the early-mid 1950s. I am unfamiliar with Hung Gar in general and would like to be educated!
THANKS!

[once ronin]

Bruce Lee had a date with destiny to develope more and more power.

Be it internal or external he was looking and working hard on developing power.

The only problem to this classical mess as Bruce lee would put is, no one was willing to teach their students.

So if you were to measure striking power this hung teacher after 5 years of his training and measure 5 years of a typical hung student's striking power I am sure it will not be the same.

You can take a picture they both may look the same but their striking power will be different. Why is that? Its part of the classical mess.

You have today no different than 40 years back people openning schools that have not achieve levels as describeed in cook books. So these business people will tell students you are not ready to learn specific levels, be patient and pay your monthly fees.

Then you have the real masters that would hurt you, but they work hard to develope what they have, why would they teach a short cut or explain to their students at all. They would like to see you dedicated before teaching you a small portion of their knowledge.

The idea to hung ga is the multi-levels of breathing in the forms. This is if you can find a good teacher.

Hung ga is about power internal & external.

[hskwarrior]

Bruce Lee had a date with destiny to develope more and more power.

Be it internal or external he was looking and working hard on developing power.

The only problem to this classical mess as Bruce lee would put is, no one was willing to teach their students.

So if you were to measure striking power this hung teacher after 5 years of his training and measure 5 years of a typical hung student's striking power I am sure it will not be the same.

You can take a picture they both may look the same but their striking power will be different. Why is that? Its part of the classical mess.

You have today no different than 40 years back people openning schools that have not achieve levels as describeed in cook books. So these business people will tell students you are not ready to learn specific levels, be patient and pay your monthly fees.

Then you have the real masters that would hurt you, but they work hard to develope what they have, why would they teach a short cut or explain to their students at all. They would like to see you dedicated before teaching you a small portion of their knowledge.

The idea to hung ga is the multi-levels of breathing in the forms. This is if you can find a good teacher.

Hung ga is about power internal & external.

from what i understand the man was asking about Hung Ga and its FOOTWORK....LOL

[TopCrusader]

I guess what I was asking was is this type of training as described in my first post a typical thing when training Hung Ga?

[David Jamieson]

stepping patterns are often to a diagonal to evade incoming and create an opening at outside gates.

I practice 2 styles of Black tiger. One contains a type of "dragon stepping", which is cross stepping to the diagonal as well as stomping, moving in and out of post and so on.

I say this because one style is a "Hung" style of Black tiger and it uses these footwork patterns.

There is an adequate mix of lightness and heaviness depending on whether you are attacking, retreating, evading etc.

There is also a lot of emphasis on building a strong root for your stepping. This is not easy to achieve when you are moving quickly.

[4 Dragons]

It could maybe have been William Chung. Bruce Lee baby sat for his son Philip I think his name is. I don't know if the time period is right though. I saw Master Chung throw Master Peter Robinson like he was a rag doll.

[Violent Designs]

stepping patterns are often to a diagonal to evade incoming and create an opening at outside gates.

I practice 2 styles of Black tiger. One contains a type of "dragon stepping", which is cross stepping to the diagonal as well as stomping, moving in and out of post and so on.

I say this because one style is a "Hung" style of Black tiger and it uses these footwork patterns.

There is an adequate mix of lightness and heaviness depending on whether you are attacking, retreating, evading etc.

There is also a lot of emphasis on building a strong root for your stepping. This is not easy to achieve when you are moving quickly.

Sil Lum Hak Fu Mun?

The style that uses the grinder dummy?

[David Jamieson]

Sil Lum Hak Fu Mun?

The style that uses the grinder dummy?

My training partner is a practitioner of that style yes and we exchange yes.
And the style does contain the use of a grinder dummy.
There is a photo of Wong Cheung using it.
However, I have not used that particular contraption.

[SanHeChuan]

look up Plum flower posts.

[David Jamieson]

look up Plum flower posts.

plum flower posts are used in many styles and in some families of hung gar, not used at all.

[TopCrusader]

It could maybe have been William Chung. Bruce Lee baby sat for his son Philip I think his name is. I don't know if the time period is right though. I saw Master Chung throw Master Peter Robinson like he was a rag doll.

Interesting! Didnt know that. However, William Chung was born in 1935 making him only 5 years older than Lee. Still possible I suppose?? I looked him up and saw he died just last year.