Ng Long Bat Gwa Gwun 五郎八卦棍

[CLFNole]

Soulfist, do you think the original northern spear was played with the left hand and then switched over to the right when it was made into a southern staff?

Frank: is that set really supposed to be northern? Never really looked northern to me looked quite southern. Granted I have only seen it performed in parts and read DFWs book but it looked southern to me.

[hskwarrior]

Frank: is that set really supposed to be northern? Never really looked northern to me looked quite southern. Granted I have only seen it performed in parts and read DFWs book but it looked southern to me.

between you and me, i have no idea. nor can it be confirmed. IMHO its Hung Sing. The only real northern thing i see in it is the dropping down on one leg (tan tui?)
I'm with you on the southern thing. it has nothing northern about its feel. too bad no way to discover the truth unless there is a similar form.

DFW's version is pretty nice to watch....he moves like my sigung and my sifu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A37L240a-K8

[CLFNole]

Yeah I was gonna write the thing about the one leg drop as that is the only non-southern thing I ever noticed.

[hskwarrior]

and that is one killer section on your legs too! haha

[LoneTiger108]

...do you think the original northern spear was played with the left hand and then switched over to the right when it was made into a southern staff?

Curious. Has anyone heard anything like I have? The spear being a soldiers weapon and the pole being a Generals weapon?

From my understanding the six point & half pole form in Wing Chun is practised with the right lead and it's explained as being the natural way to hold a heavier weapon (imagine a gwan dao or even swinging a baseball bat) Also explains why some WCK poles are tapered, allowing a blade/spear head to be attached.

Which Army Generals retired to the South of China?

[CLFNole]

Not sure about that but when you look at northern spear sets they are always left hand lead so I would imagine that the Yang Family spear would have been left handed unless perhaps it was a really really long spear used on horseback, which I supposed could be in either hand.

[jo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ26eTK9tG8

-jo

[David Jamieson]

Good set demonstration in the op vid.
Good power expressed through the weapon as well.

5th brother 8 diagram pole is shaolin in origin isn't it?
CLF and Hung Ga are both rooted in Shaolin as well, so there are a lot of similar things.

[Mano Mano]

Not sure about that but when you look at northern spear sets they are always left hand lead so I would imagine that the Yang Family spear would have been left handed unless perhaps it was a really really long spear used on horseback, which I supposed could be in either hand.

I think the reason the northern spear is primarily left handed is due the military wearing swords, which were hung from the belt on the left side.
Any sword hung on the left would get in the way of & could hinder the use of a right handed spear.

[David Jamieson]

Look at this guy, I think he's taken on too much work... lol

[CLFNole]

And his belt is likely a chain whip.

[hskwarrior]

or rope dart LOL

[Mano Mano]

Look at this guy, I think he's taken on too much work... lol

He's probably shaolin do & doesn’t know how to use any of it & just poses for pictures.

[CLFNole]

And what a nice picture it is.

[LoneTiger108]

I think the reason the northern spear is primarily left handed is due the military wearing swords, which were hung from the belt on the left side.
Any sword hung on the left would get in the way of & could hinder the use of a right handed spear.

I used to wear my blades on my left hip or on my back during training and performances and never found a problem with them getting in the way of my right handed pole. A larger sword could cause issues, but not impossible imho.

Man, we used to hold our pair of knives in our left hand and still use the pole!! I guess it depends on your teachers approach to training.

Still, from my research the General weponry compared to foot soldiers is the best explanation I have found. Like the luverly picture!! He has his spear ready for left handed use and doesn't even have any armour!! Soldier or scout. Not a General like this http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_B_J42ugRjV...GuanYu_340.jpg