Bruce Lee and Southern Mantis

[TopCrusader]

I heard a similar anecdote, I think it was in one of the Bruce Lee Docos. He met a Tai Ji Sifu (Wu I think) who offered to teach him Tai Ji in exchange for Cha Cha lessons. Bruce learned the Tai Ji (form, I presume?) to what the Sifu says was an acceptable level in just a few days, and then Bruce left - the Sifu never got to learn the Cha-Cha.

Just for kicks, here's Hawkins Cheung doing some Tai Ji:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0TEAqj-O20

So the West Coast guys definitely cross-trained.

Hello, the story you recount sounds exactly like what is presented in the documentary "Bruce Lee: the man and the Legend" (as well as another docu, "Bruce Lee, the Legend") which has a few minutes of Shiu Hon Sang talking about Bruce, trading lessons for Cha Cha. Shiu Hon Sang to my knowledge was not a Tai Ji Sifu, but a graduate of Jing Mo (Chin Woo, Jing Wu, etc) and therefore taught many Northern style forms.

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Hello, the story you recount sounds exactly like what is presented in the documentary "Bruce Lee: the man and the Legend" (as well as another docu, "Bruce Lee, the Legend") which has a few minutes of Shiu Hon Sang talking about Bruce, trading lessons for Cha Cha. Shiu Hon Sang to my knowledge was not a Tai Ji Sifu, but a graduate of Jing Mo (Chin Woo, Jing Wu, etc) and therefore taught many Northern style forms.

I stand corrected. Thanks.

[Fa Xing]

Bruce's father was the Tai Ji practitioner who taught Bruce, I'm not sure how much he learned though. However, he had come to the conclusion the TJQ took too long to learn how to fight with according to him, and wanted something more practical.

[TopCrusader]

While we are on the subject of Bruce Lee and Southern Mantis.....I posted this picture for consideration months ago, so I will do the same again as its a relative topic. I dont practice Southern Mantis but Ive been told they will use bamboo much like the Mook Jong WC dummy to train sensitivity, energy in their hand motions.
This particular picture was taken in Hong Kong by Robert Lee, in 1963 when Bruce was back visiting his family.

[TenTigers]

we do identical drills in SPM.

[TopCrusader]

we do identical drills in SPM.

TenTigers, thankyou for the information! I wonder if you could comment on Bruce's hand positions, if they look like typical positions from SPM? Also, the bamboo training like what is pictured.....does it go by a specific name or just "Bamboo pole training"?
Thanks

[TenTigers]

I have heard it called,"Water Dividing Kung," I believe it is in one of those 72 Shaolin arts books.(but we just call it Bamboo pole training!) We do it with a partner holding rattan or bamboo staves. You can spread them apart, or put your arms on the outside and pull them in. The arms rotate/spiral as you do this.
It looks like Bruce Lee is doing an outside moor sao-grinding arm and strike. This is one of the first techniques you are taught. It is similar in appearance to a fook-sao, but the energy is different, and it can be played many different ways.

[TopCrusader]

I have heard it called,"Water Dividing Kung," I believe it is in one of those 72 Shaolin arts books.(but we just call it Bamboo pole training!) We do it with a partner holding rattan or bamboo staves. You can spread them apart, or put your arms on the outside and pull them in. The arms rotate/spiral as you do this.
It looks like Bruce Lee is doing an outside moor sao-grinding arm and strike. This is one of the first techniques you are taught. It is similar in appearance to a fook-sao, but the energy is different, and it can be played many different ways.

Thanks for the info!! I looked up the Shaolin 72 arts you are referring to, "water seperation skill" or Fen Shui Gong as its called in one translation. In what I read, the purpose seems to be training your forward energy in crashing through a obstruction while the bamboo provides resistance. So therefore you could train a number of "hands" , training your limbs ability to take oncoming pressure & move forward with it. Sound like what you are trying to accomplish in SPM? Of course the difference here is in the Shaolin art, its a "wall" you add bamboo with. In the picture of Bruce, its just natural bamboo trees.
Thanks

[wolf3001]

I don't know how true it is but I heard some where the Bruce Lee's father had friends who introduced Bruce to several arts before he started Wing Chun. Nothing I read ever said that he did any one style for very long before taking up Wing Chun.

[Fa Xing]

That's probably true, Bruce's goal was to find the best art to use when fighting on the streets.

[hakka jai]

Hi folks
Seen this clip om utube, look for the spm hand posture by Brucie at 2:57.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=QG2M9yVJ_s8.

[TopCrusader]

Hi folks
Seen this clip om utube, look for the spm hand posture by Brucie at 2:57.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=QG2M9yVJ_s8.

Wow I guess I never really noticed before...it looks like a Crane movement to me, what makes you say its SPM? (not that I dont believe you, just curious lol!)