Tag: reviews

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Product Reviews (3rd Party)

Review – Sifu Fernandez’s Wing Tchun Do DVD

Some of you may not have heard of Sifu Fernandez, but I’m sure most of you recognise the name Fighterman. Sifu Fernandez began his martial arts training in 1972 under the direct Ip Man lineage of Grandmaster Tsui Shun Tin in Australia. He also trained under the late Sifu Jim Fung from 1973 till the early 1990s. In 1992, Sifu Fernandez started to learn Leung Ting Wing Tsun under Sifu Stefan Fischer and became his personal student for seven years. He later moved back to Europe and became a private student of Sifu Cuciuffo, Sifu Kernspecht, and finally, Sifu Leung Ting. Wing Tchun Do is Sifu Fernandez’s own interpretation of what he has discovered through his personal journey.

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Product Reviews (Customer)

Another Review for Gary Lam’s Foundation Fortress

The DVD “Foundation Fortress” by Sifu Gary Lam of the Wong Shun Leung Wing Chun (WSLWC) lineage is the latest offering by Sifu Lam covering Wing Chun’s empty-hand form “Siu Nim Tau.”  The wording on the DVD “Uncovering the hidden principles of the Siu Nim Tau” succinctly expresses the central theme of the DVD. The DVD stresses the true importance of the Siu Nim Tao form as the very foundation of Wing Chun, and then explores the Siu Nim Tau form illuminating those concepts that can so easily be missed, overlooked or in some cases misunderstood.  So important is Siu Nim Tao that it is rumored that the late Grandmaster Ip Man practiced the form daily up unto his death.  Additionally, within Sifu Lam’s  DVD, “Making Gwoh Sau (Crossing Hands) Work for You”  Sifu Lam is found to state that about 80% of Crossing Hands is derived from the Siu Nim Tau form, further proof of the great importance of the Siu Nim Tau form. The DVD runs approx. 80 minutes and can roughly be broken up into three sections: the form and the hidden concepts, the six actions of the form and once again the hidden concepts gleaned from the Siu Nim Tau form and a seminar from 2009. The added bonus of the DVD is the 2009 seminar that runs roughly 26 minutes and while filmed earlier in 2009 the seminar does shed light on those hidden principles of the Siu Nim Tau form in a visceral manner. The DVD is geared towards intermediate- level students, in the sense that the student should already know the Siu Nim Tau form to fully appreciate the content of the DVD.  “Foundation Fortress” is a worthy addition to any Wing Chun student’s collection, but is probably better understood by an intermediate or higher level Wing Chun student – highly recommended.

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Product Reviews (3rd Party)

Review – Rick Spain’s Wing Chun Footwork DVD

This DVD is one of many available from Everything Wing Chun featuring Rick Spain, with this title focusing on footwork. We go straight into the action with only a brief introduction to what is to follow.

First, Rick delves into the principles of posture, balance, and poise with demonstrations of the basic fighting stance and how to find and maintain you centre of balance. What follows next is a look at the different types of footwork taught by Rick at his school.

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Product Reviews (3rd Party)

Review – Sam Chan’s Biu Gee

In some Wing Chun circles, the Biu Gee form is revered as the most advanced form in the system. Others believe it contains secret techniques, only to be taught to closed-door students. In the introduction to this DVD, Sam Chan confirms this myth telling us that Grandmaster Ip Man himself said: “Biu Gee doesn’t go out the door,” which was funny, seeing as I was watching a DVD based entirely on this form.

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Product Reviews (3rd Party)

Review – Sifu Sergio Past and Present DVD

One thing I have learnt in my time of writing for WCI is to be open-minded. Yes, there is some very poor Wing Chun out there, but there is also some outstanding stuff too, and sometimes this instruction can come from outside of my own lineage.

Hopefully, you already know Sifu Sergio from his excellent articles in previous WCI issues and you probably realise that he is an expert on the history of Wing Chun. However, does that mean that he can make a good instructional DVD? The simple answer is: yes.

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Long Pole

Review of Pole Woods for Smash Training

I had some customers a while back that wanted to use poles for smash training. With this type of training you are smashing the tip of the pole into various objects on the floor very hard and often. (Remember the scene from Warriors Two where they are smashing walnuts?  It is the non-theatrical version of this training).  It is one of the most intense uses of the long pole.

Around that time I had about 20 different poles in my garage, so I was able to fully test these poles for flexibility and strength. This is what I found and how I tested.

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Product Reviews (3rd Party)

Review – Gary Lam’s Foundation Fortress

There is nothing more exciting than receiving an unexpected present through the post. But when that present is the new Gary Lam DVD, you know it is going to be a good day.

From the outset, this DVD gives an excellent introduction to the Siu Nim Tau form by Gary Lam himself, where he whets our appetite by telling us that he will be covering the form in detail and that it will not be complicated or hard to learn.

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