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Review – Ving Tsun Musuem’s Shaolin Wooden Dummy (5-8)

VTM Wing Chun Series #8 Shaolin Wooden Dummy (Part Two, Sections 5-8) By Sifu Benny Meng
Shaolin Wooden Dummy Part Two focuses on sections five through eight of the wooden dummy form. The last sections of the dummy form contain a wide variety of kicking techniques as well as the quick trapping hand movements of Wing Chun. Sifu Meng is assisted by three of his top students who help with the demonstrations. I really like this because it gives you a sense of how Sifu Meng teaches in person and it is also nice to see how his students move on the dummy as compared to their teacher. As Sifu Meng pointed out in the first Wooden Dummy video, teaching the movements of the dummy form without explaining the concepts behind them would be very superficial. It is here in the full explanation of Wing Chun’s fighting concepts that Sifu Meng separates his videos from so many others on the same subject.

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Review – Ving Tsun Musuem’s Shaolin Wooden Dummy (1-4)

VTM Wing Chun Series #7 Shaolin Wooden Dummy (Part One, Sections 1-4) By Sifu Benny Meng
There is something about training on the Shaolin Wooden Dummy that gives one the sense of fulfillment. Perhaps it is knowing that for over three centuries the wooden dummy has been used as a tool to perfect the movements of one of the world’s most effective systems of personal combat. Or maybe it is based solely on the fact that training on this special apparatus combines all the fighting concepts of Wing Chun’s three empty hand forms into one. Furthermore, continuous practice will develop the proper footwork, positioning, and energy release so crucial to the Wing Chun System. Whatever the reason, having a respected master of Wing Chun guide you through the form movement by movement is a must.

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Review – Ving Tsun Musuem’s Biu Ji: Thrusting Fingers

VTM Wing Chun Series #5/6 Biu Ji: Thrusting Fingers & Focus Control By Sifu Benny Meng
Part 5:
Biu Ji is the third hand form taught in Wing Chun Gung Fu. For years this level of training was kept as a highly-guarded secret in the Ip Man Wing Chun School, and it was only taught to a few select “closed door” students. I have seen a quite a few videos on Biu Ji and I have to say that each Sifu has his (or her) own interpretation of the applications and true purpose behind this form, perhaps due to the secretive nature this form had for so many years. However, they all seem to agree that this form contains the most advanced concepts and techniques of the Wing Chun system. Contained in this form are some very special techniques that the Wing Chun man can use to recover the dominant position if he finds that he has lost the advantage in a fight.

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Review – Ving Tsun Musuem’s Chum Kiu: The Combat Bridge

VTM Wing Chun Series #3/4 Chum Kiu: The Combat Bridge By Sifu Benny Meng
Part 3:
Chum Kiu: The Combat Bridge Part One is the third episode in the VTM Wing Chun Series. In the Sil Nim Tao video parts one and two, Sifu Meng taught us the fundamentals of the Wing Chun system in order to establish a solid foundation and understanding in the basic concepts and techniques. At the Chum Kiu level Sifu Meng introduces the student to the more advanced fighting concepts, such as generating power through forward momentum and two directional force. Although footwork is taught at the Sil Nim Tao level it is at the Chum Kiu level and in the Chum Kiu form that the advanced concepts of generating power through footwork and mobility are taught. Sifu Meng uses a slightly different teaching method in this video than in the previous.

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Review – Ving Tsun Musuem’s Sil Nim Tao: The Foundation

VTM Wing Chun Series #1-2: Sil Nim Tao: The Foundation By Sifu Benny Meng
Part 1:
In this the first video in the Ving Tsun Museum (VTM) Wing Chun series, Sifu Benny Meng covers in great detail all of the fundamental techniques and essential concepts vital at the Beginning Level of Wing Chun training. Immediately upon watching this video I was impressed by the high-level production, with multiple camera angles and professional soundtrack, but more impressive was the high level of instruction given. Having met Sifu Benny Meng and taken a tour of the Ving Tsun Museum, I can honestly say that he is a walking encyclopedia of Wing Chun and I had high expectations of his video series. He did not let me down. In true historian fashion Sifu Meng leaves nothing out of this production; after demonstrating the Sil Nim Tao form each individual technique is broke down, explained, and then demonstrated in practical application.

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Review – Gary Lam’s Philosophy of Wing Chun Fighting DVD

The DVD “Five Element System” by Sifu Gary Lam is one the two more advanced topic Wing Chun DVDs in Sifu Lam’s growing Wing Chun DVD library (currently numbering fourteen titles). Wing Chun is different than other martial arts in that Wing Chun is concept based instead of technique based. Hence the “Five Element System” DVD covers a lot of theory and is a lengthy DVD at 95 minutes. Although there are some demonstrations of the concepts put forth, this DVD is more of a concept and theory DVD. Certainly the “Five Element System” has enough of the necessary demonstrations to illustrate some concepts, but this DVD is not like a Wing Chun empty-hand form DVD where each technique is followed by a demonstration. Sifu Lam utilizes five elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal in a series of lists and matrices as well as a diagram to fully explain to the viewer a specific concept, how these concepts interrelate, how one element can aid another element, how one element can be used to overcome another element and how the five elements further conceptualize Wing Chun. As an example someone with fast hands (fire) can be overcome with changing (water) or distance (earth). This is not a DVD that will be easily digested in one sitting. There are so many fine points to understand that multiple viewings will likely be necessary for a Wing Chun practitioner to fully realize the content of this DVD and many of the elements are higher level. This DVD is highly recommended for the Wing Chun practitioner who wishes to advance his/her theoretical knowledge of Wing Chun, but is best suited for an advanced Wing Chun practitioner.

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Review – Vingrove A Thomas’ Wing Chun Kung Fu, The Basics

What it’s about:

This presentation is on the basics of Wing Chun Kung, specifically on the fundamentals of the Sli Nim Tao form and its associated applications.

Comments:

Sifu V.A. Thomas demonstrates and provides instruction on the first form of Wing Chun Kung Fu, which is Sil Nim Tao. He is also a certified member of the well-known Ving Tsun Kung Fu Athletic Association of Hong Kong. He claims on the back cover of his DVD jacket that it’s packed with in depth information and that there is “no other advance tape like it.” However, I didn’t really see anything beyond what you would find on other DVDs of the same caliber about Sil Nim Tao basics. Perhaps, Sifu should update this production… this one was made in the year 2000. He might have considered it as the DVD which set the standard then, however that was eleven years ago.

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