WCI Review - Benny Meng - Ip Man Wing Chun Series 8: Slashing Sword

Presented by the well-known Sifu Benny Meng, the video is around 47 minutes long, including the introduction to Sifu Meng, which is about four minutes long and introduces Ip Man Wing Chun, and explains the background and experience of Sifu Meng. He has studied under several different instructors, including Ip Ching, and has also trained in the Moy Yat and Jiu Wan lineages.

The brief preface is followed by another introduction to the specific video on the Slashing Swords. Sifu Meng talks about the Wing Chun system's weapons and claims that in the past they were taught first, while now they have lost some of their importance and are taught last. After this five-minute introduction, Sifu Meng presents his three assistants for the video. Two of them are instructors and the third is a student. Sifu Meng then briefly continues his introductory speech before we get on with the action.

The first chapter is called "Empty Hand of the Sword Forms". This involves one of Sifu Meng's assistants demonstrating the first four sections of the form empty-handed, meaning without holding the swords. This is followed by "Tactics of Strategy". Here, Sifu Meng briefly discusses the tactics that can be employed while utilising the swords. His assistant uses a stick to allow Sifu Meng to demonstrate the tactics applied when using the Slashing Swords against another weapon.

The next chapter is called "Tactics of Intercept". It is followed by the demonstration of the first four sections of the form while holding the swords. Sadly, the chapter that follows, relating to the applications of the sword form, is very brief and without any explanations.

Sifu Meng goes on to thank people for watching the video and explains how a second video is to follow that will demonstrate the rest of the form and further discuss the Slashing Swords. The last few minutes of the video are spent on Sifu Meng explaining what that content will be, showing the first section of the form and discussing the right type of knife to practise with.

The audio quality was subpar, and there were moments when I had trouble comprehending what was being said. Furthermore, the video resolution degraded towards the end, making it difficult to watch. The instruction could have been more thorough; the video only provides a surface-level overview of the first four sections, with very little detail about applications of the form.

Benny Meng - Ip Man Wing Chun Series 8: Slashing Sword
Language: English
Running Time: Approx. 42 min.
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