hung gar kung fu

[danbong]

The best style to study is one that makes you want to practice enthusiastically.

Get ready for lots of low stance training and forearm conditioning exercises!

[Goju_boi]

i want to try this art as well,but I havent seen any places in my town and my job takes up too much of my time.

[MenteReligieuse]

My WC sifu trained in Hung Gar as well. He has lot's of good things to say about it.

He often gives examples of Hung Gar to show the contrast of most traditional chinese kung fu styles and Wing chun (circular mvts/deep stances/very hard training [not that WC training is not hard ], etc).

And about training different arts at the same time. I tend to be on the side of "mastering" (or getting very competent in) an art before moving on to the other. Especially if the arts have different views on fighting. Not to quote Bruce Lee (who didn't invent anything by the way), but when you start learning a martial art you need to un-learn ways to punch and parry and etc, and learn new ones. Now if you have 2 styles, who don't punch the same way, don't kick the same way and don't block the same way (etc), you will probably harm yourself more in the beginning.

But I guess it's different when you learn an art + weapons or + grappling, since they teach different aspects of fighting, complementary to hand to hand.

(and no way am I gonna wait 10+ years before learning some spear forms!!)

my 2 cents.

[Goju_boi]

"But I guess it's different when you learn an art + weapons or + grappling, since they teach different aspects of fighting, complementary to hand to hand.

(and no way am I gonna wait 10+ years before learning some spear forms!!) "

I feel ya,that's why I started okinawan weapons.

[backfist]

Mente makes a very good point in his reference to Bruce Lee's philosophy of learning and punches, kicks, etc. Lee often referred to traditional gung fu as a "classical mess". On the one hand, he made very good sense. When sharing some techniques, he once told my instructor, "Tony [Ramos] a punch is just a punch, a kick is just a kick". But on the other hand, I--like many martial artists--find great richness and depth in traditional disciplines like Hung Gar Kuen.

I tend to disagree with the idea of strict adherence to one instructor and one style until it's "mastered". There isn't a thing wrong with studying Hung Gar from the perspective of Buck Sam Kong or Kwai Wing Lam (both are in California) or Vernon Rieta (Hawaii).

Be prepared, though, for the stance training. HG, like many gung fu styles, is notorious for its dependence on strong and varied horse stances. At the same time, HG developed a reputation for it's "bone-breaking" blocks. But that goes against the yin/yang basis of most styles of gung fu. Another reason to consider learning from more than one person. Even certain styles have varying "styles".

Good luck. Joi Gin.

[harmoniouswarrior]

Mente makes a very good point in his reference to Bruce Lee's philosophy of learning and punches, kicks, etc. Lee often referred to traditional gung fu as a "classical mess". On the one hand, he made very good sense. When sharing some techniques, he once told my instructor, "Tony [Ramos] a punch is just a punch, a kick is just a kick". But on the other hand, I--like many martial artists--find great richness and depth in traditional disciplines like Hung Gar Kuen.

I tend to disagree with the idea of strict adherence to one instructor and one style until it's "mastered". There isn't a thing wrong with studying Hung Gar from the perspective of Buck Sam Kong or Kwai Wing Lam (both are in California) or Vernon Rieta (Hawaii).

Be prepared, though, for the stance training. HG, like many gung fu styles, is notorious for its dependence on strong and varied horse stances. At the same time, HG developed a reputation for it's "bone-breaking" blocks. But that goes against the yin/yang basis of most styles of gung fu. Another reason to consider learning from more than one person. Even certain styles have varying "styles".

Good luck. Joi Gin.

Am in accord with virtually all that backfist says here.

Want to add, though: Believe I said this in another post on the forum, but maybe bears repeating. A grandmaster (45 years experience) for whom I have deepest respect says in classes that he has no problem with students learning a second art. Just wants them to get to green belt (about half way to black) in his system before doing so. Otherwise, as others in this sequence have said, tends to just run together and create confusion instead of competence.

Given that, I see no problem with what athletes in other fields would call cross training. In fact, I think it cuts down on wear and tear on ones body over a lifetime. This may not be a concern for the youngsters, but believe me it will become a concern if you want to practice an art for life.

HW

[cheetahkata]

hung gar is one of the best kung fu.

[Goju_boi]

hung gar is one of the best kung fu.

yep , it goes into my top ten gung fu lists

[KF Dude]

hung gar is one of the best kung fu.

The style does have an established reputation as a good kung fu style. That being said, Hung-Ga demands daily focused practice to produce the power & skill the system is known for in a self defense situation.

[Goju_boi]

hey so wut's with haveing all those weird hand positions when u fight in hung gar?