Greetings from summercamp

[Andreas Hoffman]

Dear friends and family worldwide,

greetings from the weng chun summercamp 2003. We are 30 people from whole Germany all the way from Canada Sifu Manuel. We are sharing a lot of sweat, joy and combat training.

Topics:

Kiu Sao (18 Kiu Sao- and free sparring with me and the other masters )
Kamna
Heaven Wooden Dummy & Application
Fa Kuen & Application
Weng Chun Sap Yat Kuen
Weng Chun Sap Yat Kuen Doy Dar
Groundfighting
Awareness and concentration exercises
How to deal with fear, greed in free sparring etc.
Weng Chun cultivation way, etc.

Manuel is learning the famous Weng Chun Luk Dim Boon Kwun and enjoying private Kiu sao sparring with me.

We miss you here.

Sifu Hoffmann

[William E]

I wanted to wish GM Hoffman a very happy birthday from Sifu Gee and all of the HFY members in San Francisco. Hopefully one day we will all get a chance to meet in person.

Your summercamp sounds great and full on information and practice. I look forward to seeing any pictures you may have a chance to post.

Sincerely

William E.

[Savi]

I would like to say on behalf of our school as well, "Happy Birthday from Meng's Martial Arts of AZ Grandmaster Hoffman!"

I can tell from GM Hoffman's post that the summercamp is truly full of many memorable kung fu moments. We look forward to GM Hoffman's next visit to the southwestern part of the USA.

[passing_through]

Sifu Hoffmann,

Happy Birthday from Sifu Meng and everyone here at Meng's Martial Arts!!

Your life is like a shining light, burning away the shadows of illusion. May it continue to burn for decades to come.

Good training with the Summer Camp. Tell Manny and Holger I said "hello."

Sincerely,
Jeremy R.

[Andreas Hoffman]

Dear friends in Northamerica,

thank you so much for your birthday greetings. We celebrated yesterday in our weng chun chan garden. It is good to feel that I and weng chun have friends and family in Northamerica.
Today we are working on the groundheadlockdefence and to use the 18 Kiu Sao in groundfighting. A great experience after a short night. My students from poland will come the next days.

Sifu Hoffmann

[Chango]

From my family and everyone hear at Meng's of Eaton would like to wish you a Happy birthday as well. Another year to celibrate life and learning! :)

Wow! I would have loved to have been able to attend that summer camp. I look forward to seeing and hearing more about it!


Sincerely,
Chango Noaks

[Andreas Hoffman]

This Year's Second Summer Camp (06. - 10.08.2003)
Whole Europe suffers from the persistent heat wave - but nevertheless, the teachers and masters of Weng Chun Kung Fu meet again for their annual Summer Camp in Bamberg under the leadership of Sifu Andreas Hoffmann.
The general topic of this 'hot' summer camp was the development of 'Internal Power', the soft, springy power, which was trained in single exercises, in forms, with weapons, at the wooden dummy, and, of course, in Kiu Sau.
Particularly, the enthusiastic Kung Fu fighters could learn and extend their knowledge of the forms in great detail, according to their level of training. Those forms were the Saam Pai Fat, Sap Yat Kuen, Chong Kuen, the heaven wooden dummy form with footwork, the long pole form, and the long pole wooden dummy form.
Sifu Andreas Hoffman taught the second Chong Kuen form to the masters. It was a very complex form, which combines the simultaneous use of contrary power directions with advanced Weng Chun footwork. For the other participants this was an amazing outlook of the jewels that the Weng Chun curriculum has to offer them in the future!
The instruction in Kiu Sau (Chi Sau) started with an exercise that showed how to quickly and surprisingly attain and keep a favourable attacking angle (Bik). Then, the participants trained to absorb the attacking power of an opponent, even in a very confined space, sending it back in a wavelike movement (Tan-To). Through this training, Weng Chun practitioners learn that by being relaxed and in control of the space, through the use of the 'Soft Internal Power', we can use an opponents own movements and actions to overcome and finish him.
In free sparring each participant had a chance to test their skills with each other. Participants also had the opportunity to test their skills against the masters and receive individual instruction. Ground fighting exercises, Kam-Na (to catch - pin with grasps), footwork, the 10 Wisdoms of Shaolin, and numerous spontaneous discussions, questions, and experimental lessons completed an enormous curriculum that exceeded all expectations.
Besides the daily training, there were memorable occasions that we celebrated together. Our Simo, Nava Hoffman, and two participants celebrated their birthday during the week, congratulations!
Sifu Master Holger Eckert successfully completed his long and difficult examination for the first master level degree in Weng Chun. All participants of the summer camp and many guests were invited to the official master celebration! During this wonderful and dignified ceremony, Grandmaster Sifu Andreas Hoffmann accepted the tea offered by Sifu Eckert. This officially made him one of the successors in the long lineage of masters from Southern Shaolin. Along with him there are now three other masters who have gained this honour since Weng Chun left China and arrived in Europe.
Though many looked quite tired at the end of the week, each participant demonstrated the form they had learned anew in front of the whole group. Sifu Hoffman, perceiving the actual ability of each participant, improved their Weng Chun skills by using the proper teaching and training methods. All showed their deepest thanks to Grandmaster Hoffmann through their enthusiastic and heartfelt applause.
With newly confirmed insights into Weng Chun Kung Fu, each one is well equipped on their journey towards mastership. With confidence, we guide our students in their first steps into this great martial art system.
Sifu Philipp Hackert(translation into english: Arno Müller, Sifu Machado)

[JamesHFYofAZ]

This summer camp sounds as if it was a lot of hard work and full of information. Wow, So much fun. I wish I could of been there to see the curriculum.
In free sparring each participant had a chance to test their skills with each other.
Nothing beats a little live action. Gives you a sense of reality in a controlled environment.
Participants also had the opportunity to test their skills against the masters and receive individual instruction
This is one of the neatest experiences that one could have. I remember when I was so fortunate to touch with Sifu Hoffman. You ever have those dreams of when your falling and you can't stop, or your running away from something but not fast enough. It's like being pushed and pulled. Like being suffocated by an ooze. The Chi Sim methods of Tan-to ( spit- swallow) are phenomenal. Happy birth day to Simo Hoffman, hope you had a lovely twenty-fifth. And congratulations to Sifu Eckert and the rest that are so dedicated to learning, growing, and carrying on the system.