2003, June 20-22

[BennyMeng]

Dates: June 20-22, 2003
Location: Dayton, OH
Speaker: Sifu Benny Meng
Topic: Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun

Friday 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

1) Latest Research on History
Shaolin’s relationship to Wing Chun
Weng Chun & Wing Chun connections
Why are there so many variations of Wing Chun?

2) Shaolin Philosophy connection to Wing Chun
Chan, Health and Fighting

3) Wing Chun Combat Applications
Kiu Sau, Chi Sau and Saan Da (Fighting Application)
HFY Siu Nim Tau, Chum Kiu, and Wooden Dummy

For all workshop participants, post your comments/reactions/thoughts and feedback for all to read and share.

Guys and Gal,

It was good to see everyone there and participate, especially the many out of town students and instructors. Did everyone feel we covered all the topics above and answered all questions?

BM

[Scott Stapleton]

First, I would like to thank Sigung and all the student that helped all of us new too HFYWC.

Understanding why there are so many different WC family and different variations.

1st Reality,understanding martial health/fitness,sport,
entertainment, self defense/combat and philosophy. To make sure you understand what you are looking for and to make sure your instructor can fill your needs.

2nd Reality, understand the 4 ranges of combat and the advantage or disadvantage of 3,6,4,2 gate fighting.

3rd Reality, Time Space Energy
In combat as was shown to us there is a proper time to use a technique by understanding what is real and what is illusion. This is were the paradigm shifted from art to science.

4th Reality, Efficiency of Time Space Energy
From my understanding this is where the formula came in to play to help us define are selfs throw the Saam Mo Kiu philosophy.

We finished day 1 by covering HFY Sil Nim Tau form

[Chango]

I have to say that it was great to see and spend time with my kung fu family. The depth of knowlege offered to us by the HFY system seems to be endless. The more I see of this system the more I realize how much of a treasure we have in the HFY system. It's great to have a chance to train this art with such great members.

Sifu Chango Noaks

:cool:

[Savi]

This past weekend's seminar with Sigung Meng was invaluable. My reasons are as follows...

1. Understanding the various realities of 'Martial Arts' will lead to a more concrete focus on the indivudual desire as well as 'seeing' the whole picture of martial arts. It is also key to gain the common understanding between instructor and student. If an instructor is unaware of the various avenues within the martial arts subject, both instructor and student may fail to see eye to eye. Thus proper instruction will suffer from improper direction and focus. One thing I gained from this is that now I can see with even more clarity where the distinctions lie between reality and illusion.

2. The proper mindset for training is important as well. This I think comes down to understanding Saam Mo Kiu. Sometimes we may get caught up in the moment of training. We may get stuck or attached to a particular success or failure and that can cloud our minds. Tunnel vision so to speak. By understanding Saam Mo Kiu I personally am able to detach myself from the current situation and see it for what it really is. I could have been wandering in thought, aware of my ignorance, or focused on the reality. Saam Mo Kiu has allowed me to be so much more objective on an internal as well external level. Fau Kiu is not a bad thing. Neither are Saan Kiu or Weng Kiu a good thing. They simply are.

3. One of the most important pieces of knowledge Sigung has shared with us that I could identify with is the common ground both military and monk share. Whether it be from a scientific or spiritual perspective, understanding reality is about Life and Death, and Time Space and Energy. Chan Buddhism (to the level I can identify with) is focused on understanding reality with an intent towards harmony of life. Warfare is also about understanding reality (from what I understand) but is focused on efficiency of resources and survival. Both through the right time, space, and energy both minds came together and gave rise to the Wing Chun system.

On a personal note I am beginning to identify more with Chan and seeing its nature within the system itself (I stress beginning! ) but the more I see and identify, the more clear Hung Fa Yi becomes.

Thank you Sitaigung, Sigung, and Sifu. Thank you Sisuk Mike for your hospitality. Thanks to everyone for their unselfish kindness. Also, it was a pleasure to meet everyone at the workshop.

[Biscuit]

It was great to see all of the out-of town members this weekend. It really says something that so many people are willing to travel great distances for HFY training.

I enjoyed getting together with everyone to review the old material as well as learn new. I came away from the weekend with a deeper understanding of the dummy as well as a new understanding of jung sin bong sao.

Many thanks to Sifu and the family.


Bis

[passing_through]

workshop review:

Overall this was a good chance to review current training, touch base with branch school members and teachers, and give the instructors of the branches a chance to review technical details and training methods.

It was good to see everyone from all over as well as just hang out and have fellowship. The training was top notch as always covering both lecture and hands-on training. This weekend was also the conclusion to Andy Kalish's annual week-long training session at the VTM.

The workshop began on Friday night by covering the Four Realities of Martial Arts.

The first reality is the different types of martial art activities (also called the four natures): Health/Fitness, Sports/Competition, Entertainment/Art, Combat/Self-Defense). Students have to understand that there is a difference between the four activities and that each is unique rather than one being better than the others.

The second reality is the four ranges of combat (Kick, Strike, Trap, Grapple). Once we recognize the nature of the four activities, we focus on self-defense. This focus means that training has to reflect reality rather than individual preference. Fundamental skills are built upon ranges of combat. Knowing that there are four martial actives is not enough - if the activity is the intent, the four ranges is the medium through which that intent is realized. Having a human body, the four ranges are the scope of possible actions in martial arts. By recognizing the four activities and basing our training on real combat, we can appreciate each activity for what it is, knowing when and where it belongs - such as enjoying a martial arts movie and seeing acrobatic kicks and feats of agility. People that focus on any other activity cannot relate to real fighting. It is important to see how the four activities and the four ranges of combat relate to each other. Using big motions for health development is different than learning when and where to use a big motion in a fight.

The third reality is the focus on time, space, and energy factors. This is the common theme that ties the four ranges of combat. These four ranges are also the common denominator of all fighting. Rather than focus on style, we focus on human postures and mechanics. Structures are analyzed for time to complete, space utilized, and energy consumed - for both ourselves and our opponent. This leads to the fourth reality.

The final reality is efficiency in combat. This is the ultimate focus on time, space and energy reflected through the four ranges of combat. The uniqueness of our program is that we not only have a complete philosophy, health, combat system but an exact focus on the efficient function of the human body within time, space, and energy. If we are out of shape, older or slower does not give us an advantage in combat. Only by knowing how to be efficient can we continue to have fighting ability as we age. Efficiency is the doorway to high-tech fighting.

At this point, we discussed Saam Mo Kiu as an tool to understand reality rather than as a value judgment. Fau Kiu is not wrong and Weng Kiu is not right - both are simply states of being. Someone operating in the first reality above could be considered Fau Kiu. This is not bad, it is just where they are at the current moment. Fau Kiu only becomes a problem when people willfully try to stay there rather than accept that change and growth is part of life.

The lecture then concluded with a brief discussion on history and recent developments in the research into the Southern Shaolin temple.

Saturday and Sunday were broken into two parts: student and instructor. The student sessions were in the morning and afternoon with the instructor session following in the evening.

Overall, we stuck to the curriculum while introducing new material including Centerline Bong Laap Kiu Sau, the Muk Yan Jong, Saam Mo Kiu, and variations in Chum Kiu. We covered the reasoning for variations as well as standards for training.

Overall, the weekend was full of training and understanding of this great system we study, Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun.

Thank you to Sifu and the kung fu family for a great weekend.

Respectfully,
Jeremy

[Geezer]

I'd like to thank Si-Tai-Gee for going public with this info, Si-Gung Meng for putting on the workshop, Si-Fu Noaks for giving us the opportunity to go along and also Si-Suk Jeremy and Si-Suk Mike for helping in the instruction.

I originally went along, not knowing if I would be able to go for the full three days for fear of a Divorce, which didn't happen;)

I had a great weekend came away with almost to much information to take in, I now watch "Conquest" on the history channel in a completely different way and put faces to names on the internet.
I will be doing it again;)

Sheldon

[Savi]

It was great to finally meet you. I am happy that you are still together with your wife (of course you were joking, right?), and I am also happy that you are training under Sifu Noaks! Look out for Tan Tui (sp?). I know that exercise brings a smile to his face...

Welcome to the family.

[passing_through]

This response was from Brad Ryan, located in Katy, TX.

First I want to thank Sifu Meng for putting on the workshop. I remember the first night; just being amazed about Sifu's knowledge of the four realities. Being a long distance student, I just am so impressed every time I visit. We are so lucky to have him as our Sifu/Sigung. I enjoyed meeting new faces and seeing old ones.

I stayed with Sihing Mike along with Savi Kruoch from Arizona. This was the first time I really interacted with him. He is a great guy. I can see his Gung Fu is going to be strong.

With the discussion of the four realities, it really helped me to understand that everything has its place in time. In the aspect of what we want and what we understand. As for the physical training it was great to touch some seniors/brothers hands. Sifu Meng does such a good job with progressive stages of the exercise. Some of the third and fourth level stuff was beyond me, but it was nice to experience the Fau Kiu stage. One of the most enlightening experiences of the weekend was actually after the seminar where I worked with Sihing Tae with Sifu at close watch. We were just reviewing the second level in detail. While I was drilling the exercise, I really came to realize what is meant by 'Martial Science.' Of course, I knew, on the surface, the reasons but for the first time in a deep way I could feel the precision of Hung Fa Yi. If my structure was off, I was able to feel it within a split second. That in itself was a big realization in my Hung Fa Yi training so far.

I am looking forward to spending more time with Sifu at Tai Chi Legacy in Dallas, TX, where he is putting on two workshops and many other activities.

[Allen Kong]

I'd like to thank Si-Tai-Gee for going public with this info, Si-Gung Meng for putting on the workshop, Si-Fu Noaks for giving us the opportunity to go along and also Si-Suk Jeremy and Si-Suk Mike for helping in the instruction.

I originally went along, not knowing if I would be able to go for the full three days for fear of a Divorce, which didn't happen

I had a great weekend came away with almost to much information to take in, I now watch "Conquest" on the history channel in a completely different way and put faces to names on the internet.
I will be doing it again

Sheldon


Sheldon,

Welcome to the Hung Fa Yi family. Our paths had crossed many times (WCML, Kung-Fu online). Thank you for the support through the years. Sifu Chango WILL keep you very stimulated and focus with his HFY knowledge. I look forward to meeting you in the near future in one of GM Garrett Gee's seminars.

Allen

[Geezer]

Allen, thank you, and no problem.......it's amazing how clear everything is now, the more I learn the more I see the connection;) and I too look forward to the day we meet.

Sheldon:)

P.S.Savi.....thank you also, yes Tan Tui is a hardship, but it's these things that make us stronger;)

[Ricksta]

Hope to see you in SF one day!!! always see youin the KF magazine forum.... Thanks for supporting us all this time...
I think a bunch of us are coming in Nov. to Ohio.... maybe we will get to train with ya then!!!

Rick

[William E]

I am happy to hear that you are now studying HFY under sifu Noaks. With so much material to learn, make sure you don't fill up your cup of tea too fast. One trop a day is what GM Gee recommends....

Hopefully you'll be able to make it out to SF one of these days.
Of course you'll have to take your wife. ;)

William E.

It's only a matter of time before we see Roger RollingHand training HFYWCKF. :D