I have heard of Lau Gar (also have a class nearish me i think) but i have no idea what it is in relation to other styles of kung fu, if its its own thing, what styles it comes from, if its a northern or southern based one etc. The only thing i know from it, is apparently it is the most popular form of kung fu in the u.K and the person did boxing as well (from memory) Could someone enlighten me as to what this is and the details of it and how it compares to other kung fu styles.
It's just the full name of the style with description. Lau Gar= Lau Gar Kung Fu Just like: Wing Chun = Wing Chun Kung Fu
First try using the search function and enlighten yourself. There's a ton of stuff on this in the kf forum. My own view(having initially trained with one of Jeremy Yau's early students and accomplished competition fighter Clive Parkinson who later went his own way) is that it has, shall we say, less than clear origins but actually better pressure testing than many more trad.schools.
iirc its not a traditional style but Jeremy lau's own invention based on what he knew when he moved to the UK. LG used to be big in the semi contact points fighting scene.
I looked at that one a while ago i think. Has it been updated? To all of you, when i finish this expect questions if i have them.
Without knowing when you looked at the site and the last site update i cannot answer that question. The site does have all of the answers to the questions you asked above though.
The more kung fu I see the less I feel that's a relevant question. Hung Gar from Maoming looks completely different to Hung Gar from Futsan and there are three entirely different systems called Li Gar in Guangdong.
http://www.laugar-kungfu.com/ http://www.laugar-kungfu.com/style-laugar-origin its heavily implied here.
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?45083-Lau-Gar-Jeremy-Yau-interview also Jeremy Lau claims it here too.
"BL.: One point that's been raised is that there seems to be several different versions of Lau Gar, with yours being far and away the most popular. There seems to be a separate version on mainland China, another version in America. Can you explain this? J.Y.: There have never been different Lau Gars. However, at least as far as the British version goes, there have been IMPROVEMENTS. For example, most kung fu techniques were originally designed as being right-handed, with most people being forced to use their right hands. I have done a few things that enable left-handed people to train, and that ensures that people train both sides of the body. B.L.: I understand that the established Lau Gar in this country will, of necessity, have evolved over the years, but what I’m particularly interested is the route that Lau Gar took from Shaolin, seen as the birth-place of Chinese kung fu, to Hong Kong. J.Y.: First, let me say that there are no DIFFERENT kinds of Lau Gar. What has happened is that, later, people have claimed that they are Lau Gar because it was one of the lesser known of the Shaolin styles. The practice of Lau Gar was restricted. It was only taught to a limited amount of people. Now, Lau Gar originated in Shaolin, obviously, but our specific founder was a man named Lau Sam Man, "Three-Eyed" Lau, from the Kongsi Province. My grandfather actually went into China to learn it.When he came back to Hong Kong he found another master of Lau Gar, whom he served until the man died. Of the older generation, no-one would question our authenticity. The masters in Hong Kong knew my grandfather well, and none would deny his origin. However, today, with people in this country who are more commercially oriented, you hear them say “untraditional”, "unoriginal", “ungenuine", and other such slang terms."
Nowhere in those links does he say he shares lineage with the Lau Gar teachers in China with only 50 years of separation. Even if they are the same style (which Yau may genuinely believe they are, and remember before 10 years ago no one had even seen the Chinese Lau Gar. Yau may also be correct that they're not actually Lau Gar, or his style might not actually be Lau Gar for the reasons he gives). Indeed the lineage given by Yau would mean a lineage divergence from the Chinese style in the 1880s (if they're the same style) as his Grandfather's teachers weren't the ancestors of the Chinese school.
so by saying "J.Y.: First, let me say that there are no DIFFERENT kinds of Lau Gar" You think hes not saying hes teaching authentic LG? Ive nothing to do with LG, but I do think your being disingenuous about this!
Lau is a common name in china. Gar means family. Keun means fist and also boxing or kung fu. Lau gar kuen means, Lau family kung fu. It is likely that there are many legitimate styles called Lau gar that actually originate through different families. In the uk there are two different families of Lau gar commonly found. The Lau gar associated with Jeremy Yau. Originally known as Lau gar then for a brief period known as UK Lau gar. Now known as Lau gar again. And The Lau gar family system that is included in many Hung family schools, Hung-Lau gar if you will. So as a hung gar teacher I teach Lau gar but it is not the same as UK Lau gar. Personally, given the choice, I would pass on Jeremy Yau's Lau gar and look for either Choy Lee Fat, southern mantis, or Hung gar. But I would say that because I teach Hung gar (and southern mantis is cool).
So if theirs at least two different forms, but JY says theirs only one, which one of you was misquoted/telling a fib?
Anyone know if the British kung fu association includes any lineages of kung fu outside of Mr Yau's ?