Yip Man Footage

[curious]

I found this whilst searching youtube. I know very little about Wing Chun but I have read about Yip Man and how good he was (good being an understatement).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m9cOBOhsS4&NR

This footage was taken a week before he passed away. Hope you enjoy

[Kew-Do]

Yes Ip-Man was very talented, as you said in your post, it is unfortunate that you are watching a dying man perform Chum-Kiu. Sad Video.

Kew-Do

My lineage:

Ip-Man....Leung Sheung...Kenneth Chung...Eddie Chong...Me

Pan Nam.....Eddie Chong....Me

[curious]

Thats what stuns me the most. This man had terminal cancer at this point and yet is still able to do it all with absolute precision.

Do you happen to know of any footage of him when he was in his prime?

[onyomi]

I notice two things about him: looks like he has real "tendon power" (watch SPM for an example of what I'm talking about), which I don't see so much in most modern WCers. I bet he did some kind of qigong. Second, he looks really good at working angles, which is really important in Northern Mantis and I assume is also important in WC. Also, the degree which he concaves his midsection seems much greater than most modern practitioners... so in conclusion, if you're a true master of WC, it starts to look like Mantis

[Kew-Do]

Quote Onyomi...

"if you're a true master of WC, it starts to look like Mantis".

I don't know if I agree with that bro.... Maybe from your perspective not mine.

Kew-Do

[TheDarkJester]

Originally Posted by Kew-Do

Quote Onyomi...

"if you're a true master of WC, it starts to look like Mantis".

I don't know if I agree with that bro.... Maybe from your perspective not mine.

Kew-Do

how long have you been doing what it is you're doing? At my kwoon we train with W. Chunners... In fact my sifu teaches both as well as Yang Taiji...

If you've never trained both you'll never know

[Gong_Sau_Rick]

People say that how can Yip Man be so powerful he looks like a skinny weakling. What people don't realise that all the videos and pictures of him were taken while he was dying of cancer. From what I've heard he was a pretty muscular guy.

Also for a dying old man he moves very well, the precision is amazing.

The music that's been spliced into the footage makes me want to scream. "Wahh! Why did he have to die!" *sob*.

[Kew-Do]

Question from Darkjester...
"how long have you been doing what it is you're doing? At my kwoon we train with W. Chunners... In fact my sifu teaches both as well as Yang Taiji...

If you've never trained both you'll never know"

I know many P.M. practitioners, some have studied at my school. "Food for thought"....How do you know, maybe it's your Mantis that is starting to look like Wing Chun due to the influence it has made on your Sifu? ....just a thought....

I have never studied Praying Mantis to comment professionally on it however I am well known for my other background...
My Bio:

*70's*Western Boxing/ Kick Boxing
*75-81 Tae-Kwon-Do/ Shoto-Kan
*78 to 84*Chin-Na, Judo, Greco-Roman,Gound Combative, many instructors.
*79 to 87 Wing Chun Instructor under Master David Grago
*92 to 97 Earned Sifu level under Master Eddie Chong in Yip Man Wing Chun, Pan Nam Yong Chun (Wing Chun)Bak-Mei.
*93 to present Extensive training in Shoot Wrestling and BJJ flavor techniques. Many instructors and seminars
*97 to present Stick /Knife Concepts, many instructors
*94 to present Formulated the "Kew-Do" system taught to Law Enforcement and Corrections Personnel.

Kew-Do

[taekwonguy]

one of the comments below the video, says that he was a heroine addict and that is the reason he charged so much?!? is this true? also why he was so skinny

[Bil Gee]

Originally Posted by taekwonguy

one of the comments below the video, says that he was a heroine addict and that is the reason he charged so much?!? is this true? also why he was so skinny

He smoked tobbacco, there's never been any mention of him using heroin whoever posted that is talking crap. The reason that he was so skinny was that he was dying of throat cancer when the video was shot.

[CKava]

Bil I think you need to look into Yip Man and his opium smoking habit. I can't remember where I read about it before but I think its pretty well known that he was quite fond of the old opium- there was a long article on it somewhere I'll see if I can dig it up. Considering the fact that he died from throat cancer, that opium smoking was pretty socially acceptable back in the day and his students seem to say he smoked opium it doesn't seem like such an absurd proposition. Yip Man was a person just like anyone else and could just as well have been an opium like many people were during that time. Doesn't take away from his achievements but its silly to just deny such things.

[Kew-Do]

I too have heard from reliable sources that he did smoke opium. Just as some here in the States smoke cigs and drink alcohol. there are social acceptances there that may not be here. I also heard that the reason for opium use was because of the cancer.
I do agree with Ckava, this still does not take away from his huge contribution to the art of Wing Chun, and or his direct influence on Bruce Lee who was really a large influence on why Martial Arts became so popular in the 70s and 80s.

Kew-Do

[someotherguy]

Originally Posted by taekwonguy

one of the comments below the video, says that he was a heroine addict and that is the reason he charged so much?!? is this true? also why he was so skinny

he smoked opium, as many people did at the time and have done throughout history, which not herion.

he was skinny because he was very old and he was dying from cancer.

[CKava]

Opium is not heroin but I think the rumour about heroin has come about because heroin is made from opium!

[BlindClown]

wow he was one kick ass junkie! lol


seriously though that is him on deaths door and everymovment he makes is so smooth and relaxed.

LEGEND ( opium smoker or not )