Just wondering what are your favorite forms/sets (empty-hand and/or weapons) to perform at tournaments? Please list your style & form name (both in chinese & english, if possible). I don't compete in gung fu tourneys, but was just curious Also, how do you properly address the judges when your name is called up to compete? Sorry for the naivety...thanks!
Hmmm... Well, I've only competed in One gongfu tournament but did both an empty-handed and a weapon form: Gao Jia Di Er Lu Quan (Gao Jia Second Path) Pan Long Gun (Spinning Dragon Staff)... Won first place for the staff form (here in China... Guangxi regional tournament last spring)... and didn't place with the Fist form because I cocked up the sweeps to the jump kick at the end. Anyway, Di Er Lu is a southern fist form and Pan Long Gun is a REALLY old staff form, from the song dynasty, my school is one of the last that teaches it... but my school also added a section in the middle of it to make it more 'showy' with various staff flowers that no other school ever does... Which is why I won, because i demonstrated a 'incredible knowledge and handling of the Gun'... (If only they know how many hours I had to stand in front of mirrors to learn that) As for how addressing - I just bowed and said the name of the form I was performing and waited to hear 'kaishi'... My Chinese was pretty bad then...
Excellent post...very informative! I've never heard of your style but it's great that your ancient art continues to thrive. Congrats on your 1st place finish! That must've been amazing to have watched your tough competitors battle it out against you. Perhaps you'll participate in another one? Hopefully, some others will post their personal tourney experiences, too! Thanks for your post
My favorite form is Bagua Sum to compete with (Ba Gua form of Choy Lee Fat), I've competed for many years with this form, but October, 2004, got silver medal in China in the 1st International Traditional Wushu Festival (represented CANADA, great tournament, but awards mean nothing). Lately, been training in Ping Kuen (intermediate level form) and Hung Yun Ba Gua (Advanced level form).
Ng Ying Ga (5 Animal Form) and Gung G(J)ee Fook Fu (Taming the Tiger) from Fu Hok Hung Gar..Combined Chen TC -first lu w/Pao Ch'ui (First Road and Cannon Fist).Weapons-3 Cannons Staff (double ended) from my Fu Hok teacher's family's system,Returning Fist.Double Edged T'ai Chi Sword(not done slowly). (Speak up,but you needn't yell) A general "judges,my name is whatever,my teacher is/was whoever(optional),with your permission I would perform whatever from whatever system".(Give a bow before addressing,scan the judges back and forth as you say this.Don't stare at any particular judge,some may construe this as an affront).After you receive some sort of sign,or if none is forthcoming,after a couple seconds bow, back up(don't turn your back) position yourself and go to.This is pretty across the board courtesy and declaration,not specific just to CMA meets.Don't forget to bow as you both enter and leave the court.
Congrats! I think that it should mean a lot to you personally as one form of gauging your progress in relation to other practitioners at your skill level. Also, you should be proud of your self achievement! I'm impressed (though I know that was not your intention ). Agreeing with you on one part, though, I don't think awards mean much when they're used to boast or inflate one's ego. Such is not the case with you Thanks for sharing!
You're very well-rounded with the Hung Gar & Tai Chi. A fine example of Yin/Yang training! I'm wondering if you compete in multiple divisions in one tournament? Or is that a problem because some events may happen at the same time? Thanks for the tips. Yes, it sounds like common sense, actually. I just wasn't sure of the protocol...now I do!
I haven't done tourneys,except as judge,in well over a decade.(And at the ridiculous entry fees nowadays.....).I also ceased teaching/practicing Hung about the same time.Started w/TC and it has always been my major. Tourneys are generally set up so you can compete in any and all divisions,so different divisions are run at different times. Thanks for the compliment.
I really don't compete a lot in tournies (mostly cause it makes me a nervous wreck) but I have attended more than a few, plus my school hosts its own tournament every year. Some of my favorite forms to watch our students perform at a tournament are Siu Fok Fu (Small Taming Tiger) and Lohan. Jow Ga isn't what I would call a "pretty" style of kung fu, but both are really nice looking forms that show a lot of power and spirit (when done right). I would say that my experience has been a little different than yours El Medico. I probably don't have as much experience with tournaments as you do, but from my experience judges hate that "my name is..." blah blah stuff. I've heard a few judges gripe about it, myself. We are taught to salute the judges (no bowing unless you are holding a weapon) then wait for them to give you the okay to get started. I agree that turning your back is not good, but sometimes it can't be helped with some judges post themselves at different corners of the ring. In that case you just salute to each judge and wait for the okay. Short and sweet. I can't imagine any judge wants to hear someone's life story everytime the come up to perform. Again, this is just my limited experience, but its been consistent.
Also, how do you properly address the judges when your name is called up to compete? Sorry for the naivety...thanks! I usually do half of the 72 move Sun style form and either 32 or 42 move taiji sword depending on my mood. My favorite to watch though would have to be Hung Gar's Tiger and Crane form. I might try a mizong quan form (lost track boxing) in some future tournements though. I also like watching xingyi quan (form intent boxing) and bagua zhang (8 diagram palm)... I know a little bit of each, but not enough for competition. In most Chinese style only competitions you just bow to the last guy to do his form, bow to the center judge, and then pick your starting spot and get to it. In open karate tournements I usually do the same thing, but before I start I say: "Honorable judges and masters of the martial arts, my name is------ and my teacher is ------. Today I would like to perform for you (insert either style name, or specific form name... whichever you think sounds cooler ). Being a shy person, I hate the whole presentation thing, and it's a big reason I've avoid Karate oriented tournements the last 6 years Some judges will give or take away extra points based on how your present yourself... it's kind of dumb if you ask me.
Hey Tiger,I think a former Tibetan White Crane friend of mine used to go to your school about 15 years ago or so.Didn't stick with it,tho'.Too bad,Jow Gar is a very good system.(I thought some of those forms looked somewhat akin,if not the same,such as Gung Lik Kuen, to the later Hung forms added by Lam,Sai-wing,which I never did). OK,salute or bow(depending on sytem background.Sorry,should have been clearer.My Hung teacher's family's system,Returning Fist,kinda curtsied,as they called it!)Never entered or officiated at a tourney where they had corner judges for form presentation,so that's why I said don't turn your back.Must confess,I've never been to a CMA only tourney,just open ones. Glad to hear the life story stuff isn't as prevalant as it was years ago.Some people ran on for what seemed like hours.But no judge should add/subtract to your score based on your intro,unless you're being a real slob or something.I never knew anybody that did,including ultra formal Karate folks.
BTW, speaking of turning your back, if at a Chinese style only competition don't start with your back facing the judges table. Sometimes there's two "center" judges... one's just a regular scoring judge and will sometimes be in a chair opposite the table. Ignore him I got chewed out at the Baltimore kuoshu tournement before for facing the wrong center judge. Yeah, it's usually been formal karate folks in the past trying to be hard @sses (often younger McDojo type teachers). We seem to get a lot of them in the smaller tournements... the non-karate guys could usually care less
I havent been in one, but I would follow me dad and do 'Ying jow lim kiw' Eagle on bridge. He forgot to bow to the judges....just did the form and left.
Hola, El Medico! Sorry took me so long to reply to your post. Its been a LONG weekend and we got about 2 feet of snow to boot. Stupid snow... Jow Ga is indeed a healthy combination of Hung Ga, Choy Ga and Northern Shaolin. I love watching Hung Ga practioners do their forms so that I can see where some of our movements originated from. I agree. Its old school but you shouldn't be penalized for silly stuff like introducting (or NOT introducing) yourself. Hey Dog Welder, You are speaking of the tournament in Hunt Valley, MD. Since our school is only 20mins from there we attend every year. Our lion dance team opened the tournament in 2004 as a matter of fact. (You can see pics of it on our website in the Gallery). I've never seen anyone get chewed out for doing it, so I guess it all depends on the judges themselves. I'd rather salute everyone, personally. But like I said, its all up to the judges themselves. Maybe I'll see you there next year?
I last went in '02 or '03 I think... I can't remember. The medals you get for winning there are much nicer than a lot of other places! It's defenitely one of the more enjoyable competitions around. I'd like to go again, but I'll probably be out of competitions until I get a better job.
Ah, yes. The ever rising costs of competing in tournaments. That's a great discussion for a different thread... is due to lack of attendence, high costs of venues or greed?
