Review of Allan Lee's Fundamental Wing Chun Kung Fu DVD

Customer/3rd Party Review: This review was done by a customer/3rd party and is listed here for you reference only. The views and opinions of the reviewer are not those of Everything Wing Chun and do not necessarily reflect EWC's views or opinions on the subject matter. It is posted, like all customer reviews, to give you more info on the product and to give you different opinions on a product so that you can make the best decision for yourself about its content. The review is NOT by an EWC employee or contractor and EWC cannot stand by anything said in any customer/3rd party review. Enjoy!

Reviewer: George Hernandez
Date: June 25, 2010
DVD Bought on: http://www.everythingwingchun.com/Allan-Lee-Fundamental-Wing-Chun-Kung-Fu-p/ale01.htm

Technical Specifications:

Title: Master Allan Lee – Fundamental Wing Chun Kung Fu
Region:  all
Number of disc:  1
Production Quality: 3/5
Length: 01:05:11
Language:  English
Sound Quality: 3.5/5
Video Quality: 3/5
Material covered: 5/5
Instructional qualities: 5/5

What it's about:

Master Allan Lee presents his interpretation of what he considers as the fundamental principles that guide good Wing Chun Practice and its applications.

Comments:

This is a no frills instructional DVD on Wing Chun, there are no fancy camera angles, pleasing studio backgrounds, fade in and out frames, or text introducing the terms for various hand techniques. Master Lee, states from the beginning of his instruction, that what he teaches regarding the fundamental aspects of practicing Wing Chun Kung Fu, are his own ideas or interpretation about the art. However, in spite of the unassuming nature of this production, there is much practical advice offered by this skilled Wing Chun Master.

The basics are indeed important; consequently how one learns them and employs the techniques during practice is extremely important. And that one should remember that what is practiced at the school is quite different from dealing with a situation on the street. Master Lee introduces his subject by showing how a Tan Sao hand to block against a wide swinging punch to the head could collapse without the proper posture and shifting horse…that is shifting your position gives you more power and stability and the opportunity to strike the opponent at the same time. This DVD is not a presentation of the Siu Lim Tao form, but a demonstration of the fundamental hand techniques which are derived from it and how to make them work effectively.

The most practical advice I feel Master Lee offers the novice practitioner, is that the various hand techniques used in Wing Chun, should not be regarded as a means of just blocking an opponent's attacking hand, but, should be practiced as method of covering vital areas of the body and attacking at the same time. Blocking and attacking makes the movement two instead of one and likely will make the sequence longer in time and less effective. Beginning students will often regard a blocking maneuver as reaching out to meet the attacking hand, which is a mistake…this will only increase one's chances of getting hit. The strategy is to let the attacking hand come to you while you cover your vital areas, yet not worry about whether it is coming to your head, the heart line or midsection. If you cover properly, you won't have to be concerned about where the attacking hand is going.

Master Lee also talks about and demonstrates how to properly train using the Lap Sao Sequence using the Quan Sao, Pac Sao and Trapping hands. He also covers the basics of Single Hand Chi Sao and how to use the Tan Sao and Bong Sao correctly. Dealing with an opponent's long range kicks can be dealt with by using a Quan Sao hand, but if done improperly, one can get their hands or arms broken in the process. The legs carry more mass and power than the arms…to deal with it formidably, is to strike with the elbow and with a strong whipping motion with a Tan Sao generates enough power to injure the incoming kicking leg. If you just consider blocking using the Quan Sao hand, it will likely collapse on its execution. So there's the intent of your defense against a kick using the Quan Sao hand…you don't block with it, and you attack with it!

This instructional DVD provides loads of practical advice on the fundamentals of Wing Chun. It offers the practitioner the opportunity to test the validly of what is discussed and shown regarding the basics. Again, it's a sound presentation of the principles of what makes excellent Wing Chun work!

Content Overview:

• Introduction.
  • The Basics of Wing Chun.
    • Principles and concepts.
    • Wing Chun as an Art and Science
    • Breakdown of Offensive and Defensive skills.
    • Learning through feeling.
    • The value of using the shifting horse.
• The Bong Sao and its proper application.
  • How various ways its taught
    • Improper applications
    • Its position and its reference to the centerline.
    • The difference in training and its application in reality.
• The Gong Sao and its proper application.
  • Its purpose is to primarily cover not to block.
  • Training and its application
  • The associated drills
• Sticky Hands (single hand Chi Sao)
  • You don't want to trade blows
  • Attacking and Defending
    • An expression as Yin and Yang
  • Covering and using the elbow
  • Using the running hand
  • The Quan Sao hand
    • Coverage
      • Covering the whole body and not blocking
      • The power comes from the elbow
      • The shifting horse
      • Defense against a kick
      • The elbow combined with a whipping Tan Sao hand
  • The Pac Sao Exercise
    • Coverage and using its power
    • Stepping back and coverage
    • The application of the shifting horse
    • Using the body against a Pac Sao Techniques
  • The street is different
    • The idea of coverage
    • Dealing with opponents using distance attacks
    • Developing Hypothetical situations for uncommon attacks
    • Using the Bong Sao and Wu Sao Hand
• The Lop Sao Drill
  • Using the returning hand properly during the drill
  • Using the elbow for protection
  • Relaxing the arm of the Bongo hand
  • Going with the power in the Lop Sao drill
• The Wing Chun Shifting Horse
  • Its relationship to Siu Lim Tao
  • The Triangle and Posture
  • Kicking and using the horse (Ma Bo)