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86 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wing Chun: the Science of In-Fighting, July 14, 2000
This review is from: Wing Chun - Science of In-Fighting [VHS] (VHS Tape)
There are quite a number of videos now available on the Wing Chun combat system, some of which run into several volumes and have running times of over two or more hours. This tape, however, while one of, if not the earliest of those available, and with a running time well under an hour, is far and away the best of the bunch and offers so much more than products running three times as long. Featuring the late Sifu Wong Shun-Leung, teacher and classmate of the legendary Bruce Lee, the tape offers an overview of the fighting system made famous in Hong Kong in the '50s and '60s through the real life exploits of Sifu Wong in so-called "contests" against various other combat systems, where he emerged the victor on each and every occasion. The tape is basically broken down into the following sections: 1) Wing Chun History, 2) Basic Concepts (including footwork and "Centreline Theory"), 3) 'Siu Nim Tau' form and form breakdown/applications, 4) 'Chi Sau' concepts and applications, and 5) a brief discussion of further forms and weapons. While no where near as in-depth as more recent tapes may have tried to be, this particular tape illustrates perfectly the Wing Chun concepts of SIMPLICITY, DIRECTNESS and EFFICIENCY by offering so much to the viewer by way of it's non-complicated approach. A fine introduction to Wing Chun for the uninitiated, and a valuable reference and tribute to a real life legend in the system for the serious devotee. This video is a definite MUST HAVE for martial arts fans. If there is anything negative to be said about it, it is that, sadly, the sequel tape mentioned at the end of the program, was never produced, ...more's the pity since the death of Sifu Wong in 1997. Buy this tape, ...you wont regret it!
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70 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best instructional videos I've ever seen, September 19, 2004
I first bought this in VHS format. I loved it so much that I purchased the DVD. Yes, the DVD is much better quality and worth the incredibly fair asking price. "Wing Chun: The Science of In-Fighting" is expertly produced and filmed from perfect angles which allows the viewer to accurately discern all the subtle nuances of each move/technique that is shown. Master Cheung is incredible! Obviously an experienced teacher and Wing Chun player. He goes through everything you need to know to get started or brush up your chops in Wing Chun basics. I also appreciate that the techniques are repeated, sometimes in slow motion, which allows for good comprehension without the need for incessant "rewinding". All the presented material is extremely solid. Even the background music is perfect in that it keeps the presentation flowing seamlessly. Take my advice and don't listen to the knucklehead who gave this dvd a bad review. Click the link and check out his other reviews. He isn't even into martial arts and probably has never viewed this dvd. Also, I think most people are sick of all the condescending jackasses who keep giving the same advice about not being able to learn martial arts from a book, video, movie or whatever. I think most people who hear this overstated advice think the same thing as if someone had just told them 1 + 1 = 2. MOST, not ALL, people who buy martial arts dvds, books, etc. are TRULY martial artists (who have learned from teachers, lessons, classes, etc.) who use the materials in a variety of ways, i.e. inspiration, further knowledge, comparative analysis, familiarization with different styles, etc., etc., etc. (plus, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that a person could become a self-taught expert... why discourage someone?) Anyway, this dvd is a must-have. I can't say a bad thing about it. Even the added (promotional) material is great. You will enjoy (and learn from) this dvd over and over. It never gets stale. Even though it was created a long time ago it is still on the cutting edge, which is a hallmark of a great effort and true classic.
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A review by a beginner in Wing Chun, November 24, 2003
Video quality is good considering the age of the original footage. English dubbing was OK, but I also expected the original Chinese to be available. Oh well .... A pretty basic introduction to the main Wing Chun philosophy, centre line theory, gates, etc. Good demonstration of the basic footwork and how to apply it. Brief run through of the first form: Sil Lim Tao and applications. What I enjoyed the most was towards the end with the 2-man scenarios. Sifu Wong would demonstrate a technique taken from Sil Lim Tao which one of his students would counter, then the next scene would be his counter to the counter. You won't be able to learn Wing Chun from this DVD, but it is a good overview of the Wing Chun philosophy and some very well filmed sequences. I'm sure I will dip into this periodically as my own Wing Chun training progresses. Sifu Wong died in 1997 so there is no follow up video demonstrating the next form: Chum Kiu (Searching for the Bridge). A great shame.
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