yong chun White Crane Kung Fu San Zhan

[AkatsukiPR0]

It's amazing how you can be so rigid and so fluid at the same time.

[martinpaulwatts]

@AkatsukiPR0 what a lovely comment. If you look at the old clips of the founders of Uechi Ryu you will find much better examples of that balance. Best Wishes.

[Relictum777]

@martinpaulwatts //If you look at the old clips of the founders of Uechi Ryu you will find much better examples of that balance.//

So why did you learn bayhe?

[martinpaulwatts]

@Relictum777 I mean much better than what I persnolly display - not as a style comparison. I learnt crane because I went to yong chun and crane was the style that they do there. I did not go looking for it specifically.

[Relictum777]

@martinpaulwatts Well, I understand. I also respect the Uechi Ryu because it related to baihe.

[fujitafunk]

If you don't mind, could you tell me exactly what you are doing with your body? I've seen this video before and I totally respect what you are doing. I am coming from another style of Chinese martial arts. Your arm movements aside, I notice that other practitioners of Fujian White Crane also have the same body mechanics on the wrist rotation techniques. I am wondering, exactly what is going on, because it's very subtle looking,

[martinpaulwatts]

@fujitafunk hi fujitafunk - we are doing muscle, stance , tension and breathing stuff. If we do this properly it is quite tiring and can take the place of other training from a physical perspective. Hope that helps. Regards, Martin

[JFSpringer]

Looks like a bunch of greasy gay boiz pretending to be martial artists.

[martinpaulwatts]

@JFSpringer Hi - are you based in Europe? I am in Spain but in probably in Germany teaching later in the year. Feel free to grease yourself up and come and train with us. I am Guessing however that you are writing from the security of a country far far away...

[dejathorus]

I recognise this youg man ;-)



[ScandicCrow]

he does some very disgusting movements with his body every now and then x( yack... that's just so.... disturbing...

[martinpaulwatts]

@ScandicCrow can you be more specific - not sure what you are referring to here.

[seanadupre]

@martinpaulwatts I'm also wondering the same.

[asd748wsx]

@martinpaulwatts he/she probably means the posture adjustments you make, like at 0:13 :p.

i found the comment extremely funny :D.

[martinpaulwatts]

@asd748wsx ahh! I see! - yes ScanicCrow is right - for that reason not to be performed naked in public.

[asd748wsx]

@martinpaulwatts do you do forms naked in public very often? :p

[martinpaulwatts]

@asd748wsx only on the beach. I live in mallorca - it is a different world...

[asd748wsx]

@martinpaulwatts hehehehe. incidentally, i'm moving to norway later this month, and will in the future travel to spain to train with my styles european head honcho. would you mind if i eventually drop by mallorca in one of my trips to learn a little yong chun crane? it's something i've always been interested in :)

[AzaDio]

I grew up in an Okinawan Shorin-Ryu home and am a Kung fu practitioner/enthusiast. In my opinion this reminds me much more of a Okinawan influenced form/style then Chinese. Just an observation.. Not that they don't share a similar root or have the same yet varied moves often.

[martinpaulwatts]

@AzaDio good comment. Have you looked at the comparative san zhan that I have posted with crane and karate masters? - I think Tai Chor, Wu Zhu, Singapore Tiger Crane and Yong Chun crane is a lot in heart like Okinawan karate - which makes one wonder why some styles that have travelled have become more idyosynchratic in the "chinese ness".

[TheMelaniehamilton]

foot work needs some help. power starts in your feet and so if your foot work is no good your punch will have no power. anyone that knows good kung fu, knows this is true.

Wing chun...

[martinpaulwatts]

@TheMelaniehamilton Hi - Think my footword reflect here reasonably well how they do it in Yong Chun. - can you be more specific- have a look at my teacher for comparison in one of my clips.

Our emphasis is not at all the same as wing chun if that is what you are practicing - I would suggest that from what I have seen of wing chun clubs there is a lot more going on with us below the waist - although of course there are many interpretations of the wing chun ideas. regards, martin.

[foreveryoursbabe95]

what the fuck was that

[martinpaulwatts]

@foreveryoursbabe95 It's the first form of a style of southern traditional kung fu called San Zhan - A bit difficult to understand unless you have trained anything like it ( or unless you come over here so I can show you what it is used for ).

[martinpaulwatts]

@swichboy47 Dont think so - at least I want it to be like this or I would be doing it more relaxed. Have a look at the comparaive san zhan for my benchmark on this theme ( masters pan and chen ). what style do you practice? Regards, martin

[martinpaulwatts]

@swichboy47 Hi Sam, yes the yong chun crane is different. But there are also different ways to do the forms for training different things. Also our breathing - I do not care for the tiger crane breathing, or the exaggerated relaxedness of the shaking / flying. However - provided one is doing what one INTENDS and carrying forwards the training one has been taught I think it is all good stuff. I am assuming you train with Darren. Best Wishes, Martin feel free to email me to continue discussion.

[martinpaulwatts]

@swichboy47 can you email me if you want to continue discussion - dont like my comments page to fill up with conversation. if you type fujianbaihe or my name into google you will find my email very easily. thanks.

[martinpaulwatts]

@swichboy47 No problem - I am interested to know who your teacher is to understand where you are coming from. Regards, martin -

[foreveryoursbabe95]

@martinpaulwatts look like you daNCE

[foreveryoursbabe95]

@martinpaulwatts ARE YOU DOING WAVE DANCE...SURE LOOK LIKE IT LOL

[TGNobby]

Nice one, Martin.

[sweetfly66]

I have always been taught that Uechi Ryu Karate originated in the Fujian Province and was based on Chinese Kung Fu ... With this video I think I have seen the connection to China and Fujian province .. Maybe even the specific style of Kung Fu which inspired the founder of Uechi Ryu

[kcwliew]

Nice one -it was really surprising to find someone doing a form so similar to the one I was taught - we are brothers... amazing really when I started about 10 years ago no one knew what yong chun white crane or san chen was!!! Now there are like a zillion videos on you tube! You clearly train dilligently - hope you're still practicing.

[martinpaulwatts]

@kcwliew Good to hear from you. Where were you training? and with who? Best Wishes, Martin

[kcwliew]

@martinpaulwatts I trained with someone called Dennis Ngo in the UK over 10 years ago. I've stopped going to classes but I still do my patterns for health. It's basically the same except we grip with the hands instead of doing an open hand drop after the thrust. Oh and we do something called inverse diaphragmatic breathing where you invert your regular breath to create an explosive drop of energy (at least that's how it was explained to me!) - it all hangs together anyhow. Where do you train?

[martinpaulwatts]

@kcwliew Yes I am familiar with Tiger Crane of Dennis a little. this is about me: type martin watts into google to see where I train - wont let me post a link here. - feel free to email me rather than have conversation on this comments page. Best Wishes, Martin

[spareaxe]

I think he's a little stiff with the movements. I always thought the Chinese styles were more fluid and powerful in their sets.

[martinpaulwatts]

@spareaxe - moi? by comparison have a look my teacher - in the comparative san chiem clip I have posted mWh-uhw4C9s - one of our things is continual and concrete force throughout the movement . best wishes.

[hungkuenmty]

Very nice performance, with crane is the base for many hung kuen techniques in Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen, it is very good to see the root of the system.

[neijiaboy]

Your form looks really powerful, strongly rooted and connected. I practice Goju Ryu and I say it's always great watching exemplary displays of one of the major styles that spawned Goju Ryu. I'd love to learn it if I found a good school somewhere in the proximity. I'm sure it would help me learn more about the dynamics of Goju Ryu. Thanks for sharing.

[dejathorus]

Hi Ya Martin Hows you doing.

Found this Video of you. Your San Zhan has developed, nice. Sorry we missed each other over the new year.

G

[kungfudragon99]

classi crane has sum elements of eagle

[frasierschuster]

I'm just starting Kung Fu, mainly for excercise and to learn some practical self-defence. I gotta say, the meaning of this video is lost on me.

What exactly are you doing and is there a practical application to it? Is it supposed to be spiritual? I just can't picture myself busting those moves out if I'm confronted by thugs in a dark alley :)

[martinpaulwatts]

Hi, yes it all looks a bit useless doesnt it! There is quite a lot going on here - you might break that strike into mny applications, and the draw back into many applications , the stance which is the most important you might emphasise the foot sweeping stuff. If I do a seminar we work extensively explaining the form and reasoning behind it - but really the applications are not the emphasis.

[jjhaywood]

@frasierschuster if u take time to read, you will find that this kata was training 4 rank beginners to physical culture. So it's done to 1st, strengthen body 4 more rigorous training that u might not otherwise survive without prep and 2nd, to gently introduce martial movements without overloading the student with info. Think of it this way,before you learn Algebra, you sure as hell better learn Arithmetic or you'll make things harder for yourself, or worse yet, completely give up on Algebra

[akirahojo2]

@frasierschuster Forms in kung-fu are like choreographed or linked techniques. It's a method of memorizing the techniques, footwork, conditioning the body for correct posture, energy/force generation, qigong, a bit of strategy and other good stuff like concentration, sinking, etc. At certain schools that emphasize more on forms, it's become a point base competition than actual self defense learning process.

[BuddhaNoMind]

I'm a student of Ninjutsu, but have always admired the Kung fu System, particularly the White Crane style.

[richardhaw]

as far as i can see, the guy in the white pajamas is sinking his dan tian. he is doing it right...

hey martin, did simon find the newspaper clipping of you that he misplaced? i cant find another copy of it...

[SrGaldu]

Me gusta.

[hanzabass]

Hi Martin

thank you very much for posting this video. I am not so familiar with crane forms, more with gojuryu, but i am studying. The relation with sanchin is evident. Your form reminds me of uechi ryu/pangainoon. Good luck, best wishes.

[Bagface]

be sure to pay more attention to your footwork. and make sure your dan tian is connected. it's a basic and essential must in all internal martial arts. I noticed it was not. I see you practice and that's good. Practicing right will give you the longevity you're looking for. good luck in your journey brother.

[martinpaulwatts]

hi - thanks for the advice. may be you can post me a video response explaining more? Best Wishes, Martin

[Bagface]

absolutely sir

[shaihainoon]

very good martin, keep up the good work

and send me updates to my mail

[dandjurdjevic]

Form looks good Marty. Keep up the good work!

[satoh59]

You practice HARD , my compliment to you. Your replied to those critiques , I should said , you r humble . My respect to you.

[WiseManFoolMan]

It's similar to the Fujian White Crane San Zhan that i learn. But your too fast, and no breath... Thats the whole point of San Zhan.. 3 Wars = Mind, Body and BREATH.

[martinpaulwatts]

Hi - can you tell me a little more about your San Zhan and where you learnt it? May be if it is posted you could point me in the direction so I can see and compare. Thanks. Martin

[martinpaulwatts]

I am guessing what you are doing is Tiger Crane no Yong Chun crane if you are doing the big breathing exhaling thing. In yong chun white crane the breathing is a lot lower and not very visible. Have a look at my comparitive San Zhan videos to see more. Best Wishes, Martin

[SQNBM]

Heavy Hakka influence

[sipak]

Good job!!!

[crazynigger22]

YO I TOLD YOU TO REMOVE THIS UGLY PIECE OF TRASH-NO GOOD VIDEO!!your kung fu is terrible!!

[martinpaulwatts]

Search for 'The Unoffendable Monk' on youtube for more info. i think that is your teacher. Suggest he will have more respect for southern hard styles than you do.

[Kanbei80]

Dude, you´re a real sucker... You make a big mistake if you think "modern wushu" is a real martial art: it´s only a sport, man! Acrobatic tricks are good for movies and all that stuff, but not for real martial arts, except some korean styles (taekkyon, for example) and others from north China. Southern wushu and especially Fouzhou styles have ever worked like Paul Watts shows in the video. Your ignorance is bigger than your insolence.

[johnjylong]

this form is nice, movement need to slow down and breath..

[san1zhan4]

I can see by your form that you have trained in your style for a few years, good posture.

You have good energy.

[baihechuen]

Nice work, I like your energy.

[huachenshan]

I'm a long time practitioner of Chinese Martial Arts and I can tell that you have achieved a very high level of skill. I recently started training in some White Crane Kung Fu in Yongchun and this form is extremely close to the Sanzhan form I learned. Where did you learn it?

[martinpaulwatts]

Hi , thanks for the nice words. I learnt it in the Ong Gong Shr Wu Shu Guan in Yong Chun in the early 90s. There is more info on the web site yongchunbaihechuen . Please email me and let me know more about what you train if you have time. Best Wishes, Martin

[jarmenta4]

Well said Martin...

[martinpaulwatts]

hey crazy nigger 22 whats your name? Sorry cant stop, its the only style I know how to do. Love to see you put a clip of what you practice on though as a comparison - I bet it has lots of lovely jumps and kicks!

[crazynigger22]

yo stop, please, youre a disgrace to martial arts

[bai2he4]

If you think it's that bad why bother comment?