Fei Hok Phai's Valdemir Machado 'Sifu' Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan

     Valdemir Machado 'Sifu' was born in Sao Paulo (Brazil - 1959). He started to practice Fei Hok Phai Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan with Chiu Ping Lok 'Sifu' in 1973. Valdemir taught Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan in Sao Paulo during many years and several Fei Hok Phai's black sashes were formed by him. One of the most famous of them is Espedito Silva 'Pantera Negra' ('Black Panther') a well known World Full-Contact Champion.

In 1985 he moved to Niteroi (Rio de Janeiro) where I started to train with him. The main characteristic of his classes is the high technical quality of the Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan movements that he teaches. Besides the fact that the martial arts techniques improve our fighting abilities - and as I think, more importantly - they can also improve our mental/body capacity to express our thoughts and  feelings. This way of thinking is very well expressed by the Chinese five elements theory (earth, fire, wood, metal, water) as it is linked with specific body movements directions. I will write about it in another article.

Bellow, Valdemir Machado 'Sifu' performing the Pao Hok Kuan (Leopard and Crane Fists). This routine was designed by Master Chiu Ping Lok from Hung Tao Choi Mei Gar techniques.

For more information regarding Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan Classes in Cork City - Ireland, please visit my facebook page!

Lim Pou Kuan - The First Fei Hok Phai Hung Gar Routine (the 2nd part)

Here it is the 2nd part of the Lim Pou Kuan routine ...

Usually after spending between one or two months learning the first part, the students start on the 2nd part.

Below, the Lim Pou Kuan's 2nd part, very slow and without strength (again!), just to help my new students (and also to help my old Brazilian students!) to remember this sequence of movements.

For more information about Fei Hok Phai Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan and about Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan Classes in Cork City - Ireland, visit my facebook page!

Lim Pou Kuan - The First Fei Hok Phai Hung Gar Routine

This is the first Fei Hok Phai's routine. Chiu Ping Lok 'Sifu' made this routine to teach the fundamental stances ('mapu' horse stance; 'kunpu' arrow stance; 'ten ti pu' low stance; 'til key pu' cat stance; 'tan key pu' crane stance; 'key long pu' cross stance), punches and kicks, blocks and breathing exercises (external 'chi kun').

The 'Lim Pou Kuan' is a proper and very useful warm-up exercise.
'Lim Pou Kuan' means something like 'Stances and Punches Practice'
'Lim': Practice
'Pou': Stances
'Kuan': Punches

It is considered an easy routine. It is divided in two parts: in the first part, each movement is repeated four times and after each movement the student count ('one', 'two', 'three', 'four' or 'ja', 'ji', 'sam', 'sei'). Each movement can be done with full power, but it is not a routine to practice the speed. There is a space of time between each movement.

The second part of this routine is more dynamic, without the counts, but with the same rhythm of the first part.

Usually the student spend between one or two months to learn this routine.

Since a started to practice 'Fei Hok Phai' in 1985, the sequence of this routine was changed several times. When I just arrived in Ireland I made (one more time!) some changes on this routine. My idea was to keep the practitioner facing the same direction during the first part of the routine, and add more kicks to the routine.

I like to practice this routine as a solid base to warm-up at the beginning of my kung fu classes. Below, the first part of the 'Lim Pou Kuan', very slow and without strength, just to help my new students (and also to help my old Brazilian students!) to remember this sequence of movements.

For more information about Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan Classes in Cork City - Ireland, please visit my facebook page!

 

Southern Kung Fu

Kung Fu with Low Stance and Solid Type Characteristics

Description:

Stances are generally low, wide and solid with intermix of long and short hand techniques. Emphasis on large upper body movements, or long, or hard-power emissions.

Examples:

Southern (Cantonese) Styles, Fei Hok Phai, Hung Gar, Chow Gar, Choi Li Fut, Fut Gar, Hap Gar, as they are commonly seen and practiced.

Areas of evaluation:

Form and Spirit; Coordination; Agility; Power emission; Solidity

Definitions:

Form and Spirit:

Includes proper execution of movements and techniques. 

Good form and appearance. 

Good eye focus and the ability to covey spirit and intent of movement.

Coordination:

Proper coordination of hands, eyes, body, waist/hip and stances. 

Movements are completed in sync and in total unison.

Agility:

In addition to qualities embodied in nimbleness, there must be extraordinary flexibility, bounciness, overall speed and the ability to accommodate sudden changes in direction, focus, tempo, centre of gravity and range with total control

Power emission:

Include qualities of suddenness, sharpness and explosiveness in movements employing either the whole body or certain parts. 

The impact value must be visually clear and apparent. Must take into account the various types of power emission employed by different styles of Chinese martial arts.

Solidity: 

Conveying a sense of being heavy, hard and compact. 

Solid, powerful, with a high degree of stability.

To see a routine video:
Hung Tao Choi Mei Gar (Fei Hok Phai Hung Gar) routine called Sapt Fook Fu Kuan

For more information about Fei Hok Phai Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan or about me and my Kung Fu & Tai Chi Chuan Classes in Cork City - Ireland, visit my facebook page!