New 8-Step Li Pi Videos

[lapu_squared]

I'm very happy to let everyone know that we now have 2 more videos of Li Pi being performed by former students of GM Wei: Mr. Ernie Wu and Mr. John Chang.

We've been very lucky lately to get permission from Mr. Zuo, Mr. Wu, and Mrs. Wu to post the videos of their forms. This is the first time they have released videos of their forms in public. All three were students of GM Wei, and all have continued to study and improve for over 30 years. My shifu, Mr. Chang, looks up to them as senior students, and is very appreciative of their willingness to share these videos.

Personally, one thing I find very interesting about seeing the same form performed by Mr. Wu, Mr. Zuo, Shifu Chang, is that they all clearly come from the same teacher, and yet each student has developed a unique flavor that is influenced by other styles. For example, I see the influence of Tong Bei in Mr. Zuo's form, while Mr. Wu's Taichi and Longfist experience is visible, and Shifu Chang is certainly influenced heavily by Hsing Yi.

GM Wei used to say that forms should be practiced differently by each student based on the student's body shape and interest. He considered it to be a mistake on the part of the teacher if all students of the same teacher perform a form the same way. I think these videos do a great job of illustrating this concept.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. What do you think about the forms? What do you think about the concept of each student having a personal flavor to the same forms? What do you think about the mixture of non-Mantis styles like Tong Bei, Taichi, Longfist, and Hsing Yi with a Mantis style? What do you think about GM Wei's teaching philosophy? I look forward to everyone's insights and comments.

[EarthDragon]

First off I want to commend you for not only getting your hands on the vids but sharing them with the rest of the world especially the fellow 8 steppers out here who absolutly love to see such great men who have devoted thier lives to such a great art.

Since I have not seen al the vids yet it is a little premature to spek on them.

However I am in strong agreement with not being a cookie cutter student. Each person is unique in thier own way and interperate things in thier own way. Not to mention thier body type, personality, etc etc.
This being said each person who performs MUST have a certian differnent degree of flavor or add thier own twist onto the movements. Just as a bunch of cooks with the same ingrediants will make thier dishes taste different.

Many times my students will say "I cant make my set look like you do shifu" my response is always good becuse I cant make it look like YOU.........

[tonglongtodei]

Where can we find these videos?

[lapu_squared]

Sorry about that. The one thing I forgot was the link: Just go to http://www.8-step.com. There are links to the videos toward the bottom of the page, and also on the Gallery page. Thanks for catching that.

[EarthDragon]

OK my windows media player said it cannot play the vid one or more codecs are missing??? what does that mean?

[Chizica]

ED,

that means use Quicktime....it works.

[EarthDragon]

thanks I will have to download quicktime first but thanks for the heads up, usually win media player shows everything

[Michael Dasargo]

Hello Lapu Lapu (Mabuhay!),

Thank you for posting Chang Shifu's video. It is very intriguing in that it is the first time in my limited experience that I've seen the stomping action accentuated in Ba Bu, as the timing and application parallels the Din Bo concept of 7 Star Mantis.

As I observed, the stomp occured with the changing step and replacing step. As I understand it, the Din Bo principle puts the rear ankle, knee, and hip in the flexed position to load potential energy, and the moment the heel impacts the ground, the triple extension releases kinetic energy. Is this principle used in the same manner in Ba Bu? May I ask how it differs in application?

-N- is much more efficient at applying the 7 Star Din Bo than I. He would be better at describing the Din Bo idea. (don't mean to put you on blast bro, but I still can't play Din Bo as efficiently!

M.

[lapu_squared]

Mike:

I see what you mean about the loading of energy in the stomping. That makes sense to me, although Shifu Chang has not really emphasized the use of stomping for power generation. My understanding of stomping is that it has a number of different purposes--adjusting distance, "yanking" the opponent's arm toward you before striking, and allowing the foot to guide the fast rotation of the body, for example. Also, the way Shifu Chang teaches it, the stomp is used in the forms more than in application. Like many form movements, the stomp is an exaggeration of what would be done in "real life" to make sure your mind automatically performs the step without thinking about it, even if it is just applied as a step rather than a stomp.

Having said that, I also know that different students of GM Wei use the stomp a little bit differently, depending on what their focus has been. Some use it for the "yanking" purpose I mentioned to pull the opponent forward and quickly close the distance, while others push forward to pin or control the opponent's arm rather than pulling the opponent. That makes a big difference in the purpose of the stomp, so you might get a different answer from someone who has learned from another of GM Wei's students.

Hope that helps.

[Michael Dasargo]

Hey Chas,

My understanding of stomping is that it has a number of different purposes

Likewise, it is to my understanding that the "stomp" is the byproduct of the principle, and not the principle itself. In regards to the changing/yanking step that you mentioned, it is used in the same manner in 7 Star in that it accentuates the coiling within the "Cast and Reel" idea. Whether it is used passively to adjust position and trap, or aggressively to pluck and rebound seems to be the primary difference in application. Both of which may not be exclusive either to Ba Bu nor 7 Star.

One Family,
M.