Master Wong answering my questions

[roger hao]

Cool Johnathan - keep up the good work!

[neijia_boxer]

stand by what i said, otherwise I wouldn't be true to my self and thoughts on the matter. I refuse to call him master. wong-guy yeah he can be called that.

[jonathan.bluestein]

Thanks friends

I believe master Wong has excellent skills, even if they are not too 'traditional' by many standards. He does his own thing and it works well for him and others. Krav Maga also started out as a broad attempt by many Israelis to do their own thing based on Oriental arts, and over time many branches of it had gained great credibility. Master Wong is taking a path with has some similarities with that of the original creators of Krav Maga, making his arts very accessible and easy to comprehend to the general public while keeping them effective.

As for his unique way of performing on video - in the end, it is people like master Wong that the public remembers. He's like the marketing baby of Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali, and frankly were I the owner of any large firm or brand I would have hired him to promote any sort of product. He can sell his stuff because he believes with all his heart in what he's doing and is 100% enthusiastic about it, and it shows.

Master Wong did not know me before I sent him my book. He chose to show great kindness in his actions, asking absolutely nothing in return. He even insisted several times on sending me a gift back. I can compare that with many famous teachers who had ignored my letters altogether, or even a couple who had gotten a free book and are now ignoring me. Thus, I have come to respect master Wong as a very decent human being.

As for Adam Mizner and Richard Clear - why attack these two gentlemen? Especially shifu Clear, who is such a lovely person... always so positive and cooperative, never talking bad of anyone. Both men have been practicing and teaching many years, and both received quality traditional teaching from quite a few people. I never thought any of them deserves ridicule for their wonderful and commendable efforts and practice.

It is my opinion that not everyone who has put on gloves and competed successfully is necessarily a very good fighter, and not everyone who hasn't is necessarily a bad one. I think it was Rory Miller who noted that the most vicious and effective street fighters he had known were people who never sparred, but had martial arts training and the correct to 'dehumanize' their opponent when required by the circumstances. That being said, though I like the 'fighting teachers' list, it's not the be-all-end-all list to indicate who can fight and who cannot.

[I-mon]

Great!

[willywrong]

I could pick holes in his Taiji all day long (I can't speak for his Wing Chun), but his applications are decent, and he is a fighty instructor, which CMA needs more of.

And his persona is a welcome breath of fresh air in a community that tends to be as conservative and straight-laced as the corset of a Victorian vicar's wife. CMA needs to LTFU IMHO...YMMV.

+1.

That's the main point here. People mock master Wong because his stuff often do not correlate well with what they consider 'traditional gongfu'. Much of that criticism is true. However, I do not think it matters. Why? Because his stuff works. Because his attitude is correct. What he lacks in 'traditionalism' he makes up for in quality teaching and originality. What he doesn't say with words, he presents very well physically. He is brilliant in his marketing, and is always positive and kind-hearted in his message. People listen to him because he has genuine enthusiasm and love for what he does - it's not fake, it's that way he is. I wish I could be as gregarious with my own students. He sets an example many teachers should follow.

I would have rather studied 'less-traditional gongfu' from master Wong for 1-2 years and then found a 'very traditional' teacher than study with most 'very traditional' teachers for 10 years and then find him. Those who have followed his channel for a while will understand why.

Thank Allah that you didn't go down that path. Jonathan, what would we do about you academia.

[Andy_S]

SNIP
shifu Clear, who is such a lovely person...
SNIP

And a busy person, too!

When he is not teaching silat and taiji to his online fans, he adopts the persona of a thespian named "Kevin Bacon" and stars in films.

[neijia_boxer]

Thanks friends

I believe master Wong has excellent skills, even if they are not too 'traditional' by many standards. He does his own thing and it works well for him and others. Krav Maga also started out as a broad attempt by many Israelis to do their own thing based on Oriental arts, and over time many branches of it had gained great credibility. Master Wong is taking a path with has some similarities with that of the original creators of Krav Maga, making his arts very accessible and easy to comprehend to the general public while keeping them effective.

As for his unique way of performing on video - in the end, it is people like master Wong that the public remembers. He's like the marketing baby of Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali, and frankly were I the owner of any large firm or brand I would have hired him to promote any sort of product. He can sell his stuff because he believes with all his heart in what he's doing and is 100% enthusiastic about it, and it shows.

Master Wong did not know me before I sent him my book. He chose to show great kindness in his actions, asking absolutely nothing in return. He even insisted several times on sending me a gift back. I can compare that with many famous teachers who had ignored my letters altogether, or even a couple who had gotten a free book and are now ignoring me. Thus, I have come to respect master Wong as a very decent human being.

As for Adam Mizner and Richard Clear - why attack these two gentlemen? Especially shifu Clear, who is such a lovely person... always so positive and cooperative, never talking bad of anyone. Both men have been practicing and teaching many years, and both received quality traditional teaching from quite a few people. I never thought any of them deserves ridicule for their wonderful and commendable efforts and practice.

It is my opinion that not everyone who has put on gloves and competed successfully is necessarily a very good fighter, and not everyone who hasn't is necessarily a bad one. I think it was Rory Miller who noted that the most vicious and effective street fighters he had known were people who never sparred, but had martial arts training and the correct to 'dehumanize' their opponent when required by the circumstances. That being said, though I like the 'fighting teachers' list, it's not the be-all-end-all list to indicate who can fight and who cannot.

Johnathan,

Thanks for being diplomatic and and taking the time to write cordially. I apologize for changing the tone of your thread. Good for you for getting Wong's attention. However my experience with Wong and the others mentioned are not the same in my experience. In personal emails, forums, and other areas, my experience was different, and I question their videos and demos. Wong for instance has a overly-aggressive personality. Do you think this is Wu De? he cannot mention this teachers. that is my question to him.



Not someone I would want to train with IMO.

nor this guy who talks cocky in forums and his sycophants:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=70 ... =2&theater

nor this guy with way to many talking videos:


and we all love this guy:


These are various things that are quite the opposite of good instruction, good kung fu, and good Taiji IMO. To people who have gone out and fought (full contact in the ring and streets) this is absolutely silly to us.
this blog must of been written for those guys:
http://nysanda.wordpress.com/2014/09/24 ... tial-arts/

sincerely,

Matt