White Crane Videos

[kenneth fish]

These are some White Crane videos that I like:

1) Li Gang of Yong Chun White Crane demonstrates the three levels of performing the San Zhan set: Hard, Supple with Crisp, Explosive Force, and Pliable Strength


2) Sifu Li Gang demonstrating Yong Chun White Crane's Set "Twelve Section Force", which is very likely the progenitor set from whence modern Wing Chun arose


3)Zong He Quan - this is the one White Crane set I learned and still practice. The body mechanics are grueling and very worth the effort




Master Chen Ming Kun , 87 years old demonstrating the San Zhan set - watch his body


4) Monkey/Crane Boxing

[BonesCom]

Thanks Ken. I came across number 3 a few years ago and was impressed. I'm glad I wasn't too far off the mark.

Could you briefly mention how the training is so grueling, and how the different "expressions" (AFA the first videos description) are trained?

[mrtoes]

Really enjoyed all of those - thanks Ken. Number 3 was my favourite.

[kenneth fish]

All White Crane sets are a case of there being a lot more goin on than meets the eye. This one really works small movements in the hip joints, twisting and torquing from the legs, extending and contracting the spine, and exerting force from the bottom of the spine and lower abdomen up to the hands. One is exerting oneself strenuously throughout the form.

[windwalker]

edited:
not relevant to topic.

d

[zonghequan]

thank you very much sharing.
can you please tell me what you think of this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVnq6lp9PgI[youtube][/youtube]

[gau chau]

Thanks Dr Fish! Really enjoyed them, especially the first one - reminds me of southern mantis.

On the first clip, the 3 different expressions... are they progressions in training with one discarding (or focusing less) on one way? Or should each method be practiced equally? Any elaboration would be gratefully received. You have piqued my interest

[Bhassler]

Thanks very much! I really like the 3 san zhans (does that make it jiu zhan?)...

[Andy_S]

Ken:

Thanks - very interesting set of clips of a very interesting style. The first clip, in particular, is gold and should be required watching for any karateka who does sanchin kata: I can't help noting how the maestro here is more relaxed than virtually any Okinawan stylist I have seen doing sanchin - even when he is performing the "hard" version of his form.

RE: The first clip
Looks to me that the third way of doing the form, with its spirals and its relaxed but expansive connections, looks so much like the Taiji way of moving. Which leads me to ask:
Apparently, many Taiji peeps in Taiwan secretly learned Crane, as their Taiji training lacked fajin training. Now looking at this clip, one can see that Crane has similar energetics to Taiji in its advanced format. Do you think that Taiji should include a similar training progression of hard - fast/loose - soft as seen in Crane? Or can Taiji training successfully start with softness alone?

RE: White Crane's killer vibrational energy
Frantzis writes in one of his books - and someone else once mentioned to me - that Crane specializes in a very effective form of vibrational energy than can shatter bone, and this seems to be shown on these clips. (As recent evidence: Our very own Herman/Taiwan Deutscher had his arm broken by a Crane guy he was doing friendly PH with in the park one fine day!) This would seem to be one of the legendary "deadly" energies of CMA one reads about - but unlike most styles which have lost these kinds of forces, Crane (at least in Taiwan) clearly maintains this regimen. But according to the sources, this training also has neurological consequences, with practitioners becoming consumed with the power and going a bit looney - or at least, becoming slightly psychopathic. Have you encountered or observed this side-effect of training...?

[kenneth fish]

I am not an expert on White Crane, although I am very fond of it. I believe most of the older practitioners practice all three levels of training (at least from what I have seen) as they train different aspects of jin (trained strength) - I have seen fairly old practictioners practicing the gang (hard) version regularly. That having been said, it is indeed progressive training - but not discarding a level after one has learned it.

Andrew: yes, high level White Crane has the expressions of supple trained strength and mechanics that Taiji folks tend to only give lip service to. I have previously posted that in my experience real, old school Taiji (as I described seeing in Chinatown New York when I was very young) went through the same training progression as White Crane.

I don't think Kumar had much experience with White Crane. I would disagree about any such side effects of the vibration force - it is present in other Shaolin systems as well and the main thing to be careful about is overtraining as it can seriously strain deep soft tissue.

thank you very much sharing.
can you please tell me what you think of this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVnq6lp9PgI[youtube][/youtube]

I will not venture to comment on that video.

[hodmeist]

A very interesting style - I wish I had the time to investigate further as it seems to mix internal and external concepts very well. Chen Ming Kun was my favourite clip.
An 87 year old inspirational master - I hope I can move like that if and when I reach that age. Very motivational.

[taiwandeutscher]

Thanks, Ken, nice collection, most I know. Vid 3 + 4 are not so directly my cup, but good anyway.

With my personal, rather unpleasant experience, I tend to believe that some parts for their neigong training can be too strong a tobok for some. I really believe that some of those practitioners get lost on their way and start to enter the dark side.

I must admit, though, that I'm, hm, I'm still scared by the power which broke my ulna.

[wuwei sifu]

Oh, no you didn't post all this juicy crane style clips. thank you so much for sharing them; as well as your comments/insight as usual.
i will digest them slowly after my initial drive by . thx again

do you recall or know Gary Tong, i watched an old picnic video that featured him doing a crane form many years ago. he also has some knowledge of wing chun too. ? we did a form of gi gerk a years ago that didn't involve the leg component.
here's his website to see if you recognize him. old video of dr. chang there too. http://www.atouchofchi.com/

[kenneth fish]

Yes, I remember Gary. Nice chap. He came by for a few lessons some years ago.

[wayne hansen]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/aq243D18ORo[/youtube]

One of huangs students doing quick fist
A white crane set huang modified to suit tai chi
Just before his death huang was reverting to white crane and planned to open a school in nz