Recently I decided to pick up one of Sifu Sergio’s DVDs called “Ip Man Wing Chun Series Siu Nim Tau and variations.” If you are not familiar with Sergio, he is known for traveling the world and learning from various well known teachers. Being that he was influenced by and completed numerous lineages, he often holds a different perspective then what many would call main stream Ip Man Wing Chun. Hearing his thoughts is always interesting and really makes me wonder about what other types of styles are out there.
What will you learn?
He teaches/compares Ip Man Wing Chun and a version of Sil Nim Tau that is taught in his organization, International Wing Tjun Kung Fu Association (IWKA.) Personally, although I practice and like Ip Man related styles, I am often eager to hear what he has to share regarding what he personally teaches. This way you do not get stuck in a single mindset and you are exposed what else is out there.
If you are a member of the IWKA or have seen his previous DVDs, you will be familiar with the concept that he refers to as “Push and pull.” In short, it is how you retract and recoil your body, similar to how a snake attacks, but with a Wing Chun framework. It is a fairly different take on how to generate attacking energy in our system, if you are only interested in this concept he talks much more about it in the DVD Secrets of Chinese Chain Punching.
Where most stand still during Sil Nim Tao, the “Push-pull” theory makes it a much more physical form. From what I understand these types of movements allow you to create gaps in your opponent structure that would be difficult for them to foresee or overcome. I can best describe it as a sudden burst of energy created by thrusting your pelvis upward or rather into your challenger.
If you are a more advance practitioner and want to learn about different approaches that you can apply to your current regiment, he goes somewhat in-depth about applying Chi Gong training into your Sil Nim Tao form. He spends a good 10-15 minutes explaining how to perform basic internal movements, such as how to breath, how long to take in breaths, tongue placement, and where to focus your attention.
This type of training is thought to give your organs a massage, resulting in a happier, healthier you. What I found most interesting about this area is that some are so skilled at Chi Gong training that it can actually change the color of your hands, even a blackish color!
What is on disk two?
In Disk two you get to see Sifu Sergio teaching the applications of Sil Nim Tao. All of which has great explanations and will help you grasp the purpose of each movement of the form.
There are two things I really liked about disk two.
- It was filmed in front of the largest Buddha statue in the world. It was very
entertaining seeing a Caucasian male surrounded by hundreds of Chinese tourists watching him teach Kung Fu. Please keep in mind, you only see the tourists for one brief moment, when he points it out, you do not have to worry about people suddenly appearing behind him and distracting you from learning. - As a bonus, you get see Sifu Sergio teach a handful of Kam Na, joing locking techniques. This section was not only informative, but fun to watch. It is not every day you get to see someone apply joint locks to Wing Chun! Super cool!
DVD Quality:
The filming quality is great, no issues of any kind, and the video quality are very clear. From time to time you can hear some background noise, but you can hear Sifu Sergio speak very clearly.
Conclusion:
Definitely worth checking out! If you study Ip man Wing Chun, Sifu Sergio’s IWKA forms, or just want to see something new, totally worth it. Every time I see one of Sifu Sergios DVDs I get something completely different then what I expected. I really enjoyed it and will watch it again.
Want to check out this DVD? Click here to pick it up in the EWC store