Product Description
Application of form Chum Kiu ... Read more

Product Description
An introduction for those interested into delving in to the world of Wing Chun kung fu as made famous by Bruce Lee and in the last couple of years brought to the cinema with the release of IP Man (2008) and Ip Man 2 (2010). Mark Beardsell has studied the Siu Lim Tau in great depth and wished to share his findings with you and so went about writing this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Lee’s original art (wing chun) and the art he developed (jeet kune do) are compared by Lee’s associates. Includes stances and footwork, hand and leg techniques, tactics, and self-defense. Fully illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Practicioners of both JKD and Wing Chun
Me, myself being a practicioner of both JKD and Wing Chun Kung Fu found this book to be interesting.It shows you how Bruce Lee used his Wing Chun knowledge and skill to be the basis of Jeet Kune Do.This book also shows how both Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do would handle the same situations.

In my personal opinion Jeet Kune Do is much more simpler, direct and practical in terms of hand-to-hand combat, but where Jeet Kune Do is rooted from should not be overlooked.

REALLY CMON NOW LETS GET REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO you really think that this stuff is going to work? especially the trapping? so many people love trapping but when then try it in sparring it doesnt work.the lin lop sau,the bong lop sau,the same hand tan to lop sau-cmon now none of that works against anyone who doesnt leave their hand out there after they throw a punch! this may have been how people fought hundreds if not a thousand years ago but it certainly isnt practical now! if you want to spend lots of your precious time learning an art that most of it you cant use in sparring or in the street then so be it.but like bruce said "man {or for that matter any person man or woman} is MORE IMPORTANTthan any art or system" even applies to jkd and wing chun-not the other way around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nothing new and not a lot of meat
There isn't anything new to be found in this text that hasn't been covered more thoroughly in other texts.The topics covered seemed glossed over without any meat or substance.Skip this one for more up to date books.

If you like examples without explanation...
This book makes a decent reference guide, or a hypothetical fight comparison, but there isn't much that can be personally gained from it.It is divided into five chapters: stances, hands, kicks, tactics, and selfdefense.There is a woefully inadequate into paragraph for each chapter,then the rest is filled with "what-if?" situation counters.Thisbook does a poor job of explaining the REASONS Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Doare different and simply shows you what ted wong and william cheung woulddo in an assortment of fighting situations.Also, it is important to notethat Ted Wong practices JUN FAN, not JKD.Some of his counters arehopelessly outdated.For example, an attacker stabs with knife [angle 7]and he does an INSIDE CRESCENT KICK to deflect it.Is he the Flash?Thematerial in this book might be okay to play around with a friend, but I'drather apply the money towards paying an instructor:you cannot learn JKD(even Jun Fan) or Wing Chun from a book.

Book to basic
This book was very disapointing, and misleading. Like for example wing chun has no high kicks butyou will see one in this book. enough said ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Lacks theory and detail; incorrect movements.
This book LACKS a great attention to detail in the most common of areas. Hands are left open on every movement, footwork is almost non-existant, and the center of gravity is every BUT where it belongs. The demo of the Muk-Yan-Chong goes back and forth with pictures of Dr. Smith and one of his students. Every Wing Chun practitioner knows the swords are NEVER turned backwards along the forearm, yet he displays this quite often. The pole form is over 50 movements, yet Dr. Smith displays approximately 10 and claims this is all there really is. There is very little detail in the execution of movements outside of a general description. In short, this book looks to be written for someone who has no knowledge of Wing Chun, Wing Tsun, or Ving Tsun whatsoever. Those that do, I recommend not wasting your money.

about the book
I rate this book a ten.It is a very detalied book and it talks a lot about the ways of wing chun and I appreciat that.I took wing chun when I had a short stay in Korea and it was really nice. I am a black belt in Karate and it was really diffrent.Ther were a lot more meditation and a lot of advanced techinques for the higher and more serious martial artists

about the book
I rate this book a ten.It is a very detalied book and it talks a lot about the ways of wing chun and I appreciat that.I took wing chun when I had a short stay in Korea and it was really nice. I am a black belt in Karate and it was really diffrent.Ther were a lot more meditation and a lot of advanced techinques for the higher and more serious martial artists

about the book
I rate this book a ten.It is a very detalied book and it talks a lot about the ways of wing chun and I appreciat that.I took wing chun when I had a short stay in Korea and it was really nice. I am a black belt in Karate and it was really diffrent.Ther were a lot more meditation and a lot of advanced techinques for the higher and more serious martial artists ... Read more

Product Description
This authoritative work is the first complete Wing Chun weapons book, featuring the Wing Chun Butterfly Knives and Pole.

Included is a unique section of interviews with the top Wing Chun masters in Hong Kong. This is the first time they have all participated in any publication.

This weapons book is essential reading for all martial artists, regardless of their style or experience.

Included in the book are preparation exercises, forms, applications and realistic uses of both weapons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Who knew household objects could be so deadly?
I see this book as a follow up to the author's previous blue colored book on Wing Chun Kung Fu. It continues on from where the blue book ended, covering the use of weapons as an extension of one's arms or body structure.

It demonstrates a range of techniques that can be performed using household objects (from an umbrella to a meat cleaver), and flawlessly relates the applications back to the core Wing Chun system - a connection that almost every other weapons book I have read fails to make.

I must respectfully disagree with the previous poster's review and question his actual experience in the Wing Chun system. The pole form is in the same form as the one in Yip Man's book. Furthermore, I think the reviewer completely misinterpreted the pole vs knife application as it is a fluid movement and not a 1 step 2 step combination (which would be the incorrect usage of the pole; Wing Chun's pole generates force at the tip and not by waving around and hitting people with the sides of the pole). The squash racket application acts as a replacement for the Wing Chun butterfly KNIVES and not the POLE, which is why it is used as such. Had it been a replacement for the pole then it would have been in another chapter. It is merely an alternative application of a tennis racket / squash racket's use in a real fight, using it as an extension of the forearm as butterfly knives are used.

With that being said, it is clearly a book for those of intermediate experience in Wing Chun (especially as it deals with weapons, which can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing). For those unacquainted with Wing Chun (or those of little skill in the system), the blue book (Wing Chun Kung Fu) by Jim Fung is a must read before you read this weapons book.

I give it five stars for appropriate and adaptable applications of weapons and weapon substitutes, and for expanding on some of the more advanced Wing Chun principles and applications rather than going back over old ground. Recommended!

Complete!?! hardly...
This book claims to be 'the first complete Wing Chun weapons book'. hmmm. Well, it's complete in the sense that it's a Wing Chun book and discusses the butterfly knives and pole, but is far from complete.

For a 200 page book there is not a lot of text, and in the text the author constantly makes the point that you cannot learn to use weapons from a book (a fair point, but you only need to say it once, if at all). There are at least 50 double page spreads of just photos, and a lot of the photos are repeated throughout the book.

The knife form is incomplete. The author only seems to want to show only the defensive, blocking techniques, rather than the attacking ones. For example, there is no mention of Cup dao or Lan dao. Only one basic strike is shown

The pole form is different, with some parts missing, and other parts added in which differ from Ip man Wing Chun, which is what the author claims he is trying to preserve.

In both sections the 'realistic applications' seem less believable than the classical applications. One example is along the lines of 'as attacker attempts to stab, block with pole/knife, and hit the head as the attackers knife falls to the ground'. This seems somewhat naive to assume someone will instantly drop a knife when you hit them on the arm. Also, when defending himself using a squash racket, he uses it as a pole, handle first. Contrary to the review above it IS in the pole application section, no the knife section. Also, Yip Man has never written a book, on the pole form or any other. Believe me, I have tried to find books by him before.

The only reason I give it two stars and not one is because there is a nice bit about some of the masters, and would be a good introduction for someone who has no idea about wing chun or its weapons. If you have any experience in wing chun, look elsewhere for a complete guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The best book on a great martial artist
I highly recommand this book on Bruce Lee written by Jesse Glover, his first student who knew him better than the most, and just looked at him as a friend, not so much from the position of a student. If you want to knowthe actual components of Bruce's skill and how he achieved it, his thinkingabout Gung Fu and in which ways this thinking changed, his problems inbecoming the best and how he overcame these problems, and some rarely knownaspects of his personality, this book is probably the best. Not only forBruce Lee fans, but also very interesting for every Wing Chun- and JKD man,take a look at this book written by Jesse Glover, one of the best teacherand finest gentleman in the martial arts today.

A great book
It's really an excellent account of Jesse Glover's association with Bruce Lee. One thing great about Glover's account is the honesty of the account. Glover's greatest contribution to Lee's history is the detailed account of Lee's fighting art and its development as Lee experimented and researched fighting arts. Lee wanted to be the best fighter in the world. The book consists of anecdotes and a good sketch of Bruce Lee in regard to his early years in the US and his rise in fame and the martial arts world.I highly recommend to any Bruce Lee fan or pracititioner of the martial arts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

You cannot learn from a book - like, duh!
This book is old school. It was first published almost 20 years ago. If you have no tradition of the austin goh lineage then OBVIOUSLY you are not going to be able to learn the system.

What is in there are qi cultivation techniques, conditioning techniques, and strength training techniques.

If you have been shown how to do the basics then the information in this book will help you advance BUT ONLY IF YOU PRACTICE THEM CORRECTLY DAILY (for at least a year or two).

If you have never experienced real qi power then you will have no idea what I am on about.

On cannot expect to break blocks in under 5 years of training.

To the reviewer who returned the book - 30 years and you cannot get anything from austin goh??

You, Sir, are a vulgar charlatan.

This book was a huge disappointment.
The author implies that "secret" techniques will be described.They must be so secret that one cannot discern what they are.There is very little text.The book has many pictures of stances, which don't look very different from each other.In fact it seems that the author is in the same stances with different clothes on.Perhaps this is a very esoteric book which is designed for a very limited audience.I have 30 years of martial arts experience, and found the book to be of no use.I returned it to Amazon.

This book shows techniques not shown in other books.
The book is not meant as an instructional.I would not reccomend it to anyone that knows very little about Wing chun. Austin goh demonstrates the secret sand bag form, and various chi demonstrations like bending bars with his neck, one finger press ups, and chopstick throwing into plywood. As the title suggests, it shows the breaking power of wing chun.It has some breathing exersises, and many breaking demonstrations in the back. A circular cane chi sao exersise is also included. Generally, I would recommend this book for anyone after they have purchased a few other first and second level books. As with all of the wing chun conditioning techniques, I would exersise extreme caution.The proper Iron palm linement, Dit da jow with Iron palm herbs added (Never dit da jow ALONE), should be used at all times. ... Read more

Product Description
BaiSao, a little-known exercise Yip Man used to demonstrate Wing Chun to strangers, becomes a window into Wing Chun theory, tying together ChiSao, Wooden Man, and fighting applications. Revealed is the amazing depth of thinking behind a sparkling, casual, but totally absorbing 10-20 second "elevator speech" demo of the martial art that gave Bruce Lee his start. This unique book is structured around quotations from Wang Kiu, the least-known of Yip Man's original core students. Written to resemble a college course, with "lecture/demo", "reading", and "lab" sections, with about 200 photos, BaiSao introduces Maier's YumCha series, evoking an atmosphere of out-of-class discussions where training becomes illumination, treating Wing Chun as a principle-based art of generating and solving puzzles. Wang's sole American student, Maier focused his Ph.D. work on Wing Chun's "Tactical Cognition", evident in suggestive threads into logistics, task analysis, concept mapping, motion analysis and cognitive science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Bai Sao
I just got the book Bai Sao Wing Chun's Taproot today. Wow! As I am interested in the first Wing chun form Siu Nim Tao this book is just what I was looking for. In my humble opinion, if you don't read Bai Sao you start out without the foundation needed to make the connection to Siu Nim Tao, Chi Sao and the rest of the Wing Chun system.
My favorite read in the book is titled, "Is this where Chi Sao came from."What an interesting hypothesis. Dr. Maier has done a nice job with this book. I hope Maier writes more books on Wing Chun Kung Fu!
One recommendation. Please add this book to Kindle.

Praise for BaiSao: Wing Chun's Taproot
I recently purchased BaiSao: Wing Chun's Taproot by Herbert Maier. I have been training in Moy Yat Ving Tsun for a year, martial arts for 11, and found the text to be extremely insightful and an excellent supplement to my in-class training. I am an avid reader and researched when it comes to my training, and found Maier's book to provide insights that are not found in the typical forms and applications type books.If you are looking for the deep insights that come from speaking with more advanced students, for a text that provides a fresh perspective to the possibilities of chi sao, I highly recommend this book.

Hi Herbert, you did a very good job!
Well, here's the first book about my (our) sifu Wang Kiu.

This book by Herbert Maier shows in a sometimes very nice mathematical way the wing chun that has been taught by sifu Wang Kiu. Sifu Wang Kiu is one of the core students of Yip Man who traint with him for years in the 50's together with many great other people (Wong Shun Leung, Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu, Bruce Lee etc.).

Sifu can be proud on the book since it's not showing Wing Chun in the way that many others did. This book shows the concepts, the logical way of thinking and with this book you can understand the principles of Wing Chun much better. You can not learn fighting from a book, but you CAN understand it, and this book definitely helps you with that. I also hope people will see the difference because there's a lot of rubbish on this subject available.

Sifu Wang Kiu always kept a rather low profile on purpose. He never intended to write books and he never called himself a master. People who really know him know he's a true Taoist. But Sifu Wang Kiu can be proud that his knowledge will be passed on, even when he won't be with us anymore.

Thanks Herbert for this great piece of work!

something special
This book is a revolution (and revelation) in the martial arts literature.Dr. Maier combines a concise and lucid description of the bai sao drills with a deep, thought-provoking exposition of the rich theory of Wing Chun.As the preface explains, the goal of the Yum Cha series is to provide a start point for the exploration of the ideas underlying the art.This book succeeds in that goal.

A thinking person's approach to a martial art
The book encourages one to approach maritial arts as a series of linked interactions between you and your opponent rather than simply a set of techniques.Many books simply present techniques, Mr. Maier's book encourages one to think about how techniques, especially in combination, "work" rather simply explaining "how they are done". ... Read more

Product Description
Martial arts legend William Cheung teaches the advanced training theories and practical applications of wing chun kung fu, delving into the nuances of wooden-dummy training, street techniques, weapon defense, and the three-centers principle. In addition, a chapter is devoted to breaking down the author's famous 100-day Iron Palm Training Program. The succinct writing style and countless photographs (featuring Eric Oram and grandmaster Cheung's top students) make this book a valuable addition to any martial artist's library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

William Cheung is awesome!
I am sorry, but since the other reviewer was so prejudice, I had to rate this book high.
I hope we can get some real reviews someday.

Don't waste your money or time.
If only there was an option to give something a negative score.

William Cheung is one of those self-proclaimed "masters" who made up his own system, and claims it's super-secret kung fu taught to him and only him. He wants people to think he's like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix; we're to believe that Ip Man taught all his other students wrong on purpose, except for William "The Chosen One" Cheung".

It's all lies. Cheung is a liar, and his book is all stuff he himself made up out of thin air.

There's no reason to give Cheung any of your money. Just do what he did -go to a real Wing Chun school and take 1 or 2 years of lessons. That's not nearly enough time to learn the whole system of course, but what you don't know you can just make up. Granted, you'll have no idea what advanced Wing Chun is really about, but that didn't stop Cheung from suckering people into paying him for lessons and publishing books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

simplistic and poorly illustrated
I agree with the other 1 star reviewer in that this book very poorly illustrates proper technique and is very, very basic. Fortunately, I read it at the book store and therefore did not waste any money.

When I found the book on Amazon while searching for other Wing Chun books, I was very surprised to see such good reviews for it. Of course, it could just be the author or friends of the author ;)

Especially watch out for anybody who tries to tell you you can learn the martial arts from a book - you can not. You can learn about it, but without qualified instruction, you can't learn how to do it.

Please, buy another book
I don't know why I keep on buying this kind of manual and after having read this book I've got a good reason to stop. 70 pages of chatting that 'any master' can do. The picturesdon't show what the written should want to explain. They don'thave a dynamical sequence and it's difficult to realize the words' author. 1 star is enough.

I likedit
A good book inseries. Same open mindedness of the others.
Well written easy to read and understand. I will probably buy more of his works.

The essence of martial science...
Smith follows up volume one in this Wing Chun trilogy with another fineeffort, this time detailing the techniques and tactics of the style.Thematerial in this book can be used creatively as a guide to the applicationsof the forms described in volume one.This edition also contains anintroduction to Chi Sau exercises, a vital component to Wing Chun training. What I like most about Smith is his open-minded perspective; in this book,he sights some of the strengths and weaknesses of the style, and he's notafraid to suggest solutions for oversights such as fighting outsidetrapping range and the lack of power strikes (readers might also consider aWing Chun practitioner's vulnerability to a skilled wrestler's attack, anissue not addressed here).Another excellent analysis of this practicaland highly efficient martial art.

A MUST buy for the begining Wing Chun practioner
If your interested in finding out what all the hype is about, or just wanting some interesting techniques to try out, buy this book. it covers dar mak, chin na, and many combination hand and feet techniques. A verygood compliment to a wing chun student's martial arts library ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good for steudents of WT
This book is very good but it is really a guide for students of WT. The photographs show the form in the correct fashion but if you wish to learn purely frim the book this is impossible you need a teacher to fully understand the move. Very good fro students as a home study guide.

Informative!
If you're a WT practitioner, then this book is certainly a recommandation: very well written, complete with all the chinese names of every movement. Not too much applications, but it's worth to have a look at it! I would say: LT can continue to write a lot of WT-books!

Great Manual for Beginners, Great Review for Instructors!
This book has been long awaited.It breaks down the SNT form step by step (similar to the book WingTsun Kuen, but with the Chinese names for ALL the movements), including the applications of the movements set by set.This book is great for beginning students of WingTsun, as well as a great review or source of topics for instructors to train their students in.Can't wait until the Chum Kiu and Biu Tze books get translated into english! ... Read more