To new readers of this blog, I'd like to introduce my instructors.
I started mid-70's with Sihing Steve Slover, a student of Sifu John S.S. Leong. He taught us Hung Gar, which gave us a great foundation to judge real "Kung Fu". I still remember my first lesson, Say Ping Ma (and some stretches). We also learned a lot about Christian ethics.
Around 1979, I was introduced to Yau Kung Mun. Not as a student, just friend to friend. Around 1980, I managed to find the kwoon in San Francisco's Chinatown, and observe a couple of students training.
In 1982, I finally settled my schedule down (after completing BUD/S) and was invited to start training in Yau Kung Mun. This association has continued to this day. I saw my Sifu, Sifu Loi Lok Fu (Ralph Ferreiro) certify his first Sifu's (Dusty and Billy), and had the honor of being certified by him in May of 2003. I have also trained Yau Kung Mun under Sifu Garry Hearfield in Sydney, Australia. I credit my training with Sifu for teaching me to apply the sets, and being a kung fu man that can fight, not just perform beautiful forms.
Along the way, I have also trained under Jerry Peterson (San Soo/SCARS), Ray Dionaldo (Filipino Combat Systems) and a host of others. James Keating's ComTech has had a large part in opening my eyes to the universality of movement that is inherent in all the arts.
I have trained with many people over the years, all of whom have contributed to what I am today. Thank you to all the people involved, it has been great training with you and I hope to be training for another 34 years.
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Good post. Didn't you once tell me that Sihing Slover was a minister?
Let me say to the other readers, Don and I have been trading forms and techniques for eight years. I've mainly taught him some forms and applications from Yip family and mainland Chinese Wing Chun.
In exchange, he's helped me relearn Gung Gee Fuk Fu from Hung Gar, taught me tiger fork and a number of emptyhand and weapon sets from YKM.
I believe I've gotten the better part of that deal. Don is very generous and he knows the applications.
Not that YKM needs a lot of explanation. It's very aggressive and very nasty. It's been a great complement to other arts I practice, including Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do and Xingyi.
More than that, Don is very open-minded and willing to learn. The mark of a good instructor.
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