Review of Omei Hung Mo Bak Mei Yum
Yeung Jik Bo Kuen DVD
Produced by Warrior Body Buddha Mind,
this DVD covers the entry/foundation form of the Omei Bak Mei system
– Yum Yeung Jik Bo Kuen. Applications of the form will be covered
in a future DVD.
Overall, the content of the DVD is
outstanding. Sifu Garry breaks down the set, from the beginning
salute to the ending salute, with a fine attention to the body
dynamics involved. His analysis of the forms movements bring the
theoretical knowledge of Rise-Fall-Expand-Contract to a practical
usage. This is what makes the form a beginner's basic entry level set
and a foundation for all other sets in the Bak Mei lineage. In
addition, he explains how to use 'spiral' type movements with the
rise and fall actions. A lot of items to consider for a 'basic' set.
Sifu Garry emphasizes that the
practitioner will need to get the 'feeling' of the movements, rather
than merely copying the movements.
The DVD has a nice external training
portion, illustrating some common Southern Chinese style exercises
and equipment, with an emphasis on using them in a manner consistent
with the Bak Mei principles he outlines in the set.
As a consumer of Martial Art DVD's,
there are a few drawbacks to this one. The action takes place in
what appears to be a small apartment.
This limits the ability to see the entire video played out in its
proper manner. While good from a standpoint of concentrating on
certain movements (a step-by-step sequence), it detracts from the
overall flow of the form. It also makes understanding the footwork a
bit difficult, unless you are already versed in Bak Mei style
stepping. I have seen some of his outdoor training clips, perhaps
there could have been a couple of iterations of the form added to the
DVD.
One other point, is the uniform shirt
he is wearing tends to take attention away from what his hands are
actually doing at certain points. In my opinion, it would have been
better to do certain portions of the form in a T-shirt, clarifying
some of the circular actions.
Bottom line, if you are interested in
seeing the mechanics and theory of Omei Hung Mo Bak Mei, buy the DVD.
It will help explain theory and help you to apply the theory. I look
forward to seeing more DVD's from Warrior Body Buddha Mind
productions.
While the DVD gives clear instructions
on the performance of the set, I believe you still would need
guidance and feedback to properly perform the actions. If you have a
Hakka martial arts background, you could follow along and perform the
set. If you come from a Karate or other martial art background, the
method/manner of movement may be quite foreign to you.
I personally have added this set to my
daily practice. I feel that internalizing the movements will help me
in all my other Yau Kung Mun sets.
