Long Weapons
There are eight long weapons under Sifu Tseng Gong Seng's lineage. The Spear is usually the second weapon to be learnt by the student.
Most of these weapons will take at least and over a month to practice, learn and master, dependant on the students learning pace and motivation. Each has their own distinctive advantages, techniques, drills, applications and usage.
The Spear: Plum Flower Spear Form
There are approximately fifteen different techniques within the spear form, to be practiced, drilled, applied and mastered. This consists of long range attacks and strikes, and short range reflective blocks to counter attack.
The spear is a beginner's weapon but consist of intermediate and advance techniques which are a core component in developing key skills to learning the next exponents. Core compenents within learning the Spear form includes;
- Thrusting outwards and basic applications,
- Development of blocking techniques,
- Blocking, defecting, and thrusting drills,
- Development of Ging Lik power of the Spear,
- Stance alignment, execution and positioning,
- Spears flow of movement, speed and reflex,
- Practicing Form in Four Gates/Corners,
- Accuracy, and long range drills,
- The final solution technique.
The Staff: The Dragon Pole, Double Sided Pole
The Staff also known as pole in the Jow Ga curriculum is extensively a core component to learning long weapons. It consists of Double Sided pole- beginners form and the one sided long pole called the Dragon Pole form - intermediate. This form develops the back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearm, wrist and legs.
There are over twenty different pole techniques ranging from attacking with the utilisation of both sides of the pole (Seurng Tau Gwun) for short range attack and defence, as well as long range with one sided (Luk Dim Boon Gwun), The Dragon Pole. Core compenents within learning the pole forms includes;
- Developing power and strength with the pole,
- The grasping, handling, stance work and control techniques,
- Attacking techniques with double sided pole,
- Drilling on accuracy of thrusts and strikes, shock drills,
- Cutting, deflecting and blocking drills and technique development,
- Practicing four gates with the pole,
- Countering multiple opponents with the pole,
- Fluidity of movement, speed and reflex,
- Pole sparring, Parring, Pole vs Pole Set.
The Nine Ring Halbert
The Nine Ring Halbert is an intermediate form normally a heavy weapon during historical Chinese war times. A truly strong, majestic weapon withstanding of slicing boulders, with swift strong foundation.
Slicing, cutting, chopping, are all part of the techniques in the form. The nine rings represents trapping long weapons in the ring as well as the sound from the rings to intimidate the enemy.
- Handling, grapping, and utilisation of Nine Ring halbert
- Slicing drills, applications and stance work,
- Development of cutting sides on horse and cross stance,
- Chopping and dicing drills and applications,
- Sneak attacks, lower cuts and blind eye attacks,
- Blocking techniques, drills and applications,
- Development of power, pace, stability and agility,
The Tiger Fork
The Tiger Fork is a intermediate weapon form, consist of jabbing, stabbing, trapping, panning, and many other defensive and offensive techniques to counter the oppenent with the use of ordinary traditional Chinese farmers tool. It's a widely used weapon due to which ordinary farmers needed to defend themselves against animal predators, threats and thieves from stealing their crops.
- Forking drills, applications and stance work,
- Circular spinning with fork drills and applications,
- Attacking, panning, stabbing drills,
- Counter attack techniques and application,
- Blocking techniques, drills and applications,
- Development of power, pace, stability and agility.
The Snake Spear
The Snake Spear is used by General Zhang Fei during the Three Kingdom's Period in China. It's respectably known for its long appearance, rapid strikes and swift agility. Main techniques are developed upon learning the Spear.
It’s inclusive of advance movements from rapid changing stances and techniques. The red hair tassels are used to stop the blood from flowing into the pole when thrusting into the enemies, it acts as a pointer and intimidating the enemy.
- Striking, Thrusting, Chopping drills and applications,
- Mastering the one hand twirl and spinning spear techniques,
- Pushing, Jabbing, Cutting, Swiping and catching techniques and applications,
- Development of controlling, handling, griping the weapon,
- Transitional stances, alignment, execution and positioning,
- The utilisation of the leg with kicks,
- Snake Spears flow of movement, speed and reflex,
- Practicing Form in Four Gates/Corners,
The Heaven Splitting Lance
The Heaven Splitting Lance is used by Lu Bu, one of the greatest warriors of the Three Kingdoms Period in 184–280. It has a combination of a spear like weapon with direct thrusts and the halberts slicing and cuts.
The core components of the weapon includes the agility, swiftness and accuracy in cutting the oponent, slicing them and peircing throought them with combination techniques from the spear and nine ring halbert.
- Cutting: Techniques, Drills and Application development,
- Slicing: Further advance training on slicing, footwork, power and agility,
- Thrusting: Advance theory from the twist, footwork and accuracy,
- Further drills and applications, handling of long weapon,
- Chopping and dicing drills and applications,
- Practicing Form in Four Gates/Corners,
The Double Headed Spear
The Double Headed Spear is a deadly weapon from both sides, utilising the most out of a weapon's double sides. It's particularly designed for left and right, back and front defensive weapon.
It contains the core techniques, drills and stance work from the spear. It's commonly seen from Chinese opera, from their shorter versions of the double headed spear.
- Thrusting outwards and back and front applications,
- Development of blocking techniques,
- Blocking, cutting, defecting, and thrusting drills,
- Development of Ging Lik power of the Double Spear,
- Stance alignment, execution and positioning,
- Spears flow of movement, speed and reflex,
- Practicing Form in Four Gates/Corners,
- Accuracy, and long range drills,
- The final solution technique.
The Guan Dao
The Guan Dao also known as General Guan Yu's Halbert is one of the famous weapon forms incorporating General Guan Yu's historical times during the Three Kingdoms period. Mighting power, strong stance, advance techniques are part of this form.
It's the secound last weapon to learn in the cirriculum, also known as Sifu's weapon. Jow Ga's Guan Dao form depicts Lord Guan's passing of the five gates and slaying of the 6 genenerals during his time of escaping Wei.
- Handling, grapping, and utilisation of the Guan Dao
- Slicing drills, applications and stance work,
- Development of cutting sides on horse and cross stance,
- Chopping and dicing drills and applications,
- Advance spinning and blocking techniques
- Emphasis on fluidity of movement, speed and reflex,
- Practicing Form in Four Gates/Corners
Jow Ga Kuen Martial Arts Association - since 1987 |