RE High punch
Hi guys, I remember when I got into PHS being told how the PHS high punch etc was such a guarded secret. It's interesting to watch this video as you'll it's a common techinique in Xingyiquan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP5OEjYVzKQ I found the techinques demos after the form interesting because i can remember doing many of the same ones during my tenure there. Obviously Simon had some Xingyiquan training along the way? D

Not even close. RD

RE
Look's pretty similar to me. Elbow high, vertical fist.......

Not quite. The beginning looks similar, but the execution and finish are different. If you play it in slow motion or frame by frame, you should see what I mean. I've seen a number of similar setups in MA movies and videos, none yet that are identical from the beginning to the end. It does not necessarily mean that no one else knows it or does it, but it certainly does not appear to be common knowledge.

RE
Hey 92, Yes, I agree. It's not exactly the same. It wasn't my intention to suggest it was a direct copy. My point was to show something that parallels what was done in PHS. I'm glad to see you tried to look at it with an open mind. It was always put forth by the teachers at TKF that these techniques were exclusive to the style. This is not the case and I've seen many instances, such as the muscle change classics, where these techniques have long been taught in other styles. I've seen many instances of the high punch, not just with this style. We were taught the high punch, etc in PHS and did 1000's of them. we did ton's of techniques for it. The comparison was put forth to try and look at things a little differently. There's a lot of ways to generate power. This guy is trying to do it in a completely different way than PHS yet the high punch is similar in technique. I realize the stance and delivery are different, etc. Just trying to stimulate some different perspectives.

Well, I have seen th PHS punch in one of those fighting video games. In reality anyone can arrive at this punch by using the principles of kung fu. Every block is a strike and every strike is a block. How is a cutting block a strike? Think shortly on that and you will have the PHS punch. I personally attribute Master Simon with having a great degree of creativity. Some of the theiries taught in the Moh system are completely different ways of viewing something taught in another system. The Moh system has a nice way of explaining things in a way we understand with ease. I personally think Master Simon spent alot of time thinking about what he lerned and how he could most efficiently teach that to someone else. His own personal observations about the art can be seen in his writing and in the theories taught in the style istelf. In many ways I find some of those theories to be the most useful and unique aspects of that style.

Hi DaveS, I simply meant that what the guy in the video is doing is not PHS. Nothing like it. Don't get me wrong, it's nice, but it isn't PHS. There are some PHS-like motions. I also recognized motions from other styles. What I see are one martial artist's interpretations of those motions. Notice how the form contains a variation of Grasping Birds Tail from Wu style Tai Chi? He also attempts Osotogari from Judo as one of his applications. I wouldn't be surprised if people from many other different styles recognize some of those motions. Thanks for posting the video. It's good to see people train their chosen style with all their hearts -- after all isn't that what it's really about? He's obviously trained that form a lot to get it to look like that. Nice! It makes you realize that all the different styles out there are really part of one big family. RD

I will try to keep this short. Having trained a little Xingyi since leaving TKF I think I know the move you are talking about from the video. It is one of the 5 elements Open Fist moves called "Pow/ Pau" (not sure of spelling). It's final position almost looks like a PHS High Punch set up, the big difference is that it is the "Final" postion of Pow where in PHS it is the "starting" position of the high punch. Pow is more similair in application to "lifting the gate/double punch" from Moh... sort of Another Xingyi punch is similair to the PHS low punch, only it does not start from chamber, but rather from your dantien (navel). From there the "twist" and final postion are similair to the Low Punch, but again it is still a very different style. For example almost all the basic Xingyi thrusts/ punches cross over/under the wrist of the pullback hand, which is unlike any of the thrusting moves/ punches TKF taught. As for the PHS high punch, I have seen the stance/ set up in other styles and movies. It is in Tai Chi (With open hands of course) and Jet Li uses it a few times in "Fist of Legend" for example... I however have never personally seen the PHS High Punch applied exactly how it was taught at TKF. My $.02

Hi Just thought I would agree that many different styles use this position( Aiki Jujutsu, Tai Chi, actually almost all Asian fighting styles; From ancient Africa there are vases that show the warriors of the day in the exact pose these art works are the oldest showing a fighting style as an apparent art, found pictures in a library book on history of combat about 10 yrs ago sorry I can't remember the name) but in application not one is the same ( can't speak for the ancients only modern). The position appears to be as old as fighting itself so applications are as diverse as fighting methods. The Phs method to me though holds interest because it contains what I see others do but also much more. (including very advanced forms of the continuos fist and the plumflower fist techniques. I didn't know until I met masters of these techniques and we compared) Trevor