FULL CONTACT Magazine Article (February 1995) SEMINAR TOUR:
Kickin' it with SIFU FRANCIS FONG
 Above: Francis Fong demonstrates a restraint hold upon completing a takedown. The author (right rear) found Fong to be an excellent seminar instructor as well as a quality human being. Photos: Author Collection When Greg Walker called and asked if I wanted to go to San Francisco to cover Sifu Francis Fong's Wing Chun/Kali/JKD seminar, I immediately agreed. As soon as I hung up the phone, childhood memories returned from those early years in San Francisco and my martial arts training with my old-time instructor and family friend, the late William Leong. I had flashbacks of walking out of his basement school with stinging welts on my arms, a burning red chest nagging me while my fellow students who were all Chinese laughed  | | RICHARD HECKLER (KNEELING) WAS KIND ENOUGH TO EXTEND THE USE OF HIS DOJO FOR OUR TWO-DAY SEMINAR. HERE, HECKLER APPLIES A RECENTLY LEARNED TECHNIQUE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF RICHARD CHEN, THE SEMINAR'S SPONSOR. | at my discomfort. Wing Chun, this will be great! I haven't seriously studied Wing Chun in almost 18 years, and the thought was quite pleasant, but I still couldn't help but wonder if I would remember all the movements. "What kind of guy is Sifu Fong?" "Will he be like Bill?" "Will his seminar be too advanced for me?" "Will he teach traditional Wing Chun?" I also wondered what Wing Chun was like now that the popularity of Bruce Lee's early Wing Chun training was returning to its roots. Stepping off the plane in San Francisco reminded me of my teenage years, when I would fly down to visit my father and spend my summers on the mat. I was greeted warmly by Richard Chen, the sponsor of this weekend's seminar To my surprise, standing beside him was Sifu Francis Fong and his wife Simu. The ride to the hotel allowed for a quick interview so I could gather some "intel" on what I was really in for. Sifu Fong is younger (mid-30s-early 40s) than my late Wing Chun instructor, and I took the opportunity to discuss real-world issues with him, which he quickly put into perspective. Our conversation revealed a well-educated man with a practical global outlook. He is definitely a well-read martial artist. A good martial artist understands people and how they think he told me. "Reading and social studies teach us about people. A good martial artist creates and loves beauty. Art and music also teach us to enjoy beauty." We talked about international trade, global politics, crime, economics, the current status of competitive martial arts, the changes martial arts have undergone in the past several years, and even Intel Corporation's competitive challenge in computers. Quite refreshing, considering many martial practitioners can barely discuss the merits of their art with any degree of intelligence. Our seminar took place in a beautiful Aikido School on the outskirts of Sausalito, California. Richard Heckler's school offered us an elegant matted floor with a large picture of Sensei Morihei Ueshiba enshrined with flowers and incense watching over us. I took off my shoes and bowed before stepping onto the mat, and began to stretch out, preparing myself for what turned out to be one of the best seminars I have ever attended. After a brief introduction by Richard Chen, Sifu Fong quickly explained his course of instruction to a class of about 25 students and began covering the basics of warm-ups. These included stretching key muscle groups, joints, back and arms to physically prepare for what turned out to be a serious day of training. Sifu Fong demonstrated several types of vigorous exercises that condition the body while developing dexterity and coordination through specific combinations of movement and breathing. I was sweating profusely, hoping a breeze would start flowing across San Francisco Bay, and trying to remind myself that this was my vacation as the morning drills continued. DAY 1-SENSITIVITY AND STRENGTH "Chi and Mind Training emphasize inner development, self-discipline and successful life skills. They allow the student an opportunity to produce the needed sensitivity required for Wing Chun training," Francis Fong explained. He has excellent sensitivity for Wing Chun, which he demonstrated by showing the capability of individual sensitivity and how to control it through inner flow. This is that "famous spot" about two inches below your belly  | | The author (center) is a longtime Wing Chun player and former Green Beret. A nephew to Guro Dan Inosanto, Evangelista was pleased to enjoy the Kali influence Sifu Fong brought to the seminar. | button, and I quickly learned the difference between concentrating and feeling pressure applied correctly, and what happens if it is not. It's a little difficult to understand these concepts if you've never felt or experienced them, but Sifu Fong demonstrated this capability of correct posturing by allowing the biggest students to try pushing him (he held them off on one leg), to climb on him (all of them weighed from 175 to 200 pounds) and to pull/push him. No one moved him. The real surprise came when he had us do the same thing to each other, and you could definitely feel and see if you were applying the method correctly. No secrets, no magic-just proper execution of technique based upon correct understanding of the concept. This demonstration was my first hint of why his seminars are so good. Many seminars are too fast-paced with students barely having enough time to grasp concepts of even the most simple design. In all applications you felt what you did right and what you did wrong and Fong was always alert and nearby. You could define what a proper technique felt like and you could correctly tell your partner if it was right or if it was wrong, due to Sifu Fong's clear instruction and demonstration. The morning continued with exercises that demonstrated proper sensitivity flow and balance, with Fong once again ensuring that each student applied techniques successfully. Wrestling techniques demonstrated balance and how "Chi" could allow you to control the situation you faced, proactively, not reactively. The Aikido students showed amazement at how closely the two arts were in these concepts, with Wing Chun and Aikido also similar in many ways, as are all martial arts if you approach them with an open mind. The afternoon session brought back my understanding of Wing Chun by again applying techniques of balance sensitivity and control. Sifu Fong demonstrated traditional Wing Chun, emphasizing control and sensitivity in the Bong Sau, Tan-Sau and Pak-Sau techniques. Bong-Sau is used to nullify straight-line attacks from an opponent. Tan-Sau follows the Bong-Sau, allowing the forearm to make contact with the opponent. Pak-Sau dissolves straight-line punches while allowing the counterattacks. Each time he demonstrated a technique, Sifu Fong introduced imaginative follow-ons to demonstrate the practical application of each movement. He discussed defensive situations to be used by women against rape and special uses for attempted robberies. His focus showed the similarities i everyday situations, coming from simple and easy-to-learn applications. My day ended without severely bruised forearms and no red chest, although FC's editor could not claim the same relief from pain. DAY 2-NO PAIN, NO GAIN Day Two was another excellent day in San Francisco. I had a hard time remembering the weather being so clear and sunny. Sifu Fong started the day by  | | Knife combatives was an important part of day two's instruction. Fong relies heavily on the Filipino martial arts for his blade craft. | discussing ethics, philosophy and moving away from self-glorification and the need for competition. He explained how martial arts were necessary for daily living, providing a connecting thread between the balance of stress and overenjoyment. I realized then this was going to be the day where we applied everything we learned. I was right. "The martial arts are essentially a philosophy of life which reveals to us a way to lead a more worthwhile and meaningful existence," Sifu Fong said. "In this way, the mind and the body are combined in harmony. The result is the development of a clear head (intelligence), a kind heart (virtue) a healthy body (physical well-being) and confidence (belief)." Sifu Fong's seminars are designed to bring everyone up to a common level. It is difficult to get everyone on the same sheet of music when there are so many different martial artists studying different techniques and styles. Sifu Fong has wisely structured his seminars by first getting everyone to common ground and then instructing the attendees in a manner that they can learn and add on to each subject by exercising their own creativity. This difficult instructional flow and transition is very hard for many instructors on the seminar circuit to master. FLOW DRILLS We reviewed earlier lessons and then applied different levels of difficulty and technique, which were very similar to Muay Thai boxing. I couldn't help but see how naturally the two (Wing Chung and Thai boxing) went together. Wing Chun is similar to Muay Thai (I can hear the critics slamming me now!), and this was another indication of how well Sifu Fong applied his  | | Women found favor with ground fighting/grappling techniques as presented by Fong. | martial knowledge. From Pak-Sau, to forceful lower gate kicks, to choking techniques, to getting out of choking techniques and regaining the attack, his drills allowed the student to see the connection of Wing Chun, JKD and Kali and how all three arts can flow to Muay Thai with its powerful kicks. These drills also allowed the students to understand pain. If you know how it feels, then you know what you are delivering to your opponent. In some cases, this concept may get carried away, but in Sifu Fong's seminar, it allowed the students to understand if the technique they were learning was performed correctly or incorrectly. The feedback is an excellent quality-control device, one rarely used in seminars today. I should also note Fong's insistence that protective equipment, including kick and focus pads, be used. Senseless injury is just that. APPLICATIONS AND KNIFE TECHNIQUES The seminar finished with some colorful techniques centering on knife  | | THE WEAPON A BLUR, SIFU FONG DEMONSTRATES A PRESSURE-POINT STRIKE MEANT AS THE LEAD-IN TO A KNIFE DISARM. | disarmament and fighting. Sifu Fong explained the importance of balance and the need for speed in successfully disarming such assaults. This bonus instruction allowed me to compare my previous Escrima training and added what I felt was an excellent ending to a fabulous weekend. Knife training was accomplished using quality training blades, including the Al Mar Knives, rubber knives and COMTECH plastic trainers. CONCLUSION Francis Fong is amazing. His seminar taught us a traditional foundation of Wing Chun, but with a seasoning of JKD, Kali and modern Muay Thai. It was well structured,  | | SIFU FRANCIS FONG (LEFT) AND RICHARD CHEN CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF A TIRING, BUT TOTALLY FRUITFUL, WEEKEND SEMINAR. FOR SEMINAR BOOKING INFORMATION, INTERESTED PARTIES MAY CONTACT MR. CHEN AT (800) 209-1453. FULL CONTACT EXTENDS ITS APPRECIATION TO SIFU FONG FOR HIS PATIENCE AND SHARED KNOWLEDGE. | built with student needs in mind, while adding realism and developing a sense of moral importance about philosophy and learning in the student. His seminar was uniquely designed to provide him and his students with new insights and abilities to establish a stronger foundation and ensure continued martial success. His school is located in Duluth, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He can be contacted at: Wing Chun Association of the United States of America, 3260 Satellite Blvd., Suite B-700, Duluth, GA, 30136; telephone (770) 623-8090.
| About the Author: Floyd Evangelista is a practicing martial artist Who began his training in Filipino Martial Arts as a child With Fidel Antencio in Astoria, Oregon. He also studied jiu jitsu and Tai KWon Do in 1976. He is the son of the late Dana to Evangelista. His uncle is the well-known vincent Evangelista, an instructor to Dan Inosanto in his early years. After several visits with his father's friend, William Leong (his father's Go and Mah-jong partner and also a private Wing Chun instructor), in San Francisco in 1977, he began his Wing Chun training, the only Filipino in an all-Chinese class. Mr. Leong died in 1982 and Floyd began his path to find a new instructor. Since then, he has studied Tai-Chi Chuan, the only foreign student of Lilly fxiaoming) Chen, while pursuing his education in Beijing, China. Floyd has also studied Korean hand-to-hand com-bat as a Special Forces advisor to Korean ROK forces, and continues his Kali and Escrima training when time permits. Floyd is a former Special Forces combat engineer and now lives in San Francisco. |
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