Ever heard of this instructor?

[Xinglu]

I have a buddy of mine who is learning from this guy and I was considering doing some training with him on the weekends.

His name is Gabe Michaels and he is claiming lineage from Augustine Fong -> Ho Kam Ming -> Ip Man.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Vajramusti]

I have a buddy of mine who is learning from this guy and I was considering doing some training with him on the weekends.

His name is Gabe Michaels and he is claiming lineage from Augustine Fong -> Ho Kam Ming -> Ip Man.

Any info would be appreciated.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am better on faces than names- but I don't recall that name. Augustine Fong affiliated instructors are listed on his website. Where is Michaels and when and for how long did he study and directly with whom?

joy chaudhuri

 

[Vajramusti]

Come to think of it...I think there was a Gabe who came from the San Diego area to several Tucson seminars. I don't know whether his name is Michaels.

Joy C.

 

[Xinglu]

Gabe Michael is listed on his website as a recognized instructor, how that differs from a "certified instructor" in his organization, I have no idea.

Can anyone tell me anything about him? I'm genuinely curious of his reputation and if anyone has trained with or under him any insight into how he teaches. My buddy is very excited and dedicated, so I take his opinion with the understanding that he will only say positive things, and if there is nothing but positive things to say, then that is great. However, I feel I would be remiss if I didn't do some asking around before accepting an invitation to train.

I come from a neijia background, so I know very few people in the yongchun community. I do like it's similarities (read as "perceived") of doctrine to xingyiquan, and it will be good to spend some time with my buddy on a regular basis, so I hope that there are some people on here that have met him, heard of him, or at least can tell me a little bit about the lineage he is coming from and how it differs from other yongchun doctrines/strategies.

 

[wushuguy]

I don't know who he is, but the sifu i studied from in CA is listed as a recognized instructor also, Lee Keener.
I'm not sure the difference between recognized and certified, but I think it might have something to do with attending yearly seminars.

Anyway, from what I've experienced in meeting and seeing other wing chun flavors, Fong's wing chun has somewhat more emphasis on the internal aspect of wing chun vs other flavors of wing chun. I think it will fit in well with your neijia background.

 

[Vajramusti]

Yup- now I remember Gabe Michael-you should do fine-learning from him.He is a recognized instructor.
Certified instructors -are those who have put in regular apprenticeship and regularly help teach in some classes in the Tucson kwoon.
The recognized instructors-some live in Tucson- others don't...but they understand the Fong wing chun curriculum and check in and get corrected by Fong sifu from time to time specially in the instructors' reunion seminars.


joy chaudhuri

 

[KamonGuy2]

It shouldnt really matter if someone is certified under someone or not.

Ive always gone on by what an instructor can offer me. Sure, dont be afraid to ask others about a guys rep etc, but dont base your opinion solely on whether the guy has a piece of paper etc

The best instructors Ive trained under had pretty much no affiliation with anyone. Even Kevin Chan only has a Ip Man life membership but is easily the best wing chunner Ive trained under

Go along to the school and have a look with yoru own eyes

 

[Xinglu]

...dont base your opinion solely on whether the guy has a piece of paper...

I don't. Most practitioners of Neijia never get a piece of paper. It is not something I care about. Ergo, I asked about his reputation not if he had paperwork. Furthermore, I asked about his organization due to the very real fact that if people here don't know him personally, they can give me a small amount of insight into him by giving me some insight into what his organization focuses on, ergo, what he would most likely be focusing on in the overall picture (more then what I could see in one class of observation).

I commented about the the "Certified vs. Recognized" merely as an organizational curiosity. I have never seen that before.

Go along to the school and have a look with yoru own eyes

I have. I'm doing my due diligence regarding him and the organization he is a part of.

 

[Xinglu]

Anyway, from what I've experienced in meeting and seeing other wing chun flavors, Fong's wing chun has somewhat more emphasis on the internal aspect of wing chun vs other flavors of wing chun. I think it will fit in well with your neijia background.

Interesting, perhaps that is why it reminded me so much of xingyiquan. Thanks again!

Yup- now I remember Gabe Michael-you should do fine-learning from him.He is a recognized instructor.
Certified instructors -are those who have put in regular apprenticeship and regularly help teach in some classes in the Tucson kwoon.
The recognized instructors-some live in Tucson- others don't...but they understand the Fong wing chun curriculum and check in and get corrected by Fong sifu from time to time specially in the instructors' reunion seminars.

Thank you for explaining that, it helps keep uniformity in the system, I can appreciate that.