Twelfth in a series: Sifu Randy Choy is a well-respected martial arts teacher in Hawaii. Sifu Fong thanks him for graciously sharing his thoughts on training here.

Tiger Head Double Hook Swords

If you're up for the challenge, try learning an exotic ancient Chinese weapon such as the "Tiger head double hook swords" (Hu Tou Shang Gou). I've taught the Taiji Praying Mantis forty-five movement and the fifty-eight movement tiger head double hook swords forms.

Training in the double hook swords started in Kowloon, China under Taji Praying Mantis boxing expert, Mr. Kwong Gwun Wai. He explained that this ancient weapon had four major parts. The first part of the weapon was the pointed tip. That was used for piercing or for stabbing.

The second part of the hook sword was the crescent blade. That was used for chopping. The third part, was the long part of the blade. That was for cutting or slicing. And the fourth part was the front hook part of the blade. As you might have guessed, it was used to entrap, to hook and lock an opponent's weapon.

Teacher Kwong taught me the sixteen techniques of the tiger head double hook swords. They were: to hook (Gou), to lock (Xiao), to seize (Chin), to obstruct (Lan), to pull back (La), to carry (Dai), to lift (Ti), to hang (Gwa), to stir (Liao), to block (Jia), to chop (Pi), to press (Ya), to push (Tui), to sweep (Sao), to support (Tuo), and to insert (Cha).

Learning these sixteen techniques took time. Teacher Kwong didn't give you a written list of these techniques to study from. He taught them to you right on the spot. So, when he spoke in Chinese, I had to remember all sixteen of these key secret words. It's secret, because I don't know them. And once I know them, I'll keep them a secret. For the readers of this article, I will explain to you their secret, so that you will later keep them a secret. You get the secret. Ok.

So my training began by learning the first three secret techniques of hooking, locking, and seizing (Gou Xiao Chin). The first movement I practiced was to "Jump step and lock the opponent's throat." I practiced this movement over and over. It's like flying in the air. Later, I was taught these techniques using a retreating step, a change step, turning the body, and again, the jumping step. Teacher Kwong then got out his double-edge sword (Jian) and thrusted it at me. I quickly hooked, locked, and seized it. I got past the first obstacle.

The next set of techniques I learned was to obstruct, to pull back, to carry and to lift (Lan La Dai Ti). I was first taught to obstruct downwards, then to obstruct right and left. Then obstruct, left and right. Next, I was taught the movements, "Forward step and get the moon," and later, "Carrying the tiger and throw the hooks." This is all I learned that day. Repeating these movements over and over. I guess, in the old style of teaching Chinese martial arts, you had to become proficient in each technique before you were taught anything else. I guess that's the secret.

In the next session, I practiced continuous hooking movements. That was fun. The first technique was the "Right left hanging golden hooks" (You Zuo Gua Jin Gou). The second for the "Left right stirring golden hooks" (Zuo You Liao Jin Gou). And the third and fourth techniques were the "Single stirring golden hooks" (Dan Liao Jin Gou) and the "Double stirring golden hooks" (shang Liao Jin Gou). Two other techniques were also taught that day. It was to block (Jia) and to chop (Pi). There was the upwards block (Shang Jia) and the downwards block (Xia Jia).

Then, there were the variations. The upwards block (Shang Jia) mixed in with the downwards hook (Xia Gou). And the double upwards block (Shang Shang Jia) and the double downwards block (Shang Xia Jia). Then I practiced the various chopping techniques. There was the hook and chop (Gou Pi) and the downwards chop (Xia Pi). That session concluded with the practice of a continuous chopping movment called, "Turning the cart up-side-down."

The next sesson was devoted entirely to review. That morning, teacher Kwong came out of the back room with a six foot long staff (Chi Mei Gun). Today was the day I get to do battle. If you thought you understood the hook sword techniques, this was not the time to brag. This was the time you put your theory into practice. You defend yourself. At first, teacher Kwong attacked slowly with very little force. By the end of the session, he was like an angry tiger, attacking you over and over. Not giving you time to think. Teacher Kwong later came out with his bottle of Chinese linament to rub on the bruises, on my hands, arms, legs, and head. A little whack here and there goes with the training.

After finishing up that session, people would see me walking down Nathan Road practicing my blocks, my parries, immitating hooking, locking and the various striking techniques of the hook swords. By the next session, I felt I was better prepared to do battle. But, teacher Kwong started teaching me more techniques. Again.....more techniques. I wondered about how many techniques are there? I guess there's a lot. So, I continued on, training to press (Ya) and to push (Tui). To press and to push. I practiced them over and over, until I was taught the movement, "Bird falling down making the sand smooth" to "Turning the body and whipping the stone." And then there were numerous other variations of chopping, pressing, and pushing.

As I expected, teacher Kwong brought out his long staff again. It was time to do battle again. This time he would yell out what technique I was to use. Didn't I say this was a challenging weapon to learn. The following session was a little more fun. I practiced the sweeping (Sao) techniques found in the movements, "Sweep one thousand troops" and in "Horizontally sharpening the knife a hundred thousand times." Then it was back to attack and defend time. As teacher Kwong said, "Get used to it. If you were to learn, the park is outside. If you want to train, it's inside here." At the end of the session, teacher Kwong told me that he is going to teach me the famous "Tiger head double hook swords form." I was so excited, I went down to the nearest martial arts store and bought myself a brand new pair double hook swords. I didn't even bother to check the price. Trust me, I overpaid big time.

When the next session came and he began teaching me more techniques. I wondered again. How many techniques does the hook sword has? I was taught the technique of supporting (Tuo), hooking (Gou), and inserting (Cha). Then I was taught the movement, "Climbing the mountain, turnover and insert." Then I was taught the downwards insert (Xia Cha) and the movement "Circle the jade and insert the flowers." Finally, I was taught the backwards insert (Hou Cha) and the movements, "Turn body and insert double hooks" and "Flying body with double inserting hooks." As you might have guessed. I'd better write down these techniques because there are a lot of them, like ants coming out of an ant hill. It's already been over a week, and I'm still learning techniques and more techniques. My father told me that teacher Kwong was just testing you. He wanted to test my skill and test my patience. Little did I know, the next session he was going to test my knowledge.

Gazing at my newly bought double hook swords, I thought that this was the day I'm going to learn the double hook swords form. So I guessed wrong. When I walked in for class, teacher Kwong had me sit down and we sipped tea together. He had me recite with him the list of secret hook sword techniques. It sounded like Chinese poetry. I believe I got them all, but it took some time to get all those movements down correctly. Teacher Kwong said, "Very good." Again, he went to the back room and this time, he brought out a spear (Qiang). He smiled and told me, "Very good." I guess I was in trouble. In Hawaii, trouble is my middle name. I learned a lot that day. He would yell out, "Watch the red hair, watch my thrust, watch my strikes." That was a good work out. I got poked quite a few times, but as long as teacher Kwong said, "Very good." I guess it was, "Very good."

The very next day, as teacher Kwong had promised, I learned the Taiji Praying Mantis tiger head double hook swords form. Many of the movements I had learned were already in the form. So, it was relatively easy to learn. At the completion of the double hook swords form, I felt so accomplished, so knowledgeable, and so enlightened. Teacher Kwong smiled proudly at me as I poured tea for him. He later came out of the back room with a xerox copy of the "Sixteen Sword Principles" which he had written. As you might have guessed, it was all in Chinese.

The very next day, I began my training in the Taiji Praying Mantis double-edge sword techniques. I had a choice of learning either the Lu family sword form (Lu Jia Jian) or the Inter-connecting sword form (Lin Wan Jian). Never second guess your teacher. There is no such thing as "either or." I learned both of those sword styles.

Later in Hawaii, I began learning from another Taiji Praying Mantis boxing expert, Mr. David Cheng. I learned another version of these sword forms. Then, I went on to learn the Grand Ultimate Sword form, the Thirteen Section Grand Ultimate Sword form, the Bodhidharma Sword form, the Midnight and Noon Sword form, the Green Phoenix Sword form, and the list goes on and on.

In conclusion, Chinese martial arts is never-ending. When you learn one form, there is another, and another, and another. So get used to it. If you want to learn, go to the park. If you want to train, training begins inside the gym.

Mahalo,
Professor Randy Choy
Founder of the Chinese Athletic Arts Academy
Advisor to the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society
Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis Organization, Hawaii

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