Integration is the Key, not accumulation!!!- GM Leo Fong
Wei Kuen Do is a martial art developed by Grandmaster Leo Fong. After over 50 years of practice in various forms of martial arts, Grandmaster Fong has synthesized life experiences into one single approach in combat and in the totality of life. Wei Kuen Do finds its roots in Bruce Lee's Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Angel Cabales' Serrada Escrima, and Western Boxing of which Grandmaster Fong was
an Amateur and College Champion, also adding his mastery in Choy Lay Fut, Sil Lum Kung fu, and Wing Chun Kung fu. He has taken from each art the most practical for reality fighting and integrated into his approach which he called Wei Kuen Do.
Wei Kuen Do is divided into four stages of growth and progress:
Developing the Tools.
Refining the Tools.
Dissolving the Tools.
Expressing the Tools.
The ultimate focus in WKD is to strive to reach a spiritual and Zen state whereby you can express all physical and technical skills like a "voice and an echo." Wei Kuen Do is best described as an experience rather than a system or style. The highest form of fighting is when you reach a spiritual or Zen state. All great masters such as Morihei Ueshiba - founder of Aikido, Jigoro Kano - of Judo and Gichin Funakoshi of Karate, had reached a spiritual dimension and Zen state in their martial arts journey. Ueshiba, once said to the effect in reference to an attacker, "I just move my mind." The great Master had reached that mental state where he could control a negative situation with his inner being rather than physical skills alone. The highest level of proficiency is to reach a state of "effortless efficiency", fighting without fighting, going from no form to "no form."
Leo Fong credits his association with Bruce Lee for much of his insight into the conceptual aspect of the martial arts. He gives total credit to his understanding of Jesus Christ for his tremendous inner growth. When I discovered the connection between Christology and Wei Kuen Do, it was than I realized Jesus Christ was the greatest Martial Artist in the history of the arts.
Martial arts proficiency must be developed from the inside out, it must have a Spiritual root, or else the physical techniques will only be superficial without depth of power and penetration. The most damaging and destructive techniques are delivered with emotional content, right on the target without effort.
Wei Kuen Do is merely a label one puts on an approach to combat. It is also a guiding principle on "how to get from here to there" whether that be in a combat situation or life in general. It believes that combat is self expression and in order to express oneself freely one must look beyond the physical. When there is harmony between the emotional, mental and spiritual, one can reach a peak in development.
The physical is merely a vehicle to be utilized to express the desired feelings within. The total integration of these segments of ourselves must be emphasized if we are to transcend the boundary of limitation. Wei Kuen Do embodies all facets of life whether it be combat or business, religion or intellect, its basic theory is that anything that will help one to accomplish his set goal is good.
If the object is to score on an opponent in a contest then WKD accepts any techniques that will accomplish this end. It is not concerned with styles or race. The key concern is results and freedom of expression. In order to transcend the boundaries of limitation one must overcome prejudices and see the totality of life objectively and embrace what is useful to us. It is WKD's belief that nothing is absolutely good nor absolutely bad.
All things in its right place and time are good, but there is a place and time when a punch is more effective than a strike and vice versa. Effectiveness is determined by appropriateness. The essence of Wei Kuen Do is based on physical development, mental discipline, emotional expression and spiritual enlightenment. The cultivation of these four areas will assure one of growth. Stages of Development " Physical Stage "
The physical stage of WKD includes the development of the body. What a finely tuned car is to a racing driver, so is a well conditioned body to a martial artist. All exercises and technical ingredients are designed to produce a finely tuned and well conditioned body. During this stage emphasis will be placed on PRT [ progress resistance training ] with and without weights. PRT will develop muscular strength and muscle tone. The technical efficiency program will consist of the basic tools such as, punching, blocking, kicking, throwing, and etc..
Physical conditioning is one of the main keys to a winning approach. Without adequate tools, you do not have an effective vehicle to express yourself. " Mental Stage"
Without mental discipline and mental awareness, all the technical knowledge in the world would be ineffective. The ability to concentrate and focus on the job at hand will determine failure or success. Emphasis at this stage of development will concern meditation and other exercises to help one become more relaxed in the midst of concentration and focus.
Timing and speed is determined by ones mental response and awareness. If the practitioner becomes keenly aware of his opponent's every move and thoughts, it would be less difficult for him to intercept, dissolve, evade and deflect his aggressive action. "Emotional Stage" Combat is the ability to express oneself through the physical tools of punches, kicks. strikes, offensive and defensive maneuvers. This ability to express is greatly influenced by ones emotional state.
Perhaps one of the most impeding causes of free expression is fear. Fear can lead to shyness, over-aggressiveness, lack of confidence and many other character disorders. The image one has of one's self can determine the degree of freedom to express one's self, particularly in a combat situation. If one moves into an opponent unsure of their self there is a good chance that they will get hit or miss their target. There must be a feeling of self assurance and confidence in all of their attempts.
he emotional content of their technical moves will determine the effectiveness. WKD attempts to make the practitioner aware of this side of their selves. One cannot deny feelings anymore than to deny the reality of their existence. One must build and strengthen ones self esteem." SPIRITUAL STAGE "
When we speak of the spiritual stage we are not referring to any specific religious order or denominations. We are talking about the awareness and the acceptance of a force that exist in the universe greater than man or machine. Harmonizing our life with this force can add tremendous strength to whatever we do. It adds meaning to our successes and wisdom to our failures.
It is the goal of WKD to use the martial arts as a stepping stone or vehicle to develop the total person. We are not interested in pseudo-masters who make the martial arts a religion. However, we believe that one must constantly strive for a sense of fulfillment and a deeper meaning of ones existence.
" Who am I? - Where am I? - and Where am I going? " These questions clamor for answers and we feel that martial arts can be one of the tools to be utilized to deepen our spiritual life. Unhealthy fears are the greatest obstacles to accomplishment. It can destroy ones confidence and cause anxiety within. Faith in a higher order and harmony within that order instill confidence in our strives forward.
Wei Kuen Do is merely a label one puts on an approach to combat. It is also a guiding principle on "how to get from here to there" whether that be in a combat situation or life in general. It believes that combat is self expression and in order to express oneself freely one must look beyond the physical. When there is harmony between the emotional, mental and spiritual, one can reach a peak in development. The physical is merely a vehicle to be utilized to express the desired feelings within. The total integration of these segments of ourselves must be emphasized if we are to transcend the boundary of limitation.
Wei Kuen Do embodies all facets of life whether it be combat or business, religion or intellect, its basic theory is that anything that will help one to accomplish his set goal is good. If the object is to score on an opponent in a contest then WKD accepts any techniques that will accomplish this end. It is not concerned with styles or race. The key concern is results and freedom of expression. In order to transcend the boundaries of limitation one must overcome prejudices and see the totality of life objectively and embrace what is useful to us. It is WKD's belief that nothing is absolutely good nor absolutely bad. All things in its right place and time are good, but there is a place and time when a punch is more effective than a strike and vice versa. Effectiveness is determined by appropriateness.
The essence of Wei Kuen Do is based on physical development, mental discipline, emotional expression and spiritual enlightenment. The cultivation of these four areas will assure one of growth.
Stages of Development
" Physical Stage "
The physical stage of WKD includes the development of the body. What a finely tuned car is to a racing driver, so is a well conditioned body to a martial artist. All exercises and technical ingredients are designed to produce a finely tuned and well conditioned body.
During this stage emphasis will be placed on PRT [ progress resistance training ] with and without weights. PRT will develop muscular strength and muscle tone. The technical efficiency program will consist of the basic tools such as, punching, blocking, kicking, throwing, and etc..
Physical conditioning is one of the main keys to a winning approach. Without adequate tools, you do not have an effective vehicle to express yourself.
" Mental Stage"
Without mental discipline and mental awareness, all the technical knowledge in the world would be ineffective. The ability to concentrate and focus on the job at hand will determine failure or success.
Emphasis at this stage of development will concern meditation and other exercises to help one become more relaxed in the midst of concentration and focus.
Timing and speed is determined by ones mental response and awareness. If the practitioner becomes keenly aware of his opponent's every move and thoughts, it would be less difficult for him to intercept, dissolve, evade and deflect his aggressive action.
"Emotional Stage"
Combat is the ability to express oneself through the physical tools of punches, kicks. strikes, offensive and defensive maneuvers. This ability to express is greatly influenced by ones emotional state.
Perhaps one of the most impeding causes of free expression is fear. Fear can lead to shyness, over-aggressiveness, lack of confidence and many other character disorders. The image one has of one's self can determine the degree of freedom to express one's self, particularly in a combat situation. If one moves into an opponent unsure of their self there is a good chance that they will get hit or miss their target. There must be a feeling of self assurance and confidence in all of their attempts. The emotional content of their technical moves will determine the effectiveness.
WKD attempts to make the practitioner aware of this side of their selves. One cannot deny feelings anymore than to deny the reality of their existence. One must build and strengthen ones self esteem." SPIRITUAL STAGE "
When we speak of the spiritual stage we are not referring to any specific religious order or denominations. We are talking about the awareness and the acceptance of a force that exist in the universe greater than man or machine. Harmonizing our life with this force can add tremendous strength to whatever we do. It adds meaning to our successes and wisdom to our failures.
It is the goal of WKD to use the martial arts as a stepping stone or vehicle to develop the total person. We are not interested in pseudo-masters who make the martial arts a religion. However, we believe that one must constantly strive for a sense of fulfillment and a deeper meaning of ones existence. " Who am I? - Where am I? - and Where am I going? " These questions clamor for answers and we feel that martial arts can be one of the tools to be utilized to deepen our spiritual life.
Unhealthy fears are the greatest obstacles to accomplishment. It can destroy ones confidence and cause anxiety within. Faith in a higher order and harmony within that order instill confidence in our strivings.
