Tit Sien Kuen (Iron Wire Form) - Hung Gar's Internal Training Form

Tit Sin Kuen was a form passed down the generations by Tit Kiu Sarm (Iron Bridge Three), one of the ten tigers of Canton and a grandmaster of Hung Gar Kuen.  The form was taught to Grandmaster Wong Fei Hung by Lam Fook Sing, one of the students of Tit Kiu Sarm.

Tit Sin Kuen is essentially an internal form of the Lam Ga Hung Kuen System.  It utilises dynamic tension, breathing exercises and pronunciation of sounds to generate power and improve the rooting of a practitioner.  The form also have the effect of cleansing the five major organs of the human body (i.e. Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs and Kidneys).

Rather than the Sei Ping Ma (horse riding stance) and Ji Ng Ma (Front Stance) which the previous forms of the system emphasised, Tit Sin Kuen focuses on development of the Yee Gee Kim Yung Ma (Two Toes Clamping Groin Stance).  The stance is introduced in the beginning of Sup Ying Kuen. The stance is shorter in width that then Sei Ping Ma being only shoulder width apart.  The practitioner should also concentrate on clamping the knees together just enough so that the practitioner stands flatly on his/her feet. The practitioner should also concentrate of Tai Gong, keeping your hip forward and tucked upwards so that all power is generated from the ground.  The practitioner's shoulders are also rolled forward in executing the techniques.  It is said that when Tit Kiu Sarm execute this stance that no one could move him.  The stance is very similar to the Yee Gee Kim Yueng Ma which is executed in Wing Chun but the Hung Gar stance is a little bit wider (half a foot length).

In addition, the form also introduces the 12 bridges of Hung Gar which are practised with breathing from the Dan Tien pressure point and pronunciation of sounds.  These 12 bridges and the corresponding sounds are as follows:

(a)                Gong: hard bridge – usually practiced with the pronunciation of the "NG' sound;

(b)               Yau: soft bridge – usually practiced with the "He He He" sound;

(c)                Bik: crowding bridge – usually practiced with the pronunciation of the 'Dik' sound; 

(d)               Jik: straight bridge – usually practiced with the "HEY" sound;

(e)                Fan: dividing bridge – usually practiced with the pronunciation of the "NG' sound;

(f)                Ding: stabilizing bridge – usually practiced with the "TZE" sound;

(g)                Chuen: – Inch Bridge – usually practiced with the "Uh" sound;

(h)               Tai: Lifting Bridge  – usually practiced with the "HEY" sound;

(i)                 Lau: Detaining Bridge – usually not practiced with any sounds;

(j)                 Wan: Sending/Transporting Bridge – usually not practiced with any sounds;

(k)               Jai: Controlling Bridge  - usually practiced with the "NG" sound;

(l)                 Ding: Settling Bridge– usually practiced with the pronunciation of the 'Dik' sound.

Through diligent practice of the form, it is said by Grandmaster Lam Sai Wing that the practitioner's strength and health will be substantially improved.  The power of the Hung Gar practitioner's strikes and blocks will be greatly improved.  Grandmaster Lam Cho attributes his longevity to his practice of Tit Sien Kuen on a daily basis.