A while back I asked for open questions on this blog and got some interesting ones, I’ll start out with the most frequently asked questions.
The most common of course is “Why ShaolinTiger? – Where did the name come from” and other similar questions of how did I choose it, do I like martial arts and so on.
I chose this name when I first joined the monkeys and tubes that make up the Interwebnets back in 1996 when I went to University in Liverpool.
Before that I didn’t own a computer, didn’t need a nickname and knew virtually nothing about the net. When I first got to uni they were still using Windows 3.11 and Yahoo! was king of search (makes me feel kinda old)..
And I’d heard about this thing called Internet Chat, so I chucked it into Yahoo! and out came mIRC, so I downloaded it and connected to DALnet #chatzone…that’s the start of a whole other story.
Anyway, the point is to chat you need a nick, preferably a cool one…so I knocked my head trying to think up something.
At the time I was studying Kung Fu at the local univeristy club, Hung Gar Kuen to be exact – yes the same style from the family of Wong Fei Hung.
It’s known as a style based on Tiger and Crane forms – Character Taming the Tiger Fist and Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist.
It also has some stuff on 5 elements and iron wire fist, it’s a style very much based on stance. My sifu was second generation Shaolin and spent 2 years just doing horse stance before he even did any basic moves. Sadly in the Western World such slow learning wouldn’t stick so things were rapidly accelerated.
I used to really enjoy sparring hard and the blood rushing to your head as the adrenaline kicks in.
Hung Gar was good, and was my second favourite training experience after Wing Chun.
I’ve always meant to talk more about martial arts..but I never have, is anyone even interested?
So back to my nick….. ShaolinCrane didn’t sound very cool, so I went for ShaolinTiger seen as though I was studying Shaolin Kung-Fu and it was Tiger and Crane style.
And that was that…let’s not talk about the Yahoo! e-mail address I ended up with as shaolintiger was taken even back then in 1996.
a nicely given nickname!
Personally, I would be interested in a few martial arts posts. Do you still practice? Have you ever needed to use it in an extreme situations – either here, or downtown Liverpool when the pubs empty? 🙂 😉
I wonder how you look like. Bruce Lee?? LOLL! Do you have your pictures in here? OMGGG!! Can you do flying kicks?? Do you have to special power like every kungfu man does?
i love shaolin tiger….
Yes please do write a little about your kung fu.
Taekwondo’s so cliched already. Its more of an exercise actually.
omg you are that old ?!?! pawned!!
sih fu!
the movement looks kinda cool
It’s a nice, easy and popular name to remember isn’t it.
Tiger is much cuter than the crane, good choice to have chosen ShaolinTiger.
still sticking to my muay thai! lets sparr!
The Fist of the Hung Family…Hmm…nice. Yep, Shaolin was a in thing back then. And of course it will be a bit oxymoronic to have your named as Wutang/Wudan Tiger.
Grant S.: Sure will see what I can do 🙂
Blkppr_spider: Yes my picture is here, and no I don’t look like Bruce Lee
Dr. Tan: Okie Doke…yeah not a fan of combat sports.
terenceg: Am still a year younger than you PWNED
Wahlau.NET: Hehe these are tiger steps.
Zul: Easy to remember maybe yah…popular, not sure about that.
pik: Any time!
beefstew: Yeah Bruce Lee mania, Jeet Kuen Do too.
I was at Liverpool Uni between 1995 and 1998 and trained at Liverpool Uni Kung Fu club also. I trained consistently for the 3 years I was there. I’m not sure if you remember me, but my name is Steve and I was the shortish Chinese guy there. I’m trying to remember who you are now! Those were good times!
Stevo: Yah if I remember correctly there was only one Chinese guy in the glass other than the sifu. If it was you, you always asked me not to hit so hard when we were sparring 😛 I was the tall white guy (6’5″).
Haha! I do remember you now. Yeah, that was probably me! I remember getting hit by you quite a few times I think! It bl**dy hurts getting punched with those semi contact gloves on! It also makes you realise that getting hit in the face isn’t a nice feeling! 🙂
I was searching the net to see if any of the people that used to train at Liverpool University Hung Gar Kung Fu club have a blog, or a presence of some sort on the Web. You’re the only person I found. Good to see you’re well. Nice blog as well!
Stevo: Yeah those gloves don’t offer much protection, more to protect your knuckles than the other guys head haha. It’s good training though. Thanks Stevo, do you have a blog?
Bro Shaolintiger, or IIRC GARY?!?
Wow you’re doing great, we met only once like more than a decade ago somewhere in a starbucks/coffeebean in KL….
Ha..just wanna say HI and..well…keep in touch!
Hi ST, I am currently training Hung Gar Kuen for about 4 years (going 5) and am happy to see another IT geek doing (done) this style. Did your branche fall under GrandMaster Chiu Chi Ling?
see wai: Haha bro that was so long ago, hope you’re well 🙂 Still on IRC?
HappyTaoist: Yah it’s a great martial art, not sure of the lineage as I was quite new to martial arts then.
Bro, stopped IRC for long long time. When are you coming to KL again? Hehehe!
seewai: Yah my nick dropped quite some time back. Coming to KL? I live here, have done for past 5 years.
Hey Tiger. Nice blog! Keep writing!
Good Luck man!
DenisT: Thanks – do come back!