[QUOTE=imperialtaichi;1146475]In my teachers words, “the empty hand form IS the knife form.”[/QUOTE]
Pure Gold.
And what we should all consider and try to understand in our training imhhho
[QUOTE=imperialtaichi;1146475]I had previous experience with BJD (from WSL and TST’s line), Japanese sword, some Jujitsu, Tai Chi and Bagua. You can’t really unlearn what you’ve learn I guess.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for sharing John. And my Sifu always said about ‘emptying your cup’ was supposed to mean ‘drink it man!’ then re-fill, not throw it away like the movies!! 
[QUOTE=imperialtaichi;1146475]Ah, on the subject of “not very strict” and “Sansau/sansik”, in my opinion only (I’m about to step on a few toes now) before doing Kulo I think it is beneficial to first have a good foundation on at least the SLT, which gives the student a good foundation on structure. Sansik/Sansau sometimes can be too “San” for someone with no prior Martial Art experience.[/QUOTE]
Well said (again!) And I don’t think anyone could really argue with that either.
We are much more ‘clued up’ these days about what a curriculum is, and it is clear that the Kulo methods are of a sansau origin, but ‘who’s’ will always be in question I suppose as nobody will ever know the whole truth about Leung Jan. Personally I love all the interactive sets too, two man drills, as they really express what Wing Chun is about imho. Working ‘with’ a partner instead of against!
My kung fu Uncle Sifu Joe Lee has a very strict program where he made every student pass through the Ip Man curriculum first (forms, wallbag, wooden man, pole, knife) before he introduced them to his Kulo/Piensan methods.
I guess I’m interested to see who has a similar knife form to us as it’s clear many of us carry the same ideas about weaponry influence in the development of Wing Chun empty hand methods. Cool. 