Hi Tricky Fist,
I study under Wing Lam and although I have not learned this set, after probing my si hing I have some info on it:
The tiger head shields are a unique variation of a universal weapon. While most shields are paired with a sword, two of these shields are used together and both shields are edged. This makes the tiger head shields both a weapon of defense and offense.
FUNDAMENTALS
When held on the arm, the top of the shield should be between your shoulder and elbow. The points should be at knee level. On the inside, there is a fixed handle for the hand, and a supporting ring on a joint that comes to the elbow.
Although these tiger head shields are made of solid steel, their are many different variations in composition. Chinese shields are often made of rattan, wood, leather or metal. These steel shields are heavy for training, weighing 25 pounds each. Today, tiger head shields are more commonly constructed of solid hardwood, sometimes covered with a sheet of metal or reinforced with metal fittings. These shields usually weigh around 10 pounds each and are more practical for actual combat.
The common shield is defensive in nature. Even shields that had spikes or blades were used with some other offensive weapon. Since these shields are used in pairs, one of these shields serves as the defensive shield while the other shield takes the offense. The fist side of the shield with the points was edged inside the triangular cut end. Although each shield is edged and pointed, the weight of these shields can inflict considerable damage without the edge.
Frequently, shields were painted with the characters for the school of the shield bearer, or with the faces of demons to intimidate the enemy.
Sifu teaches two lines of Hung Gar. The Canton style and the Hay Say Fu style. I did not learn any HSF sets until after about 3 to 4 yrs of training at Lam Kwoon first.
To many outsiders a lot of HSF sets look basic. There in lies the paradox. On one hand basic techniques work best. On the other hand it is the very detailed way that HSF generates energy that makes the movements so powerful. IMHO, Hay Say Fu is overall far more deep in detail then the Canton style. After learning it, it changed the way I think about manipulating energy and thus changed the way I do my Canton style.
As a side note, if you have learned Tin Sin or at least the Dragon part of Ng Ying and the Small Golden Bell system of Bak Sil Lum. (specifically the offensive Martial aspects of it as opposed to the Defensive iron body techniques) Then you would kind of understand.
This may be why some people think Sifu Lams Hung Gar is different from his peers. He has trained with three separate lines of Hung Gar and has a very unique perspective on it.
Also, like most southern systems HSF’s killing range is typically short to medium.
Hope this helps,
Onassis P. aka “O”