How is your wing chun training coming along… Have you continued with your classes ..more importantly are you practicing outside of classes. This is what differentiates those that see wing chun as a hobby and those that treat it as a serious path..
Either way is fine. You will get out of it what you out in… Some may find it hard because they dont have a training partner, there is a fix to this. As I have mentioned before, the best place to start is the wing chun dummy.
ITs the main trainining tool . However you dont need to use it right now. You can improvise. -Broom Handles and a post ..but look online there a some great resources that show you how you can make one. Initiate family members or even friends to sit in…just think of fun was throughout your day where you can pick up some wing chun kung fu training time.
Bruce Lee was famous for coming up with new ways to train Now I’m not saying to go to those lengths-but its just an insights on how little things can help and build up to a larger training experience.
Training can get boring But you need to grind it out and you find little tidbits that help with your training progression. Be creative with your training routine, it well get you more motivated You need to define a systematic routine so that it becomes habit. Passion can only get you so far. Its fuel will burn out. You need a more practical approach then you will get real results. In time you will see this habit be part of your everyday life.
Because of this you will see your training improve and go from strength to strength.
If you’re a tragic of old karate movies and 80’s flicks there are few that are more popular than the Karate Kid.. There has been a resurgence in the movie thanks to the remake with Jackie Chan. The fact that it is based on Kung Fu this time around is a little bit of a twist.
But back to the original, the key player for me in the movie was Mr Miyagi,… and the lessons he taught. Apart form teaching us all how to violate about every child labor laws to man- (and also giving us a loophole to justify it) his important lesson came from his words.
When begged to ask to teach karate he explained that to reach the level of master of martial arts this there are three levels of commitment.
Karate Yes Ok
Karate No OK
Karate So So Scchwwikkkk –squashed.
This is a lesson for all of us, not only for your kung fu training but also for life. If we are going to attempt something worthwhile we need to be committed all the way. We need to say yes to ourselves and throw our heart into it. That’s how i excelled at wing chun
If we say no , then don’t proceed that’s ok too. It’s a firm decision. No can be harder to say than yes, however you must be happy with the decision.
The danger lies when we are indecisive and not committed.We face our opponent not committed and not prepared.We are getting sacrificed like lambs to the slaughter. For we are fighting an opponent who is willing to go the extra mile. Who puts in the extra hours into their training and preparation, not because he has to, because he wants to.
Your opponent already has the edge on you and through your own disinterest you are bound to fail. Even before you start.
Sometimes we have doubt and insecurities, however it is when we confront these issues and power through them we find room for growth and a lesson: We are more talented and have greater capabilities than we realise.
Sometimes you have to take a chance…. To get out the rut. The comfort zone can be suffocating and staying there too long will cause you more harm.
Above is an introductory video why Wing Chun is so awesome. But I would also like to add some other benefits that wing chun training provide
The advantages of wing Chun is that its a subtle martial art that doesn’t rely on strength or hard physical conditioning. This is important as it allows you to train longer and develop your skill without burning out, feeling sore and even risking degenerative injury. This is also important, as you get older. Depending on how old you are when starting your wing Chun training you are full of beans as you learn your craft.The beauty of wing chun is that you can start ant any age form 10- 60+. If you are a little older your body may not have the give it once had. That’s Ok.you dont have to do a spinning axe kick to be successful. . Wing chin kicks are straight kicks and low and targeted.
This is mainly due to efficiency of movement.A kick to the face is not very subtle and needs a huge movement to be executed. No matter how fast you are – to a training practitioner this can be picked up relatively easily. That’s why training of the eye and understanding the principles of fighting and martial arts is more important than being able to execute a flamboyant move.
Think of it this way as you progress with Wing Chun you will learn to love it and you will actually get better with age. Imagine being in your 30s- 40 ‘s 50s and beyond and really being proficient but also excelling at Wing Chun. .
This is the key to Wing Chun’s success and something to be mindful of when choosing any method ok kung fu training or any martial art. What is its longevity? How sustainable is the training over time.If its too physically demanding , you may not be able to continue past a certain time.
Sparring is something that all martial arts use. There are numerous sports, such as boxing and wrestling that use sparring as well. sparring helps your technique. By practicing with other people, students learn their arts better and become more apt at performing the techniques quickly and efficiently.
If you are studying wing chun training or any kung fu training in a reputable school, you’ll find sparring to be very exciting as well as beneficial to your training. The instructors will be there to make sure no one gets hurt. Students use full head gear and body gear for safety during the sparring sessions.
Depending on your skill level and martial art you are studying, you may end up using no protective gear. Students that are very skilled wont normally need protective equipment, as they are good enough with sparring and their techniques that they can go a few rounds with other skilled students and not make any type of contact at all.
Martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that focus on grappling, make the most use of sparring, as it is needed to properly execute the techniques. Martial arts that focus mainly on grappling use joint locks and submission techniques, which will need to be practiced quite a bit before they can be used effectively during a competition or even as self defence.
During sparring, students go back and forth, competing with each other and testing each other. The rounds will vary, although most last several minutes. Students will also receive help and insight from their instructors to let them know how they are doing and if they need to change anything they are doing. Instructors can also see how you are progressing and where you need improvement.
Sparring can be done on your own. If you are sparring by yourself, you’ll use equipment such as punching bags, tackling dummies, wing chun dummy, or other forms of equipment that will help you with your martial art. The foam or rubber dummies are most often used with grappling techniques or punching on the ground, as they represent the opponent that you are trying to pummel into submission. The wing chun dummy is obviously for wing chun, but can be used for other martial arts.
Sparring is great to hone your skills. Students are fun to spar against, especially if they are at a higher level of skill than you are. Sparring can be used to your advantage. The longer you spar and practice your moves – the better you will get in your training, speed, and the execution of your skills.
The wing chun dummy and its 108 movements are designed to help you think on your feet and apply the practical techniques of the wing Chun training system.
Learning the moves, as you become a more experienced student enhances your skill, technique and understanding of wing Chun.
Although looking at it with the beginners eyes and you see a practitioner or your instructor run through the movements they seem to be a random set of moves that make no sense.
It seems like just an exercise in beating around a wooden post.
As you develop your wing Chun kung fu so does your appreciation of the wooden dummy. It has within it a sequence of moves for th whole wing Chun system.
You will see how your new techniques are adapted to the wing chun dummy, reinforces your training. So sequences on the wooden dummy are designed to simulate an actual attack with an opponent. Although the wooden dummy is static it facilitates the concepts you’re learning. These concepts teach you to apply it in real life situations. You will learn how to position yourself to your opponent. These concepts are critical to any confrontation. It teaches you to be in the correct position. If out of range you are ineffective, to close you’ll the prone to attacks.
Also when you get to more advanced intermediate levels the rhythm of which you flow through the moves of the wing chun dummy becomes more important. An experienced instructor or master will be able to tell how well you execute the moves of the dummy just by the sound. There is rhythm to it, so its not static. It’s not supposed to sound like a metronome. There are elements that are slow and other parts that speed up..
Going through the wooden dummy moves is like telling a story. When you begin it tells a story of engaging your opponent and throughout the moves , how to counteract and instigate further contact until the end he completed the sequence and defeat your opponent.
More importantly the wooden dummy is there to help you during your training and when you have completed all your levels of training. He is your companion throughout your trials and tribulations of you training. Wll be your teacher throughout your training.
Your wing chun should teach you to be as flexible as possible. Throughout your wing chun training you would have learnt the basic movements of the forms. They are just a series of moves that are at first very foreign and don’t make sense. It is only during your training class that you will learn to put these techniques into practice. You learn how to block a punch. Which move to use (bill Sao) also where to position your feet, where you should stand etc. You are roped learned into executing these moves. However with practice you not only learn how to do the moves, you begin to understand why they are done in a certain way. You learn concepts such as facing the point of contact. Deflecting your opponents force.
Wing chun was based on these principles and designed to grow from these building blocks. Its no longer about just knowing which technique to use or the how’s and why’s. The decision comes automatically. Your understanding of the principles and your application of them is what will make your wing chun a success.
That is why when you see the masters in action they are formless, they move seamlessly and with elegance. The simple fact is that they make it look simple and effortless.I just wonder how many years it took to look so easy.
That is why I find it often amusing that people come to me and say…that looks nothing like wing chun, it’s completely wrong…they are not real Wing Chun masters.
Know yourself that is the real key. Study your art no only on how to do it, but why. What makes it so effective? What works and what doesn’t.
Follow these guidelines and you will not only find your success you will also find a greater joy and understanding of wing chun training.
Wing chun is probably one of the most well known kung fu systems in the world, mainly due to the exploits of Bruce Lee, who popularised King Fu, especially Wing Chun to the western world.
But you don’t need to have the talent, strength or skill of Bruce Lee to learn Wing Chun. In fact as legend has it, Wing Chun was taught to a humble village girl in China from a Nun of the Shaolin Temple. Wing Chun was created for Women.
Formulated base on a series of manipulating body mechanics Wing Chun does require brute strength. These are taught at the very beginning of your wing chun training.
The most basic yet most important form for beginners is the shil lim tao form. This is where the foundation concepts and ideas of the wing chum system are learned. The basic stance and defensive guards of Wing Chun are taught here.
Next form is Chum Kill also known as bridging the gap- where advanced footwork is introduced and attacking moves and strategies. Bridging the gap refers to the gap between you and your opponent and how to make up that ground in an attacking manner to nullify and win over your opponent. Be mindful of your distance from your opponent as the real threat is when they are close. Remember ‘stick and stones will break bones but words never harm.
You must ignore name calling in an altercation its a ruse to provoke you-your real focus should be on the physical threat. The space between you and your opponent is neutral ground. Bridging the gap between you and your opponent require a specific strategy as you are engaging towards a physical threat. You learn how to make up this ground with Cum Kill.
Bill Jee is the most advanced form in the Wing Chun training system where you train to strike with your fingers. The basic idea is that fighting with this technique amongst other thinks increases your range to strike your opponent and targets specific areas. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing so his advanced technique is offered for informational purposes only.
The one thing that distinguishes Wing Chun from other styles is Chi Sao. This is a sparring technique where you apply the hand forms learned by the previous wing chun training forms and apply them to a sparring/ fighting situation. The sticky hands technique teaches how to guard/attack by the feel of your opponents arms.
Wing Chun fighters should have both wrists interlocked with each other in a specific position to break through the others defences. You Block your opponents attacks by sticking to their wrist, controlling their attacks and setting up your own.
It is a lot more involved than this, however it is a critical part of your wing chun training.
Finally you have the Wing Chun Dummy to contend with. This simple wooden dummy provides infinite amount of concepts and strategies to practice from-and can take a beating only thing I would warn is to work on your conditioning. The wing chun wooden dummy or Muk yan Jong will last a lot longer than you during a training session ..but not sure if your arms can take the Wing chun wooden dummy and its solid base and solid arms However it is an invaluable tool and an essential component of any students wing chun training.
There are a number of reasons to start learning a martial art. I know when I began wing chun training it was more out of fitness and a side effect would be the ability to kick but. I didn’t really enjoy going to gyms with their beefy muscle walking around just grunting at your direction.
Others learn wing chun kung fu to build confidence. Which is ideal. Learning a martial art or any method that offers security and a sense of pride. A lot of the times we live or lives in fear, what is going to happen with me? This holds true in all aspects of our lives.More to the point i have found that it is the biggest bullies that seek to impose their physicality that are the most fearful and insecure.They are usually bullies and seek to be the strongest.
However I side effect I found whilst doing my wing chun training was that the more I learned the more comfortable I became with myself.Out with friends i was calm and relaxed. Whenever there was someone acting inappropriately –usually drunk and calling names before I would get upset and felt a great insult and had to prove my self by a physical demonstration of strength so I didn’t lose face.
However as I developed my skill and came confident in my abilities I came to realise that it I was the only one I had to prove anything to.drunken stranger does not determine how i behave, i have the confidence to ignore all negativity that comes my way. To be totally superficial, did I need to prove to the world that I was able to beat up a drunk who didn’t know better.I had the confidence in myself that i could defend myself and other around me.. I didn’t need to start an unnecessary altercation to prove anything. I had the inner confidence and did not have the need to prove my self to anyone. That is the gift wing chun training gave me.
One of the first things you will learn from your Wing chun training is the constant repetition of drills and an almost fanatic implementation of its concepts. Wing Chun is unique as it is a martial that does not involve physical strength to be effective.It can be argued its the opposite. Having a relaxed mind and disposition is a key element to your wing chun training. Being relaxed in mind and body allows your thoughts to and movements to flow efficiently . Being too rigid will slow your moment and be too robotic – which is unnatural.
Being too rigid slows you down, which goes against a fundamental aspect of wing chun. As it is a dynamic art and primarily involved in close quarter fighting, have a quick reaction & smooth reflexes is essential. It also allows you too feel your opponents oncoming attacks. (By the way this is a CRITICAL concept when learning the wing chun wooden dummy- But I digress) Sounds confusing? Well this is a key concept of chi sao- which is the wing chun “sticky hands ” sparring technique.This teaches to defeat your opponent through the feel of their hands rather than using your sight.
Having this sensory acuity allows you to fight by your sense of touch -if your opponent has a weak defence you can power through. If they have a strong defence you use wing chun techniques to manipulate that strength and find a way through. Now this is a skill that will take your whole wing chun life to master. However to be successful you need a combination of a relaxed, natural, comfortable form and having enough energy to repell any oncoming attack.
Through correct wing chun training and execution of its concepts you will be able to deflect and attack your opponent with minimal effort. As you develop your wing chun techniques you will learn to confidently and calmly apply your technique. You should be relaxed and calm both in your thinking and your movement. Indeed because of your constant drilling and practice , having this relaxed disposition you will react automatically , without thinking and calmly execute what you have learned from your wing chun training.
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