Wing chun is centred on the taoist principle of taking the middle road. Basically you should no go to extremes, success is based on balance. If you are in the middle of the road you can see both the left and right paths, but if you venture too far to one side you may loose sight of the other~Being in the centre of the path allows you to see both sides of the road if you go too far to the one side you lose siht of the other}~Travelling along the middle ground you see both left and right sides, if you veer too far to one side you may loose sight of the other~Being in the centre of the path allows you to see both sides of the road if you go too far to the one side you lose siht of the other} . This can also be interpreted as the concepts of hard and soft principles- or Yin and yang of your kung fu training Yin ( the feminine/soft side) focusses on diverting the flow of energy where yang (the masculine/hard side ) seeks to resist any opposing energy flow and be more aggressive.Yang is seen as the aggressive striking moves.
Subsequent generations of wing chun training practitioners have refined the system further , but always keeping to the simple almost scientific principles of the art: the centre line theory. (protecting and striking at most major pressure points ) -economy of motion (keeping every movement as simple as possible ) and the self explanatory principle of combined or simultaneous defence and attack.
The centre line theory is viewed as being the most definitive part of the wing chun training system, since there are many attacking strikes that seek to obscure the vision of an aggressor . The centre line is also defensive, since your own vulnerable points are protected by centre attacks.Wing Chun is an art of self defence, the wing chun practitioner is never seen as an aggressor.The situation may require the need for aggressive attacks if faced with multiple assailants. In this situation wing chun practitioners find the use of finger strikes, elbows and knee kicks to be of great value.Even a great wing chun master can be overwhelmed by a multiple attack, you should always look to strike and make your escape as he main objective..
This is one of the most critical points drummed into your wing chun training when you first begin. That is controlling/protecting your centre line..that is imaginary line that goes down the middle of your body from your crown down to your groin. Indeed even in chinese medicine this is an important concept in term of chi flow and the main meridian of the body.
In wing chun you are trained to strike along this central line to control it a s a method of attack. This explains why the wing chun strikes are straight punches and not round hooks.. This makes sense as physics tells us that the quickest route from one point to another is a straight line. A straight punch is quick and efficient and takes the least amount of time from intention to hitting its target.. so it is only milliseconds but every little bit counts.
Also if you are attacking and simultaneously have a defending (as any good wing chun practitioner should) the idea is to overwhelm your opponents.By gicing a straight punch your opponent can either try and defend this front on assault or our of frustration try and go around ..i.e through a few hooks. Because you are controlling this central line, your opponent, in theory , can’t strike back (due to the barrage of fists coming at their centre line)-So they may back away and throw round house punches.
…Now stay with me here..you may want to try this in front of a mirror..When confronted with round punches your guard should be at your centre- head level. The large motion will create an opening with you to strike.. keep in mind a hay maker like this has to be cocked back then slung randomly however if positioned correctly in your wing chun guard your front punch only has to be extended slightly to be effective..done efficiently with time & effort. This is in principle the logic of the wing chun training system and one that you can practice also on the wing chun dummy. There are many variable in a real life situation.Strangely the haymaker and king hit are most common. However never underestimate your opponents and always keep your wits about you.
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.
Wing chun kung fu is a close contact dynamic fighting style, what that means is that to be most effect most of the time you are in close and fists are flying everywhere.. This can be a pretty daunting for the beginner as they learn their craft and develop a feel for the system.. The problem is. When you are learning you are with a static pattern.One of the first kung fu techniques to learn is to defend a punch. Where the opponents jabs at you and hold their hand out very slowly. You react using the technique that was taught with the opponent standing there statically taking a virtual beating.- Which for a beginner is a very valid technique and crucial to build confidence.
Most of the different levels of fighting you have the contact range and the exchange range these are the two levels of fighting..contact stage is where you can make the initial contact where you can me your opponent wrist on wrist..that is went you are leading with a punch or looking to defend.. the importance of this is critical…when you enter close to your opponent you are in range where you can get you head knocked off, if you enter too far out of this distance you are ineffective.
That is why entires to initiate first contact with your opponent is very difficult and takes some skill.
That is where your training comes in..if you have a good Sifu they will hammer you relentlessly with drills to the point where you are doing them in your sleep (ala Uma Thurman bride in Kill Bill 2) You have no time to think .”.hmm what should i id here”…In any case the drilling & training should be very intense and constant to the point where it should not only be stored into your subconscious memory, so you can act on it immediately. It should be honed into your muscle memory as well. Even now after ten years of learning my first drill i can remember the sequence automatically.
So when you make an entry or initial contact range attack you do so confidently and with purpose and intent ..a half hearted approach will get you into trouble..executed properly you will triumph with an impactful assault.
So what the what’s the important point to remember?….keep you form…
In a real life ..keep in mind time and space… the wing chun training system, amongst other things teaches timing and space-being mindful of your distance … that is the essence of knowing what range you are from your opponent. Your opponents weapons are their fists, for punching an feet/legs for kicking–assuming there are no foreign objects.The key here is finding an opening to engage your opponent. This is where the Wing chun Dummy comes into play where these techniques are applied into your kung fu training.
Lets take someone who is in a boxing stance leading with the left hand. The left jab and/or front kick is your immediate threat. Even though in a dynamic situation you should be able to gauge the distance you can engage in to deal with the initial threat of the punch.The closest threat confronting you is the lead punch. It makes sense , because the right hand is cocked further away and has a longer way to travel to be an immediate threat.
So if you adapt, you should see that punch coming –same as the front foot. If the boxer punches and you can block …say with a bill sao or Pak sao (learned in Sil Lim Tao & Chum Kil) as you are i contact range. The next levels of stage in combat is the exchange range where you fully agnate your opponents in close range fighting an look to overwhelm them.You are in exchange range when you are able to use both hands to both strike and defend against your opponents without twisting your body or reaching.
This sounds all so very complicated and technical- you may be thinking how ca i do this. Well its not all doom and gloom.one advantage of your wing chun training is to work on your focus.
In your Wing Chun training you are taught not to be focussing on your opponents hands or feet, if you do you will find you will get a little too close a look at what may be the last things you see for a while–..as an oncoming fist heads your way.
The beauty of this Kung Fu Training is that early on you are instructed to watch the opponents elbows. Wing chun is based on the dynamics of human movement. ..Take note of the when someone makes any movement with their hands. Whether its to punch or pick up a spoon, the first initial movement comes from their elbows. It is the first calling card for you, telling you what is going on…….If you have kept up with your training, especially the Shil Lim Tao form..your guard should be positioned to stop any oncoming attack.
Also note when your opponent kicks with a front kick ,they need to make a move to generate the power ..what’s the first thing to move? The elbow.. as they move slightly backwards to adjust their balance. Practise this in the mirror and you will see.. alway focus on the the elbows…even if they want to strike with their back leg or right hook ..assuming they are in a boxing stance leading with their left….these parts of the body have a longer way to ravel and the elbow “tell” is even more exaggerated so they telegraph the movement..
Now this may sound all to easy and is just one of the reasons why wing chun kung fu is such an effective martial art. as an added bonus it will teach you to be the best martial artist you can be. But, and this is a big but…it takes training and time to develop this skill… this is he story behind it …the practice is way harder than the learning ..but well worth it. So what is the answer to the question- What is more important than technique? Its your commitment and your intention.
If you are serious about your wing chun training you have decided to take the path of the martial artist…a lifelong path of learning and hard work. Remember it s not the system that will make you a great martial artist it is your application and execution of the system. One of the key assumptions & philosophies of wing chun is to respect your opponent. Always assume they are bigger , stronger and a better fighter than you. But above all believe in yourself and your abilities …the confidence you gain in your wing chun training will not only make you a better fight and martial artist ..it will also impact you on other areas of your life.
You know, remember that thing you always want to do but thought you never could..hey you thought probably you could never learn Kung Fu or any new technique.. the ability to defend yourself and the discipline to learn a new art will further prove self evident that you are able to achieve alot more than you realise.
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