# Wing Chun makes me feel stupid?



## Colibri (Aug 8, 2011)

Hey guys, how are we all doing?

Hope everyone is well 

Anyways, I have a small problem. I've been doing WC now for just under a year and I've noticed recently that well basically, WC makes me feel a bit dumb.

I dunno how to elaborate on this, but I seem to think TOO much into everything when even reading about it and I get stuck. For example, in some drills I get confused and have to slow everything down or ask the sifu to explain. When I do understand however, it's fine. Thinking about applying the different moves, opposite sides, etc. get me even more confused! 


Does anyone else understand me? Or is it just because I'm still new to WC?


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 8, 2011)

Colibri said:


> I seem to think TOO much into everything



Likely not what you want to hear but.... don't think so much and do not expect to understand any of it quickly... even Wing Chun takes time

Now maybe an experienced Wing Chun person will stop by with better advice than I just gave you.


----------



## WC_lun (Aug 8, 2011)

Wing Chun is simple, but it is not easy.  I think someone here on the site actually said that.

There is a ton of stuff to learn in Wing Chun.  That can be both daunting and frustrating.  The more we know, the more we should simplifly it, but most students want to over-think it and make it even more complicated.  That is pretty normal 

Take a look at the students newer than yourself.  See how far ahead of them you are?  It isn't because they are stupid.  I'm willing to bet you don't chastise them when they have trouble with a concept or training.  Give yourself the same courtesy.


----------



## geezer (Aug 8, 2011)

Colibri said:


> Anyways, I have a small problem. I've been doing WC now for just under a year and I've noticed recently that well basically, WC makes me feel a bit dumb.... is it just because I'm still new to WC?



No it's not just because you are new. And it will likely get worse. At least it's gotten worse for me ...either that or I'm suffering from premature senility. Some people pick up quicker than others....especially those who are physically gifted. But then sometimes they _think_ they know more than they really do just because they can make the basic stuff work quickly and often don't really get the deeper concepts. A thinking person will go further in the long run. Just accept the fact that WC has a way of humbling even the most intelligent people. That's what keeps it interesting!


----------



## mook jong man (Aug 8, 2011)

Keep up diligent practice of the SLT form , it makes the jump to real application a lot easier.Break up the technique into it's separate components and work on one bit at a time.You are not stupid , Wing Chun always seems to be marketed as fast and easy to learn , this is bull.There is a hell of a lot multi tasking going on in Wing Chun techniques , these require a lot of concentration and training.


----------



## Colibri (Aug 8, 2011)

Xue Sheng said:


> Likely not what you want to hear but.... don't think so much and do not expect to understand any of it quickly... even Wing Chun takes time
> 
> Now maybe an experienced Wing Chun person will stop by with better advice than I just gave you.




I suppose you are right, that makes sense  I'm in no way rushing myself, I'm doing things at a slower pace than others in my class too because I want to get a good foundation in WC before anything.




WC_lun said:


> Wing Chun is simple, but it is not easy. I think someone here on the site actually said that.
> 
> There is a ton of stuff to learn in Wing Chun. That can be both daunting and frustrating. The more we know, the more we should simplifly it, but most students want to over-think it and make it even more complicated. That is pretty normal
> *
> Take a look at the students newer than yourself. See how far ahead of them you are? It isn't because they are stupid. I'm willing to bet you don't chastise them when they have trouble with a concept or training. Give yourself the same courtesy.*



I never thought of it like that  Thanks for the advice, I'm taking on board what you said there 




geezer said:


> No it's not just because you are new. And it will likely get worse. At least it's gotten worse for me ...either that or I'm suffering from premature senility. Some people pick up quicker than others....especially those who are physically gifted. But then sometimes they _think_ they know more than they really do just because they can make the basic stuff work quickly and often don't really get the deeper concepts. A thinking person will go further in the long run. Just accept the fact that WC has a way of humbling even the most intelligent people. That's what keeps it interesting!




I was worried up until the end  cheers man, good points 




mook jong man said:


> *Keep up diligent practice of the SLT form *, it makes the jump to real application a lot easier.Break up the technique into it's separate components and work on one bit at a time.You are not stupid , *Wing Chun always seems to be marketed as fast and easy to learn , this is bull.There is a hell of a lot multi tasking going on in Wing Chun techniques , these require a lot of concentration and training.*



SLT is being worked on more than anything now, must put more thought into it methinks. I'm currently doing it for meditation and relaxation but I do know its importance in developing a proper base/foundation in WC. Our sifu drills that point into us  


I do plan on doing this 'til old age so you won't see me rushing to get anywhere.


"Enjoy the journey, for there is no destination" - I use this quote alot 



Cheers everyone. I'm not stupid, hooray


----------



## tarzan (Aug 8, 2011)

I  understand how frustrating it can feel at times. I'm pretty much at the same point as you. 
 A zen thing that is sometimes comforting is that sometimes the person who has the most difficulty, but perseveres through, winds up better than the person who has it come easy to them.


----------



## Colibri (Aug 9, 2011)

tarzan said:


> I  understand how frustrating it can feel at times. I'm pretty much at the same point as you.
> A zen thing that is sometimes comforting is that sometimes the person who has the most difficulty, but perseveres through, winds up better than the person who has it come easy to them.




I agree, so I'm gonna take it slower than my usual (slow) pace  cheers pal  hope to cross hands with you all someday!


----------



## Erick (Aug 9, 2011)

Hey,

Colibri I am about a year in a few months in my wing chun training as well and I don't think asking questions is a bad thing. Everytime I'm sitting home reading up or watching videos, a ton of questions come to my mind and the next day I tend to spam my sifu and siheng lol. But they do not mind the questions, it also shows interest. 

By asking and getting them answered I believe my wing chun and understanding of wing chun has gotten a lot better. Certain drills and or techniques can be learned fast on one side, but when switching to the other its natural at the beginning to fill a little off. I have this problem as well. I'm left handed so when I do drills or techniques on my left side its feels right, but when I transfer them to my right side its really off and sometimes I make the mistake of blocking with my fist and attacking with tan sau lol. Its embarrassing, but the best thing to do is practice it slowly and your body will naturally get it eventually.


----------



## Nabakatsu (Aug 9, 2011)

Some great advice in here, good luck harnessing it all


----------



## Domino (Aug 19, 2011)

What has already been said, constantly learn different sections of SLT and as you mentioned, try not to think... just do it. A good sifu in my eyes should want you to ask questions, touch hands etc.

There are 3 stages of wing chun student i think I remember right.
Conscious incompetant > Conscious competant > Sub-conscious competant.


----------



## mook jong man (Aug 19, 2011)

Domino said:


> What has already been said, constantly learn different sections of SLT and as you mentioned, try not to think... just do it. A good sifu in my eyes should want you to ask questions, touch hands etc.There are 3 stages of wing chun student i think I remember right.Conscious incompetant > Conscious competant > Sub-conscious competant.


You forgot the fourth stage , when you get knocked on your **** you become an UNCONSCIOUS incompetent .


----------



## Domino (Aug 19, 2011)

hahaha, thought you were being serious as I am sure there were 4.

Ah yeah, the 1st ...... unconscious incompetant ..... dribbling on the floor.


----------



## Colibri (Aug 19, 2011)

Hahaha, unconscious incompetant 

Since my last post, I've slowed down and stopped trying to rush to get things. It's going well, no more stress or feeling stupid  just understanding how things work makes me happy now, I don't have to think too much into things


----------



## WC_lun (Aug 19, 2011)

Questions are cool, but many want to always ask with thier mouth and not learn by phycially experiencing Wing Chun.  It must be experienced.  If you have a question, test your question with your Wing Chun THEN ask your Sifu if you cannot get a clear answer.  I don't know if I'm being very clear and I don't want to discourage your questions.  There are some things that no amount of words will show you.


----------



## Chat Noir (Aug 21, 2011)

Not to harp on what others have said, but yes, Wing Chun should be experienced.  It's about what you feel, rather than what you know.  Knowledge is great but in a fight, it's body memory that will take over.  The drills serve two purposes: one is to teach you the proper technique, and the second is to make it a part of your body memory.  When you use Wing Chun for real, you want to just react.  You can't think or analyze in a fight, and neither can you do that in class or you'll got nuts.  I've been in the art since my mid-20's and I'm 43 now, and some drills continue to frustrate me to no end, but they serve a purpose. I study other styles too: Jeet Kune Do and Judo.  I'm delighted to say when someone has done something I wasn't expecting, my Wing Chun has always come out of nowhere and protected me in the moment, much to the delight of my teachers. It's about retaining what you learn and you retain Wing Chun in your hands not your head so try to just "go with the flow" and don't worry so much about the specifics. 

Laura


----------



## tenzen (Aug 22, 2011)

Simple fix, everytime you think you are feeling stupid just think of how much more stupid u would be if you didn't practice wc. Just sayin.


----------



## mograph (Aug 22, 2011)

Hang in there. Decent martial arts require physical practice and mental paradigm shifts. 
I've also found that applying a simple direction (e.g. "distribute your force inside your body") to a physical action, practiced repeatedly with attention leads to results.


----------



## Padawan.U.K (Aug 22, 2011)

If it's any consolation, I feel pretty much the same, beem studying WingTsun for about 3months now, struggling all the time to remember stuff, footwork, drills, hand positions. Than doin lat sao with heavy handed students. I'm hoping that eventually It will happen without so much thinking. The comments on here have helped me feel a bit better, as I hope they have for you. Good luck in your continued training.


----------



## jimbo123 (Aug 25, 2011)

Can the 10,000 hour rule apply in Wing Chun? Some people believe that it takes about 10,000 hours of hard work before you can actually master a skill. I've been doing Wing Chun for about 8 months now and I go for classes 2-3 times a week. At this rate, I will be a master in about 64 years!


----------



## mograph (Aug 26, 2011)

Chat Noir said:


> Knowledge is great but in a fight, it's body memory that will take over.


Now that is a rock-solid argument for practice!


----------



## yak sao (Aug 26, 2011)

jimbo123 said:


> Can the 10,000 hour rule apply in Wing Chun? Some people believe that it takes about 10,000 hours of hard work before you can actually master a skill. I've been doing Wing Chun for about 8 months now and I go for classes 2-3 times a week. At this rate, I will be a master in about 64 years!



And you'll be the toughest ol' codger in the old folks home. Keep at it, it's not like you have anything else to do.

I've always heard the same...somewhere between 8000-10000 hours.

I also have heard the 1000 reps thing, SNT 1000 times, etc.


----------



## yak sao (Aug 26, 2011)

BTW...welcome to the forum


----------



## jimbo123 (Aug 26, 2011)

Oh well I don't mind how long it takes to become a master, as long as I am able to defend myself and loved ones (this is the original reason I took up Wing Chun),



yak sao said:


> BTW...welcome to the forum


Thank you hello as well.


----------



## Domino (Sep 6, 2011)

Tenzen coming out of the shadows with the knowledge.


----------

