# Internal Wing Chun and External Wing Chun



## Harm0nys0ul (Mar 16, 2013)

In your opinion what is the differences between Internal Wing Chun and External Wing Chun?
Is your Wing Chun both internal and external, is it just internal or is it just external?


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 16, 2013)

My opinion is that internal and external are false categories that have more to do with a taking a pot shot at the Qing dynasty that was made by the guy that wrote the Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan in 1669 than anything else and I really would not worry about it. And this is coming from a guy who has done taijiquan for over 20 years, as well as xingyiquan and a bit of baguazhang and as well as some changquan and wing chun.

Other than that there is an old CMA saying Internal goes to external and external goes to internal. Basically train them right and you end up in the same place

So I guess I am of the opinion that you are better off training Wing Chun and not worrying about Internal vs External


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## Vajramusti (Mar 16, 2013)

Xue Sheng said:


> My opinion is that internal and external are false categories that have more to do with a taking a pot shot at the Qing dynasty that was made by the guy that wrote the Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan in 1669 than anything else and I really would not worry about it. And this is coming from a guy who has done taijiquan for over 20 years, as well as xingyiquan and a bit of baguazhang and as well as some changquan and wing chun.
> 
> Other than that there is an old CMA saying Internal goes to external and external goes to internal. Basically train them right and you end up in the same place
> 
> So I guess I am of the opinion that you are better off training Wing Chun and not worrying about Internal vs External


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Agree  with Xue Shen
external/internal is  a false dichotomy.


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## Harm0nys0ul (Mar 16, 2013)

I wasn&#8217;t very clear, I guess that is what I get using words others defined.

If you punch are you relaxed till the impact and then tense or are you fully relaxed even at the moment of impact?
Do you tense at certain moments to block or are you fully relaxed all the time while fighting?


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## Nabakatsu (Mar 16, 2013)

I can't think of many times I'm not striving for total relaxation and efficiency of movement. Maybe some brute strength alongside proper technique for some anti grappling..


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## Vajramusti (Mar 16, 2013)

Harm0nys0ul said:


> I wasnt very clear, I guess that is what I get using words others defined.
> 
> If you punch are you relaxed till the impact and then tense or are you fully relaxed even at the moment of impact?
> Do you tense at certain moments to block or are you fully relaxed all the time while fighting?


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One can easily over think. i.e. think too much.  Punch for practice---I make sure that my body structure is stable-
the bone joints are aligned.. all unnecessary muscles are relaxed--the elbow and shoulder are sunk and for the straight punch,
 I aim for the apex of the triangle  with my shoulders being the other two points of the triangle.
Against an opponent I use the most efficient path to the other guys axis and fire--- I do not straighten out the elbow- so there is reserve power for penetration or redirection 
and also avoiding any arm bars.... and fire my punch. My fist is relaxed with the thumb in the right place.
All the joints should click automatically into place. I punch a lot to develop my punch.I do not think about clenching-
letting the alignments take care of business.

joy chaudhuri


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## mook jong man (Mar 16, 2013)

In my SLT form I try to relax.
Maintain Tei Gong , through out the form.
Visualise the energy flowing up my spine to the top of my head .
Concentrate on focusing my mental force to the centerline.


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## geezer (Mar 16, 2013)

Vajramusti said:


> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> One can easily over think. i.e. think too much.  ...I punch a lot to develop my punch.I do not think about clenching-
> letting the alignments take care of business.
> 
> joy chaudhuri



Some branches of WC use more strength, others emphasize relaxation more. Either way, all good WC emphasizes maximum efficiency. That is getting the most return for your input. That means finding the simplest, most direct way to accomplish your end, using structure over strength, relaxing unnecessary muscles, and not crashing force. In my experience, it's nothing mystical, just _kung-fu_. Skill acquired through hard work. In other words, what Joy said.


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## mook jong man (Mar 16, 2013)

TST lineage places a big emphasis on relaxation and developing what he calls "Thought Force".

It really boils down to striving to do an application on an opponent with the same amount of effort and relaxation as you would use in doing the same movement from the form in the air.
The only difference is that the opponent is now in your body space , but whether he is there or not , the thought process of the Sil Lum Tao state is the same.


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## windsorHerbalist (Mar 16, 2013)

Just for fun, I figure we can say that the theories are internal because you can't see them, then it becomes external as you express them in ways people can touch and feel. So if no one ever saw your wing chun, then it was internal... but as soon as someone saw or felt it, then it's external... ha ha ha.

....but hey, just practice till it's natural. Eventually you'll get to the point where if study is well rounded there's not much difference in the end result.


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