# Opinions On This Please?



## Transk53 (Feb 11, 2015)

Looking to get some DVD practice material as a home practice thing to supplement classes. Not sure whether it would fit in with Wing Tsun though. Thoughts?

Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu Official Ip Man Wing Chun Site


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## Marnetmar (Feb 11, 2015)

Sam Kwok is generally pretty respected, I believe. Just remember that some things might be a little different from what you're doing here and there since every WC/WT instructor has his own idea of how things should be done.

One DVD I'd _*really*_ recommend is Master Class Wing Chun by Robert Chu. There's a lot of useful knowledge on there.


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## yak sao (Feb 11, 2015)

If you train WT I would recommend staying lineage specific .
Leung Ting's DVD Dynamic Wing Tsun is pretty decent


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## Transk53 (Feb 11, 2015)

yak sao said:


> If you train WT I would recommend staying lineage specific .
> Leung Ting's DVD Dynamic Wing Tsun is pretty decent



Thanks. Will look into it.


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## Vajramusti (Feb 11, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> Looking to get some DVD practice material as a home practice thing to supplement classes. Not sure whether it would fit in with Wing Tsun though. Thoughts?
> 
> Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu Official Ip Man Wing Chun Site


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"Official"? It's Kwok's website and he learned from Ip Chun and Ip Ching.


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## Transk53 (Feb 12, 2015)

Vajramusti said:


> ---------------------------------------------------------
> 
> "Official"? It's Kwok's website and he learned from Ip Chun and Ip Ching.



So the site has not just been glossed?


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## Danny T (Feb 12, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> So the site has not just been glossed?


I believe the remarks are questioning the website is the 'official' Ip Man wing chun site when it is by a someone other than Ip Man and that person is someone who did not train with Ip Man but with Ip Chun and Ip Ching.


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## Transk53 (Feb 12, 2015)

Danny T said:


> I believe the remarks are questioning the website is the 'official' Ip Man wing chun site when it is by a someone other than Ip Man and that person is someone who did not train with Ip Man but with Ip Chun and Ip Ching.



Must admit I did not quite get that. How could there an official Ip Man website, unless sanctioned by the family. I imagine many practitioners have tried to visit Ip Chun, or have done and have embellished their stories. Or am I just being cynical.


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## ShortBridge (Feb 12, 2015)

This appears to be Samuel Kwok's website and he is respected and legitimate. I see what you mean about the wording on the website, I suspect what he means is that he teaches "Ip Man Wing Chun", which he does. There are credible wing chun branches that don't roll up to Ip Man, so technically anyone in a lineage under one of Yip Man's disciples or sifus is doing "Ip Man Wing Chun" ... officially.

Whether or not you should supplement your training with a DVD is another question. I strongly suggest that you talk with your sifu about it and respect whatever his position is. I can always tell when someone has been on YouTube. It's not always the best thing for their progress, regardless of the quality and source.


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## Transk53 (Feb 12, 2015)

ShortBridge said:


> This appears to be Samuel Kwok's website and he is respected and legitimate. I see what you mean about the wording on the website, I suspect what he means is that he teaches "Ip Man Wing Chun", which he does. There are credible wing chun branches that don't roll up to Ip Man, so technically anyone in a lineage under one of Yip Man's disciples or sifus is doing "Ip Man Wing Chun" ... officially.
> 
> Whether or not you should supplement your training with a DVD is another question. I strongly suggest that you talk with your sifu about it and respect whatever his position is. I can always tell when someone has been on YouTube. It's not always the best thing for their progress, regardless of the quality and source.



One of the first things that I did was ask about his opinion on such things. he is not a great fan of Youtube. Really for me I have limited people outside of class to practice with. That is my intent behind some supplementary materiel. I also have a work schedule that does not lend itself time wise that well. It will get ramped down a bit soon, but need something for a bit. Any other ideas you may have welcome!


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## ShortBridge (Feb 12, 2015)

If you are Leung Ting lineage, I would probably encourage you to look for Leung Ting material. His pedagogy is highly strict organization and convention, moreso than any other branch that I know of. I think that there must be material within your lineage and they would be less flexible regarding viewpoints and influences from other lineages.


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## Transk53 (Feb 12, 2015)

I believe so yes in that is the linage. I'll just have see what I can find.


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## yak sao (Feb 12, 2015)

Not to state the obvious but why even look to DVDs? Use this opportunity as the luxury it is to hone your skills on what you've already been taught.
There is much to be done in the way of stance, footwork, form and structure. Wallbag training, heavy bag training................


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## PiedmontChun (Feb 13, 2015)

Please don't take this as criticism, or as avoiding the direct question, but if you are being instructed by a good sifu, he is likely already giving you plenty to practice on home!

Work on your form and then spend time on stepping, pivoting, etc. Even at the most basic level there is much footwork to work on and it can be practiced outside of class solo. I would imgaine your sifu would give you some simple punching drills, if you ask, that emphasize timing of the punch with your footwork. Its tedious but its the bread and butter of WT!  A lot of partner drills from your class can be done as solo practice to get the timing and movements down.


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## Transk53 (Feb 13, 2015)

I have a very bad short term memory and I learn a lot more by visual means. In addition to this I like to have a general view of everything I encounter. Walking down one path means a full reversal. Parallel is better.


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## Marnetmar (Feb 13, 2015)

yak sao said:


> If you train WT I would recommend staying lineage specific .
> Leung Ting's DVD Dynamic Wing Tsun is pretty decent





ShortBridge said:


> If you are Leung Ting lineage, I would probably encourage you to look for Leung Ting material. His pedagogy is highly strict organization and convention, moreso than any other branch that I know of. I think that there must be material within your lineage and they would be less flexible regarding viewpoints and influences from other lineages.



I disagree with both of these statements.

There is useful knowledge to be gained from everybody. If Transk53 ends up doing something that truly doesn't fit WT, his sifu will surely correct him and he'll know not to do it.


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## Transk53 (Feb 13, 2015)

Marnetmar said:


> I disagree with both of these statements.
> 
> There is useful knowledge to be gained from everybody. If Transk53 ends up doing something that's incorrect for WT, his sifu will surely correct him and he'll know not to do that.



Thanks. That is more eloquent than I could have put it. I understand that there are slight differences in linage concerning Wing Chun. In fact to me the same can be said about a lot things. Take AMD CPU'S. One new model then usually returns with revisions, but is of the same family. I liken that to Wing Chun, same family, but with revisions. IE Yip Man. Why is it so closeted in that people cannot explore the same thing, while doing the same thing. Surely one would learn more as well as listening to the Sifu. Listening to one voice does not mean it will be contradicted by another. How can it be, it is Wing Chun. Anyway thanks for the reply


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## PiedmontChun (Feb 13, 2015)

At later stages, I would imagine it would help you understand the WC family as a whole better, and make your WC more well rounded but unfortunately, during the early learning stage it can just confuse things. Having principles taught to you differently by different people (or different principles altogether if the lineage is very different) doesn't help your progress, and this is exactly what trying to "learn" from different sources simultaneously does.
Speaking from my own experience, my progress seems to come when I just focus on practicing OUTSIDE of class what I have been working on IN class, to the extent that I am able, so it is more relaxed. If you want something visual, try video'ing yourself or a drill with yourself and your sifu in class for later review. It can be enlightening.


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## ShortBridge (Feb 13, 2015)

Marnetmar said:


> I disagree with both of these statements.
> 
> There is useful knowledge to be gained from everybody. If Transk53 ends up doing something that truly doesn't fit WT, his sifu will surely correct him and he'll know not to do it.



That's not actually what I meant. I have belonged to two lineages and I think it makes me better. I'm very happy and interested when I get to see the system through someone else's eyes. My thing now really is looking at Wing Chun in the context of other, similar southern styles. It helps my perspective and even my technique.

But, I'm not a beginner. Had I tried to do that at the stage I think OP has indicated, I don't think it would have been helpful and I know that neither of my two Wing Chun sifus would have approved and it might have changed my relationship with them in a way that held me back. Now that I am a sifu, I understand why. It's not that it's bad, it's just that there is a time for it and there is a time for emptying your cup and training...hard...putting in your 10,000 hours.

At the end of the day, it's between you and your sifu. It doesn't matter how I would react.


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## yak sao (Feb 13, 2015)

Marnetmar said:


> I disagree with both of these statements.
> 
> There is useful knowledge to be gained from everybody. If Transk53 ends up doing something that truly doesn't fit WT, his sifu will surely correct him and he'll know not to do it.




But as a beginner, why muddy the waters? Better to stick with a common theme than running all over creation cherry picking this and that and creating some sort of Frankenstein.

I'm not saying this because I am prejudiced toward WT, I would say this to any beginner from any martial art style: _Stay with what your teacher is teaching you_. I understand wanting to learn more and having an insatiable appetite and even some impatience in wanting it now. But It is better to build your foundation and have a thorough understanding of what you are doing than dabbling in a bit of this and that.

Better to go deep than wide.


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## Transk53 (Feb 13, 2015)

yak sao said:


> Better to go deep than wide



Yes but going deep needs wide. You can't go through the middle if you are hitting deep.


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## ShortBridge (Feb 13, 2015)

Look this really is up to you and its not important to me that i get my point across, but since this is a web forum and since you did ask...

It's a fair and well trodden debate about whether traditional martial arts or modern mixed/gym style training is better. I don't want to start that debate, but when you're dealing with classical Chinese or Japanese systems, there is a way that they are taught. It's not up to the student to figure it out, the deal is that you choose your teacher and they choose their students and they take you through the process. I don't know how traditional your sifu is or isn't, but I wouldn't advise anyone to chose a classical path and then try to navigate their own way through or around it. 

If you're doing something modern (and there is a case to be made for that), it's different.

Just my views anyway.


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## Transk53 (Feb 13, 2015)

ShortBridge said:


> Look this really is up to you and its not important to me that i get my point across, but since this is a web forum and since you did ask...
> 
> It's a fair and well trodden debate about whether traditional martial arts or modern mixed/gym style training is better. I don't want to start that debate, but when you're dealing with classical Chinese or Japanese systems, there is a way that they are taught. It's not up to the student to figure it out, the deal is that you choose your teacher and they choose their students and they take you through the process. I don't know how traditional your sifu is or isn't, but I wouldn't advise anyone to chose a classical path and then try to navigate their own way through or around it.
> 
> ...



You know what, that is wisdom. Point taken!


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