How do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly?

[Signupper]

Hello,

I am really new to Wing Chun. I just read, heard and watched stuff about Wing Chun. So because of that, I heard about the 'Wing Chun VS' and 'Wing Chun ineffectiveness' war. And I really don't want to write down all of my thoughts because that would be way too long. To keep it short: I think Wing Chun is really effective but you just have to train it correctly. But how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly? Of course, I can watch out that I get a good teacher but still... I could get trained incorrectly. So how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly, effective, etc?

PS: I don't want to start any war in this thread I just want to get a useful answer to my question.

Thank you.

 

[KPM]

1st, find a good teacher. 2nd, take a look at his or her senior students. Are they good too? Do they look like they can make it work? 3rd, keep a critical mindset and avoid the "sifu sez" tendency. Look at things you are training critically and ask yourself if they seem workable and realistic. If everything seems to come together, the Sifu and senior students look pretty effective and you feel like you are learning something valuable that you can make work as well....then there really is no "correct vs. incorrect." How things are done can vary not only between lineages, but between teachers within the same lineage.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

So how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly, effective, etc?

Do not freeze your body and just move your arm. Try to coordinate your body with your arm during day one. Even better, try to punch by putting your arms behind your back (no arm punch). If you can do that, you have understood the "Shen Fa - body method".

Power come from

1. bottom and up.
2. back to front.
3. shoulder to fist.

To send your punching power to your fist is the "3rd step" of your power generation process.

 

[Signupper]

Okay, thank you for your answers. I try to watch the senior students and the teacher when I do my first training session and will be critical. And thank you, Kung Fu Wang, Ill try to use that technique when I'm there.

EDIT: I don't quite understand how I could punch with my arms behind my back. Can you explain that again, please?

 

[jobo]

Okay, thank you for your answers. I try to watch the senior students and the teacher when I do my first training session and will be critical. And thank you, Kung Fu Wang, Ill try to use that technique when I'm there.

EDIT: I don't quite understand how I could punch with my arms behind my back. Can you explain that again, please?

he is suggesting you practise, power generation by first moving your weight upwards and then turning you body at the hip/ waist, before you practise moving your,arm, I'm not sure if that's an effective way of doing it, but that what he means

 

[Signupper]

Ah, now I understand. Thank you, jobo!

 

[jobo]

since you are,clearly aware of the many doubt peoples ,including those who have trained it, have about WC, can i ask why you have,chosen it in preference to another art?

 

[Signupper]

Because I think it is really effective, there are always people talking trash about something they never did, a WC club is like right where I live, I think the people talking trash about it but did it didn't train it correctly (just like many people say), I want to see how effective it is.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don't quite understand how I could punch with my arms behind my back. Can you explain that again, please?

This training will force you to understand how to use your leg and body. When you train your sword fight without holding a sword, your body will be your sword. The highest level of MA ability is you only see the body move and you don't see the arm move.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I think Wing Chun is really effective but you just have to train it correctly.

The following simple drill can help you to understand the WC principle - how to protect your center from inside out.

- Hold both hands into a big fist.
- Extend both arms as far as you can.
- Hide your head behind and between your arms.
- Aim your big fist toward your opponent's face.
- Run toward your opponent as a mad man.

If you just replace the "big fist" by "chain punches", you will then be on the correct WC training path.

 

[drop bear]

OK here is the story.

There are four people having a talk and one of them is holding a pen between his fingers. And they are all trying to decide what would happen if he let go.

And they discussed this for hours but nobody could come to a conclusion and so finally the guy put the pen back in his pocket and said "well I guess we will never know"

If you can solve that problem you can solve your martial arts one.

 

[Danny T]

The following simple drill can help you to understand the WC principle - how to protect your center from inside out.

- Hold both hands into a big fist.
- Extend both arms as far as you can.
- Hide your head behind and between your arms.
- Aim your big fist toward your opponent's face.
- Run toward your opponent as a mad man.

If you just replace the "big fist" by "chain punches", you will then be on the correct WC training path.

Uhh...NO!

 

[geezer]

The following simple drill can help you to understand the WC principle - how to protect your center from inside out.

- Hold both hands into a big fist.
- Extend both arms as far as you can.
- Hide your head behind and between your arms.
- Aim your big fist toward your opponent's face.
- Run toward your opponent as a mad man.

If you just replace the "big fist" by "chain punches", you will then be on the correct WC training path.

Or you can do as "Kung Fy Wang has recommended to his own students in the past and just do the first four steps he mentioned above, namely:

- Hold both hands into a big fist.
- Extend both arms as far as you can.
- Hide your head behind and between your arms.
- Aim your big fist toward your opponent's face.

...Then call it the Rhino Fist

Actually, I think John (Kung Fu Wang) was having a little fun with you...

 

[JowGaWolf]

Hello,

I am really new to Wing Chun. I just read, heard and watched stuff about Wing Chun. So because of that, I heard about the 'Wing Chun VS' and 'Wing Chun ineffectiveness' war. And I really don't want to write down all of my thoughts because that would be way too long. To keep it short: I think Wing Chun is really effective but you just have to train it correctly. But how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly? Of course, I can watch out that I get a good teacher but still... I could get trained incorrectly. So how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly, effective, etc?

PS: I don't want to start any war in this thread I just want to get a useful answer to my question.

Thank you.

1st decide what you want to get out of Wing Chun. 2nd Find a good teacher that can help you train according to the purpose that you decided on in #1.

 

[TMA17]

A friend of mine that has been practicing WC for years recommended the book “Look Beyond the Pointing Finger: The Combat Philosophy of Wong Shun Leung” for people starting out.

I am currently looking into a new school and have only been practicing WC for 2 months. Quality of school is a big component and patience.

 

[Parky]

Hello,

I am really new to Wing Chun. I just read, heard and watched stuff about Wing Chun. So because of that, I heard about the 'Wing Chun VS' and 'Wing Chun ineffectiveness' war. And I really don't want to write down all of my thoughts because that would be way too long. To keep it short: I think Wing Chun is really effective but you just have to train it correctly. But how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly? Of course, I can watch out that I get a good teacher but still... I could get trained incorrectly. So how do I make sure that I train Wing Chun correctly, effective, etc?

PS: I don't want to start any war in this thread I just want to get a useful answer to my question.

Thank you.

Pick a teacher that appeals to you and do what they tell you to do. This is how you develop a base understanding. You might be learning crap or you might be learning the best WC ever. You won't know (no matter how many questions you ask on a forum). After having some time in, after starting to learn some of the movements in a mechanical way, start asking some basic 'why' questions. You have to develop a base understanding first and then later on you can look at what other WC teachers are saying and doing and you'll have some base point of reference to view their thoughts and comments against. It's likely to be different than what you have learned. Furthermore if you're new to WC I would suggest staying away from forums. They will confuse more than help. Learning WC, or any MA, aint like finding a good Ivy league college where you have a good chance at getting a great education based on the college you choose. With MA it's a roll of the dice. I personally started off with an Asian-American WC teacher who looked the part and had a good WC lineage. I spent 5 years with him. He was a great guy and I learned some things, but most of what he taught was empty. I left him and had to research and work my way thru many WC teachers over many years in order to find a couple of teachers who had anything of any real substance to teach. That's one path. You may also find yourself with a teacher that has real skill, but he aint ever going to teach you what he knows...beyond the superficial. I've experienced that path as well. Westerners often think if there's a MA school down the street teaching Taiji, or Bagau, or Wing Chun if they go to that school they will learn whatever system is being taught (let's say Wing Chun) and the Wing Chun being taught in that school is exactly the same as what's being taught in the Wing Chun school the next city over. It's not like that. Again, it's a roll of the dice. Best of luck to you!

 

[Martial D]

I am really new to Wing Chun.

I think Wing Chun is really effective but you just have to train it correctly.

No offense intended here, but these two statements don't really jibe.

How do you know if you don't know?

 

[Signupper]

Thank you for all these answers. I read every post and respect everything said. @Martial D: "I think Wing Chun is really effective [...]", I never thought that I would know.

 

[jobo]

Thank you for all these answers. I read every post and respect everything said. @Martial D: "I think Wing Chun is really effective [...]", I never thought that I would know.

i suppose the logical follow up question, is what makes you THINK wing Chun is really effective, IF you train it correctly ?

and then, what constitutes correctly ?