Ranking System Within Wing Chun
- Thread starter vincehardy3
- Start date
bcbernam777
Brown Belt
kaszodis said:
How do you make assements on how well someone drives a car? There are certian skill sets and concept to be absorbed granted, but the problem is that everyone is an individual, where they may excell at one aspect of Wing Chun they may need some major work at others, even if these areas may be considered more elementary. A perfect example has been in my own journey, My Stance was at an advanced level, ie the energy I could produce throught the stance was dynamic and powerful, however, my shoulder was still stiff and tense something that should have been sorted by 9 months yet had not been, whereas there where others whose stance was useless yet their shoulder was loose and fluid. We where different, we are human beings with our own thoughts, feelings, learning styles etc which is exactly why I dont believe the one size fits all belt system doesn't work, and is an ieffecinet way of determining and indeed catagorising (if that can be done at all) skill sets. this is also why I made a decision that I will not teach more than 12 people at a time, because I dnt beleive that you can effectivly teach large classes and pass on effective martial arts. I think the traditional way of teaching was actually done for a reason, rather than just a tradition, it was done to ensure the quality of the martial art, and its future survival, indeed the crucifying of Wing Chun on a daily basis over the net, is sufficeint enough proof that the global quality of Wing Chun is low, low, low, and the whole reason for this is Large classes, and synthetic grading systems. Growth is organic and natural, and can not be placed in a box as neatly as we would like.
Kensai
Black Belt
I agree with ^ post. It's ok to have some form of recognition of progression, but having a belt means virtually nothing in my view. People can too often become caught up in "don't mess with me, I'm a pink belt" etc etc. We have assessments, that, ok, they're designed to put you through your paces, but it's simply viewed as a means to an end as to how you've progressed, but as such we don't wear belts. Belts are there to hold up your trousers. IMHO.
monji112000
Green Belt
TMC do not have belts or levels.
Why?
The relationship of Sifu's and disciples is not the same as Western MA schools.
A Diciple would life, and is basically adopted by his Sifu or father. IT was a life long mentoring, and not like our Western practice of a few days a week. People trained all day everyday maybe 5-6 hours a day. A sifu would teach you based on what he felt you needed to know, and if it was systematic then you were in luck. This is why you find some people doing somethings and others with no idea if thats really "wing Chun". If you were good at one thing, then you training may focus on that area or may focus on other areas to balance things.
I like the idea of a systematic method. I don't like the idea of belts.
Lo man Kam fed uses " levels"
http://www.eastwest-wingchun.com/association/levels.php
I like this idea.
My school is very traditional we don't have levels or belts.
Its hard to enter tournaments without a ranking system.
:asian:
Why?
The relationship of Sifu's and disciples is not the same as Western MA schools.
A Diciple would life, and is basically adopted by his Sifu or father. IT was a life long mentoring, and not like our Western practice of a few days a week. People trained all day everyday maybe 5-6 hours a day. A sifu would teach you based on what he felt you needed to know, and if it was systematic then you were in luck. This is why you find some people doing somethings and others with no idea if thats really "wing Chun". If you were good at one thing, then you training may focus on that area or may focus on other areas to balance things.
I like the idea of a systematic method. I don't like the idea of belts.
Lo man Kam fed uses " levels"
http://www.eastwest-wingchun.com/association/levels.php
I like this idea.
My school is very traditional we don't have levels or belts.
Its hard to enter tournaments without a ranking system.
:asian:
profesormental
Brown Belt
The Ving Tsun Athletic Association has created a ranking system very similar to the Olympic/competition Wu Shu grading system.
It's one level per form and skill, then honorary certificates.
They are 8 certificates.
http://www.vingtsun.org.hk/news/Ranking2.HTM
For my school it is similar.
Sincerely,
Juan M. Mercado
It's one level per form and skill, then honorary certificates.
They are 8 certificates.
http://www.vingtsun.org.hk/news/Ranking2.HTM
For my school it is similar.
Sincerely,
Juan M. Mercado
bcbernam777
Brown Belt
kaszodis said:
Belts and lineage are two different animals
Ali Rahim
Green Belt
"The Woo Fai Ching system does not create robots. This system does not consist of only prearranged fighting drills. Each level is explained in great detail with an emphasis on theory and bio-mechanics. When the theory and bio-mechanics are understood the student learns to naturally act upon reaction or be able to attack the attack completely nullifying the opponents intentions.
There are no test or belt fees in this system. Belts only develop a false sense of security. Can you actually perform what you have learned. That is the true test of your ability."
brothershaw
Purple Belt
Unfortunately in chinese martial arts there is little consistency period.
Lineage while nice is no guarantee of anything. You could learn from someone who knows his stuff but either
a) doesn't teach everyone the same by choice ( to put it nicely)
b) doesn't know how to teach what he knows
c) or you arent that good for whatever reason although your teacher geniunely tries
then you could have a teacher who learned from someone who
a) see a,b, or c above
and finally you have the frauds who know they are frauds
so maybe more so in chinese arts than others belts, sashes, and titles mean almost nothing
if you go to karate, jujitsu or even aikido although you do run into the same problems it is EASIER to figure out if someone is any good because there is more consistency across the board in what is being taught even in its variations so it takes alot less effort to find a decent teacher/school.
Thewayofthewarriorispeace
White Belt
At my school we have ranks, but they arent dispersed in some mechanical way, there arent any "belt fees" and each person only ranks up when Sifu sees they are ready, and whatever criteria he uses I have no idea. Somebody could stay at white sash for a year, someone else two years. It just depends on the effort and practice I suppose. I know they arent meaningless however, because each sash seems to be relatively equal in skill with their same-sash brothers. that is to say, the blue sashes are definetly more skillful than the green sashes, and on down the line.
tkdduck
Yellow Belt
Going back to the earlier Question.... In no ranking system, who decides and how when someone earns the title SIFU or Master. It appears to me to be able to have a lot more I have granted myself the Title Sifu XYZ. I know too many self proclaimed 5 6 7 8 degree black belts in TKD. Sounds to me a strong possibility to due the same in most WC. I call myself Sifu so I will open a school etc..... Thus the reason there are so many MCDojos
monji112000
Green Belt
This is Sigung Duncan Leung answer to a similar question:
ĀBy tradition, one must receive permission from his own sifu to teach. This is the 21st Century, and such tradition doesn't exist any more. As far as I know, Yip Man himself did not receive permission from his own sifu (his sifu died long before Yip Man start teaching) nor had Yip Man officially given any one else permission to teach including myself except for Jiu Wan.
I personally believe teaching others in fact helps you a lot. During your teaching you will find out that there are a lots of things that you are not too sure about or there are things that you never thought about before. Most of all teaching will help you to refresh everything you have learned in the basics. The problem is that a lot of people have found that they missed something, forget something or didn't understand something and they are afraid or ashamed to ask their sifu so, unfortunately, just make it up.Ā
http://www.wingchunkungfu.cn/mb/index.php?task=view&tid=1643&page=1
Sigung Duncan was a closed door diciple of Ip man.
ĀBy tradition, one must receive permission from his own sifu to teach. This is the 21st Century, and such tradition doesn't exist any more. As far as I know, Yip Man himself did not receive permission from his own sifu (his sifu died long before Yip Man start teaching) nor had Yip Man officially given any one else permission to teach including myself except for Jiu Wan.
I personally believe teaching others in fact helps you a lot. During your teaching you will find out that there are a lots of things that you are not too sure about or there are things that you never thought about before. Most of all teaching will help you to refresh everything you have learned in the basics. The problem is that a lot of people have found that they missed something, forget something or didn't understand something and they are afraid or ashamed to ask their sifu so, unfortunately, just make it up.Ā
http://www.wingchunkungfu.cn/mb/index.php?task=view&tid=1643&page=1
Sigung Duncan was a closed door diciple of Ip man.
Martial Arts Lover1963
White Belt
Ed, I find it amazing that back in 2004 you had the intuition of what we've recently come up with and I invite you to please review my post on our newly developed ranking system and view the You tube feed I did. Please remember its not fully completed but I think we're well on our way that will provide Wing Chun schools a tool they can use to provide clear goals/ curriculums for their students to get catch the vision and passion of the art. I would like to receive as much feed back as possible from "Wing Chun" Sifus and schools all around the world so that I can help make what I proposing the best total package not only for our International Applied Wing Chun System (IAWC) but for Wing Chun/ Ving Tsun worldwide. Please pass this on to as many other Wing Chun Sifus/ schools as possible. I will post my updates and finally drafts on the You Tube site. Thank you again for your forsight and post.
WingChunIan
Blue Belt
There are so many McDojos because people are too gullible and too eager to buy in to BS. In Wing Chun where traditionally there are no ranks it is a person's sifu who decides whether they can teach and become a sifu in their own right. Many people leave their sifu and set up on their own for a number of reasons and therefore lack the credibility of being able to identify who authorised them to teach but they can gain credibility by their own ability and their own teaching methods. The Mcdojo syndrome has nothing to do with ranking systems as it will always be possible for an individual to go out and buy a belt, print off a certificate and pronounce themselves great grand master, it is up to the customer to establish the quality of the service that they are paying for
I stumbled onto the most amazing thing today , writings in Chinese (with translation) that are dated at 1850 , they talk about how the wing chun system was formed , maybe this will give you some fresh insight onto whether the mentality behind Wing Chun requires the need for ranks or eliminates it altogether.
http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65996
http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65996
Drunken Ronin
White Belt
This is 2013 not 1913. The world we live is different from Foshan or Honk Kong. This talk of tradition and lineage is nonsense for what matters is now and how you train. We should look to the past for guidance not dogma then act according to what we need. An earlier poster commented on assessing physical competence and used the analogy of driving a car. I have been teaching PE in education for 15 years and have a decent idea of what students do well and areas for improvement. With time and experience your ability to assess anothers' physicality refines. In addition, teaching someone else deepens your own learning and understanding of something. I think each to their own. I am happy to go through the grades at my wing chun school for various reasons: 1: consistency and quality, 2: structured syllabus based on the threats of the modern world, 3: I like the pressure of having to perform to earn the 'certificate' that represents my hard work and effort, 4: if I can't perform in the pressure of a grading what hope have I when the brown stuff hits the fan outside the chip shop on a Saturday night?
In reply to the opening post (I haven't read the rest of the replies, sorry), there is no universal grading/raking system in Wing Chun. Nor is there any central governing body for Wing Chun. Most people believe the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association to be our central governing body, but this is only for Ip Man Hong Kong Wing Chun kuen derivatives, which is by far the most widespread system, but only one system nonetheless. There are many others from mainland China that have nothing to with Ip Man Hong Kong Wing Chun kuen.
The bottom line is Wing Chun is too diverse to have a universal governing body or a universal grading/ranking system. If/when a Wing Chun practitioner introduces themselves as level 'this' or level 'that', it really doesn't mean much. Any ranking systems in Wing Chun are only relevant within the school that awarded it. As soon as they move away from that school their 'rank' means precisely jack squat.
Historically and traditionally Chinese martial arts don't have ranks of any kind. Simply Sifu and student. I like the Wing Chun practitioner that simply introduces themselves by name (no ridiculous title) followed by perhaps how many years they have been training. That info and a bit of chi sao with them tells you everything you need to know.
The bottom line is Wing Chun is too diverse to have a universal governing body or a universal grading/ranking system. If/when a Wing Chun practitioner introduces themselves as level 'this' or level 'that', it really doesn't mean much. Any ranking systems in Wing Chun are only relevant within the school that awarded it. As soon as they move away from that school their 'rank' means precisely jack squat.
Historically and traditionally Chinese martial arts don't have ranks of any kind. Simply Sifu and student. I like the Wing Chun practitioner that simply introduces themselves by name (no ridiculous title) followed by perhaps how many years they have been training. That info and a bit of chi sao with them tells you everything you need to know.
