What do you look for in a Wing Chun school?

[Marnetmar]

Hey all, I thought it would be interesting to see what the WC community here looks for in a school or instructor. I imagine that the answers will be largely the same but people do have different personal tastes and values.

Personally, I look for the following:

-Good usage of bone/body structure (using structure rather than muscle)
-Application oriented, teaches students to come in on their opponent (if sparring involves patting stuff away for ten minutes you need to seriously re-evaluate your training)
-Proper relaxation (Softness and blending, not tensing the muscles or using strength. On the other end of the spectrum, soft means soft, not literally limp)
-Drills prepare the student for real situations rather than just Wing Chun against Wing Chun
-Instructor can answer questions with confidence and has actual experience in fighting/self defense situations.

What about you guys?

 

[wingchun100]

*Proper use of structure
*Relaxation
*Aggression...really focuses on forward intention. In other words when you feel that opening, charge in there! (something I need help with myself)
*Really focused on refining techniques, not just memorizing them. I want to really know what I am doing, instead of just LOOKING like I know what I'm doing.
*Some self-defense scenarios thrown in

 

[Eric_H]

Hey all, I thought it would be interesting to see what the WC community here looks for in a school or instructor. I imagine that the answers will be largely the same but people do have different personal tastes and values.

Personally, I look for the following:

-Good usage of bone/body structure (using structure rather than muscle)
-Application oriented, teaches students to come in on their opponent (if sparring involves patting stuff away for ten minutes you need to seriously re-evaluate your training)
-Proper relaxation (Softness and blending, not tensing the muscles or using strength. On the other end of the spectrum, soft means soft, not literally limp)
-Drills prepare the student for real situations rather than just Wing Chun against Wing Chun
-Instructor can answer questions with confidence and has actual experience in fighting/self defense situations.

What about you guys?

Do they have any proper fighters? If not, keep going.

 

[Marnetmar]

That works too

 

[geezer]

Do they have any proper fighters? If not, keep going.

That's a real problem with a lot of schools.

Honestly, It's a problem with my group too. And it can become a destructive cycle. If you don't already have "proper fighters" it's hard to attract new students who want to train that way. My group is mostly mature adults aged 35 -55 and they don't want to go at it all that hard. I'm no better. I'm 58, and lately have been getting injured a lot. Bad stuff, like my back and knees, so I'm stuck being a "coach" most of the time. What a drag.

However, in two weeks, we are moving from our present location in a dance studio to space in a boxing gym with access to mats and a ring. I'm planning on really building up a sparring class, and getting some of the boxing guys to help us out. Also, I plan to invite some people from our Escrima group in. They're definitely fighers. We'll see how it goes.

 

[yak sao]

However, in two weeks, we are moving from our present location in a dance studio to space in a boxing gym with access to mats and a ring. I'm planning on really building up a sparring class, and getting some of the boxing guys to help us out. Also, I plan to invite some people from our Escrima group in. They're definitely fighers. We'll see how it goes.

That sounds like a great opportunity. Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[Eric_H]

That's a real problem with a lot of schools.

Honestly, It's a problem with my group too. And it can become a destructive cycle. If you don't already have "proper fighters" it's hard to attract new students who want to train that way. My group is mostly mature adults aged 35 -55 and they don't want to go at it all that hard. I'm no better. I'm 58, and lately have been getting injured a lot. Bad stuff, like my back and knees, so I'm stuck being a "coach" most of the time. What a drag.

However, in two weeks, we are moving from our present location in a dance studio to space in a boxing gym with access to mats and a ring. I'm planning on really building up a sparring class, and getting some of the boxing guys to help us out. Also, I plan to invite some people from our Escrima group in. They're definitely fighers. We'll see how it goes.

Cheers! Hope it works out well for your group

 

[Tong Chuang]

Ideally, I would hope for a school where:

• Information and techniques was consistent month to month. (been to one group where we were told to place feet in certain positions doing a pak dar, then told later to use a different way.
  
• It's not just about the money!
  
• Psychopaths and bully-boys are weeded out - inevitably these types will be attracted to MA - it's up to the Sifus to stop them - unfortunately some Sifus today are more interested in money than accruing good Karma
• Information is not handed out on a drop by drop basis (mentioning no names)
• Sifus and Seniors do not use there Students as demonstration punchbags to make themselves look good. Some of them don't (or maybe they do) realise their own strength! A fellow WC student wore a permanent Wrist bandage after his Kendo instructor wrecked his joint.
• Sifu says do it this way - and actually does it that way when using it later!
• The dangers of Wing Chun are pointed out and the impact of suffering caused by applying techniques in an unjust and unmerciful way. I heard of one student whose knee was permanently dislocated by his Sifu (*** *****) and it practically ruined his career, and life. What bad Karma to accumulate.
• The type of Wing Chun for me ideally would combine apparently soft, graceful disarming techniques
• together with whipping, shocking motions and
• internal chi-cultivating as a side effect of form practice
• Deceptively efficient footwork and flowing cotton-body motions
• Flow like Water!
• Ability to deal with multiple opponents
• Anti-grappling concepts mandatory
• I don't need a Phd in Astrophysics to understand the concepts taught!
• Internal politics are not making a bad atmosphere. A high defection rate of Senior Students seems to be the pattern among some branches of WC or should I say WT?

 

[wingchun100]

At Sifu's school, a lot of people get weeded out simply because of the way Sifu teaches. Not many bullies have the maturity/patience/what have you to spend months doing just sil lum tao. In fact, this method of teaching weeds out a lot more than just bullies: it gets rid of ANYONE who can't handle what they perceive as the "boredom" of focusing on one thing at a time. In their minds they should learn all the forms in one month. Doesn't work like that.

There hasn't been a high defection rate at my school. As far as I know, there were only two students who left and then started teaching their friends behind Sifu's back.

 

[Marnetmar]

Ideally, I would hope for a school where:

• Information and techniques was consistent month to month. (been to one group where we were told to place feet in certain positions doing a pak dar, then told later to use a different way.
  
• It's not just about the money!
  
• Psychopaths and bully-boys are weeded out - inevitably these types will be attracted to MA - it's up to the Sifus to stop them - unfortunately some Sifus today are more interested in money than accruing good Karma
• Information is not handed out on a drop by drop basis (mentioning no names)
• Sifus and Seniors do not use there Students as demonstration punchbags to make themselves look good. Some of them don't (or maybe they do) realise their own strength! A fellow WC student wore a permanent Wrist bandage after his Kendo instructor wrecked his joint.
• Sifu says do it this way - and actually does it that way when using it later!
• The dangers of Wing Chun are pointed out and the impact of suffering caused by applying techniques in an unjust and unmerciful way. I heard of one student whose knee was permanently dislocated by his Sifu (*** *****) and it practically ruined his career, and life. What bad Karma to accumulate.
• The type of Wing Chun for me ideally would combine apparently soft, graceful disarming techniques
• together with whipping, shocking motions and
• internal chi-cultivating as a side effect of form practice
• Deceptively efficient footwork and flowing cotton-body motions
• Flow like Water!
• Ability to deal with multiple opponents
• Anti-grappling concepts mandatory
• I don't need a Phd in Astrophysics to understand the concepts taught!
• Internal politics are not making a bad atmosphere. A high defection rate of Senior Students seems to be the pattern among some branches of WC or should I say WT?

Looks like you and I see eye-to-eye on literally everything. I like you. :ubercool: