why do you do wingchun
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I initially started Wing Chun because I wanted to be able to protect myself and the people I care about. But then as I learned more I began to appreciate certain things in Wing Chun, like its attention to detail, the emphasis on minimal use of effort, economy of movement, the philosophy that using it you'll be able to protect yourself even when you are older and weaker than you are now, that it's not about the bigger guy/girl beating up the smaller guy/girl but the one with greater skill being in control
And the thing that drives me on now is how much I really enjoy doing it.
What about you skinters?
And the thing that drives me on now is how much I really enjoy doing it.
What about you skinters?
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
When I was in High school i wanted to learn the five animals. I had a relative he was a very good martial artist. He studied the Five Animals and some other styles. People around my town had alot of respect for him as a fighter. So one day he asked me about Aikido training and how would I use it. I tried and Aikido technique on Him. It didn't work. He told me why. An later on he became my Sifu. He said He would teach me the Five Animals but my body would adapt quicker to Wing Chun. At first he taught me both. But the main focus was always the Wing Chun. He taught me how to fight with the Wing Chun. He taught me a few drills from the five animals and form Tiger and crane form and five element form. But basically all the fighting was Wing Chun. I used it in street with challenges I had from others in school. An found it to be really good. So I continued my studies even to this day. I was about 16 when i first started Wing Chun I am 32 now and still going strong. It really grew on me. Because its more of modern style of fighting. For one the stances are easier to manuever in a fight and steps are quicker and shorter. An of course the punches are very direct and faster. Also its easier to conceal it as a Martial Art if you use it in the street. I mean you mask it like your doing boxing. No one really knows that YGKYM is actually a Horse stance. An when your throw a punch fast enough it just looks like a common street bralwer trying to knock your block off. Now In a street fight its probably wise to masked your guards so it doesn't appear to be Gung Fu. So when you hurt the guy he can't say you do karate. You either take a boxing guard or copy your attackers guard so it looks like you fight the way he too. An overflow him with punches to his center line(Nose, throat, Chin etc.). Low kicks to the knees and shins. An use some trapping when possible to immobilize or break an arm. If he tries to hit Pak sau his hands down. Pak Sau can be masked to look like slap boxing which street fighters sometimes use. So really he may just thing he fighting a street fighter and not a Martial Artist.
I practice these techniques with friends so they be natural in case I have to use them in real life.
I practice these techniques with friends so they be natural in case I have to use them in real life.
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
But I...ummm... don't do Wing Chun :uhyeah:
But I use to and the reason I like Wing Chun is for its simplicity. Not that it is simple or easy to do but it is direct and to the point with little added flourish. It is what it is a CMA
But I use to and the reason I like Wing Chun is for its simplicity. Not that it is simple or easy to do but it is direct and to the point with little added flourish. It is what it is a CMA
naneek
Green Belt
i started wing chun for exersise and the gym is just boring so i thought a martial art would be more interesting, i tried karate and aikido before and wanted to have a go at something different, the wing chun kwoon was close to my house so i started going there and i was not dissapointed it is a great style and really effective:ultracool
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skinters
Blue Belt
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well the reason i asked was i feel there are a lot of different reasons why anyone chooses to do martial art,some do it to socialise,others to keep fit,or just that novelty of working towards they next sash.others maybe continue to turn up to class every week just out of habit,and dont improve from one month to the next.
if your serious about learning the style and want to be good at it,just for the sake of that,well nothing wrong with that.
i rarely hear anyone when asked this question say ...well i want to be a better fighter,because that is exaclty what i want out of wingchun,i dont want to go over all the same cliche about how scientific the style is,centre line theory etc,although yes it has all that,but for me it just brings in all i know about fighting more tighter and efficient,nothing more.
i grew up in a rough way and fighting and scrapping was normal for me,it was only the last several years that i begun to study it closer which brought me to wingchun.
so at the end of the day thats all i want out of it,to be a better fighter .
if your serious about learning the style and want to be good at it,just for the sake of that,well nothing wrong with that.
i rarely hear anyone when asked this question say ...well i want to be a better fighter,because that is exaclty what i want out of wingchun,i dont want to go over all the same cliche about how scientific the style is,centre line theory etc,although yes it has all that,but for me it just brings in all i know about fighting more tighter and efficient,nothing more.
i grew up in a rough way and fighting and scrapping was normal for me,it was only the last several years that i begun to study it closer which brought me to wingchun.
so at the end of the day thats all i want out of it,to be a better fighter .
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
Yes, If you read my post I alluded to fighting. I didn't come out an say I just wanted to be a better fighter. But Ideally I felt that the five animals would give me an edge. I needed. Growing up everyone was either Wrestlers or Boxers. So I would need an edge if I wanted to win a fight against a bully or thug. So I asked my Sifu to teach me Five animals. My main purpose was I wanted to be able to flow and kick **** like those heros in the movies. But he told Wing Chun would be better for structure. Beause He said my body already had a curl. But ne way. It has been a great journey. Right now I am in slow period in my Wing Chun. Because My old hard sparring partners I lost contact. I do light sparring once a week. But its not enough. I need some real combat to harness my skills and learn what my Wing Chun is lacking. I feel that when I was younger my WC skills were more precise and prestine. Like I had more natural instinct. I believe it was because I sparred atleast five times a week then. Now I work two jobs now. But I would to atleast spar three to four times a week. With skilled fighters. Even if the fighters are better than me or I can't defeat them. Sparring with them will help me grow significantly. As I learn how to combat their skil and grow and train harder than My WC will improve as well.
But in reality you can do a thousand forms a day. But Wing Chun is like a gun. You have to shoot it if you want to get practice. So in other words you can practice shooting your gun with out bullets but thats just a form of the real thing. You need an actual target to train your aim and you need to actual hunting experience to get use to shooting moving objects. Hunting dear and target practice will make you a better shooter. So will Heavy bag striking and Sparring make you a better fighter.
So to be better Shooter you have to shoot...
To be a better fighter you have to fight...
A form is good but a form of the real thing is not enough...
But in reality you can do a thousand forms a day. But Wing Chun is like a gun. You have to shoot it if you want to get practice. So in other words you can practice shooting your gun with out bullets but thats just a form of the real thing. You need an actual target to train your aim and you need to actual hunting experience to get use to shooting moving objects. Hunting dear and target practice will make you a better shooter. So will Heavy bag striking and Sparring make you a better fighter.
So to be better Shooter you have to shoot...
To be a better fighter you have to fight...
A form is good but a form of the real thing is not enough...
qwksilver61
Black Belt
Because it works,coming out of Master Kwon Jae Hwa's Tae Kwon Do it was hard to make the adjustment,I still respect him and his lineage..one of the 5 original people to delegate Tae Kwon Do first Europe then the US.back in '65 True, our green belts could properly defend and often win tounaments hands down against Black belts from other schools,I was one of those people.I found Wing Tsun in Montana back in '86 after taking lessons in what I believed was Shantung Black Tiger combined with other styles,Sifu Steve Brandon who was a direct disciple of Brendan Lai
pointed out that I was being taken for a ride by this snake charmer.Not only that, he corrected and improved my fake Kung Fu.To add injury (of course I was by then totally humiliated) stuffed my tournament winning (all due respect) Tae Kwon Do...well you know where......simply put the S$#T works! I became a beliver. I have studied every day since then,while not the most knowlegeable person,I am very good at what I do.I have taken on boxers and people from other disciplines.Most of all trust in what you are taught and believe it works.The most difficult thing I had to un-learn was giving up hard power,flexible power rules! Relax man.... relax!use the force abandon yourself!
pointed out that I was being taken for a ride by this snake charmer.Not only that, he corrected and improved my fake Kung Fu.To add injury (of course I was by then totally humiliated) stuffed my tournament winning (all due respect) Tae Kwon Do...well you know where......simply put the S$#T works! I became a beliver. I have studied every day since then,while not the most knowlegeable person,I am very good at what I do.I have taken on boxers and people from other disciplines.Most of all trust in what you are taught and believe it works.The most difficult thing I had to un-learn was giving up hard power,flexible power rules! Relax man.... relax!use the force abandon yourself!
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
Excellent post what is Shantung Black Tiger? Did it actually work in a fight or tournament?
qwksilver61
Black Belt
No it was a joke and what amounted to what MOST people use in a tournament.....strike wait, strike point,strike well you get it! If you can't use the art what use is it? I have honestly used the Wing Tsun art and have successfully defeated real people no joke.I just won over a boxer this past weekend,the guy was huge.I do not suggest picking fights....at least get some training under your belt then consider the ramifications of violence and the law.If you plan to compete you better train like the tasmanian devil! and understand the rules!Dig it?
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
I totally agree...Picking fights could get you forty hours in jail. Better do it early Friday morning so you can be out before work on monday...Lol...
Anyway yea, I think you gave and idea. about Tournmaents and competing. I need to do that as well. So I can improve my skills...
I need more contact from different opponents
Anyway yea, I think you gave and idea. about Tournmaents and competing. I need to do that as well. So I can improve my skills...
I need more contact from different opponents
matsu
Purple Belt
this has been an interesting thread.. thank you!
i weighttrained/bodybuilded for 8 yrs prior to starting karate. i did two different styles over period of 12 yrs,under two great sensei's,but ultimately knew that it wasnt effective for me in the real world.
but unfortunatley my hips and low back injuries/weaknesses from excessive weights/work stopped me training i was hurting more going into each class.i knew i would never make blackbelt my hips could never allow me to multi kick effeciently to pass the blackbelt grading.
even today, once warmed up i can still get a nice roundhouse upto a six footers head,BUT if it misses i cant recover quick enough to hit the next move well!! dammit!
chinese martial arts had always been there,through films and stuff and i had read/seen lots of bruce lee and knew he originated from wing chun so i looked out for it.
lucky for me one of englands top sifu is right on my doorstep. i persuaded my 15ryr old son to come with me,partly as ahopeful future connection between us and last feb we started a beginner class.
i am hooked. my ocd nature means i read, watch everything i can to better myself i practise everyday wether it be a quick run thorugh of the first form or 10min of just one movement to a 2 hr session on the mook and all my drills. i write everything down from each class, notes drills tips nd stuff i can practise at home.
i feel each day i get a lil better,by nature i am incredibly impatient but sifu has helped me with that and so much more!
i love the visual simplicity of wing chun,its effectiveness and directness.
i hate that the fact that so many simple moves takes me an age to get right.
i dont like to fight i dont like confrontation and yet i can look forwad to being punched in class and enjoy the martial spirit and the competitiveness of touching hands with someone.and i now know i can deal with most probable situations and i,m so happy that my son could also.... and we have only just begun
as sifu says.... you will never be as bad as you are now!
thanks for listening
matsu
i weighttrained/bodybuilded for 8 yrs prior to starting karate. i did two different styles over period of 12 yrs,under two great sensei's,but ultimately knew that it wasnt effective for me in the real world.
but unfortunatley my hips and low back injuries/weaknesses from excessive weights/work stopped me training i was hurting more going into each class.i knew i would never make blackbelt my hips could never allow me to multi kick effeciently to pass the blackbelt grading.
even today, once warmed up i can still get a nice roundhouse upto a six footers head,BUT if it misses i cant recover quick enough to hit the next move well!! dammit!
chinese martial arts had always been there,through films and stuff and i had read/seen lots of bruce lee and knew he originated from wing chun so i looked out for it.
lucky for me one of englands top sifu is right on my doorstep. i persuaded my 15ryr old son to come with me,partly as ahopeful future connection between us and last feb we started a beginner class.
i am hooked. my ocd nature means i read, watch everything i can to better myself i practise everyday wether it be a quick run thorugh of the first form or 10min of just one movement to a 2 hr session on the mook and all my drills. i write everything down from each class, notes drills tips nd stuff i can practise at home.
i feel each day i get a lil better,by nature i am incredibly impatient but sifu has helped me with that and so much more!
i love the visual simplicity of wing chun,its effectiveness and directness.
i hate that the fact that so many simple moves takes me an age to get right.
i dont like to fight i dont like confrontation and yet i can look forwad to being punched in class and enjoy the martial spirit and the competitiveness of touching hands with someone.and i now know i can deal with most probable situations and i,m so happy that my son could also.... and we have only just begun
as sifu says.... you will never be as bad as you are now!
thanks for listening
matsu
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
Great story. I am glad your enjoying your wing chun...it sounds like Europe has pretty good WC. I see lots of WC in Europe. Great.
Keep the post coming Matsu!
Keep the post coming Matsu!
qwksilver61
Black Belt
That's the spirit! keep on keepin'on! God Bless!
Yoshiyahu
Master Black Belt
There are many reasons why I do Wing Chun.
I first started out thinking to use the hands to help be bridge the gap to use my ju-jitsu.
Then, the more I learned the more that origional reason totally changed on many levels.
I love the way I'm able to deflect strong attacks without getting hyped up, and exerting aggressive effort to defend myself. I love WC because I don't have to get the adrenalin pumping and pull upon negative emotions to win a fight or survive conflict. WC allows me to keep a cool head and a compassionate heart and still deflect angry, aggressive attack.
The calming effect this has had on me has enabled me to interact with people, strangers, etc., without fear, distrust, or a feeling that I always have to "watch my back." Even in the hood.
For in training WC I've found I'm able to be more of the person I want to be and truely am origionally, trusting, giving folks the benefit of the doubt, compassionate, forgiving, and gentle. (ironically, yes, I know my mouth isn't always gentle! lol!). Ex. I can feel more secure in helping folks I may come across, a homeless guy wanting change, a person on the road with a flat tire, a neighbor needing help in other fashions. As many people turn down people in need based on the suspicion that it may be a ruse to get mugged or jumped, or decline help because their afraid for other reasons. I've always hated that, and feel that's the biggest thing wrong with the world. And WC gives me confidence and a bit of security to be braver to attempt to help others.
It's easier to forgive a tresspass on your person if your not destroyed by it.
Ex. a friend gets angry or a little squiffy and attacks you for silly reasons you don't have to beat them up to stop the silliness, and forgive eachother later. Everyone makes mistakes, no reason to destroy a friendship.
If attacked I'm able to choose the level of response I apply based on my need, not having to go over the top because that's all I can do. And not feeling like an aweful person because I had to get "violent" and be a violent person because I was threatened.
And training has helped me find more effecient ways of approaching other problems, difficulties, and barriers in life just by applying the very core principles of WC.
And that's just the tip of the iceburg.
I first started out thinking to use the hands to help be bridge the gap to use my ju-jitsu.
Then, the more I learned the more that origional reason totally changed on many levels.
I love the way I'm able to deflect strong attacks without getting hyped up, and exerting aggressive effort to defend myself. I love WC because I don't have to get the adrenalin pumping and pull upon negative emotions to win a fight or survive conflict. WC allows me to keep a cool head and a compassionate heart and still deflect angry, aggressive attack.
The calming effect this has had on me has enabled me to interact with people, strangers, etc., without fear, distrust, or a feeling that I always have to "watch my back." Even in the hood.
For in training WC I've found I'm able to be more of the person I want to be and truely am origionally, trusting, giving folks the benefit of the doubt, compassionate, forgiving, and gentle. (ironically, yes, I know my mouth isn't always gentle! lol!). Ex. I can feel more secure in helping folks I may come across, a homeless guy wanting change, a person on the road with a flat tire, a neighbor needing help in other fashions. As many people turn down people in need based on the suspicion that it may be a ruse to get mugged or jumped, or decline help because their afraid for other reasons. I've always hated that, and feel that's the biggest thing wrong with the world. And WC gives me confidence and a bit of security to be braver to attempt to help others.
It's easier to forgive a tresspass on your person if your not destroyed by it.
Ex. a friend gets angry or a little squiffy and attacks you for silly reasons you don't have to beat them up to stop the silliness, and forgive eachother later. Everyone makes mistakes, no reason to destroy a friendship.
If attacked I'm able to choose the level of response I apply based on my need, not having to go over the top because that's all I can do. And not feeling like an aweful person because I had to get "violent" and be a violent person because I was threatened.
And training has helped me find more effecient ways of approaching other problems, difficulties, and barriers in life just by applying the very core principles of WC.
And that's just the tip of the iceburg.
Nabakatsu
Brown Belt
Thats one heck of a response si-je!
mook jong man
Senior Master
I do it because it suits my physiology , I have pathetic flexibility , always have no matter how much I stretch so high kicking is out .
I'm not a big guy , so realistically speaking the fast and aggressive techniques of Wing Chun are the only chance I'm going to have against big guys and multiple attackers in my opinion .
I'm not a big guy , so realistically speaking the fast and aggressive techniques of Wing Chun are the only chance I'm going to have against big guys and multiple attackers in my opinion .
lol! I guess it was! But, that's another thing, I can speak more truthful without fear of repercussions too.
You'll see more of the forgiving or "gentler" stuff higher up. Although alot of people teach the takedowns, deflections, and arm locks in a more viscious manner. Because that's how you need to do it if your really in danger. But, you still have the conscious choice on how much you hurt at that level. And the better your sensitivity gets the more control you'll have over how much force you want to apply to an opponent, if any.
Right now your just seeing alot of the more offensive technqiues, which is what needs to be learned first off.
Some schools may focus mainly on trapping hands, and some primarily on "blitzing" or forward attacking, and the third may focus more on deflection or breaking down of opponent's stucture. But, almost all schools teach all three. If you can be balanced in your knowledge of all three then you'll be more well rounded as a wing chunner and a martial artist, and a person.
Plus, if I really wanted to just take an art to be a tough, rough, **** kicker I'd be more attracted to Muy Tai or some other hard striking style. It's the hard and the soft of Wing Chun that absolutely facinates me.
