About Wing Chun

New Haven Classical Wing Chun Kung Fu

About Wing Chun

A Concise Explanation and Exposition

WHAT WING CHUN IS AND WHAT IT GIVES YOU:

The fact that legend has it that Wing Chun was brought forth by a woman denotes the soft qualities of the style. This, however, does not mean that this style isn't aggressive, on the contrary, it is one of the most aggressive, "get it done" martial arts. The soft qualities just denote that it is not about being stronger or bigger than your opponent but of using structure, sensitivity, turning, the ground, and the mind. By default males always want to revert and use upper body strength in Wing Chun and actually, that is what abounds. However, that is not what Yip Man taught Leung Sheung and it is not what Kenneth Chung nor Carl Dechiara II teach. We seek to make ourselves better through more precise training everytime we train. The way we train is closer to the internal martial art approach. We use yin to bring out yang.

Wing Chun uses a direct punch from the centerline, the Sun Character Punch or vertically aligned knuckles as opposed to the horizontally aligned found in most other arts. Leung Sheung lineage Wing Chun kicks are from the waist down, for the most part knee level and below, we don't use high kicks above the waist. We do not perform flips. We're always seeking to close the gap thus we are famed for close quarters combat. We are always facing our opponent forward, we don't intentionally give them our back, this would expose us. When we begin training our first focus is position, after that we train our sensitivity, after that we train our forward intent and energy.

The training starts with the First Form or Frame, Siu Lim Tau or Little Idea Form, the most important Form of the three hand Forms. To all those who are new to Wing Chun, be advised it doesn't look like a pretty style with awesome moves, it is very simplistic and tasteless, it might even look clumsy and dumb to you. However, those who have some knowledge of it, know that it is effective. To me it actually looks excellent. Don Chi Sau, the punch bag, Lop Sau, Pak Sau and Beginning Syeung Chi Sau are introduced . During this time it is advisable for the student, not to think about fighting capability. This time would be the forming of the foundation, the learning of the ABCs before the formulation of words.

Don Chi Sau, the punch bag, Lop Sau, Pak Sau and Beginning Syeung Chi Sau are introduced . During this time it is advisable for the student, not to think about fighting capability. This time would be the forming of the foundation, the learning of the ABCs before the formulation of words.

The Second Form, Chum Kiu will also be introduced, along with turning drills and other corresponding exercises. The Wooden Dummy, the Third Form Biu Jee and the Weapons' Frames are taught later.

TRADITIONAL FORMS OF WING CHUN:

Siu Lim Tau - Little Idea Form

Chum Kiu - Seeking Bridges Form

Muk Yan Jong - Wooden Dummy Form

Biu Jee - Shooting Fingers Form

Luk Dim Boon Gwun - 6 1/2 Point Pole Form

Baat Cham Do - Eight Cutting Butterfly Knives Form

METHOD OF TEACHING:

The way I teach Wing Chun is going from the basic and adding more each training session. However we keep training on the basics consistently every session. The student undertaking training under me must be resilient; not everyone has this characteristic. Those with patience and resilience will see the fruits of tilling the land. Quality in any Martial Art is obtained by those who dedicate themselves to train patiently and consistently, you must have commitment.

During all those training sessions Kim Sut, Lok Ma, Ting Yu, Dung Tao, Mai Jiang, will be exercised.

BENEFITS:

One of the good characteristics of this art is the fact that age doesn't matter. Many other martials arts plateau at a certain point whereby when you reach a certain age you can't really compete against younger opponents. That's one of the bonuses of this art, that as you age and practice you become better and better. It is part of the benefits of the internal approach to martial arts.

So the benefits to you, in practicing in this martial art are:
1: It'll give you an edge.
2: You don't have to lift weights to be stronger than your opponent.
3: You don't have to hurt your body, there is constructive pain not damaging pain.
4: Age doesn't matter. If you train continously you'll develop capability to overcome stronger and younger opponents. Kenneth Chung is an example, he's 60 years old and not many can touch him. Yip Man was in his fifies when he took on Leung Sheung who was around late twenties or early thirties.
5: You don't have to be an athlete.
6: You'll develop martial confidence.
7: You'll develop internal energy, which is what will give you potential.
8: You'll be able to tell who is well trained and who is not in Wing Chun and any other styles.
9: You'll be able to tell opponent's martial intent through the Wing Chun touch.
10: Older people, smaller people, weaker people, females have no choice. They must train in the internal styles in order to be able to overcome bigger, stronger, younger opponents. Unless of course they are bigger and stronger than their opponent.
11. When an economy gets weak people tend to become more aggressive, so having martial arts training under those circumstances is definitely a plus.

Wing Chun Kuen Kung Fu is the Equalizer.

Quotes from Parent Sites:

From www.mpls-wingchun.com (my teacher's website, no longer available).

"Because of its simplicity, Wing Chun can be used effectively by beginning practitioners; also because of its simplicity, at its most advanced, Wing Chun is a devastatingly efficient style."

---from www.shaolin.com

The following quotes come from Carl Dechiara II's (my teacher's teacher) website www.wing-chun.nu.

"Hardness cannot be maintained, softness offers no protection."

"Retain it when it comes, deliver it when it goes, charge forward when pressure is released."

"A slight error in the beginning results in a large mistake in the end."

"Toleration will result in greatness, not desiring will result in preciseness."

These sayings become more and more obvious after continuous practice over years.

The following quotes are adaptations from Stephen Mitchell's Tao Te Ching:

What is rooted is easy to nourish. What is recent is easy to correct.

The journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath your feet.

Rushing into action, you fail. Trying to grasp things, you lose them.

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself.

Whoever is planted in the Tao will not be rooted up.

Whether you go up the ladder or down it, your position is shaky. When you stand with your two feet on the ground, you will always keep your balance

The Master . . . has nothing left to hold on to: no illusions in his/her mind, no resistances in his/her body. S/he doesn't think about his/her actions; they flow from the core of his/her being.

Less and less do you need to force things, until finally you arrive at non-action.

. . . the direct path seems long, true power seems weak . . . the greatest art seems unsophisticated.

The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast.

The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice.

Those who try to control, who use force to protect their power, go against the direction of the Tao.

The heavy is the root of the light. The unmoved is the source of all movement.

The ancient Masters were profound and subtle. . . They were careful like someone crossing an iced-over stream. Alert as a warrior in enemy territory. Courteous as a guest. Fluid as melting ice. Shapable as a block of wood. Receptive as a valley. Clear as a glass of water.

There is no greater misfortune than underestimating your enemy. Underestimating your enemy means thinking that s/he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself.

The Master views the parts with compassion because he understands the whole. His constant practice is humility. He doesn't glitter like a jewel but lets himself be shaped by the Tao, as rugged and common as a stone.

My Own Remarks:

Where do you get pearls from, where do you get gold from, where do you get diamonds from? When you know the answer you've found the source.

Yip Man Quotes:

"徒弟選擇一個好師傅, 固然困難, 但師傅選擇一個好徒弟, 更加困難。" - It is difficult for a student to pick a good teacher, but it is more difficult for a teacher to pick a good student.

"Haak mo sien hao, dat jea wai si" = "Regardless of who starts first; ability decides seniority in Wing Chun."

The Internal Approach.