Advancing Past the Core Basics of Wing Chun

Since I began teaching Wing Chun in 1998 I have seen and followed many variations of this martial practice, mainly teaching the ideas and preferences of other teachers I had been learning under at the time, all of which were worthwhile and enjoyable and during which have made lifelong friendships.

Since breaking away for a time from a set lineage or method since forming our club in 2009 the way I have arranged and taught Wing Chun/Ving Tsun has also altered quite a bit based on my personal findings and development as a coach as well as stripping away many areas or adapting past methods I had been taught.

The more recent changes (since 2008) have been inspired largely by exposure to the Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun thinking and methods, although I do not claim in any way to be currently linked to this lineage or represent it at all, it has undoubtedly reformed my thinking towards VT practice and coaching and helped me see the complications I had been making when training and teaching. 

I still have the intention as planned of learning and developing my VT via the Philipp Bayer WSL VT method under Desmond Spencer and have not at all given up on the idea, only logistically it has proved very hard without sacrificing all of my current family and teaching commitments..but trust me that this is on my mind daily and something I am working towards if practicable for the benefit of myself and our club.
Another group that I feel are actively progressing Ving Tsun and dragging it kicking and screaming from traditional obscurity to the modern era and would help us really develop our skill base and understanding for the future is ABMVT (Applied Body Mechanics Ving Tsun) overseen by Ernie Barrios, qualified to teach under Sifu Gary Lam and David Peterson and their associate crews look to be making real progress and delivering results across the board with anyone who trains their methods...hmmm some thinking to be done...

Back to topic of this post...many students early on in their development often wonder and ask where they are skill wise in their Wing Chun practice, and in order to attempt to address this we did begin an assessment type syllabus two years ago. In practice this simply didn't work and mainly due to to my own disapproval of the whole "grading being the main focus" when I feel it doesn't come in to real skill development at all and often acts in reverse by providing students with a unrealistic idea of what they are capable of based on controlled conditions in a classroom environment.

I would much rather see my students develop good attitudes, put in regular hard work and class attendance, develop stability, mobility, punch mechanics, facing and closing skills paired with an assertive mindset than offer them a certificate to stroke the ego and keep them as a paying student that may have lofty ideas of their elevated status.

 

Saying that we do currently have a student uniform of sorts in form of club T shirts/sweatshirts etc and although not compulsory at all, new starters wear white/grey and once the basics are developed to a level I feel is a practical foundation to build upon they move up to wearing a black garment (again should they wish). This method is adopted by many clubs and at least serves as something for the beginning student to strive for until they get an addiction to Wing Chun training ;)

For me the Wing Chun system has its own inbuilt criteria in its 6 forms (Siu Nim Tau/Chum Kiu/ Biu Jee/Muk Yan Jong/Luk Dim Boon Gwun/Baat Jaam Do as well as Punch training, Daan Chi Sau, Poon Sau-Chi Sau/Paak Sau/ Laap sau/Gor Sau/Sparring - on this list ask yourself how much you've covered and to what level - for your information I am still working on ALL of it after 20 years! :)

So this leaves us with the subject of "What ARE these core basics"....

Core Wing Chun Basics: Do not think in terms of time you have been training but in how good you are at the individual aspects below which form a foundation for all future training development - these basics ARE the advanced Wing Chun, basics done well!!

1/ Stance - Yee Gee Kim Yeung Ma - Introduces posture, balance, triangulation, stability, foot positions for the frontal and side kicking actions, linkage of upper and lower half

2/ Punch - Basic weapon of Wing Chun - overall development including structure, elbow position, timing of delivery, impact training on wallbag and mitts, target ball, (further development in time via Poon Sau, Dummy, Pole, Sparring)

3/ Footwork - Advancing and retreating (Saam Gok Bo -Triangle stepping & Tui Ma (Push step) develops mobility and angles of attack and counter attack - Juen Ma also (Turning stance)

4/ Section 1 Siu Nim Tau - Centreline facing theory (Chiu Ying), Ideas of Taan/Fook concept punches, drilling of elbow position and behaviour, Paak sau as a helping action, Palm for versatility of the basic weapon idea, Huen to condition the weak link of the punch (wrist), controlled sharp withdrawl of an extended arm, single pointed and focused mindset

5/ Daan Chi Sau - Single sticking hand practice to learn how to use and refine the tools needed in Poon Sau and develop the elbow to position correctly when need to strike/deflect, taan and fook hit lines, bong sau elbow position

6/ Paak Sau Drill - There are many varied ways of training drills involving Paak and Jut Da actions, the drill I am referring to is the one we currently adopt using the continuous centre punching and paak sau timing drill, performed out of range with various entries involving a simultaneous angled step and one of 6 initial actions (3 direct; Paak da/Fook sau concept punch with Wu Sau lined up, Waang Jeung (side palm to jaw) - 3 recovery; Taan da, Inside line palm with side Paak cover, One hand covers two)...this drill can also help us with Lat Sau Jik Chung (lost hand thrust forward) concept, Lin Siu Dai Da (linking defence to bring in offence), Cheung Kiu Faat Lik (issue of power over an extended bridge) and Duen Kiu Lik (short bridge power) and can be expanded upon in a more open way with partner intercepting and recovering actions and closing skills involving moving the centre of mass and pursuing (Loi Lau Hoi Song -(Intercept what comes;escort what leaves) Works the above 1-4 within a single drill (simple, direct, efficient)

*Note; The 4 Corners Drill can also deliver similar attribute training and is introduced around the same time with the reminder that Wing Chun theory is to take a straight direct line to the target, although in this drill we still attack the attack and disrupt centre, follow and close down in one/two actions - I feel too much focus on periphery attack lines can lead us into "what if" thinking*

7/ Poon Sau - Double Chi Sau rolling hands training to work the elbow and hence the punch structure under resistance, taan and fook hit lines, smooth changes, syncronicity of the stance and limbs

These are the basics you should be working on, regardless of time training or other areas we may be covering in classes, this is your bread and butter and what will stand you in good stead for future training or put you in a better framework and mindset should a violent altercation occur.

Many of you may think these are pretty well ingrained but if you find yourself in a Chi Sau exchange or partner drill easily losing facing, feeling off balance, asking..What If questions...or throwing a Bong sau or other defensive shape up as initial contact response...you have more work to do on the above

Keep training hard and reminder that Sifu Chris Thompson is bringing some students up to us again in Bury St Edmunds on Sunday 25th October 4pm - 6pm for another "Ideas Exchange" with myself and Chris both teaching for an hour or so each, I would like ALL students from Bury and Sudbury classes to attend and support this training opportunity if possible - this is included for all Bury students paying monthly and £10 for Sudbury based students as its an extra training day.

See you all in class or privately soon for more "Basic Training" :)