ABMVT - (Applied Body Mechanics Ving Tsun) - Coming Soon

"Applied Body Mechanics Ving Tsun"

Following conversations this week with the Founder and Head Coach of ABMVT - Ernie Barrios and old training colleague and Head Coach of ABMVT London - Jason Gowan I am in the planning stages of joining their organisation and setting a date to attend one of their "Discovery Camps" - a 5 hour training/learning session which provides prospective members, coaches and established schools the opportunity to understand how they structure their coaching and training modules and cycles in their curriculum as well as seeing how they can help and develop those attending, dependant on their individual requirements. (Anyone is welcome to join me should they wish to get the same insight and split the cost - talk to me for more details if interested - it will be a Saturday in Sutton, Surrey most likely)

As long as this all runs smoothly I will then be getting down to London/Surrey on a regular basis built around my current commitments to get up to speed on a practical and coaching level with Jason as well as having the opportunity to train at will with any of their other UK (or International) based coaches. (Manchester/Essex/Hertfordshire/London/Salisbury/Bristol - France/Argentina/Chile/USA)

 Akim Otmane, Adam Gerken, Ernie Barrios, Adam Cope, Jason Gowan, Ged Kennerk

I made this decision based mainly on developing myself as a coach of Ving Tsun, to ensure anyone who comes along to train with me also gets the very best in coaching and full opportunity to learn from a variety of sources should they wish but without pressure to do so if they want to learn only from my experiences.

ABMVT focus on getting results across the board for everyone....the complete Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun system/forms/drills/dummy/pole/knives is a key part but system completion is not the main goal, any more than a boxers main goal isn't learning the 5/6 punches and footwork and then they magically become a masterful boxer. There is an emphasis on the training of combat attributes (balance,timing,accuracy,distance,power,recovery) concepts, strategy and structure as well as conditioning and delivered to the student via referencing the geometry (angle/shape - triangle, circle, straight line) over the myriad of Chinese terms to make it more accessible and obvious to relate to for the average Joe.

Early indications show that this is achieved through two main and associated areas;

1/ Solo Training - Legacy (VT) forms/striking/power development, core strength, balance, footwork, kicking with tools such as punch bags, medicine balls, weights, dummy, pole, knives, our body etc

2/ CPT (Connected Partner Training) - Legacy drills (Paak/Laap/Chi Sau) Focus Mitt Combination Flows, Isolated Sparring drills

It is honest, hard work and accountability that produces results, focus not on history (His-story)

a legacy or faith on anyone other than ourself to produce these results for us - there are no secrets, stories, suits, slippers and sifu-ism in the ABMVT family - all coaches have the same goals and same mission with everyone working off each other minus an obvious hierarchy to worship and cling to their every word - we are all free thinking adults, not trying to be clones of previous generations but learn from what VT can give us

One area I have mentioned in recent months I feel we all need to develop is balance in mobility, and this is broadly covered through their module approach to "Focus Mitt Flows" which vary dependant on what level of understanding and stage your learning and ability is at..... this is followed by "Progressive/Controlled Isolated Sparring" using VT with safety as a paramount consideration to develop the skills without fear or high chance of injury but can be pressure tested with protective gear also to hone that area.

The ABMVT method will/can also address other close quarter combat areas such as the clinch, takedown, ground game, stick fighting etc as many of the coaches (especially Ernie) are very well versed in Boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Kali, Escrima as well as a Ving Tsun system via Gary Lam/David Peterson, both direct students of the late Wong Shun Leung 

Ernie Barrios with his long time coach Lam Man Hog (Gary Lam)

On a personal note when I began my initial research into the WSLVT methods in 2008 several well known, direct line students kept telling me of only a handful of people in the UK to go to for a true reflection of real skills and coaching ability in this method - Anthony Kan, Adam Cope, Ged Kennerk, Kev Bell - with the exception of Anthony, all the others are either ABMVT coaches or in the case of Kev a Professional Boxing coach with a mass of WSLVT experience and skill who assists in ABMVT training camps..so I feel we are in safe hands.

Everyone who has visited us linked to the WSL methods have been a massive help in getting us to this stage so a great thanks go out to all of them and I have many friends from Wing Chun circles who do not perhaps follow my views or these methods that I plan on staying in touch with.

I cannot make it a concern of mine what others are doing or saying, teaching or learning from as that is their choice, there's enough petty politics and squabbles out there already.

 I can only concentrate on my journey and development as a coach for my own piece of mind and that of anyone who wants to be coached by me.

I also feel that we are not a million miles away method wise and that any tweaks to our current understanding/forms should be minor ones - its not an alien system from another planet, its Wing Chun/Ving Tsun - although I'm honest enough to admit I may be wrong and open to adjust as required 

For those perhaps questioning why I chose this over my initial interest in Philipps VT - it was simply a matter of accessible support from coaches I know of, I am not in the position to drop or pass on my current coaching commitments that clash with Desmond Spencer's sessions and cannot jet off around Europe all year following Philipp wherever he holds seminars.

I urge my guys to check out the "Argentina Interview Series by ABMVT" on YouTube which will give a good idea of Ernies ethos in the ABMVT way 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS6b-X85ZNU&list=PLC001DEE6333C6E86

Also support any ABMVT Facebook groups to keep upto date as I will be with any training camps, video footage, information etc.

http://wslwingchunlondon.com/about-2 - Jason Gowan - ABMVT London page

http://wslwingchunlondon.com/630-2 - Ernie Barrios Bio

Lastly, once this is truly underway and we're up and running with Module content to work on I will be holding free ABMVT Development Days for our existing member base on top of usual training sessions to supplement and bed in any tweaks to our current skill base.

Any questions or queries please message me or talk to me at training, if I cant answer you're question I'm sure Ernie, Jason or any of the ABMVT coaches will be able to.

Exciting times ahead - lets develop together as a team and get to work!!!!

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" :)