Whats coming in 2014

Group photo following a recent seminar I held for Sifu Chris Thompson's students in Bury St Edmunds

Firstly, apologies for not updating this page on a more regular basis...these days I tend to rely on our "Next Level Wing Chun Academy" Facebook page for class and information updates although I will endeavor to rectify this in the coming months as and when I have time.

This year has been a very productive one for our club on many levels, we have built a very good consistent student base with 15-20 members (when they can all attend class on the same day) and I have seen skill progression from everyone in some way which is pleasing to see..as with anything in life, you get out what you put in..nothing more nothing less.

In the coming year of 2014 I have decided that on top of the traditional Wing Chun fundamentals of form, footwork and striking practice, Chi Sau drills and attribute training drills..that it would only be a positive step to cover some training areas that many have asked after and I have promised we would approach at some point in the near future.

* Progressive Sparring
* Dealing with Grabs and Holds
* Blade Awareness
* Completion of Chum Kiu form and application drills
* Wooden dummy workshop days
* Improving Wing Chun Fundamentals

With all the current bickering and political infighting in the world of Wing Chun over who has a better lineage, has more effective Wing Chun etc etc...it is important to distance ourselves from this mentality and focus on what essentially matters most...skill development and understanding of what we practice through training...not talking...what it boils down to for me is teaching/studying/developing a Wing Chun system/approach that fosters self confidence and is fun and enjoyable to participate in

Assisting the next generation of Wing Chun grasp the basics

The last class of this year 2013...is on Sunday 15th December 4pm - 6pm and will be focused on an introduction to the early sections, thinking and common application of the Muk Yan Jong (Wooden Dummy) form...we will have 2 dummies to train on in class...following the Christmas break of 2-3 weeks we are due to return to training on Sunday 5th January 2014 - usual times apply.

I would like to sincerely thank all my class and private students for their attention and work ethic this last year and look forward to helping you develop your Wing Chun in the coming year.

As always Beginners are always welcome to join our classes at any time

Sifu

Visiting Shaolin!!! (well...Southend actually)

On Sunday 17th March 2013 - a group of 13 "Next Level Wing Chun Academy" students (and me) finally took up Sifu Chris Thompson's invite to visit his group and full time training school/shop "Shaolin Martial Art Supplies" in Southend.

Chris agreed to teach on this occasion and took the students through various drills off a bridge hand and working towards bypassing defensive barriers and use of structure and Wing Chun theory to counter strength and a jammed attack line. Chris has a vast amount of teaching and training experience in Wing Chun both in the UK and Hong Kong/Mainland China so its always good to hear his viewpoints and catch up with him once again

All in all we had a good day out and its always good for the students to experience and learn from various teachers and show a willingness to learn and make friends with other lineages without a big political divide.
We all look forward in welcoming Sifu Chris and his students back to our club in Bury St Edmunds later in the year for more of the same.

As far as the current training in Bury St Edmunds goes we seem to have hit a groove of late and the attendance is edging ever closer to 20 regular students (albeit not all attend on the same day...but still)...the work ethic and enthusiasm for learning is also very high as friendships are formed and skills developed and built in over time.

So far this year we have covered and broken down the Siu Nim Tau form into concept and action/application, worked partner flow drills and street self defence scenarios, pad work and push ups, introduced single sticking hands and will be soon covering basic kick defence and the use of Taan and Bong Gurk as well as beginning double sticking hands and the second form Chum Kiu (seeking the bridge) along with the constant recap of the main Wing Chun fundamentals of closing footwork, punching, evasion skills, disruption and control of the opponents centre and generating attack lines.

As always we are actively recruiting new students so if you know of anyone who may be interested in learning Wing Chun please forward them my details or drag them along and we'll make them sweat....erm...I mean welcome :)

Tuition is still £10 per 2 hour session at first or £30 per calendar month

Looking forward to what the rest of 2013 brings to the club...keep open minded and training hard and often

Sifu

Wing Chun Ideas Exchange - Part 3

Group photo at the end of the session

During October 2012, Sifu Chris Thompson asked once again (3rd visit in 3 years) to bring a few of his regular students up to our club in Bury St Edmunds to afford them the opportunity to experience different teaching styles and opinions on how Wing Chun can be practiced.

The key aspects covered on this training day were;
1/ Generating simple attack lines
2/ Bypassing defensive barriers
3/ Structural springs and leverage

The students were given partner drills to develop structural integrity using the Fook Sau (subduing) concept to cut off an opponents straight attack using power from the elbow, generated use and connection of the waist and support from the ground, working on the basic idea of attacking the attack rather than the often used, less direct method of - defend with one hand while striking with the other.

"Next Level Wing Chun" student Phil Kotval (R) drilling Fook Sau Concept Punches with a visiting student

As the drills opened up and the partners began to respond being forced to defend themselves, we covered how to bypass these barriers by taking a new direct attack line, minimizing the need for additional Paak (slap) or Laap (pull/deflect) actions, instead utilizing Jut (jerk/drag) when the initial punch was forced out from centre.
This led nicely onto the importance of maintaining a simple attack minded approach when barriers present themselves and also the need for correct distance to allow for the full use of leverage and structural springs to assist in taking and controlling the partners centre of mass, keeping them off balance to prevent them successfully defending or counter attacking at close quarters.

Myself (R) and Andy Beverton going through some finer points of structural integrity of the Wing Chun shapes

Sifu Chris Thompson's students are always an open, receptive group to teach and the feedback was very positive with some interesting ideas for them to take away and research, yet all along similar lines to how they are currently being coached. Hats also go off to Chris who himself had just got off a flight back from Hong Kong and Thailand earlier that morning and was a little blurry eyed yet still made the effort to help out where needed during the session.

We all look forward to the return visit down to sunny Southend to see their new full time training  facilities and martial arts supplies shop (Shaolin Martial Arts Supplies - Southend)  in the coming year.
More info for Sifu Chris Thompson's club can be found at www.southendwingchun.co.uk

On a last note, the club T-Shirts and Hoodies have been ordered now so should be with us by early December all being well i'm told.
Sunday classes break up for Christmas on Sunday 16th December (last class) then we restart on Sunday 6th January 2013 for another progressive training year.

New Members and Training Overview

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts this year...due in part to not always having access to a computer to be able to keep the blog updated.

After a pretty rocky start to 2012 with more than a few regulars moving away from Wing Chun for various reasons we are beginning to see classes flourish once again with the addition of 6 new starters to the 'Next Level Wing Chun Academy'.

I have also sent a message out to previous members who have shown an interest in returning to Wing Chun in the future with an offer of reduced tuition fees for the remainder of 2012 to try and reignite their interest, two of which have already agreed to return in the coming weeks.

Training wise due the new influx, focus in class has been on recapping the fundamentals of theWing Chun first form Siu Nim Tau (little/young idea) as well as the footwork, hand skills and partner drills associated with the early level and practical applications of aspects and concepts from the form.

My teaching focus is currently a mix from my previous experiences in Wing Chun and takes aspects from traditional Ip Chun Wing Chun, some previous Kamon Wing Chun ideas as well as the core of what we have picked up of the direct Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun approach via Alan Gibson in his many visits to our club over the last 3-4 years.

For me my teaching now makes more sense and from the student feedback i'm getting the results are clear with understanding and skill level clearly improving - I admit it can be a juggle for a beginning student (or even an intermediate/advanced student) to comprehend how the jigsaw of Wing Chun fits together and realization that the simplest ideas are often the most effective yet can be the most difficult to implement, such as the Fook Sau (subduing hand) and Taan Sau (dispersing/spreading hand) concepts along with Chiu Ying (facing) and triangulation, yet with simple promts to 'attack the attack' and 'disrupt the centre of mass' gradually close quarter Wing Chun begins to gel and make sense...of course with the requisite relaxation, structures, intent that are introduced at the same time and developed within the form practice.

Repetition - Repetition - Repetition! :-)

Students have also been schooled in the practice of partner flow drills to aid in the relaxation and 'flow' of attack sequences and also to concentrate under relative pressure with both arms supplementing each other. These skills can be vital in the flurry of arms to help gain, regain or maintain an attack line when drilling becomes more open and random or when the attack line has been shut off or jammed.

Training to come in the next few months will involve the Paak Sau (slapping hand) drill which helps train the 'Lat Sau Jik Chung' (lost hand thrust forward) concept as well as 'Lien Siu Dai Da' (linking defence to bring in offence)...as well as Combination drills, Chi Sau, application scenario training and the second form of Wing Chun, Chum Kiu (seeking the bridge) which trains turning, kicking, tracking a moving opponent and builds on the concepts introduced during Siu Nim Tau.

A busy and exciting time ahead with hopefully some more new faces and seminars in the new year with other members of the UK Wing Chun community teaching their interpretation of the skills of Wing Chun via invite to our school.

Lastly, I will be making a club T-shirt order again either before the Christmas break or into the new year, prices are £15 for adults and £10 for children and payment is needed upfront with a minimum of 10 orders before it can be submitted..so let me know in class if you want me to order you one. Sweatshirts may be an option for the winter months but im still haggling the price down with our supplier to make them as affordable as possible.

See you in class soon and keep training hard and focusing on personal improvement.

Sifu

Review of 2011 and into 2012

(pictured - student Dave Scott drilling the Luk Dim Boon Gwun form in a private lesson)


2011 has been a pretty busy, hectic but fun year at the "Next Level Wing Chun Academy"....my original intention this year was to present all students, regardless of level, an opportunity to learn certain aspects of all the forms, drills and weapons of the Wing Chun system..not to cram all the information in and complete all areas fully...but to give everyone a "taster" of what is to come in their future training and see how the Wing Chun system ties together with attributes from all areas begin to fuse and connect to create a Wing Chun thinking and acting unity in our practice, while at the same time showing there really is no secret or advanced Wing Chun, merely different layers that compliment the core fundamentals found in Siu Nim Tau.

We have had seminar visits this year from representatives of Gary Lam in the form of Sifu Micheal Choi, the only UK representative of Wan Kam Leung, Sifu Jon Abdey and yet another great seminar by Alan Gibson of the "Wing Chun Federation"..who has without doubt helped us improve our understanding and skill base and given us many areas to take away and work on.

In 2012 as the previous blog post explains we are set to have more visiting seminar events in the form of Alan Gibson in March, Jason Gowan from "WSL Ving Tsun London Combat Science" and Ged Kennerk/Adam Cope, who are all highly regarded in the WSL VT community and have links with key direct WSLVT teachers as i've mentioned previously...so i'm sure we are all relishing the input that these will provide also.

Without doubt the WSLVT (Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun) input that we have received has largely influenced the way I currently teach, see and understand my Wing Chun...with the emphasis of MY Wing Chun.
Although I intend to learn what I can from people within this line of the Wing Chun tree, I have no immediate intention to join forces with or fully associate myself with any one line at this time...in the future I may very well do so again but at this stage of my martial journey I am happy experimenting and working on aspects that I personally feel help me pass on effective Wing Chun and street survival skills to my students based on my past and current training.

The important part is that I do understand what and why I am teaching as I do and this, to me, is more important at this time than being a student of a student or a master 50 years ago..or linked to Ip Mans sons or whatever...this enables me to stay truly open minded to what all lineages of Wing Chun and other systems even have to offer without feeling I'm being disloyal to my teacher or lineage.
But I must emphasise again that if it wasn't for my curiosity into the WSLVT system, I would still be very much lost in the void of constant questions... chasing hands and soft Chi Sau and complicated nonsense that only trains to confuse and befuddle and mislead us into falsely thinking what we have learnt would stand a high chance of success in a real confrontation...I cannot recommend highly enough the people above I have mentioned who can and will change your perspective of Wing Chun forever if you are from outside their lineage, they are not monsters out to prove a point and fight everyone, but passionate about passing on the real treasure of simplicity and concept within the Wing Chun community to anyone who is humble enough to open their mind and listen.

I wish all my students, friends and followers in the Wing Chun world a very merry Christmas and prosperous new year.

Lastly our club celebration of 2012 "Chinese New Year" is currently set for Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Bury St Edmunds...and to show we are not traditionalists are planning to go for a CURRY this year not Chinese :-) Hope to see you there for some spicy fun and games (snow drifts permitting)..Gary Lisseman has been tasked in arranging and collecting monies in the new year for this.

Paul

"Next Level Wing Chun Academy" Seminar Events - early to mid 2012

In brief: Alan Gibson visits on Sunday 11th March 2012 - 3.30pm - 6.30pm - £30

Jason Gowan visits on Sunday 13th May 2012 - 3.30pm - 6.30pm - £30

Ged Kennerk/Adam Cope will visit on Sunday 24th June 2012 - 3.30pm - 6.30pm - £30

open to all student levels and lineages interested in the Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun methods

(pictured left Alan Gibson)


The first seminar of the year at our "Next Level Wing Chun Academy" venue (Moreton Hall Health Club) in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk...will be from "Wing Chun Federation" coach Alan Gibson who has visited our club 4 times previously in the last 2-3 years to hold workshops on various introduction aspects to the Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun methods and thinking and is due to visit us on - SUNDAY 11th MARCH 2012 - 3.30pm - 6.30pm - £30 payable ideally before the event to secure your place...seminar content details to follow...

www.wingchun.org.uk

Following this event, on SUNDAY 13th MAY 2012 - 3.30pm - 6.30pm - £30  "WSL Ving Tsun London Combat Science" coach Jason Gowan has agreed to visit our club also to teach aspects of the WSLVT system that he feels will benefit our understanding and improve our skills.
Jason has a vast degree of martial arts experience and used to be a very successful instructor for the Kamon Wing Chun group until I encouraged him to attend a WSLVT multi-seminar event a couple of years ago... Jason was so impressed by the direct no nonsense Wing Chun approach and following this 'wake up call' he absorbed himself fully into the WSL family and VT regular intensive training under the direct guidance of Kevin Bell as well as being overseen and advised by David Peterson...himself a direct student of the late Wong Shun Leung...full details will follow in the new year

(baldies ;) pictured left to right
Kevin Bell and Jason Gowan)


www.wslwingchunlondon.com

Then shortly following this on SUNDAY 24th JUNE 2012 - we can expect a visit from "Stockport Wing Chun Academy" chief instructor Ged Kennerk, a student of David Peterson who, himself highly recommended I invite Ged down to us and experience what he has to offer on our journey to become more absorbed in the "Wong Way" of Ving Tsun..so I personally look forward to this one as I do all the other visits we currently have planned for the new year..further details of this and all other events to follow in due course.

www.stockportwingchun.co.uk

(pictured David Peterson drilling Chi Sau with Ged Kennerk - facing the camera)


An interesting year ahead for sure!!!

"The Attacking Defence of Wing Chun"

Over the last 15 years or so since starting my Wing Chun practice I have experienced many different interpretations of how this close quarter fighting system can be taught and passed on - some soft and absorbing, some hard and rigid, some very static, some very mobile, some very traditional, some very modern...

Yet one aspect had consistently run through each and every one of those interpretations - the aspect of 'Self Defence'...using Wing Chun technique to bridge with an attackers attempt to strike as an initial option in defending themselves with all drills following this idea.

Now, some did this in a very strong convincing manner against full power (ish) punches (well..staged classroom punches)...others bridged softly like the stroke of a Chinese calligraphy brush, seemingly effortlessly deflecting or absorbing the strike, some followed the bridging with a dynamic burst of violent, faster than light follow ups and connected strikes that would overwhelm the best of them (drunks maybe) ;) where some danced out the way, lightly bridging before striking, from arms length, several (read too many) follow up strikes...

Every one of my teachers over the years that i've been fortunate enough to learn from has possessed a skill level that I may never even get close to and I owe them all a great deal of thanks and gratitude for guiding me to where I am now...(beginning to see the light of day) :)

It was only when I began my research into the basics of the WSLVT (Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun) system almost 3 years ago now through "Wing Chun Federation" chief coach Alan Gibson and attending a multi-seminar event with David Peterson, John Smith, Ernie Barrios and Kev Bell...that I truly began to see how much more simple, direct and conceptual Wing Chun really can be...and that this interpretation of Wing Chun actually DOES walk the talk and DOES do what it says in the history books...this IS a fighting system and it is certainly NOT in any sense of the word "Self Defence"

Self defence is for corporate workers who get paid to learn complex wrist locks and shout alot at would be attackers in a team building event to improve their confidence and escape the reams of paperwork building higher on their shiny desks...self defence is for children to protect themselves against the potential threat of a school bully who may try and nick their jam sandwich...self defence is for ladies that lunch (put that last bit in cos it made me chuckle) :)

Yet a fight or confrontation at street level is often horrendous...its often stamping and head-butting, its often blood and teeth coming out, its often faces being smashed on the kerb or a knife in the lung....self defence is about as much use for this as the proverbial chocolate teapot...it will melt VERY quickly under heat!!!

"Wing Chun/Ving Tsun Kuen" translates best as "Perpetual Spring Fist" or more accurately with regards to the WSL way, Chinese Boxing - try applying your self defence against a seasoned or even novice boxer..or better still a well versed student of the WSLVT system and see how the defensive, over complicated actions fare...personally I wouldn't advise plying it at street level for you may painfully find it wanting...

So, what makes it different to my previous training and teaching???

In all honesty and with my small insight and understanding to date, it is quite plainly the simplicity - by training a few core concepts (not techniques) that are contained within Siu Nim Tau and Cham Kiu forms the system soon becomes a close quarter fighting system, it does cut the opponent off in one or two actions, often punches, the simplest and most fundamental skill, it does attack and defend simultaneously, more often than not with a single hand, epitomising economy of motion whilst doing so and it certainly seems to use the centreline theory and triangulation more comprehensively than any other Wing Chun system i've seen through proximity (bent elbow distance) and control and/or disruption of the opponents centre of mass (if they're off balance they cant defend or attack effectively) with the aid of the constant forward, springy feeling of the Lat Sau Jik Chung concept - not hand free choose to hit - but hand free attack without thought from an almost magnetic and automatic searching for the centre..

Of course, in reality - shit happens...we don't all walk around like a tightly coiled fighting spring ready to unleash merry hell on anyone looking or acting odd...we may need to bridge against a random attack we don't see coming before anything else...but by doing so we know we are still at a disadvantage because we are defending and the other guy is attacking us...in my classes and WSLVT classes (im not a current certified WSLVT coach) we still train for this situation, yet recognise it is not the most direct way of using our Wing Chun and to be the best we can be we should train as simply and directly as possible for the most part yet also being realistic to the potential consequences should it all go pear shaped..

So, with the article heading in mind and hopefully to get you all thinking about how you practice your Wing Chun currently...ask yourself...do you attack every attack that you see coming in?...or bridge first?..or bridge and attack together (ie: Taan Da, Pak Da etc) - common..that last one...but not as direct as it could/should? be...coulda, woulda, shoulda...

What about Bong Sau?..do you throw your elbow up high defensively to bridge?..step back or to the side as you're doing so and then add a Laap and strike in??..and then repeat endlessly to a count??...hmmm?..but Wing Chun doesn't defend first and then attack because all the other striking arts do that and we're different right??..we attack and defend at the same time...(I still teach this to my students but put a huge emphasis on it being for a situation when your hands may be down, we also then reduce the drill so we punch off the emergency Bong action and get back to basics as quickly as possible..and then re-cap at Cham Kiu level where the only uses for Bong Sau are illustrated)... When/If we use/need Bong Sau (out of Chi Sau of course) it is drilled to be thrown (Paau) at the centre to cause a deflection or disruption and is followed immediately by an attack response..or if contact has already been established and our attack line is cut off, a shifting process may be used (Yi) temporarily to open a new attack line..or when pulled down can be used at a low level (Dai) to redirect the pull back towards the source

When training Taan Sau does it actually intercept and disperse energy or is it just a palm up block to enable a strike with your other hand?..do you attack with it? - not defend then attack with the same hand...but attack, dispersing in the process?

Lastly..what about Fook Sau?...do you just use it in Chi Sau?...does it actually subdue anything?...or could you use it conceptually as it can be applied throughout the system?

Briefly going back to the Bong Sau action, when we use it - although we minimise its use as its very defensive in nature and we've established Wing Chun is an attacking skill primarily, the counter strikes that we deliver following the Bong will aim to be dispersing and subduing within correct Wing Chun range (bent elbow distance for the ones at the back)..all while maintaining 'Chiu Ying' or facing, triangulation, forward intent, disruption and control of the centre of mass all..simply by attacking the attack with an assertive mind intent, not a defensive, see what happens rose tinted view of the world

Three areas which have helped me and my students begin to simplify and improve our skills and understanding and which may help you to do the same regardless of school or lineage are:

1/ Understand and maintain facing/triangulation as well as correct Wing Chun range wherever possible and remember your upper body structure is only as good as your base. The form concepts and actions give depth to your practice, work to understand and apply them - by being in correct range, using facing and forward feeling from a good base makes most things in Wing Chun terms more effective straight away

2/ Drop pre set drills and set sequence routines as well as "what if" thinking - work a set idea but in a free way so you can explore and discover what works and what does not under increasing pressure over time...question everything you currently train and ask yourself could it be made simpler and more direct...dont chase the hands, chase the centre

3/ When under threat - Attack - don't defend - all the time you are attacking and controlling or disrupting the centre of your opponent/partner they have to be defending or trying to reverse the situation - "Be fast, be first and be furious" - Alan Gibson

See below for shameless plug of Alan Gibsons book "Wing Chun the Works" available from the Wing Chun Federation website...also some excellent DVD's and publication by David Peterson at the Cranes Productions website.

Alan Gibson is booked in to visit our Bury St Edmunds club again in March 2012..more details in due course

Until next time - enjoy your training.