Great points for any art. Everything is situational, whenever I hear this I feel sorry for my old students as I burnt their ears off saying this line. I've found that having a single set of principles that apply to every scenario is crucial. This way sport, self defense with one on one or group, and weapon assaults all funnel the students energy in the right direction. This is needed even more so for mental and physical health too. I love that you combine your training in a holistic approach, even when you don't always mention it.
Thanks RD, I notice people learn very differently - some artists learn a principle and go through the process of making it work in different scenarios.Others make things work in different scenarios and slowly seen one over all principles when they step back.
Yes, I agree about people learning differently. The four predominate methods of learning anything can start from a visual, auditory, read-write, or a kinesthetic perspective. I learned using a variety of these methods, and usually one method out shines the others. Some us us go back and forth, that's me. Still I always read and wrote about what I saw, felt and listened too. As a child I was all about seeing a technique. Later on it was the feel of the technique and eventual it was about the unifying forces beyond the technique.
I am a martial artist i primarily like strikeing i have done bjj and other grappling butt think u should specialize in standup for everyday life violence i dont no wing chun butt like the way it works i like the way adam chan uses his wing chun it makes sence i think the reason people say wing chun dosent work is cause they dont understand it adam uses it correctly i wish i could learn from Adam also in my opinion wing chun should be thought of as a grappling system instead of strikeing
Forgot to say in the video: IMO its not a good thing to do Non Co-operative stuff until one is ready , it will actually screw up your improvement if its too early
EMPEROR K00L definitely, there must first be a baseline of strenght , speed , accuracy , power, and proper responses have to be learn first cooperatively before one can test it non copoperatively.
So basically, Sifu, what you re saying is go and find out for yourselves. While obviously this is an answer that fits every question, allow me to say that there are some very obvious general "flaws" in Wing Chun, as there are in every Martial Art. I could name a few, but I ll just mention the one Bruce Lee found out, and made him seek a more complete fight system. Foot work. Whether its a ring, a street fight or a mugging, you need to follow the opponent and avoid him effectively. While Wing Chun does not prohibit you to train in cardio and learn footwork, it doesnt incorporate it either (at least Yip Man Wing Chun and most famous lineages dont). That could be seen as an advantage, as you dont waste energy jumping around. It could also be a major flaw, if your opponent has very good footwork.
Right, Adam! It will teach improper technique form and application which will change under stress because it is NOT in muscle memory. That is why we do the forms, drills and footwork, 5000 times or more.
Man I really enjoy your video clips. I enjoy your explanations of how to be a success when training. In my opinion it makes perfect sense. I am grateful that have chosen to share your knowledge in a free public way for novices such as me who know very, very little about such things. I would just like to feel confident I have capabilities needed if ever a situation presented itself that required physical contact. After watching a video you had about knives. I think if I were capable of running I would run. I like how your videos cause me to think outside the box of fighting. Thank you!
Right on point and it applies to virtually any and all activities. People, particularly the younger generations, have an unhealthy fear of failure. You do not become a better chess player by playing against those you can easily beat. It is NOT a failure, if and only if, you learn something from the experience. "Learn" is being defined as a permanent change in behavior. The whole cooperative environment is great for introducing something. However, that is the extent of its positive influence. If you aren't struggling and failing on a regular basis you are in a stasis condition and in this instance stasis is equatable with death or a serious beat down. You can suffer in the privacy of the gym/school/dojo/kwoon, or you can suffer in public. Your choice.
Thanks for saying this. My sifu always said "Theory without practice is dangerous, practice without theory is wasted effort." I CONTINIOUSLY see WC guys, or any martial art guys in general will sit around, throw theories all day, but ask them if they ever put it to the test themselves, and all usually you'll get is "I've seen videos of etc etc". In short no, they just observed and assumed, but they never go out to actually gain experience. This is exactly how IP Man and Wong Shun Leung approached WC when they were developing it. IP Man was said that he got into scuffles that allowed him to see what worked and how there needed to be improvement. Wong Leung put himself in many challenge fights to continuously set himself as a reputable fighter of the system. One guy who was a Marine once said "It's like a bunch of virgins talking about sex they've never gotten except through a computer." lol Little on the harsh side to say, but it's something not a lot like to admit. Don't fucking tell me Chi Sao is a "sparring method" or worse they lose once and they totally dismiss the system based on one bout they had. Now not trying to say you HAVE to go out and fight, because not everyone of us wants to engage in that, but what I'm saying is if you're going to talk theory and methods, then it would be in your best favor you trained with a live none compliant partner, or had a real outside scenario happen.
Thanks again for such a cerebral and intelligent answers; you really inspire me to be a better WC student and always strive and never give in even when you want to. Luckily, our WC is from the Hungarian side which is Ling Ting: the main brand of schools in western Europe is EWTO (their grand master is Keith Kernspecht who was one of Ling Ting's top students). What I meant by 'luckily' is we have included weapons defense/offence; multiple attackers; anti-grappling/ground fighting; sparring (light as I'm only 10 months in; spent 5 months at EWTO then 5 months here); non-co-operative applications et cetera. Anyway, I still look for inspirations, tips, hints, defenses/escapes, theories and whatever I can do to supplement my training. On another note: I just started learning the first part of Chum Kui today - a bloody scary mind-field - do you have any tips on learning it? Shall I stay away from trying to expedite my learning through youtube vids of the form? Appreciate your input. Thanks so much. :)
tips for learning Chum kil - i film a chum kil instructional vid , you can find it on my site www.pragmaticmartialarts.com as for speeding up learning , it depends on how you look at it, i think it is good to look at insights on what the form mean but i dont think it is good to progress farther until one have program each thing down. In another words, for me, I would make sure i got fairly good at something before I let myself progress to the next step, learning the forms and its application is no different in my mind.
Adam Chan is there anyone who can train me around the pismo beach area. I know about “The Pit” martial artists but no one teaches it since it is so dangerous
Wc ip man version have : sil lim tao, chum kil, bil tze , mok yang jong, lok dim poon gwan, and finally ba jam do. My favourite weapon , the one I specialize in , is not found in wing chun
AS someone who has crosstrained in muay thai, wing chun, wrestling and mma, i see the flaw of wing chun is that it attracts people with the idea that they do not need physical development in order to be able to stand up for themselves in a fight. The technical part is great, but highly contextual, still without the conditioning and physical development, any sports based comparison will end to the detriment of the wing chun practitioner as they are highly reliant on bridging the gap and sticking. whereas any sports based fighting is about entering and exiting. Or wrestling. which i consider the arch nemesis of wing chun. Wing chun wasn't created with wrestlers in mind, It was created to mobilize farmers and average workers (hence the lack of physical conditioning as in other martial arts - whore were often feudal practice)for defending tight monastery alleyways shoulder to shoulder against raiding parties.
Adam Chan hey Adam i was wondering, by any chance are you going to have a holiday special on instructional videos? like a bulk deal or something of that type?
The Brutal Master , sorry I was planning to do it on the site but my web guy is bak up with other projects. original plan was to be like buy ten n I ll send u my book etc
No, you're wrong. Traditional wing chun HAS no initial flaws. All of them are taken out by the ten concepts. The only flaws in wing chun are the ones added in by man when he DOESN'T KNOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM, or trains improperly. For example, all TECHNIQUE-DRIVEN martial arts, like boxing, muay thai, karate, tkd, jiu jitsu or any boxing derivative (one that uses boxing as it's base), has major flaws, like not standing completely square or sideways, which means you have to telegraph your intent (by rotating the shoulder), makes it easier to take you down because you are now depending on the smaller stabilizer muscles of the hips instead of the larger muscles of the back, legs and buttocks. They can also go around you easier because of a smaller area showing, and you are easier to sweep. They also keep their hands by the sides of their heads, making it longer to stop an attack or do a strike (three to four feet compared to one to two feet for wing chun), don't protect the center, go past the center when striking, causing a giant opening we can step into and exploit, and over commit their response, putting most or all of their weight on the front leg, making it easy to unbalance them. THESE FLAWS ARE ALL TAKEN OUT BY THE TEN CONCEPTS! So wing chun has NO initial flaws in it! If you don't know the whole system, like the proper footwork, proper way to close the distance to close combat range, or the ten concepts, there will be flaws in the system, and stiffness and rigidity, as in all modified systems today. Modified wc and JKD uses only 5 or 6 concepts out of ten, which is why they are stiff and rigid and limited in their responses. This is why Bruce Lee made JKD because he realized this after his epic fight with Master Wong Jack Man, where it turned out to be a tie after 25 grueling minutes. JKD is a combination of CONCEPTUALLY-RUN AND TECHNIQUE-DRIVEN MARTIAL ARTS, and that is also why it is extremely flawed and stiff. When you add systems that have flaws in them, like boxing, muay thai, karate, tkd, etc. you are also adding those system's inherent flaws to your system. So the more systems you add, the more flaws, and rigidity you add to your JKD system. Modified wc is also both (because it only uses 5 or 6 concepts, not ten), but more conceptual because it doesn't add any other system (unless they add some other system to it, then it will be both and subject to those flaws and stiffness as well). That is why you have to use ALL TEN CONCEPTS AT ONCE when doing your wing chun. Even taking one out, for example, removing the triangle in your stance, will weaken your structure, making it easy to take you down, and also weaken your techniques and strikes, which depend on your structure being strong. This is why wing chun is unsuccessful in the mma. The idiots who go into mma, like Obasi and Falkner, do not know the whole system, so they are doomed from the start. Traditional wing chun is a COMPLETE system, which means it has ALL aspects of self defense, including stand up, anti-takedown and grappling techniques (which use the ten concepts and wing chun principles), locks and throws, weapons training, multiple opponent training and some even have pressure point training as well. So if wing chun is not successful for you, DO NOT BLAME THE SYSTEM! It is YOU who has failed the system by NOT learning the entire system! You must learn the entire system, as well as the ten concepts, which I will supply below, and practice REALISTICALLY! Remember, practice DOES NOT MAKE PERFECT! PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
Ok, here are the ten concepts. Learn them and use them as you spar, then fight. Please read the whole thing. I know it's kind of long, but it also COMPLETE. It is in two parts. Here is part 1 of 2. Wing Chun's Ten Basic Concepts and their use The ten concepts are the guideline for wing chun kung fu. They dictate how wing chun is properly used in a self defense situation. It is, if you will pardon the expression, the "bible of wing chun". Wing chun is the only fully conceptually-based martial art. All others are commonly known as technique-based martial arts. That means that the techniques dictate the response instead of the situation making the response rigid and inflexible. This will cause a problem if the situation is unfamiliar to the person because he will not know how to respond, causing him to have to consciously THINK about it, severely slowing down response time. This slowdown may cause a breakdown in your defenses because the attacker may overwhelm you and you might not have the time to counter. In wing chun, we use ten concepts that not only dictate proper procedure, but also give us the basic principles that fill in flaws seen in other styles. For instance, in karate, boxing, muay thai, or any derivative that uses some kind of a boxing stance, there are flaws like not keeping the hands in the center, not protecting the centerline, standing sideways in their stance, compromising balance and power, they expend loads of energy (The opposite of wing chun's economy of motion concept) by doing inefficient things like bobbing and weaving, and bouncing on their toes. These are all flaws that have been fixed by the ten concepts. If done properly, wing chun should HAVE no such flaws in it. The object in wing chun is to close the distance by controlling the opponent’s distance and timing through initial contact and footwork. This is done when first contact is made through a defensive move done to your opponents first attack (usually a punch, but it can also be a kick, high or low, it doesn't matter.) and you redirect it with a technique that either breaks through the center, causes your opponents hand to move outside of HIS center, causing an opening, or by you rotating and stepping into the now open area that was made when you first redirected his shot. You have to also control his rhythm and make his rhythm, yours. Again, this is done by contact and forward stepping after every contact, closing the distance until you are in a close enough range (close combat range, about 2 to 4 feet from your opponent, preferably to his outside gate or blindside and facing him squarely.) to counter with ease and safety (this is also VERY IMPORTANT!). You want to be able to counter and not worry about him being able to hit you. You do this when you step in on a 45 degree angle and rotate your body. You avoid his punch by your movement, but you also avoid his COUNTER that way, too. This is also how you would counter against someone who is a kicker. You don't even have to bother to block. Just enter with your hands up, like I said before, at a 45 degree angle, rotating your body. The fact that you are coming in will make his kick ineffectual because he needs that distance to produce power. Or you can kick his leg or jam his kick with your foot if it is a low kick. You are jamming him so he will not be able to produce that power. Plus, you are rushing in, and if he kicks you in the thigh, you will push him backwards, off balance (Because he is standing on one leg) because you are moving forward (Another wing chun concept). You will be facing him squarely (Also a wing chun concept) and he will looking forward (think of it as a "T" with YOU as the top of the "T", and HIM as the bottom of the "T"). This will allow you to control one hand, positioning your foot next to his (to sense if he is about to kick, knee or move) and counter strike with rapid-fire punches (THIS is the appropriate way to chain punch!) and/or kick or sweep the opponent to the ground, again maintaining control of the arm (You ALWAYS try to control one arm) and pummeling him to unconsciousness. THAT is the correct way to do wing chun! Now, here are the ten concepts with a small explanation of each one. You should learn them, and follow them, using it as your guideline as you begin to spar, then fight. The ten concepts are as follows: 1. Economy of motion- This concepts dictates that the wing chun practitioner use as little energy as possible when doing the techniques. This means taking out any extraneous (unnecessary) movements to make the technique as streamlined and efficient as possible. This will increase your speed and power. It also dictates that you should try to end a confrontation as quickly as possible. 2. Centerline concept-This concept dictates that all major organs lie along the center of the body. This area is the most vital area on the body. So these vital organs should be protected from attack and attacked on your opponent. By attacking these vital points, you also incorporating other concepts, making your attack more effective. This is why you must use all ten concepts together. 3. Triangle concept- The triangle is the strongest structure known to man. Energy flows down the tip evenly along the sides to the base. It is also the most efficient structure. We use this concept to maximize power through the use of concentrated energy, which gathers at the apex of the tip. (Where the three points meet). You can only generate so much power when using muscle contractions. This allows the body to align itself so the maximum amount of power can be generated. In wing chun, YOU MUST NEVER BREAK THE TRIANGLE!! THIS IS CRUCIAL IN WING CHUN! If you break the triangle, then other muscles that shouldn't be brought into play come into play and slow down your response (called antagonist muscles, like the bicep). So you must keep the triangle in your stance (Including a very slight pigeon-toeing of your feet and the pushing in of the knees. This will help you get a better push off also because now you are using the WHOLE foot to push instead of just your heel and part of the outside foot. Always push the hips forward, maintaining that position when static or moving. This will make a complete connection making your stance extremely strong against attacks, even grapplers) and NEVER, EVER break the triangle when you punch. This will cause you to overextend your position and unbalance you, causing you to be possibly pulled or pushed down, and consequently open up your center for counter attack. It will also cause you to hyper extend your elbow, possibly causing injury. Even our footwork is a circle inside of a triangle. Always maintain it and you will maintain the integrity of your stance and increase your power base because now you have a better push off with your legs. 4. Simultaneous attack and defense-This concept dictates that, in accordance with other concepts like economy of motion, and others, like trapping hand and straight line attack, that each move should have both elements in it. This means that instead of just blocking and THEN attacking, we, in wing chun, do BOTH, AT THE SAME TIME! This has the effect on the opponent of having him go into a defensive mode, causing him to use physical strength and an ineffective counter attack (It's hard to counter when you are getting pummeled by 6 to 8 punches or more a second) that will cause him to make an opening in one area to cover the hole in another. This is the time that dictates in wing chun that you ATTACK that opening just created and continue until the opponent is no longer a threat. There is a saying in wing chun by Gigung Wong Shun Leung, and it goes like this: Loi Lau Hoi Sung, Lat Sau Jik. This translates to the following edict: Loi Lau- This means to "engage the enemy, stay with them and form a bridge with the attack, intercepting the path it takes." Hoi Sung- This means to "take advantage of their errors, following their mass of center when they withdraw, attacking the opponent without worries." Lat Sau Jik- This means when the hands are released, ATTACK DIRECTLY WITHOUT HESITATION! (Very important!). All this information is in the book by Master Allen Gibson called Beginning Wing Chun.
And here is part 2 of 2: 5. Bridge Hand Concept-The concept of using sensitivity through contact to sense your opponent’s intentions even without looking. This helps free you for other things like strategy. It is used in medium range to close the gap to close combat range or in close to stop an attack when there is contact made. This sensitivity is honed by doing Chi sau for your hands (known as sticky hands) and Chi gerk for your legs (also known as sticky legs), which uses the same concept of detecting attempted movement in your opponent's legs. 6. Straight line Attack Concept- This concept dictates that all strikes will be either directly down the center or central line (45 degrees off the center line) when either your hand or your opponents is pushed or pulled off center, causing an opening in his position. Again, going along with several other concepts that work in unison with this one (economy of motion, centerline concept, triangle concept, face to face concept, trapping hand concept, and simultaneous attack and defense concept), the straight line attack concept also dictates that if one hand is pushed out of center, the other hand comes to the center to take its' place, protecting the centerline. It also states that if a punch is redirected or blocked off center, the elbow continues through the center (turning into a bong sau, effectively trapping the arm, which is jut saoed (Grabbing block) with the back hand or wu sau hand, then the elbow (bong sau) is turned up into a fist and continues along the centerline. If the ELBOW is stopped, then the shoulder can be used to get distance between the two participants and then you can reset your stance. 7. Immoveable Elbow Concept- This concept dictates that the elbow remain immoveable behind the arm. It can move up and back in front of the body, but NOT side to side. This sideways movement causes the body to use the muscles of the body, causing tension to the muscles and fatigue, instead of body alignment and body movement, which causes the techniques to weaken and fold under pressure which will cause a collapse of your defenses. It also lines up the three sticks (the arm, forearm and wrist, which is VERTICAL, instead of horizontal), with the body and allows you to produce amazing amounts of power in a short distance (one foot or LESS). 8. Trapping Hand Concept- This concept dictates that, in order to control your opponent, you must trap one or both of his hands, preferably with just ONE of yours, using the other hand to strike and/or kick or sweep. This gives you the ability to safely control your opponent and attack simultaneously (also uses concept of simultaneous attack and defense, centerline theory, economy of motion, bridge hand concept, straight line attack, immoveable elbow, and the face to face concept). 9. The Four Corners Concept- This concept is the determining factor when it comes to the area protected by each hand. It separates the body into four sections, left and right upper gate, which protects the face, neck and upper torso, and the left and right lower gate, which protects the middle portion of the body, the ribs, stomach, and even the groin. It is also the determining factor to the boundaries our hands must stay within to be able to protect the center. We do not go past these gates, whose outside borders are the end of the shoulders. 10. Face to Face Concept- This concept is crucial in wing chun also. It dictates that a wing chun practitioner must always stay SQUARE TO HIS OPPONENT, facing him forward directly. This gives the wing chun an advantage. When you stand square, you are protecting your groin from a kick (the turned in knees help also) and from a leg sweep, which you are vulnerable to when you stand sideways. It also gives you the advantage of being able to use both hands and legs when you are in the neutral position, and both hands and legs when you are in the side stance. This is better than all others, that use only one hand and leg when standing in the side stance. You also have better balance, more stability, and there is less chance of someone getting around behind you when standing square. You are also more grounded which gives you more power in your techniques. This allows you to use all the other concepts more efficiently and effectively. This is why I say you must use ALL TEN CONCEPTS, ALL THE TIME! As you can see, they all rely on each other, like a machine. It's like having an engine with missing pieces after you put it back together. Without all the pieces, it won't work well or at all.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Great points for any art. Everything is situational, whenever I hear this I feel sorry for my old students as I burnt their ears off saying this line. I've found that having a single set of principles that apply to every scenario is crucial. This way sport, self defense with one on one or group, and weapon assaults all funnel the students energy in the right direction. This is needed even more so for mental and physical health too. I love that you combine your training in a holistic approach, even when you don't always mention it.
Thanks RD, I notice people learn very differently - some artists learn a principle and go through the process of making it work in different scenarios.Others make things work in different scenarios and slowly seen one over all principles when they step back.
Yes, I agree about people learning differently. The four predominate methods of learning anything can start from a visual, auditory, read-write, or a kinesthetic perspective. I learned using a variety of these methods, and usually one method out shines the others. Some us us go back and forth, that's me. Still I always read and wrote about what I saw, felt and listened too. As a child I was all about seeing a technique. Later on it was the feel of the technique and eventual it was about the unifying forces beyond the technique.
I am a martial artist i primarily like strikeing i have done bjj and other grappling butt think u should specialize in standup for everyday life violence i dont no wing chun butt like the way it works i like the way adam chan uses his wing chun it makes sence i think the reason people say wing chun dosent work is cause they dont understand it adam uses it correctly i wish i could learn from Adam also in my opinion wing chun should be thought of as a grappling system instead of strikeing
Just wanted to say thank you for all of your time you put into your videos. Thank you so much for answering to our questions!
Forgot to say in the video: IMO its not a good thing to do Non Co-operative stuff until one is ready , it will actually screw up your improvement if its too early
Adam Chan So should we start off with cooperative practice and then later on practice more realistically?
EMPEROR K00L definitely, there must first be a baseline of strenght , speed , accuracy , power, and proper responses have to be learn first cooperatively before one can test it non copoperatively.
Adam Chan thx
So basically, Sifu, what you re saying is go and find out for yourselves.
While obviously this is an answer that fits every question, allow me to say that there are some very obvious general "flaws" in Wing Chun, as there are in every Martial Art.
I could name a few, but I ll just mention the one Bruce Lee found out, and made him seek a more complete fight system.
Foot work. Whether its a ring, a street fight or a mugging, you need to follow the opponent and avoid him effectively.
While Wing Chun does not prohibit you to train in cardio and learn footwork, it doesnt incorporate it either (at least Yip Man Wing Chun and most famous lineages dont).
That could be seen as an advantage, as you dont waste energy jumping around.
It could also be a major flaw, if your opponent has very good footwork.
Right, Adam! It will teach improper technique form and application which will change under stress because it is NOT in muscle memory. That is why we do the forms, drills and footwork, 5000 times or more.
Man I really enjoy your video clips. I enjoy your explanations of how to be a success when training. In my opinion it makes perfect sense. I am grateful that have chosen to share your knowledge in a free public way for novices such as me who know very, very little about such things. I would just like to feel confident I have capabilities needed if ever a situation presented itself that required physical contact. After watching a video you had about knives. I think if I were capable of running I would run. I like how your videos cause me to think outside the box of fighting. Thank you!
You are awesome, your advice is so wise and helpful
thank you for kind words. This channel will not exist without all you guys questions n support. It a fun hobby of mine to film, so thank you guys
That’s the reason I like your teaching.
You’re great Sifu and a person. Everything you say is the real truth 🇨🇾🙏🏽🐺
Great advice. Thanks Adam. GB
Right on point and it applies to virtually any and all activities. People, particularly the younger generations, have an unhealthy fear of failure. You do not become a better chess player by playing against those you can easily beat. It is NOT a failure, if and only if, you learn something from the experience. "Learn" is being defined as a permanent change in behavior. The whole cooperative environment is great for introducing something. However, that is the extent of its positive influence. If you aren't struggling and failing on a regular basis you are in a stasis condition and in this instance stasis is equatable with death or a serious beat down. You can suffer in the privacy of the gym/school/dojo/kwoon, or you can suffer in public. Your choice.
Thanks for saying this.
My sifu always said "Theory without practice is dangerous, practice without theory is wasted effort." I CONTINIOUSLY see WC guys, or any martial art guys in general will sit around, throw theories all day, but ask them if they ever put it to the test themselves, and all usually you'll get is "I've seen videos of etc etc". In short no, they just observed and assumed, but they never go out to actually gain experience.
This is exactly how IP Man and Wong Shun Leung approached WC when they were developing it. IP Man was said that he got into scuffles that allowed him to see what worked and how there needed to be improvement. Wong Leung put himself in many challenge fights to continuously set himself as a reputable fighter of the system.
One guy who was a Marine once said "It's like a bunch of virgins talking about sex they've never gotten except through a computer." lol Little on the harsh side to say, but it's something not a lot like to admit.
Don't fucking tell me Chi Sao is a "sparring method" or worse they lose once and they totally dismiss the system based on one bout they had. Now not trying to say you HAVE to go out and fight, because not everyone of us wants to engage in that, but what I'm saying is if you're going to talk theory and methods, then it would be in your best favor you trained with a live none compliant partner, or had a real outside scenario happen.
It's finding that partner that can be a true challenge.
Thanks again for such a cerebral and intelligent answers; you really inspire me to be a better WC student and always strive and never give in even when you want to. Luckily, our WC is from the Hungarian side which is Ling Ting: the main brand of schools in western Europe is EWTO (their grand master is Keith Kernspecht who was one of Ling Ting's top students).
What I meant by 'luckily' is we have included weapons defense/offence; multiple attackers; anti-grappling/ground fighting; sparring (light as I'm only 10 months in; spent 5 months at EWTO then 5 months here); non-co-operative applications et cetera.
Anyway, I still look for inspirations, tips, hints, defenses/escapes, theories and whatever I can do to supplement my training.
On another note: I just started learning the first part of Chum Kui today - a bloody scary mind-field - do you have any tips on learning it? Shall I stay away from trying to expedite my learning through youtube vids of the form? Appreciate your input.
Thanks so much. :)
tips for learning Chum kil - i film a chum kil instructional vid , you can find it on my site www.pragmaticmartialarts.com as for speeding up learning , it depends on how you look at it, i think it is good to look at insights on what the form mean but i dont think it is good to progress farther until one have program each thing down. In another words, for me, I would make sure i got fairly good at something before I let myself progress to the next step, learning the forms and its application is no different in my mind.
Great video! Thanks for you honesty, brother!
O i try, thansk Sifu Willis , got tones of hate mail for this one haha
Just call me Adam. Lol 😂 Sorry to hear that. But it’s this level of honesty that must be first and foremost. Thanks again!
@@adamchankungfu Hater's r alwayzz gonna b an integral part of our growth.. just like a Stepping stone.. yin yang do exist everywhere
Adam Chan is there anyone who can train me around the pismo beach area. I know about “The Pit” martial artists but no one teaches it since it is so dangerous
Thanks for the video. Off topic question. How many forms are there in Wing Chin? Also curious on what your favorite weapon is in WC. Best wishes.
Wc ip man version have : sil lim tao, chum kil, bil tze , mok yang jong, lok dim poon gwan, and finally ba jam do. My favourite weapon , the one I specialize in , is not found in wing chun
AS someone who has crosstrained in muay thai, wing chun, wrestling and mma, i see the flaw of wing chun is that it attracts people with the idea that they do not need physical development in order to be able to stand up for themselves in a fight. The technical part is great, but highly contextual, still without the conditioning and physical development, any sports based comparison will end to the detriment of the wing chun practitioner as they are highly reliant on bridging the gap and sticking. whereas any sports based fighting is about entering and exiting. Or wrestling. which i consider the arch nemesis of wing chun. Wing chun wasn't created with wrestlers in mind, It was created to mobilize farmers and average workers (hence the lack of physical conditioning as in other martial arts - whore were often feudal practice)for defending tight monastery alleyways shoulder to shoulder against raiding parties.
Really enjoy your vids, job well done. Do you have any students or clubs in the UK?
Thanks , no i dont have any students or clubs in the UK.
Adam Chan hey Adam i was wondering, by any chance are you going to have a holiday special on instructional videos? like a bulk deal or something of that type?
The Brutal Master , sorry I was planning to do it on the site but my web guy is bak up with other projects. original plan was to be like buy ten n I ll send u my book etc
I appreciate your videos and your on the money with this one. This is exactly what my sifu says.
That's a shame but appreciate thanks for the response
No, you're wrong. Traditional wing chun HAS no initial flaws. All of them are taken out by the ten concepts. The only flaws in wing chun are the ones added in by man when he DOESN'T KNOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM, or trains improperly. For example, all TECHNIQUE-DRIVEN martial arts, like boxing, muay thai, karate, tkd, jiu jitsu or any boxing derivative (one that uses boxing as it's base), has major flaws, like not standing completely square or sideways, which means you have to telegraph your intent (by rotating the shoulder), makes it easier to take you down because you are now depending on the smaller stabilizer muscles of the hips instead of the larger muscles of the back, legs and buttocks. They can also go around you easier because of a smaller area showing, and you are easier to sweep. They also keep their hands by the sides of their heads, making it longer to stop an attack or do a strike (three to four feet compared to one to two feet for wing chun), don't protect the center, go past the center when striking, causing a giant opening we can step into and exploit, and over commit their response, putting most or all of their weight on the front leg, making it easy to unbalance them. THESE FLAWS ARE ALL TAKEN OUT BY THE TEN CONCEPTS! So wing chun has NO initial flaws in it! If you don't know the whole system, like the proper footwork, proper way to close the distance to close combat range, or the ten concepts, there will be flaws in the system, and stiffness and rigidity, as in all modified systems today. Modified wc and JKD uses only 5 or 6 concepts out of ten, which is why they are stiff and rigid and limited in their responses. This is why Bruce Lee made JKD because he realized this after his epic fight with Master Wong Jack Man, where it turned out to be a tie after 25 grueling minutes. JKD is a combination of CONCEPTUALLY-RUN AND TECHNIQUE-DRIVEN MARTIAL ARTS, and that is also why it is extremely flawed and stiff. When you add systems that have flaws in them, like boxing, muay thai, karate, tkd, etc. you are also adding those system's inherent flaws to your system. So the more systems you add, the more flaws, and rigidity you add to your JKD system. Modified wc is also both (because it only uses 5 or 6 concepts, not ten), but more conceptual because it doesn't add any other system (unless they add some other system to it, then it will be both and subject to those flaws and stiffness as well). That is why you have to use ALL TEN CONCEPTS AT ONCE when doing your wing chun. Even taking one out, for example, removing the triangle in your stance, will weaken your structure, making it easy to take you down, and also weaken your techniques and strikes, which depend on your structure being strong. This is why wing chun is unsuccessful in the mma. The idiots who go into mma, like Obasi and Falkner, do not know the whole system, so they are doomed from the start. Traditional wing chun is a COMPLETE system, which means it has ALL aspects of self defense, including stand up, anti-takedown and grappling techniques (which use the ten concepts and wing chun principles), locks and throws, weapons training, multiple opponent training and some even have pressure point training as well. So if wing chun is not successful for you, DO NOT BLAME THE SYSTEM! It is YOU who has failed the system by NOT learning the entire system! You must learn the entire system, as well as the ten concepts, which I will supply below, and practice REALISTICALLY! Remember, practice DOES NOT MAKE PERFECT! PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
Ok, here are the ten concepts. Learn them and use them as you spar, then fight. Please read the whole thing. I know it's kind of long, but it also COMPLETE. It is in two parts. Here is part 1 of 2.
Wing Chun's Ten Basic Concepts and their use
The ten concepts are the guideline for wing chun kung fu. They dictate how wing chun is properly used in a self defense situation. It is, if you will pardon the expression, the "bible of wing chun". Wing chun is the only fully conceptually-based martial art. All others are commonly known as technique-based martial arts. That means that the techniques dictate the response instead of the situation making the response rigid and inflexible. This will cause a problem if the situation is unfamiliar to the person because he will not know how to respond, causing him to have to consciously THINK about it, severely slowing down response time. This slowdown may cause a breakdown in your defenses because the attacker may overwhelm you and you might not have the time to counter.
In wing chun, we use ten concepts that not only dictate proper procedure, but also give us the basic principles that fill in flaws seen in other styles. For instance, in karate, boxing, muay thai, or any derivative that uses some kind of a boxing stance, there are flaws like not keeping the hands in the center, not protecting the centerline, standing sideways in their stance, compromising balance and power, they expend loads of energy (The opposite of wing chun's economy of motion concept) by doing inefficient things like bobbing and weaving, and bouncing on their toes. These are all flaws that have been fixed by the ten concepts. If done properly, wing chun should HAVE no such flaws in it. The object in wing chun is to close the distance by controlling the opponent’s distance and timing through initial contact and footwork. This is done when first contact is made through a defensive move done to your opponents first attack (usually a punch, but it can also be a kick, high or low, it doesn't matter.) and you redirect it with a technique that either breaks through the center, causes your opponents hand to move outside of HIS center, causing an opening, or by you rotating and stepping into the now open area that was made when you first redirected his shot. You have to also control his rhythm and make his rhythm, yours. Again, this is done by contact and forward stepping after every contact, closing the distance until you are in a close enough range (close combat range, about 2 to 4 feet from your opponent, preferably to his outside gate or blindside and facing him squarely.) to counter with ease and safety (this is also VERY IMPORTANT!). You want to be able to counter and not worry about him being able to hit you. You do this when you step in on a 45 degree angle and rotate your body. You avoid his punch by your movement, but you also avoid his COUNTER that way, too. This is also how you would counter against someone who is a kicker. You don't even have to bother to block. Just enter with your hands up, like I said before, at a 45 degree angle, rotating your body. The fact that you are coming in will make his kick ineffectual because he needs that distance to produce power. Or you can kick his leg or jam his kick with your foot if it is a low kick. You are jamming him so he will not be able to produce that power. Plus, you are rushing in, and if he kicks you in the thigh, you will push him backwards, off balance (Because he is standing on one leg) because you are moving forward (Another wing chun concept). You will be facing him squarely (Also a wing chun concept) and he will looking forward (think of it as a "T" with YOU as the top of the "T", and HIM as the bottom of the "T"). This will allow you to control one hand, positioning your foot next to his (to sense if he is about to kick, knee or move) and counter strike with rapid-fire punches (THIS is the appropriate way to chain punch!) and/or kick or sweep the opponent to the ground, again maintaining control of the arm (You ALWAYS try to control one arm) and pummeling him to unconsciousness.
THAT is the correct way to do wing chun! Now, here are the ten concepts with a small explanation of each one. You should learn them, and follow them, using it as your guideline as you begin to spar, then fight.
The ten concepts are as follows:
1. Economy of motion- This concepts dictates that the wing chun practitioner use as little energy as possible when doing the techniques. This means taking out any extraneous (unnecessary) movements to make the technique as streamlined and efficient as possible. This will increase your speed and power. It also dictates that you should try to end a confrontation as quickly as possible.
2. Centerline concept-This concept dictates that all major organs lie along the center of the body. This area is the most vital area on the body. So these vital organs should be protected from attack and attacked on your opponent. By attacking these vital points, you also incorporating other concepts, making your attack more effective. This is why you must use all ten concepts together.
3. Triangle concept- The triangle is the strongest structure known to man. Energy flows down the tip evenly along the sides to the base. It is also the most efficient structure. We use this concept to maximize power through the use of concentrated energy, which gathers at the apex of the tip. (Where the three points meet). You can only generate so much power when using muscle contractions. This allows the body to align itself so the maximum amount of power can be generated. In wing chun, YOU MUST NEVER BREAK THE TRIANGLE!! THIS IS CRUCIAL IN WING CHUN! If you break the triangle, then other muscles that shouldn't be brought into play come into play and slow down your response (called antagonist muscles, like the bicep). So you must keep the triangle in your stance (Including a very slight pigeon-toeing of your feet and the pushing in of the knees. This will help you get a better push off also because now you are using the WHOLE foot to push instead of just your heel and part of the outside foot. Always push the hips forward, maintaining that position when static or moving. This will make a complete connection making your stance extremely strong against attacks, even grapplers) and NEVER, EVER break the triangle when you punch. This will cause you to overextend your position and unbalance you, causing you to be possibly pulled or pushed down, and consequently open up your center for counter attack. It will also cause you to hyper extend your elbow, possibly causing injury. Even our footwork is a circle inside of a triangle. Always maintain it and you will maintain the integrity of your stance and increase your power base because now you have a better push off with your legs.
4. Simultaneous attack and defense-This concept dictates that, in accordance with other concepts like economy of motion, and others, like trapping hand and straight line attack, that each move should have both elements in it. This means that instead of just blocking and THEN attacking, we, in wing chun, do BOTH, AT THE SAME TIME! This has the effect on the opponent of having him go into a defensive mode, causing him to use physical strength and an ineffective counter attack (It's hard to counter when you are getting pummeled by 6 to 8 punches or more a second) that will cause him to make an opening in one area to cover the hole in another. This is the time that dictates in wing chun that you ATTACK that opening just created and continue until the opponent is no longer a threat.
There is a saying in wing chun by Gigung Wong Shun Leung, and it goes like this:
Loi Lau Hoi Sung, Lat Sau Jik. This translates to the following edict:
Loi Lau- This means to "engage the enemy, stay with them and form a bridge with the attack, intercepting the path it takes."
Hoi Sung- This means to "take advantage of their errors, following their mass of center when they withdraw, attacking the opponent without worries."
Lat Sau Jik- This means when the hands are released, ATTACK DIRECTLY WITHOUT HESITATION! (Very important!). All this information is in the book by Master Allen Gibson called Beginning Wing Chun.
And here is part 2 of 2:
5. Bridge Hand Concept-The concept of using sensitivity through contact to sense your opponent’s intentions even without looking. This helps free you for other things like strategy. It is used in medium range to close the gap to close combat range or in close to stop an attack when there is contact made. This sensitivity is honed by doing Chi sau for your hands (known as sticky hands) and Chi gerk for your legs (also known as sticky legs), which uses the same concept of detecting attempted movement in your opponent's legs.
6. Straight line Attack Concept- This concept dictates that all strikes will be either directly down the center or central line (45 degrees off the center line) when either your hand or your opponents is pushed or pulled off center, causing an opening in his position. Again, going along with several other concepts that work in unison with this one (economy of motion, centerline concept, triangle concept, face to face concept, trapping hand concept, and simultaneous attack and defense concept), the straight line attack concept also dictates that if one hand is pushed out of center, the other hand comes to the center to take its' place, protecting the centerline. It also states that if a punch is redirected or blocked off center, the elbow continues through the center (turning into a bong sau, effectively trapping the arm, which is jut saoed (Grabbing block) with the back hand or wu sau hand, then the elbow (bong sau) is turned up into a fist and continues along the centerline. If the ELBOW is stopped, then the shoulder can be used to get distance between the two participants and then you can reset your stance.
7. Immoveable Elbow Concept- This concept dictates that the elbow remain immoveable behind the arm. It can move up and back in front of the body, but NOT side to side. This sideways movement causes the body to use the muscles of the body, causing tension to the muscles and fatigue, instead of body alignment and body movement, which causes the techniques to weaken and fold under pressure which will cause a collapse of your defenses. It also lines up the three sticks (the arm, forearm and wrist, which is VERTICAL, instead of horizontal), with the body and allows you to produce amazing amounts of power in a short distance (one foot or LESS).
8. Trapping Hand Concept- This concept dictates that, in order to control your opponent, you must trap one or both of his hands, preferably with just ONE of yours, using the other hand to strike and/or kick or sweep. This gives you the ability to safely control your opponent and attack simultaneously (also uses concept of simultaneous attack and defense, centerline theory, economy of motion, bridge hand concept, straight line attack, immoveable elbow, and the face to face concept).
9. The Four Corners Concept- This concept is the determining factor when it comes to the area protected by each hand. It separates the body into four sections, left and right upper gate, which protects the face, neck and upper torso, and the left and right lower gate, which protects the middle portion of the body, the ribs, stomach, and even the groin. It is also the determining factor to the boundaries our hands must stay within to be able to protect the center. We do not go past these gates, whose outside borders are the end of the shoulders.
10. Face to Face Concept- This concept is crucial in wing chun also. It dictates that a wing chun practitioner must always stay SQUARE TO HIS OPPONENT, facing him forward directly. This gives the wing chun an advantage. When you stand square, you are protecting your groin from a kick (the turned in knees help also) and from a leg sweep, which you are vulnerable to when you stand sideways. It also gives you the advantage of being able to use both hands and legs when you are in the neutral position, and both hands and legs when you are in the side stance. This is better than all others, that use only one hand and leg when standing in the side stance. You also have better balance, more stability, and there is less chance of someone getting around behind you when standing square. You are also more grounded which gives you more power in your techniques. This allows you to use all the other concepts more efficiently and effectively. This is why I say you must use ALL TEN CONCEPTS, ALL THE TIME! As you can see, they all rely on each other, like a machine. It's like having an engine with missing pieces after you put it back together. Without all the pieces, it won't work well or at all.
mightymeatmonsta
mightymeatmonsta
You have a question, smooth bee?
I appreciate your videos and your on the money with this one. This is exactly what my sifu says.