Wing chun is probably one of the most well known kung fu systems in the world, mainly due to the exploits of Bruce Lee, who popularised King Fu, especially Wing Chun to the western world.
But you don’t need to have the talent, strength or skill of Bruce Lee to learn Wing Chun. Wing Chuns origins are said to stem from a village girl -Yim Wing Chun who was taught by Ng Mui a nun at the Shaolin Temple. Wing chun was deigned for those with small stature.
Formulated base on a series of manipulating body mechanics Wing Chun does require brute strength. These are taught at the very beginning of your wing chun training.
Beginners are introduced to the Sil Lim tao form as an introduction to wing Chun. This is where the foundation concepts and ideas of the wing chum system are learned. The basic stance and defensive guards of Wing Chun are taught here.
Next form is Chum Kill also known as bridging the gap- where advanced footwork is introduced and attacking moves and strategies. Bridging the gap refers to the gap between you and your opponent and how to make up that ground in an attacking manner to nullify and win over your opponent. Think of it this way if you opponent is at a distance away from you where they cannot reach to punch, kick or pose any physical harm- they do not pose an immediate threat. If the worst they can do is call you names, so what.
As a martial artist you should always be aware of the physical threat , rather than get provoked by name calling. This distance between you and your opponent is like a no mans land where there is no danger. Bridging the gap between you and your opponent require a specific strategy as you are engaging towards a physical threat. This is where chum kill comes into play as it teaches how to make up this ground to devastating effect.
Bill Jee is the most advanced form in the Wing Chun training system where you train to strike with your fingers. The basic idea is that fighting with this technique amongst other thinks increases your range to strike your opponent and targets specific areas. This is a very advanced technique and probably beyond the scope of this article but be wary a little knowledge is a dangerous thing so treat this information as informational purposes only.
The one thing that distinguishes Wing Chun from other styles is Chi Sao. This is a sparring technique where you apply the hand forms learned by the previous wing chun training forms and apply them to a sparring/ fighting situation. The sticky hands technique teaches how to guard/attack by the feel of your opponents arms.
The wing chun practitioner are engaged at the wrist range with the elbow initially pointed down and try to break through the defences. You stick to your opponents hand to block any attack as well as instigate traps and attacks.
It is a lot more involved than this, however it is a critical part of your wing chun training.
Finally you have the Wing Chun Dummy to contend with. The Wooden Dummy can be used to formulate any number of strategies and techniques-only proviso is to condition your arms -you'll thank me later. The wooden dummy is sturdy enough to take even the most persistent beating ..but not sure if your arms can take the Wing chun wooden dummy and its solid base and solid arms However it is an invaluable tool and an essential component of any students wing chun training.
