Articles Published By Our Students
Alan Sawyer:
Dave Bright:
Pete Woolgar:
Lisa Vranch:
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| Alan Sawyer | ||
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When I started my Kung Fu training, like many of the other students, it was something I did once a week. I expected lots from my training despite only putting (relatively speaking) very little time into it. It was not that I was lazy, just naive with a stereotypical view of Kung Fu. You are either a nutter or a bit of a clown.
Fortunately, I had several enthusiastic class mates. What made these guys different was not that they had been training longer than I had but that they trained so hard and so often, it was obvious that that once a week was not enough.
My training at home began with what I could remember, always a problem, but the SNT and some punches were a good start. It was definitely a lift when an improvement was noticed and as I got to know my class mates better we started to train in our own time too. For me training at home is now essential and I think that it is vitally important for everyone to find training partners too. It is not just to improve your WT, but to keep you motivated, keep you thinking about WT (you will have differences of opinions) and keep you doing WT for years to come. So what do you train?! This really is an inexhaustible list but the most obvious one are your forms.
Forms
Everyone is different and I quite enjoy the forms, I treat them a little like a dictionary. If I am ever writing a letter and I wonder how to spell a word, I look at a dictionary, when I am training my WT and I wonder how my body or limbs should be then I refer to my dictionary, my forms. This is just one of many ideas, the system is amazing and in the last year I have treated the forms with more and more regard. It has been said that if you do not have good forms then you will never have good WT. Here are some stages of learning and ideas that I have used to train my three forms.
1. Repetition
Simple, the forms are a real memory test at first and the best way to overcome this is to keep doing them. It does not matter whether you are a WT beginner or a 1st Technician learning Biu-Tze. The best way to begin is an vague idea of the movement and the order of movements.
2. Positioning
Once you can remember your forms you can start to correct them. I begin with the positioning of my arms, legs or body. A mirror is essential so that you can see exactly what you are doing, and once you feel that you feel happy with your positioning try to do the forms without a mirror. I personally feel that I am constantly self adjusting with a mirror in front of me, so I like take the mirror away from time to time simply because I have to trust my shapes during partner training. Another idea is to get your class mates to look at your form and see what they think (a little bit of pressure too)!
3. How is your body moving?
Once I have a good idea of the form I start to think about how my body should move. For example, SNT 2 (single punch) once I know that I can position my fist correctly at the beginning of the punch and that I am hitting the right height I start to think about the muscle groups that move my punch and the line that it takes. Too many people use a 'hammer action' at first (I did) and it is important that you think about your deltoid rather than triceps. This will not only make your punch better but stop you damaging your elbows too!
4. Applications
Correct positioning (2) and movements (3) are the best ways to train your forms but some days I like to think of an application. I find it helps my memory and to an extent my visualization of WT in action. It also helps me have an idea about when I might do tie sao, man sao, gwai jarn, any of my WT movements. For example, if I train my CK I might think about my turning during Pie Jarn or alternatively imagine that I am hitting someone three times with my hacking elbows.
5. It’s up to you!
The above are all just some ideas, the list is endless. You can do your forms on one leg for balance, or try doing chum kiu with just one arm instead of both and never forget to think about your stance in any of the forms. Its so easy to make them too hand orientated. I have used my forms as a way of just drilling movements too. For example I might repeat every moment that was a strike five times before continuing with the form, or just a movement that I found difficult.
Wing Chun is such a vast subject it is impossible to train everything all of the time and I have to cycle my training so that I have periods of improvement and periods of maintenance. Right now my emphasis has returned to the student programmes. I can no longer afford to spend one to two hours on my forms, so in order to maintain them I begin each training session at home with the forms. A great way to warm up - aren't they versatile?!
I have recently started reading a book on how to develop iron hand techniques. By rigorously following the instructions laid out in the book, after several years you will have hands deadlier than ever. I read all books with an open mind and all books with a pinch of salt and at first I laughed. When I thought about it, the author has a point.
To ‘master’ any movement takes time, hours if not years of practice and repetition and I know that I am guilty of wanting to know as much as possible rather than just drilling and training a movement until it is ‘perfect’. A punch is so simple, but when you drill and train it for a few hours you start to realize that it could be so much better, more powerful, more relaxed and more fluid.
Then you add some footwork and it’s the same story all over again. I now consciously put aside a few hours each week to train my punches, with and without footwork. It is your primary tool, the simplest tool and, for that reason, the most important tool.
Warming Up:
1. Forms
The forms are a great way to warm up; they include all your WT movements and a variety of different punches. It is best to begin slow and relaxed. Concentrating on the fluidity of your movement rather than trying to be powerful and aggressive.
Each form can be ended with continuous chain punching to get your arms moving, relaxed and build a little bit of a sweat.
2. Stretching
Now it’s a good time to stretch. Although it will primarily be your upper body that you are working, I like to take the opportunity to stretch my entire body. I like to use ‘full body’ stretches and concentrate on my shoulders and back. Stretching is very individual but I find five to ten minutes sufficient.
Wall bag Training:
There are lots of different ideas on wall bags, what their primary purpose is, what you should fill them with and how you should train on them. For me the wall bag is not about hand conditioning, it is about developing a more powerful punch. My wall bag lets me know if I have poor alignment of my wrist and if I have not made a ‘proper’ fist. Conditioning is a secondary benefit and only a minor one in my book. My wall bag was once filled with sand, but now contains old clothing with rice and beans. I have also placed an old sofa cushion between it and the wall to make it spring a little.
3. Single Punches
I always begin with single punches from a neutral stance (from the beginning of SNT). I concentrate on my technique and my stance. This gives me time to remember and develop my basics, especially my stance. All power comes from the ground so your legs are not to be neglected!
Single punches easily lead into your kuen to (boxing form). Your boxing form is simply a variety of straight punches at different heights (easy if you have a three sectioned wall bag). From here you can start to build on your combinations and let your punches fly. Head then body, or body then head and so forth.
4. Sideling / Turning Punches
These are my favourite. With the correct timing of your weight transfer and punch, you can start to feel a lot more power in your strikes. Just 45º shifts are sufficient and it really is in the timing and relaxation of your punch. Begin in a ‘neutral stance’, shift 45º and punch with the hand nearest the wall. Then shift back to neutral and punch with your other hand. Very simple and very satisfying.
5. Hitting from angles
Just stand at an odd angle and hit the wall bag. Usually we would stand square to the wall bag with it on our centreline. One idea is to stand so that the bag lies along your shoulder line and hit it. Or stand at 90º to the bag and hit it. I experiment with different angles. If I can hit the bag hard from where I am I will. If the bag is at such a bad angle that I cannot hit it properly I just move (as little as possible) until I can hit it confidently and hard.
6. Punches with Footwork
On a wall bag?! In addition to shifts and turns, a variety of free steps can be used to ‘attack’ the wall bag. For example, it is possible to use your advancing step and still hit the wall bag very hard with your thrusting punch. It just requires softness in your punching arm. The key to working your steps and punches is remembering that your initial start position does not have to be square to or even facing the wall bag.
7. Distance from the Bag
As WT students, we fully extend our arms (different to hyperextension). When you want to punch someone, you should punch as though you are going to hit full extension too. Since wall bags are so solid, there is a danger that you (unintentionally) start to focus your punch at the impact point, failing to follow through. The same applies to focus pad training. To combat this, I now vary my distance from the bag and always punch as though I will hit full extension.
Sometimes I stand very close to the bag, hitting with very short punches. Then I might stand as far away as possible so that I only just touch the bag with my knuckles (just be careful you do not start to lean and compromise your stance).
If this means your training sessions are very short then mix then up with air punching, kicking or footwork. So stop before you think your knuckles have had enough and try to massage your hands regularly after training, maybe even look into ointments designed to bring out bruising and promote blood circulation. My last tip, stay relaxed and never forget your balance.
Crawley and East Grinstead Wing Chun (WT) Kung Fu celebrated grading successes recently with 3 members passing the prestigious 1st Technician Grade. The Kung Fu equivalent of the ‘Black belt’ takes between 3 and 4 years regular training after which time the student must demonstrate technical, practical and theoretical knowledge of this Chinese martial art.
The West Green based club run by Sifu Paul Hawkes has been established for over 10 years and is part of EWTO, the largest Kung Fu organization in the world. With regular seminars and trips abroad, the club remains focused on teaching Authentic Kung Fu to people of all age, size and experience.
As part of the 4 year Technician training, Alan Paterson, Alex Acraman and Tony Dew (37) all had to successfully pass 12 students grades encompassing basic self defense techniques, forms training (the technical blueprint of WT) and ‘chi-sao’, a unique training method used to develop arm sensitivity and ‘reactions.’ The training culminates with a grading over a 2 day seminar run by the Grandmaster, Keith Kernspecht.
With almost 40 years Kung Fu experience and the head of the EWTO, Grandmaster Kernspecht travels from Germany to oversee all Technician gradings in the UK and throughout Europe. After approval from Sifu Paul, a student of GM Kernspecht, Alan, Alex and Tony may begin to prepare for their testing. The grading begins months in advance as they train their grade material, study and then complete a Kung Fu resume for the weekend of the test.
Having demonstrated their knowledge of this Taoist based art, the students must then perform a wide variety of skills. The students begin by proving their ability to strike effectively. Kneeing, elbow and kicking techniques are all demonstrated with accuracy and balance, but most attention is paid to the footwork and chain punching methods of WT. As the name suggests, chain punches are a series of centrally aimed punches in quick succession. The ‘rate of fire’ is generally 5 to 8 punches per second (up to 11 for experts). Upon satisfactory completion, the students may then continue with their testing.
The Grandmaster continued with an inspection of WT forms. These are technically precise, structured movements used to train co-ordination, concentration and defensive movements with hands and then feet. Hours of forms training leads to almost ‘textbook’ application of WT, with excellent stances and hand positioning. The finale of the weekend was a one on one chi-sao examination with the Grandmaster.
The Crawley students were amongst 10 attempting the Technician test and taken into a side room of the gym. Here (and I know from personal) experience you are subjected to an intense test by Sigung Kernspecht. There is no doubt that chi-sao is the Grandmaster’s specialty and the slightest mistake usually results in a barrage of throat, chin and eye strikes or a visit to the floor! Fortunately for Alan, Alex and Tony, they all showed an excellent knowledge and practical application of the chi-sao sections which include bridging techniques, arm dislocations, grabs with punches and double punching applications!
So after a nerve racking weekend, all 3 passed the first landmark of a long WT career and GM Kernspecht welcomed them to the WT family and a lifetime of learning! Congratulations also to Sifu Chrisu who passed his 3rd Technician and Sifu Paul Hawkes for his time and patience over the years. Anyone interested in learning Wing Chun Kung Fu should contact Paul Hawkes on 07748 98977
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| Dave Bright | ||
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| www.brightonkungfu.org | ||
There are an infinite amount of things one can study in the world today. From fine art and even finer wines, to white water rafting and skydiving. These things (and everything that fills the massive chasm between them) can be a passing fancy or can consume the interested individual until they become a master of all the knowledge available on their chosen subject. Kung Fu are, of course, no different. Everybody chooses a particular art and starts training in it for different reasons. Progress can vary massively from individual to individual for many reasons and this can be where your troubles begin.
Everybody has an ego be it large or small. Some are aware of it and have a certain amount of control over it, others will deny it’s there at all. Either way it is (in the authors opinion at least) an important part of our personality and doubly important to someone who strives to improve themselves. The reason ego is often seen as a negative trait is because people tend to only see the outward part of it, the “look at how good I am” side of someone’s personality. But is that a negative attitude? On the contrary it can only be seen as an extremely positive mental attitude. Self-confidence is all too rare in today’s world, and the reason for many victims failing to defend themselves (although this is a subject that it would be far too easy to deviate into, so I shall avoid it for now). If a student (in any art) is happy with their skills and progress why should they not be proud of them and display them outwardly? A problem only arises if this confidence has little or no grounding. It’s then that the individual’s ego becomes a negative trait.
So if you keep your ego in check it will continue to grow with you as skills grow, right? Not so I’m afraid. The hardest part of being sure of what you know is when the time comes for you to be told you’re wrong. The “knock back” is an essential part of you’re training and although it doesn’t feel it at the time it is extremely important to keep a healthy attitude. Once again this should not be seen as negative because this can lead to an underlying doubt in yourself (Geoff Thompson calls it “the black dog”). In fact it can have very positive results. I’ll make an example;
An instructor watches two students performing a drill that uses a bong sau movement. After a while he stops them to address some problems and says to one of them (student A)
“ OK, you’re bong sau was good, well done.”
He turns to the second student (B) and says
“ I don’t think you understand the reason for the bong sau movement here.”
The instructor then goes on to correct him and try to solve his problem. So “A” has had his ego boosted and “B” has taken a knock back. But who is better off? “B” has learnt new information and had a chance to re-evaluate what he knows. “A” has to be very careful not to take what was said too much to heart. He was complimented on his technique and it would not have been said if it were not justified, but has he improved because of it? If his bong sau was 75% correct before his instructors comment was said it remains 75% correct after it was said. He can however underline a piece of information in his head and use it as the next step up. He may also of learnt something from the explanation given to his training partner. Everybody wins.
As an instructor your problems are expanded. Your vocation requires you to observe other people and pass comment on their performance. This opens up several opportunities for self prescribed “ego massage” and can take your focus away from your own training. Allowing yourself to be critical of others is essential to be a good instructor, but you have to know when to stop and look at yourself. It’s very easy to stand at the back whilst you are training and criticise everyone in front of you for whatever reason you see fit. Even if you are correct in your criticism you have wasted your time because you are there for your training, for your benefit. If you make a mental note that someone’s footwork is bad (be it a student, an instructor or whoever) and you are not teaching that class, what good has it done you? None, but your ego will be telling you how clever you are for noticing and how much better you are. If this is right or wrong or otherwise I will leave up to you, but I hope this has set you thinking or at least allowed you to realise that you knew it all already. Aren’t you the clever one….
Book Review: On Single Combat By Keith R. Kernspecht.
There are few books on any subject that can hold the interest of both a complete novice and an accomplished sportsman/craftsman. The reason? It can be infinitely difficult to do so. Too much information will alienate the beginner and constant repetition of the basics will bore the keen enthusiast. Why it is then that Si Gung Kernspechts “On Single Combat” is one of the most well worn books I have? Surely a 2nd Technician grade instructor in WT can gain little or no information from a book that is constantly recommended to (and praised by) the complete beginner? The answer should be obvious, but this book is renowned for making you re-evaluate what you thought you already knew.
It’s only fair that I confess to you that I have never sat and read this book from cover to cover. In its entirety this book contains a heavy amount of text which, for me at least, can be hard going. I have however read the book many times through in the way I feel its best used; pick a random page and start reading. If you have any knowledge of WT are almost guaranteed to find out something you didn’t know or have your opinion changed on something that you thought you fully understood.
The reason the book works so well is because of the intuitive way it’s been written. Si Gung is well aware of how the fundamentals of the WT system should be explained to someone with no knowledge of this or any other martial art, and does so extremely well. There is little sales pitch in the text but you find yourself compelled to stand up and try the ideas out. On top of this there are enough hints given that you start to understand that there is much more to the system than you initially thought. My favourite has to be the line”even chi Sao is merely a crutch that you must discard in the end…a wooden dummy is perfectly adequate for the WT master.”
If you haven’t read this book I highly recommend that you give it a try. Your understanding of WT will be better for it.
It’s a forgone conclusion. Pick up any Wing Chun/Wing Chun/Ving Tsun article or book and you’re almost sure to read about one thing, sensitivity training. It’s an obsessional subject for any practitioner and is constantly resurrected and re-advertised as the “bedrock of the system”. The importance of chi sau training is of course undeniable, its what sets Wing Chun apart from the thousands of other Kung Fu systems in the world today and without it learning the many techniques and refinements would be even more random and difficult than it already is. We can therefore conclude that it is important to train our sensitivity, right? Maybe not.
What is sensitivity? Physical sensitivity is our ability to gain sensory input from any of our receptors.* These include skin, eyes, ears, tongue etc. The inputs we can pick up on are many and varied, but the subject we are concerned with here is pressure applied to the skin. The ability to feel pressure on the skin (tactile sensitivity) can be measured in several ways but the results are usually of a similar nature, concluding that whilst there is a difference from individual to individual these differences are minimal. Everybody has approximately the same ability to feel things with their skin. There are natural exceptions, such as the blind that often have slightly increased tactile sensitivity, although this is less common among blind males than blind females. Illnesses such as diabetes can have a reducing effect on sensitivity in the extremities (fingers/toes) as can prolonged pressure to any area (guitar player’s fingers, Thai boxer’s shins etc.). Drugs (such as ecstasy) and, rather more bizarrely, weightlessness (i.e. zero gravity) can give a temporary increase, and skin hydration can also have an affect. Leprosy sufferers usually show an increase in their ability to feel if their hands are soaked in water for a short period. ** The jury is still out on the effects (if any) that age has on tactile sensitivity.
There is however, no evidence that you can permanently increase your tactile sensitivity through any form of training or use of drugs. So what exactly are we spending our time training? Why is it that your Sifu seems to react to the slightest change in pressure whilst you receive yet another blow to the face? If you read the last sentence again, the answer is there. Not got it? Your Sifu REACTS. He feels the same input on his arms as you; he just has a better ability to react to it. Put simply, this is what we spend our time training, not our sensitivity, but our ability to recognise an input (pressure/energy or whatever you wish to call it) and carry out the appropriate action.
At the initial stage all this takes part in a very conscious part of the brain. You need thinking time to recognise what is happening and take the right action. As time goes on this thinking time is reduced through repetitive training, until you reach the final stage, reflex action. A reflex action is one that bypasses the conscious brain completely, and has become the only way your body knows how to react to something. If you are lucky enough to have a Sifu who seems to have a “sixth sense” you will know what I mean.
The idea that you are training your reaction skills also means you can use all available inputs, not just your tactile ones. The ability to see what an opponent is doing and hear what he is saying is just as important in the initial stages of a self-defence situation as any “sensitivity skills” you may have. Once again your reactions here will take time to develop, and can become just as subconscious as your chi Sao training.
I don’t wish to slaughter any sacred cows here, it’s just my wish to make you aware of what you’re actually trying to achieve and hopefully give you a better understanding of how things relate to each other within the system. Above all, remember that any training you do is beneficial in one way or another, no matter what you choose to call it.
*Mental sensitivity is your ability to cry when Yoda dies in The Empire Strikes Back!
**Leprosy is a condition that affects the nervous system and not, as commonly believed, any sort of infection of the flesh.
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| Pete Woolgar | ||
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| http://www.Wing Chunkungfu.co.uk/ | ||
One of the most respected books, especially within Kung Fu circles, is Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”.
I decided that it was about time that I read this book, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.
The version that I read was by Stephen F Kaufman, under the banner of Tuttle Publishing (worth buying if you ask me!).
What struck me the most, and what I am going to share with you now, is that Sun Tzu’s ideas and principles, in my opinion, are extremely similar to those of WT (or vice versa).
Please bear in mind that all comparisons made are totally personal and, if you read the book, you may have a totally different understanding of what was meant and in what context.
All I know is that for me, it made so much sense and I was able to draw many comparisons with our very own principles and ethos.
The following quotes, from the book, are the ones that seemed most significant to me and I will try to explain how I think they resemble WT:
"In war it is essential to make the enemy think one thing while you deliver a strike from another direction"
This idea resembles GM Kernspechts blitz defence, working on the non-aggressive posture and the pre-emptive strikes.
I also have in mind being relaxed and yielding- if someone attacks you, they are expecting to hit something that is hard and to meet resistance. By not doing this in WT, we give the opponent nothing that they would expect, throwing them off guard and making our job easier.
"It is essential to keep the enemy off balance."
I envisage attacking from a 45degree angle, using penetrative footwork and chain punching. All of these, effectively, put the opponent on the defence (off balance) and make the job of attacking them a lot easier for us.
"If he moves back, you move forward. if he moves in, you move in with greater resolve."
This quote reminds me of the first and last of our WT principles.
The first principle is: - “if the way is free go forward”, which matches the second half of the above quote.
Our 4th Principle is “If the way becomes free, or your opponent retreats, follow”, again, this is exactly what is said in the above quote.
"Oversupply presents problems of a different nature"
In WT (and if you read “On Single Combat” by GM Kernspecht), the emphasis is on “less is more”. In WT we work to principles rather than relying on learning hundreds/ thousands of techniques that could cause confusion when you are under pressure.
"If you are equally matched in strength, then you must be the superior commander and beat the enemy with proper strategy based on conviction and application of your own skills"
We do not fight strength with strength in WT, but instead we rely on being soft and use the principles to defeat the enemy.
Originally a woman developed the system and so to use strength would have meant that she would have had no chance against bigger, stronger adversaries.
"To properly defend, the attitude must be that of thorough attack"
We DO NOT defend in WT.
The principles emphasise the need to attack from the outset.
This principle is also the backbone of the Blitz Defence programmes.
"They know when, where and how to make an attack while defending their positions at the same time"
We always emphasise a strictly positioned guard and ensure that we do not draw back before attacking (which would leave us open to an attack ourselves).
The chi sau sections also reinforce the idea of attacking from a position of safety.
And finally, the order of the four principles is totally geared towards attacking at the right time (or yielding and sticking when you cannot).
"He advances, penetrating deeply into the soft spot in the enemy's armour"
We are aware of the vulnerability of the centreline (core) of the human body and do our best to both defend and attack this area.
The eyes, nose, throat, groin, solar plexus etc are all found along this line.
"He attacks during retreat and employs ultimate deception"
We get used to having forward pressure when we train, especially during chisau exercises.
The WT principles contain “instructions” of how to respond when meeting an opposing force and how to utilise this pressure to launch an unexpected attack on your opponent.
"If the small force is adequately organised it can wreak havoc upon the slowness of the larger army"
This, again, reinforces the whole reason for the WT systems creation.
If WT is used in the correct way, adhering to the principles and displaying a degree of skill, a smaller person can easily overcome a larger, less skilled opponent.
These are just a few of the quotes that I made a note of, but I think you will agree that they are relevant to the WT system that we train.
As I said at the outset, this is just my way of getting the most out of the book and linking “The Art of War” to my every day life.
I would recommend that you read this book and I am sure that you, too, will find it extremely interesting and useful.
You may find other details more important, and have a completely different understanding of what is written, but as long as you gain something from it then it is a worthwhile read.
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| Lisa Vranch | ||
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Wing Chun from a womens point of view
If any ladies are debating whether to give Wing Chun Kung Fu a try, I can’t recommend it highly enough. I trained in kickboxing for a number of years and although I enjoyed it immensely, I have to say that since starting Wing Chun last year, it has become an absolute passion. No other martial art comes even remotely close.
There are very few martial art systems where a smaller person can overcome a much larger and stronger opponent by using the assailant’s own strength and aggression as a weapon against them. I am only 5’ tall and weigh 8 stone yet I regularly immobilise (and generally knock around!) much larger and stronger guys with very little physical effort in my Wing Chun classes – it’s all about technique NOT physical strength and size. If anything we ladies have a Wing Chun advantage over the lads as we are generally more supple and not so prone to tensing up when encountering force from an opponent – lack of testosterone and machismo no doubt!
If you’ve ever been in a situation where some undesirable who thinks that they’re Johnny Depp, but in fact looks more like Johnny Rotten, decides that you must find him totally irresistible and won’t take no for an answer, you would be very, very glad that you’ve been training in Wing Chun, tae bo and boxercise are of no use to you in this scenario! For a start Wing Chun gives you the confidence to be sure that you can release grips, block a wayward hand or two, and if necessary, make the aforementioned cretin’s eyes water, nose bleed and leave him curled up on the floor not knowing what hit him. Possessing this knowledge also alters the way others perceive you; you don’t walk around with your eyes submissively to the floor, shoulders hunched, in classic ‘victim’ posture – instead you walk proudly, with confidence, more aware of your surroundings and the people in it, head up, shoulders back, in short, more capable of dealing with everyday life.
Our club has everything you could ask for – fantastic, encouraging instructors, friendly students and an awesome purpose built school. Whatever level you are at, you’re made to feel very welcome and are given training tailor-made to your ability. Thanks to the support and expertise of our instructors, progression is rapid but never hurried. Wing Chun also gives you an excellent incentive to lose weight and tone up (our mirrored wall is very unforgiving, you have been warned!), and gives you the discipline to attain your own goals, whether in training or on a personal level.
Although Wing Chun was originally created by a woman and is most definitely (in my humble opinion) the most effective and complete form of self defence in existence, we have more male students than female. Hopefully any ladies reading this article will be ready to change this fact.
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