Author: Sifu Och Wing Chun

Based in downtown Lakeland, Florida, Sifu Och Wing Chun is an established self defense school that teaches the Wing Chun style. As a full-service school, Sifu Och Wing Chun also provides fitness boot camps, kickboxing classes, and even after school programs for kids.

Karate Classes vs Wing Chun – Differences in Training

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We not only love Wing Chun and its many forms. We love the training practices. While these differ from sifu to sifu, the way training takes place in Karate classes vs Wing Chun classes matters. In “American” Karate, the focus is often on moving through a series of belts in order to progress. With a good teacher, point scoring and belts will be less important than mastering techniques. The same goes with Wing Chun, emphasis should always be on mastering each technique until it is second nature and reflexive. Sashes are achievable, and progression is important, but testing should be strict and progress must be deliberate. It’s clear Karate and Wing Chun share origins, but there are also lots of differences.

Karate Classes vs Wing Chun Training

In Karate there are three stances, including the natural, or walking stance (shizentai-dachi), the front stance (zenkutsu-dachi), and the cat stance, or back stance (nekoashi-dachi). Each has its uses, of course. The Wing Chun stance and Wing Chun rooting is the key of all movements and balance. Everything builds on those well-rooted foundations. One way in which the stances of Wing Chun and Karate classes are similar is that they both have a good center of balance.

The modern Karate belt came about as a badge of honor. Students initially donned a white belt (obi) as part of their uniform. As a natural result of hard training, effort, and time, belts—which were never washed—became darker and darker. Soon, the “black belt” became the status symbol of a student who engaged in years of hard work and commitment.

Wing Chun vs. Karate Classes and Blocking

You’re likely to experience a different way of blocking when taking Karate classes vs. Wing Chun. This mostly has to do with the direction the blocks take. In Wing Chun, you’re constantly blocking back towards the body while Karate blocks flow away from the body. Both require a solid structure in place behind the blocks, so that balance is maintained.

The main difference in Karate blocking is that karate classes typically teach you to “cock” your arm back and prepare it for a strike. With Wing Chun, you simultaneously attack with the non-blocking arm. Both Karate and Wing Chun deflect attacks with their blocks, relying on good structure to avoid injury and redirect energy from an attack.

Which is Right for You?

So which classes are better? That’s a loaded question. We obviously prefer the slow, deliberate progression associated with Wing Chun training. We’re not about awarding belts to keep the interest of students with short attention spans. Rather, we want to train, train, and train some more until your skills are your own. We want you to learn practical self defense skills that will stand up in the real world.

Watch Out for Online Scams!

There are several places that offer online Karate classes. Some even promise a “black belt in 12 months”. The same could be said for any Wing Chun system that claims you can move through the ranks quickly. Remember, there are no shortcuts! With both Karate and Wing Chun, online classes would be a ridiculous waste of time. Only under the guidance of an experienced teacher can you make true progress in learning practical self-defense skills. Constant and regular evaluations are key to progressing. That’s something you can’t do online!

Exercising Kids and Training Kids Goes Hand in Hand

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When teaching kids self defense classes in our Wing Chun after school martial arts program, a big part of that involves exercise. Exercising kids builds the muscles they need to use to be successful in self defense. Just as with adult Wing Chun classes, building muscles isn’t just for “the big guys”. Training kids is just as important for developing their self defense skill set.

Reasons for Exercising Kids in Training

After being at school all day long, we find that exercising our kids serves many purposes. Let’s examine just a few:

Working Out That Energy

The first thing exercising kids does is work out all that pent up energy from a day at school. While some schools continue to offer physical education, many do not. Of the ones that do, classes often involve low energy activities that don’t really allow them to expel energy. Kids need to move. They need to expel all that physical energy that accompanies their daily mental exercise. Without this exercise, kids tend to expend that energy in less productive ways. They can also work out their energy in scenarios where it’s not appropriate.

When exercising kids in our after school program, we give their bodies the means to get rid of energy built up during the day. It’s a release that helps their minds concentrate, and it prepares them for entering the next day’s activities.

Building Muscles

When we’re training kids, we try to build up their muscles. We’re not going for weightlifters, but rather well-rounded training. We want kids whose arms and legs have some “experience” with being used in activities likely to engage those same muscles during self defense. We want to exercise kids so that when we drill them in kung fu those muscles get trained.

Preparing Them for More Rigorous Programs

We train our kids hard because this isn’t the end. We don’t want them to stop with kids after school programs. They should be ready to graduate into our adult classes. When they do, their muscles will really be tried. They’ll be pushed…hard! With the way we have our kids exercising, these rigorous training methods won’t seem entirely unexpected when they arrive.

Conclusion

There are probably even more reasons why we want our kids to train hard and exercise proficiently in our Wing Chun kung fu classes. The biggest reason, however, is that it’s fun. We actually like working them out, and we do so in ways that are fun and engaging. There’s no reason, at this age, that a good workout has to be boring. With a combination of fun games, and varied exercises, our kids Wing Chun self defense training builds muscles. It also builds confidence stamina, memory, and technique. We love it. They love it. What more could you want?

Testimonial: Neckodemos Davison

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The following is a testimonial from Wing Chun student, Neckodemos Davison. During childhood it was common for my household to consist only of my mother and myself due to my father’s profession. In the event that anyone attached my family, my father wanted to ensure that I could protect myself and my mother in his absence. My father began his search for someone to train his 10 year old son. He hoped to find a martial artist who showed prowess in the ability to subdue an opponent. He also wanted someone who had the passion to pass this ability on.

Out of all the martial art schools he investigated, none of them were able to demonstrate what he was looking for. Most just acted as advanced versions of day care, with more of a focus on discipline rather than the instruction of realistic self-defense techniques. His search finally ended when he came across Sifu Och’s Wing Chun class. At the time those classes took place in Plant City, Florida.

After my mother rained a barrage of emails and phone calls down on Sifu Och, I finally participated in my first class during August of 2007. It was at this moment that I was introduced to one of the most important men in my life. During my first few days of class, Sifu Justin Och had taught me two ways to deal with a wrist grab and three basic blocks to stop three various levels of punches. When I saw my father at the end of the week he asked me “So what did you learn?” I then demonstrated the techniques previously discussed. From that point forward the choice of school solidified. I officially signed up as a student under Sifu Och Wing Chun.

Continued Training

I attended kids martial arts classes three times a week where Sifu taught the basics of Wing Chun and self-discipline. At this point in time, the size of the class never reached more than five students. Most of those classes could have been considered private lessons. By the time I earned my orange sash, the kids class only consisted of two others and myself. It soon merged with the adult Wing Chun kung fu classes. At 12 years old, I became the youngest of the three students to advance into the adult class. Being able to spar provided multiple examples of how the Sifu Och Wing Chun techniques were effective. It didn’t matter the size difference of the practitioner to the opponent. This was especially true because I was even smaller than all the women in the class.

The teachings of this martial arts school go way beyond just Wing Chun. Through dedication to the art and my Sifu, I was shown true inner awareness and self-control. Restraint and control had to be practiced for every punch thrown to a fellow student’s throat or kick to their knee cap. Over time, I developed not only better skills, but also discipline and respect for everyone. Their rank in class or status in life didn’t matter. Witnessing and practicing such devastating techniques also made me realize just how fragile the human body really is. With this realization came a certain level of urgency to refrain from resolving conflicts through physical means. Like Sifu told me long ago, “words are just water under the bridge.”

I am blessed to have found this Wing Chun school when I did. Unlike most, I was spared the trial and error of finding the perfect martial arts instructor. The people that I’ve had the honor of climbing through the ranks with have unshakable honor and loyalty. I would not trade that Wing Chun family for the world. I am a student of Sifu Och, and I always will be.

Testimony: Being a Student of Wing Chun

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During childhood it was common for my household to consist only of my mother and myself due to my father’s profession. In the event that my family was under attack my father wanted to ensure that I was capable of protecting myself as well as my mother in his absence. As a result, I was 10 years old when he searched Hillsborough County, Florida in hopes to find a martial artist that showed prowess in the ability to subdue an opponent as well as have the passion to pass this ability on. Out of all the after school martial arts schools he investigated, none of them were able to show what he was looking for. Most just acted as advanced versions of day care, with more of a focus on discipline rather than the instruction of realistic self-defense techniques.

His search finally ended when he came across Sifu Och’s Wing Chun class, which at the time was being held in Plant City, Florida. My journey of being a student of Wing Chun had just begun.

Becoming a Student of Wing Chun

After my mother rained a barrage of emails and phone calls down on Sifu Och, I finally participated in my first class during August of 2007. It was at this moment that I was introduced to one of the most important men in my life. During my first few days of class, Sifu Och had taught me two ways to deal with a wrist grab and three basic blocks to stop three various levels of punches. When I saw my father at the end of the week he asked me “So what did you learn?” I then demonstrated the techniques previously discussed, and from that point forward it was settled. I was officially signed up as a student under Sifu Och.

honoring father

I attended the kid’s class three times a week while Sifu taught the basics of Wing Chun and self-discipline. At this point in time the size of the class never reached more than five students and most of the classes could have been considered private lessons. By the time I earned my orange sash, the kid’s class only consisted of two others and myself so it was merged with the adult’s class. At 12 years old, I was the youngest of the three students to advance into the adult’s class.

After a series of unfortunate events, the younger students were no longer permitted to spar against one another for safety reasons. This transition provided multiple examples of how effective Sifu Och’s Wing Chun techniques were. They worked no matter the size difference of the practitioner to opponent, especially because I was even smaller than all the women in the class.

Extending the Student Mindset

The teachings of this martial art’s school go way beyond just Wing Chun. Through dedication to the art and my Sifu I was shown true inner awareness and self-control. Restraint and control had to be practiced for every punch thrown to a fellow student’s throat or kick to their knee cap. Over time, I developed not only better skills but discipline and respect for everyone. It didn’t matter their rank in class or status in life. Witnessing and practicing such devastating techniques also brought the realization of how fragile the human body really is. With this realization came a certain level of urgency to refrain from resolving conflicts through physical means. Like Sifu told me long ago, “words are just water under the bridge.” That’s wisdom to any student of Wing Chun.

Neckodemus student of Wing Chun

I am blessed to have become a student of Wing Chun and to have found this school when I did. Unlike most, I was spared the trial and error of finding the perfect martial art instructor. The people that I have had the honor of climbing through the ranks with have unshakable honor and loyalty. I wouldn’t trade that Wing Chun family for the world. I am a student of Sifu Och and I always will be.

– Neckodemos Davison
August, 2016

Jackie Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu Practitioner

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Some very prominent Wing Chun practitioners have helped the style pick up mainstream interest. Wing Chun isn’t new, however, and the rich history of Wing Chun is worth looking into. Around the 1970’s, Kung Fu was getting some serious recognition thanks to some very popular TV shows and films. Chinese martial arts suddenly started to have a  name. While Kung Fu the Legend Continues was a huge hit, Bruce Lee’s films and entries like the popular Ip Man movie and almost anything starring Donnie Yen. These popular martial art movies, TV programs, posters, and a larger number of emerging schools are really taking Wing Chun far into the mainstream. The Jackie Chan Wing Chun style involved serious training and combat with a comedic angle that endeared it to viewers everywhere.

Jackie Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu

Jackie Chan demonstrates his love for Wing Chun Kung Fu while showing off his wooden dummy abilities. His Rumble in the Bronx movie is just one example of this. Here is a clip of him practicing on the wooden dummy on screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz5Ppw9gnpk

Other stars have also jumped into adding Wing Chun as part of their routine, including Madonna, who has even trained in the art of Shaolin Kung Fu and Wushu. The Diva of all female celebrities has probably tried most of the activities out there. When preparing for her 2001 tour she decided to try her hand at Shaolin Kung Fu, for increased balance and power. With a foundation in Yoga and Dancing, she found amazing results and unbelievable coordination and strength. She made the transition in the highly difficult art of Shaolin Kung Fu and Wushu because she saw the need and the results were real.

Criss Angel, the magician and illusionist refers often to his practice in the martial arts. Criss Angel has trained and devoted his body and mind towards the mental toughness that kung fu and the martial arts provide. Strengthening and toughing his mental and physical resolve is what allows him to accomplish his various feats of strength and endurance.

Your Wing Chun Training

A Kung Fu practitioner doesn’t have time or the privilege to waste time, indulge in wasteful fruitless, and idle activities.  A self motivated and disciplined practitioner reflects a person that others are inspired by and want to become.

Sifu Och – Wing Chun Kung Fu
116 E. Pine St, Lakeland, Fl 33801
sifuochwingchun@gmail.com
863.800.0171

Learning Martial Arts Lakeland FL Style

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Martial arts have become very important in recent times due to an increasing awareness among the people about their health. Many people are also learning martial arts for self protection, but we think that learning martial arts Lakeland FL style is the best way to go. This is an important self defense style which is very helpful for people to know. Lakeland fl is one area where there are a number of places where one can learn these arts. Summer camp program is been organized by the institutes which impart this knowledge to their students during the summer breaks. Many school children learn this art from the teachers and this helps them in the long run to maintain good health and also to protect themselves. There are so many benifits to learning martial arts lakeland fl.

Improving the physical health of the person

andrew corbett wing chun, wing chun, kung fuMartial arts lakeland fl training help in the improvement of the physical health of the children or the adults who practice this art. With the help of Martial arts lakeland fl, one can not only keep their body fit but also can lose a lot of weight from their body. Many people go to the gym for the shedding of excess fat from their body. However you need not do this. By practicing the martial art regularly, a marked change can be brought to our body. It has an impact on the whole body of the person and it is holistic way of improving the health of a person in the long run. Apart from keeping the body fit, you also will be able to control the muscle groups. Learning Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu martial arts lakeland fl will help in the improvement of the cardiovascular groups of muscles and helps to improve the health of your heart.

Conditioning the muscle and hardening of bones

lakeland self defense classes, lakeland self defense, lakeland defense, self defense lakeland, lakeland, self defense,With the help of martial arts, the bone can be hardened and conditioned. The individuals are taught in such a way so that they can withstand severe blows to their body and can attack the person with superior strength. This strength training done by the practice of this art form is very helpful for many individuals. This is essential for people in recent times often have weak bone structure. They can harden their bones with the help of the practicing of this art form. The resilience that is generated in the body of the person is immensely helpful in the long run for the maintaining of good health by the person. Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu in central florida teaching the martial arts lakeland fl.

Practicing of the martial arts is a good way to relive your body from the daily stress of your life. People think that only adults are subjected to stress. But that is not true. Even the children are also subjected to stress. The huge stress of their studies takes a toll on their health also. They are subjected to stress. With the help of various kinds of martial art you can reduce the amount of stress in your life to a great extent. Harmony of the mind and the body is important for maintaining good health of a person. Stress leads to breaking of this harmony. Therefore one can practice these forms for the elimination of stress from the body of the person. Mental focus, concentration levels and relief from the stress can be achieved by practicing the martial art by an individual.

Improvement of self-confidence

Martial art helps in the increasing of self-confidence in a person. With the help of practicing of martial art, it will be very helpful for increasing the confidence of a person. Since the person will have good mental and physical health, the confidence of the person will increase to a great level. This is helpful for the person as he will have greater confidence in his abilities. He will be able to work in a better manner.

Improvement of mental focus

It helps in the improvement of the mental focus of the person. With the help of the mental arts, the person will be able to increase the focus and thereby work accordingly. It is in the summer camp program that many children are been taught about the mental focus. This helps in the increasing of concentration and focus in the lives of the children. This is helpful for the children as one can increase their mental abilities and also study accordingly. This will help them to remember their studies properly and do well in the examinations.

Make new friends

At the martial arts classes, you will be able to make new friends for yourself. This is very helpful for many students. They can interact with each other during the course of the training and also spend time with each other after the classes get over. They can mix with each other during the summer and go off on excursions and other such events with the new friends that they make. This is very helpful for many people who want to make new friends in the course of the camp program. This increases the charm of the classes and also helps many people to attend classes regularly.

Low impact training in lakeland fl

Martial arts training are a low impact exercise for keeping good health of your body. When a person practices martial art, the impact of the exercise on the body of the person is low. Unlike the other forms of exercise in which one cab get hurt in the course of the exercise, martial art is a relatively safe exercise format. One has lesser or no chance of getting hurt with this method. Hence one can practice this exercise form with ease of mind.

Therefore these are the benefits of practicing martial art for keeping your mind and body fit. There are many summer camps organized in the Lakeland area and people can go to these camps and practice the martial art. This will help them to keep their body fit and fine. This will also help them to maintain the mental health of the person. Therefore you can practice any kind of martial art and be assured that the level of benefit will be the same from any form that you feel like practicing.

Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu
116 E. Pine St, Lakeland, Fl 33801
863.800.0171

For Learning Wing Chun Bartow Florida is Worth the Lakeland Drive

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Looking for a Wing Chun instructor who serves the Bartow area. How about one who is accomplished in delivering truthfully superior students, coaches and instructors? If this is the case, you will find exactly what you’re looking for at Sifu Och Kung Fu. For learning Kung Fu Bartow Florida isn’t that far from Lakeland, so training with us is a simple drive to our downtown facilities. As an Ip Man Family Lineage academy, Sifu Och is capable of managing all of your Ip Man Southern Chinese combat and martial art needs. From start to finish his skilled coaches will provide clear no holds barred combinations with outstanding Wing Chun Bartow FL classes that will help you and your family surpass your expectations.

Servicing Bartow through our Headquarters location in downtown Lakeland Florida you will find highly skilled professionals without ego looking to help you achieve your goals and encourage you in your development.

Advocating self protection is our goal, not violence. Unfortunately 90% of what’s being taught in many commercialized traditional martial arts today doesn’t work for modern street fights. Time is wasted on flamboyant pretty movements instead of proven reliable applications. Training theories is nice, but it must be coupled with established sound biomechanics and reactive psychology. We provide expert training serving Wing Chun Bartow FL .

For Learning Wing Chun Bartow Florida is Worth the Lakeland Drive

Our schools method is committed almost exclusively to realistic applicable fighting tactics. This gives you a distinct advantage to commercialized rehearsed reaction versus credible implementation of responsive combinations. Our distinct advantage is the evolution of in-fighting through countless hands on fights our lineage Master’s and Grandmasters from the Ip Man Family lineage. They rejected what wasn’t working and injected that which kept any size practitioner safer increasing their potential for personal self defense. Conquering fear through realism happens with constant practice to gain credible results instead of emotional reaction.

Highly skilled instructors supervise each class, ensuring careful training with attention to detail that way knowledgeable coaches can answer any question that is thrown at them.

So many benefits come with choosing Sifu Och and learning Wing Chun Bartow Florida to Lakeland is worth the trip. Benefits include:

  • A standard Curriculum for attaining success
  • Proven set responses and techniques for almost any scenario
  • Natural applications for flowing fighting offense
  • Sound realistic concepts that train effective quick response
  • In-fighting training seminars and group sessions

We will beat the advertised price of any storefront Wing Chun academy in all of Central Florida. A price match guarantee that will beat any other advertised offer providing apples to apples combat training. Plus, for learning Kung Fu Bartow Florida is only a short drive from Lakeland—and training with us is worth the trip to our air conditioned downtown studio.

If you want more information on our Wing Chun classes for Bartow residents, call us today. Ask us about our VIP Trial for or our Kickboxing for fitness classes! 1 (863) 800-0171

To see more watch our videos

Kung Fu Winter Haven FL

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Sifu Och serves Kung Fu Winter Haven FL area—including Plant City , Brandon, Tampa, Lakeland, Bartow and Auburndale.

In a world driven by insecurity, the need of physical self-defense techniques cannot be overlooked. Martial arts training thus becomes the call of the day having immeasurable benefits. Though there are several martial arts styles, Kung Fu is one of the most popular forms recognized for its elegant and sinuous forms. What makes this Chinese martial arts style unique is its ability to combat an enemy and restrict them instantly with strikes.

Learning these self-defense techniques are a crucial facet and the experts of our Kung Fu Winter Haven Fl program know what many do not, and more importantly teach it in its entirety.

The Need for Kung Fu Self Defense in Winter Haven FL

Dangers are unpredictable and it is better to be prepared to handle such violent situations then be a sheep to them, always hoping they won’t happen. Self-defense skills are hence indispensable. Self-defense techniques can enable men, women and children to defend themselves from physical assault and likewise protect themselves and their loved ones.

The objective of our kung fu winter haven program is to coach realistic techniques to empower people so that they can handle violent attacks. However it is important to understand that self defense techniques make use of physical force to defend oneself or any other person from physical aggression. Building power and confidence is essential to your physical and mental well-being. Defend yourself only when needed.

Deciding to train with the experts at Sifu Och Wing Chun for your Kung Fu Winter Haven Fl martial arts classes will can be a life changing path. The knowledge and information takes time, dedication and effort but if your hard headed and persistent then you will be just fine!

For more information contact us at 863-800-0171

Wing Chun Wooden Dummy Training

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Sifu Och Wing Chun wooden dummy trainingThe Wing Chun wooden dummy is typically made of hard wood and has three protruding arms in different attack positions (jab, cross, gut shot) as well as a forward wooden or metal leg for kick applications. The Wing Chun Wooden Dummy form trains specific techniques that are performed simultaneously to increase and improve a practitioners self defense fighting application. Accuracy and proper technique are paramount to achieving the highest training potential the wooden dummy has to offer. Though many people and styles have bought and trained on the wooden dummy, not just any kind of martial art can get the maximum results the wooden dummy has to offer. The wooden dummy’s angles, structure, and posture were created for performing and training the aspects and angles of forward Wing Chun and Kung Fu fighting.

Wing Chun Wooden Dummy Training Techniques

Practitioner’s of other styles may use large movements or smacking/striking techniques to “condition” the arms, fists, and legs, but this is not the true purpose of the wooden dummy. Proper training under a certified instructor is essential to get the most out of your Wing Chun wooden dummy training. In Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, he emphasized training on the wooden dummy as Wing Chun is one of the central engines to the Jeet Kune Do style.

Wing Chun wooden dummy training

wooden dummy muk yan jong trainingWing Chun wooden dummy training takes the development of timing, power, correct structure, coordination, mobility, footwork. If you want to increase your speed, structure, focus and mobility while harnessing your internal and external energy towards serious accomplishments, Wing Chun has all of the aspects to achieve it. The Wooden Dummy is just one of its tools to assist you in this path of great and serious accomplishment. The Wooden Dummy is static in it own nature but reactionary in both sound and movement against a mobile fighter allowing you to train on iron palm, iron arm, and combination fighting applications. ‘Wooden Dummy sparring’ or ‘Wooden Dummy fighting’ is a free form fighting method that amazing to watch and even more fun to practice when a pugilist full understands what they can do. A fighter (no matter what his/her background needs to acquire certain skills and abilities. Endurance to last the fight, speed, power and timing to deliver your blows without getting hit yourself and precision and accuracy while rooting and moving so you are not a static and immobile practitioner. A well rounded fighter has to know standup and ground defense, knife, gun and stick tactics as well as striking, kicking, throwing, chi na and countering. A well rounded fighter has to strengthen there arms, body, fists and legs to deliver powerful blows while being able to take blows and strikes if attacked or caught off guard.

The Wing Chun system trains all of these aspects and is a complete style of fighting that aims to create a well rounded and powerful fighting practitioner for real world self defense. Under the guidance of a great practitioner/instructor the Wooden Dummy is an amazing tool in your training that will condition your mind and body, build endurance and fighting flow and increase your precision and rooting. Making you the Wing Chun fighter a force unlike any other.

Modern Shaolin Weapon Training for the Wing Chun Fighter

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florida-wing-chun-street-fight-tampa-florida-wing-chun-street-fightToday we enjoy the freedom of learning, training, sparring and fighting with these weapons without the fear of prosecution or imprisonment. We are free to learn and educate ourselves in public while maintaining the traditions of the past “war like techniques” with the protection in mind of our family, friends, and country. Modern Shaolin weapon training has a rich history. Traditional Wing Chun butterfly swords resemble the butcher knives you might find in a kitchen today. They were something that may have been used to cut the heads off of fish in their time of concealment and may have looked unassuming since they didn’t resemble the larger swords and long pole weapons of their time. Today we respect these swords as additional weapons of empowerment, strength and the further extension of our Wing Chun fighting applications.

We find that the training of both hands fighting as one increases your chances of survival as well as your full body fighting and survival applications. Even if you can’t find a pair of swords to fight with, two sticks, two axes, two hatchets, two machetes, a stick, and a knife much like in escrima/kali can be used. Even if you only have one of them, since it is an extension of your body the stick, sword, knife, axe, hatchet or machete in the hands of a well seasoned and trained Wing Chun fighter is just scary. Wing Chun butterfly sword training doesn’t use a lot of drills but rather repeated practice of fighting combinations against empty hand, long pole (8’-12’ dragon pole), short pole (6’ monkey pole) and other sword types. This makes your training and execution of techniques extremely adaptable and practical in a real life situation.

Advanced Wing Chun combinations trainingKnife defense, gun, Stick, sword, long pole and Shaolin weapon training is all a part of the Wing Chun warrior’s fighting regiment. A Wing Chun fighter must be well rounded and understand and beable to apply all that they know in the protection of family, friend, country or state. Though remember Wing Chun is a martial art of last resort, it teaches discipline, control, distance and self preservation. It also teaches you to be of calm mind and body and that if there is any chance you can leave or run while keeping your family safe then you are to do it. Though if your back is against the wall or if you can’t leave safely Wing Chun answers the “what if scenario’s” with a combination of realistic self defense and fighting combatives. We are here only to protect those we love and that includes ourselves, our training benefits all those we know, touch, love or even see. We are trained to do what is necessary to get us and those we love into a safe environment, out of harm’s way when threatened or attacked. Wing Chun is a complete and full martial art comprised of techniques to empower the mind and body at any age of decisive development, all it takes it time, dedication and effort. Everything is available within your grasp, you can make it yours by being accountable for your training, your dedication and your time. There will always be a reason to wait, to do it later. Stop waiting in fear and take control of your accomplishments now and in the future.

Long Pole Weapon Fighting or Dragon Pole

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Wing Chun’s long pole luk dim boon Gwan, known as the dragon pole, employs a devastating centerline fighting principle with the distance of eight to thirteen feet. Using the strength and reinforcement of the entire body the pole has fighting use of its sides and frontal striking power at the tip. Long pole weapon fighting training is saved for those students who demonstrate they understand the basic fundamentals and are ready to begin the intermediate to advanced training these weapons provide. Remember that advanced Wing Chun classes in weapons are an extension of your empty hand training. If you don’t know the basics of your art, how can you wield, use, and understand a weapon which doubles to triples the difficulty of balance, precision, strength, and endurance?

 

History of Long Pole Weapon Fighting Technique

Lakeland wing chun advanced butterfly sword trainingThere are many stories about how the long pole had its beginnings throughout the history of Wing Chun, one of those stories is that Leung Yee Tai was taught the dragon pole techniques from Abbot Chi Shin. He was one of the Shaolin monks that had made an escape during the destruction and burning of the Shaolin Temple by the Manchu Government. Abbot Chi Shin was hiding on the red junk boat opera troupe as a cook but in all truth was from the Shaolin monastery. Another Story tells us of a Hung Gar (Hung Kuen) master who worked with the boatmen of the red junk boat. He taught them a fast way of developing great internal power and huge strength that could be assimilated into their Wing Chun training. The simple and fast fighting movements of the dragon pole (luk dim boon gwan) were perfect counterparts to the Wing Chun system. This also shows us that Wing Chun was willing to learn, adapt and give respect to all arts. We are not a system that shun’s other arts but welcomes there fast, simple and effective means at which to end a fight. Wing Chun’s focus in training is in reactions of the fighting mind set, reactions are not fancy they are direct, reactions are not big or flowery they are direct and always centerline. The fighting mind of the dragon pole fighter (luk dim boon gwan) must always be on the most direct and effeicent way of using the pole. The fight must start and end quickly and the drills must build as much internal power as they do external power. You become a fighter that has one goal and one purpose.

The six-and-a-half long pole techniques or points of Wing Chun Dragon Pole fighting are:

  1. Tai kwan (Lifting or Raising Pole)
  2. Biu kwan (Forward Thrusting Pole)
  3. Sot kwan (up/down crescent circling pole or in/out Lower Gate Pole)
  4. Lon kwan (High horizontal striking/deflecting pole or Long Bridge Pole)
  5. Kik kuan (Vertical up/down striking/deflecting pole or in/out Upper Gate Pole)
  6. Huen kwan (Circling/Deflection pole technique)
  7. (6-1/2) Ding or Lo kwan (Short Thrust Pole)

The dragon pole (luk dim boon gwan) was used historically as a boat pole, used to guide and push the boat away from rocks as well as to move it along. Much like poles are used on Gondolas in Italy. These poles have different histories as how they got there beginnings in Wing Chun.

Long Pole Weapon Fighting or Dragon Pole

After the Manchu Government gained full control of China the outlawed all all forms of weaponry so to restrict and keep hold of the Chinese. The Manchu government restricted the work of the Hon’s (Chinese), increased their taxes, burden there economy and forbid them from reaching the higher levels of government office. The Manchu government also forbid and banned the Hon’s (Chinese) from any type of Kung Fu training. Since the Manchu Government had the same religious beliefs of the Shaolin Temple they allowed there training to continue, this proved detrimental as the Shaolin monks created a new system of Kung Fu called Wing Chun that didn’t take the 15-20 years most other styles of kung fu take to master and use.

The Art of Wing Chun survived the Manchu destruction of the Shaolin Temples and went underground in concealment, assassination and espionage. These Wing Chun master were not always monks and did not have the same religious or moral restrictions as their previous instructors. These Wing Chun rebel’s would hide upon boats as actors going port to port from southern to northern china, using back alleys to take out Manchu generals and high ranking politicians. Wing Chun’s concealed weapons, fast hands and quick reactions were ideal for these close quarter fights. Sharp side or not, imagine getting hit in the neck, joints, ribs, face, wrists, arteries, veins or tendon’s with the speed and precision of Wing Chun with the steel and brass of Wing Chun Butterfly Swords. Trust me, getting hit the blunt side of these Wing Chun swords is enough, the power and speed in this traditional weapon are absolutely incredible and should be respected.

Wing Chun Butterfly Swords

Posted on by Sifu Och Wing Chun

butterfly swords Wing Chun advanced classesA weapon of choice for any close quarter combat practitioner and specialist, the Eight Slashing Swords called the Wing Chun Butterfly Swords are known as extensions of a Wing Chun fighters arms and hands. The speed, the reactions and the power of a Wing Chun Master practitioner are only increased exponentially by a weapon so forged and seasoned for one purpose. Mastering Wing Chun allows you by extension to master other aspects of fighting, much like the warriors of past their swords were extensions of their body. Wing Chun Butterfly Swords are highly adaptable in today’s world as combative partners in realistic self defense. Similar butcher knives these Shaolin weapons of concealment were trained to increase the strength of a fighting practitioner as well as increasing the speed and power of the shaolin kung fu figher.

Since the Wing Chun Swords (Bart Jarm Do) were easy to conceal and used as an extension of a Wing Chun practitioners arms they were by far the most deadly and effective weapon. There traditional and modern use of trapping, immobilizing, simultaneous offense and defense all while counter attacking and using the entire Wing Chun way of fighting is astounding. The advanced Wing Chun classes in Bart Jarm Do Swords emphasizes the coordination of both sides of the body and mind all while pushing the limits of fast hand-eye coordination, quick reaction and rooted footwork. It’s design was that of concealment, full capability and proven principles.

There are many names for the Wing Chun Butterfly sword such as; bart jarm do, bot jam do, butterfly knives, eight slashing swords (8-slash knives), baat jaam do, bart charn dao, ba zhan dao. No matter what the name, the swords are a diverse weapon of choice amongst modern and traditional Wing Chun practitioners. Through there use and practice you strengthen your forearms, wrist, triceps, biceps, chest and back. Think of a boxer with weights in his/her hands while practicing, now imagine that boxer had to practice directional fighting, forward and backward attacking all while using weights. The strength, flexibility and power you can gain from these “butcher knife” like weapons is amazing. Through their use and practice you will also find a better center of gravity, rooting and foundation all while reinforcing your Wing Chun fighting techniques. With this comes a greater ability to redirect, attack, counter and move not to mention fighting against other weapons and poles. Since the Wing Chun Swords are an extension of your hands and arms 99% of Wing Chun techniques can be used with the Wing Chun Swords. This makes them a versatile traditional and non-traditional weapon much like hand knives, guns, kali sticks, escrima weapons and more.

Lakeland wing chun butterfly swords trainingThough we are not Buddhist, the swords were used and originally forged by the Shaolin Monks who in there religion forbid killing at all costs. Traditionally the swords were only sharpened at the top making the slicing, chopping, cutting or slashing techniques mainly those of blunt force trauma instead of death. They believed that a person should be given a chance to learn from their mistakes instead of dying because of them. This meant that the Shaolin Monks broke bone, tendon or limbs during war and battle for country and self freedom. When not on the battle field or being attacked by bandits the Shaolin Wing Chun Swords folded upon each other for concealment and making them look like one weapon. The Shaolin Wing Chun Swords blade length is equal to the length of the forearm to the fist. Wing Chun butterfly swords are designed to close in a close and medium range, with hand guards made like brass knuckles to strike and smash the opponent using strikes and punches. The Wing Chun Swords are design with a hook to lock or hook the opponent’s weapon as to immobilize or trap them momentarily so you can strike, hit or slash freely.

Gun and Knife Offense and Defense Training

Posted on by Sifu Och Wing Chun

If you want to learn truly effective gun and knife offense and defense training, our Advanced Wing Chun Training classes will set you on the right path. Flashy techniques, jumping spinning kicks, or moves that have you “strip or snatch” the knife from the attackers hands are not aimed or forged in real-life street fighting. Rather, they’re forged in theories of what “could” happen against willing participants. F.O.P. (Fresh Out of Prison) is a scary but realistic thought, F.O.P.’s have been in bad situations, close quarters and know how fast a knife attack goes down. Think of a man in front of you, holding his hand to his side, then out of nowhere he pulls a knife and starts stabbing repeatedly at your stomach, face, chest, and throat. This is how a real-world situation can happen, and there is no time for flashy movements. You won’t be able to kick the knife out of the person’s hand, spin, or perform a jump kick. Stripping or snatching the knife is equally unlikely when a real-world confrontation occurs.

Wing Chun Gun and Knife Offense and Defense Training Techniques

Advanced Wing Chun classes sparring trainingOur Wing Chun gun and knife offense and defense training teaches you how to quickly react to save your life. It teaches you how to stop and control the delivery system (the arm). Wing Chun gun and knife training doesn’t want you worrying or training on knife stripping, stealing, or snatching. Instead, we teach and train you to deal with the threat at hand and stop the delivery. This aspect of advanced Wing Chun training is about surviving a potential knife attack against you and those you love. Effective protection is key, and knowing, applying, and training is half the battle. In today’s world, people who carry knives are merciless, and training complicated moves because they look cool or “feel” cool is not effective.

We train in a safe and friendly environment, but the truth is that the training is real and critical. Everything you learn in Wing Chun can be applied, whether in hand to hand combat or gun and knife defense. The thought and training is the same: What is the fastest and most effective way to strike, attack, and defend? We also train you to ask yourself: How do I get myself in and out of this situation right now? In any confrontation you need to end the fight instantly. You’re not worried about rounds, you’re concerned about seconds. You need to learn how to shut down, disable, and strike areas that no man can build up and which will send your attacker reeling. Master Sifu Och’s advanced Wing Chun classes train you in realistic self defense so you can have the best chance to get out alive.

Check out our Advanced Wing Chun Training and Classes page.

Advanced Chi Sao Sticky Hands Drilling

Posted on by Sifu Och Wing Chun

florida-wing-chun-kung-fu-chi-sau-sifu-och-floridaAdvanced Chi Sao or “Sticky Hands” drilling increases a Wing Chun fighter’s ability to respond to an opponent’s changes, adaptations, and varying attacks during a fight. Chi Sao (or Chi Sau) trains you in the development of automatic reflex responses through sensitive contact training with the forearms, legs, and body. The amazing part about Chi Sao drilling is that it allows both partners to train and practice at the same time. Our Advanced Wing Chun classes incorporate Chi Sao drilling and allow both practitioners to sense changes, react to each others offense or defense in a split second, feel body movement & pressure, and react accordingly. It’s a way to practice immediate execution of techniques and changes in order to control the momentary chaos of combat.

The Purpose of Advanced Chi Sao

Chi Sao and its techniques are very specific to Wing Chun. Wing Chun uses both hands for simultaneous offense and defense while keeping the entire body actively in the fight. Wing Chun is always “feeling” for a way to end the fight instantly while both partners are actively redirecting, counter-attacking, and feeling for openings. This makes Wing Chun unique in the world of traditional and modern kung fu. Wing Chun is one of the only martial arts that trains all these aspects—combining both single hand, double hands, blind fold, and leg fighting into one continuous fighting/advanced sensitivity drill. Advanced Chi Sao training and drilling is a big part of this and a big part of our advanced Wing Chun classes.

advanced chi sau wing chun classesIn all the styles of Kung Fu that exist today, I don’t know of a single martial art that has all of the aspects that Wing Chun Chi Sao training incorporates. All Chinese martial arts train some varying amount of “soft to hard” (relaxation to strength), but what makes Wing Chun so incredibly unique is that it combines all of these techniques with the purity of the fighting mindset. Each of theses other Chinese martial arts practices its own form of sensitivity training. Tai Chi has its push hands. Northern Kung Fu and Southern Kung Fu use arm and leg drills that strike, press, and push in order to test their partner’s rooting, foundation, and reaction times. Wing Chun Kung Fu was one of the last martial arts to be developed by the Shaolin Temple. It was created during the 17th century during the use of weapons, guns, and knives—and during a time of war. The Shaolin Monks and Nun (Ng Mui) developed Wing Chun by combining the best (and fastest) aspects of all the traditional Shaolin Kung Fu styles. This new art (Wing Chun) was created in order to learn it in a quarter to half the time of traditional styles—styles which took 15-20 years of non-stop 14-18 hour days of training. Wing Chun’s unique approach and training of all of these different ways develops a practitioner that can attack and counter an opponent’s movements and reactions quickly, precisely, and effectively. Even with a strong mind and body, a Wing Chun fighter needs to train proper Chi Sao. Chi Sao is known as one of the major “engines” of Wing Chun Kung Fu and its fighting reaction.

Advanced Chi Sao Drilling and Training

Advanced Chi Sao drilling develops your contact sensitivity, rooting, and foundation. It also hones your use of energy, reaction time, hand combinations, and reflexes. It also drills and improves your positioning, angles, and trapping abilities. All of these aspects are critical when intelligent free fighting. Advanced Wing Chun classes include Chi Sao rolling hands to train a practitioner to not exchange blow for blow or kick for kick but rather exact a specific trained response in a natural, effective, and fluid manner that controls, dissipates, and redirects the opponent’s force. Chi Sao allows a Wing Chun practitioner to combine all the aspects of close-range fighting combat in a superb way of training sensitivity, relaxation, and explosive reaction.

Robert Downey Jr Wing Chun Kung Fu Practitioner

Posted on by Sifu Och Wing Chun

Kung Fu is starting to pick up interest in the mainstream thanks to some very prominent practitioners. The popularity, however, started more than a little while ago. By the time the 1970’s rolled around, Kung Fu was starting to become very popular thanks to several TV shows and a whole host of films. In fact, kung fu had become common enough that most individuals in the U.S. had heard it referenced in connection to Chinese martial arts. For the first time, kung fu was being differentiated from the more well-known Karate. Initially made popular by Kung Fu the Legend Continues and Bruce Lee, Wing Chun is making inroads with a new spate of Chinese martial arts films like Ip Man and almost anything starring Donnie Yen. These popular martial art movies, TV programs, posters, and a larger number of emerging schools are really taking Wing Chun far into the mainstream.

Robert Downey Jr Wing Chun Kung Fu

The “latest” of these new popular examples may be the Robert Downey Jr Wing Chun expertise shown in his recent Avengers and Iron Man movies. Western society is continually being emersed in Chinese Martial Arts with figures like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Robert Downey Jr., Nicholas Cage, and Donnie Yen. If you want to know how popular Wing Chun is really becoming, however, look no further than the fact that all Chinese Airline flight attendants are required to train for anti-terrorism responses using Wing Chun Kung Fu.

The Robert Downey Jr Wing Chun journey began after the actor decided that his life needed a amor turnaround. Having abused drugs as a child and struggled with addiction, arrests, and parole violations, Robert Downey Jr needed more than just another rehab. Around 2003 he started training in Wing Chun kung fu. To begin, Downey went to Las Angeles Wing Chun Academy founder, Sifu Eric Oram.

The Robert Downey Jr Wing Chun training was more than a casual event. He dedicated a lot of time and energy to the practice and Sifu Eric Oram held him accountable to show up consistently and train to his full potential.

Your Training Practices

The real motivation behind learning, wanting and pushing yourself in Kung Fu gives you daily inspiration and is not a forced motivation but a focused one.  You should crave greatness and development of the mind and body to something greater than what others limit you to.  Motivation is a driving force a fuel unlike any other and we can gain it from many sources, competition, life threatening experiences or lack.    There is no fast food way of learning, you can be shown all of Kung Fu all of Wing Chun, all the combinations, all the forms, all the techniques in a short time but understanding, applying, using and cultivating that power, that skill, that understanding and reaction against all signs and types of pressure and stress without hesitation is a life time of Discipline, Motivation and Time. The only question is will you give yourself an excuse today as to why you can’t or will you give yourself every excuse to conquer and achieve?

A Kung Fu practitioner doesn’t have time or the privilege to waste time, indulge in wasteful fruitless, and idle activities.  A self motivated and disciplined practitioner reflects a person that others are inspired by and want to become.

Sifu Och – Wing Chun Kung Fu
https://sifuochwingchun.com
116 E. Pine St, Lakeland, Fl 33801
sifuoch@facebook.com
863.800.0171

Next Level Wing Chun After 5 Years of Training

Posted on by Sifu Och Wing Chun

I am a student of Wing Chun kung fu. No matter if I become a teacher of kung fu, a master, or (someday) a grandmaster, I will always be a student. I have felt this way since the beginning of my training in Wing Chun, under my first Sifu. The lessons that I learned about the art and about myself or how much I learned, there would always be a next level. The totally awesome part of Wing Chun is that while you can continue improving your skills forever, you can also apply the skills you have right now. Both of these ideas, the “next level” and the “right now”, have become even more clear to me as I began my next level Wing Chun training under my new teacher Sifu Justin Och.

Next Level Wing Chun training

Next level Wing Chun lakeland
Next Level Wing Chun, is here.

I came to Sifu Justin Och after a six year hiatus from Wing Chun training.  I had been through a rough slice of life that moved me some 1,600 miles from my original home. This next level Wing Chun training was a bit hard for me at first. I was badly in need of training, discipline, exercise, and friends (not necessarily in that order). Within weeks I had all of these things. Sifu Och was willing to train (and even retrain) me in the art of Wing Chun.  Here at Sifu Och Wing Chun I had regular excercise which dramatically dropped my blood pressure and kept me from needing medication. The other students, sihings (senior student instructors), and Sifu Och were friendly and welcoming. I even became a bit more disciplined, though I’m still working on that. Better still, Sifu Justin Och opened up new avenues of thought for me, concerning the “next level” and “right now”. Having already studied Wing Chun for five or six years under a different teacher, I thought I knew “how things were done”. Sifu Och would show me a different way of standing, moving, or using a given skill that I was used to, and I wanted to argue that it should be “this other way” I was taught. (As a side note, never argue with your Sifu. They don’t deserve disrespect.) Sifu Justin Och was great at showing me the “why” of the techniques and slowly I began to understand. There is more than one way to practice Wing Chun. Getting to this next level Wing Chun, while hard, was worth every hour I spent.

This was a new “next level wing chun” in my understanding.  Now I eagerly look forward to the times when what I learned before and the Wing Chun I am learning now don’t match, because it means I get to understand even more. The best part of this process is that Sifu Och has never once said, “Because I said so”. He has only ever told me to try it both ways, and see which one is more effective.  He has also given me a new benchmark by which to measure a technique’s effectiveness.

The “right now” was not as tough mentally, but it still took some getting used to. At Sifu Och’s Wing Chun school, we fight.  Of course we put on gear (gloves, chest piece, headgear), but we then proceed to go at it. In the five to six years I had trained I had never sparred before, since I held the belief that because we can’t use “all” Wing Chun techniques with sparring it wasn’t an appropriate practice venue. I do, however, like to fight, so I went ahead and sparred—and almost immediately found out what skill I was, and wasn’t, good at applying in a fight. This showed me for example, that “right now”, I can effectively pak sau a straight punch most of the time, and that my footwork is still in need of more work. I now know there is a world of difference between applying a technique during drills and getting it right with a roundhouse flying at my head.  I have also learned just how effective Wing Chun can be against any type of attacker, which only serves to deepen my appreciation for this marital art. Mostly, I am supremely grateful for the opportunity to train in an art that I love, under an awesome instructor with many other encouraging and motivating students. I will always be a student of Wing Chun, but I am honored, thankful, and proud to be a student at Sifu Och’s Wing Chun Kung fu school in Lakeland, Florida.

Thank you very much for your time. Now, please, excuse me, I have to go train.

Greg Deibert, student

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