Tag: krav maga

4 Ways to Intercept

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

Intercepting is always better than blocking. We are going to look at what the definition of intercepting is before we give some practical ways of accomplishing that. Webster’s dictionary defines intercepting as “to stop, seize, or interrupt in progress or course or before arrival”. The best way to view intercepting is that last part of the definition, “interrupt”. Not only is the attack itself being interrupted, but the timing of your opponent should be as well. And that is the key, the timing. When timed properly your opponents attack will be nullified and you will be primed to launch a second attack (in theory before his second) or you would have already hit him. Now that we have addressed what intercepting as a concept let me provide you with 4 Ways to Intercept your opponents attacks using Wing Chun.

4 Ways to Intercept

Intercepting Fist

Intercepting Fist

The first technique we will go over is the Intercepting Fist. Made famous by Bruce Lee, this technique is typically taught fairly early on in student’s training. The idea is to counter the opponents punch with a punch of your own. By keeping your elbow down and pressing from center mass you are elbow to offset your opponents strike. This can quickly be follow up a flurry of punches we refer to as Chain Punches. Keeping the strikes down the center you are able to maintain control of your centerline.

When you substitute a Paak Sao with an intercept you will find it can be much easier to deal with a second and third punch. Part of this is due to the fact that you are returning the opponents punch with a punch. They will be slightly less confident with their next punch as opposed to when you simple deflect their initial punch with a Paak. Second to that, the Intercept automatically covers your opposite side incase of a second attack. Whereas the Paak leaves you more open. 

Turning Punch

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Turning Punch

The Turning Punch basically the other side of the same coin referring to the Intercepting punch. The Intercepting fist is typically used to refer to the lead hand being used with the lead foot to interrupt the opponent. This is illustrated in the first photo above.

Turning punch is simply using the the same structure but opposite hand to accomplish the same goal. Since the punch is coming from the back foot, the turning punch will have more power and torque then the straight Intercepting. However, much like the Paak punch, if not used properly, can leave you open on the inside for an attack.

Tan Sao

Tan Sao

The Tan Sao is a very effective and sound way to intercept a strike. You have not only nullified the attack but you have also almost guaranteed a strike of your own. Tan and the actual punch are the exact same shape. The only exception is what the hand is doing at the end. You can see here in the photo the Tan Sao is an hand open towards the ceiling. By opening the hand the focus of the technique is diverted to the elbow. The Punch itself can be delivered to the head, or for a taller opponent you can strike the ribs.

Since the Tan extending through the strike towards your opponent, it makes stopping a second strike fairly straight forward. You can transition to a Paak Punch if the Strike is down the center. Or, you can continue pressing forward with a Bui Sao against a hook punch.

Paak Punch

 

Paak Punch, Kick

Our last technique for this article on intercepting attacks is the Paak Punch. Clearing the attackers hit with Paak good, but combining it with straight punch is better. Since the Paak is coming off of the back foot there is a lot of power and structure with this counter. The Paak is also quite diverse.

When used, you can use the Paak to press forward and crush the attackers structure. You can guide his hand downward if he is taller. You can also use it to setup a baiting for the second punch.

Bonus: The Paak Punch is also a great attack to throw in a kick along with it. By doing this you maximize Wing Chun’s ability to use multiple weapons at once. You can see here in the photo, Sifu Justin used the Paak, Punch, and Kick. He uses the kick just before the punch clears the arm to finish the attack.

 

Final thoughts

When it comes to Intercepting timing is everything. You can have GREAT structure, technique, and power. But, if you do not practicing your techniques in LIVE sparring scenarios you will get hit no matter how good you think you are. There is no substitute for hard work, and good punches to the face. Train hard and never give up.

Unlock Potential: The Incredible Strength of Wing Chun Martial Arts

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

The Strength of My Wing Chun Journey: By Ryan Beck

The Strength Behind Wing Chun: Techniques to Empower Your Martial Arts Journey

Wing Chun is different for each practitioner: how they move, when they flow and even the strength used. Each person is trained and trains differently; they all have different weaknesses and advantages. There are skills we all must learn and others that must be figured out individually.

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Gains can come fast while mastery takes years to achieve. After approximately three years, I have seen these gains made by myself and others which means you can gain these as well.

My Wing Chun Journey: The Start

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When I first started training with Sihing Garret in Tampa, I was the only regular student. His boxing background, plus his time training in Wing Chun under Sifu Och really set his skills apart. After the first class, I told myself, that no matter what, I would commit to training for at least one year, at that point I would re-evaluate. Not even two months later, I came to the realization that Wing Chun was in my soul and I was hooked. With any form of martial arts, there are typically two types of gains: physical and mental.

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Physical goals are the easiest to see. I noticed I was moving faster, able to go longer, and could even tell my eyes where processing information faster. Slowly, was becoming a better fighter. I believe this primarily has to do with my instruction, training and dedication. These physical gains are generally noticed fairly consistently by all. You get out what you put in. These are the gains that pushed me through my first year.

Wing Chun Journey: My Second Year

When my one-year marker hit, I looked back on all the gains I had made. The surprising part about this reflection was the mental and lifestyle achievements. These types of gains are much harder to identify. I saw my temper cooled, I was eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle. The craziest part was that these changes, these gains started to become evident, when I saw the people around me changing as well. They were growing through my growth. My wife and our two daughters started eating healthier, drinking water and working out. In addition, my wife and our girls are on their own martial arts adventure too.

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The only limitation Wing Chun has to personal growth, is people’s willingness to grow. It’s not always easy to train. Let’s be honest, it’s hard work. After a long and hot day at my job, I don’t always want to train. We can always find a reason. I will never forget my Sifu once said, “instead of an excuse, just say it’s not a priority.” This is something I strive to apply to all aspects of my life. The interesting part is that once I am at class, I am always glad that I went. This is true in life, it’s never as bad as we thought it was going to be.

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Wing Chun for Life: I will never quit.

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Over the course of my Wing Chun journey thus far, I have found three strong reasons why I will never quit Wing Chun. The first reason is my family, I see the change in them and they look to me for guidance in life. Without martial arts, I am not sure I would know what direction to take them. The second reason is the tradition and culture, I have always been interested in the history and where Wing Chun comes from – not only the fighting, but the lifestyle as well.

Wing Chun: A History bigger than myself

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There is such a history, that every time I Chi Sao, I feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself. The third and final reason I will never quit Wing Chun is the personal and physical aspect. I have grown tremendously since starting Wing Chun. The best part is how much growing I still have left to do. I know I can be faster, I know I can be even more technical and I know I have a lot more to learn and for me this is exciting!

My Wing Chun Journey could be yours

Gains can always be made in Wing Chun as long as goals are being set and matched, as long as a person is dedicated to train and as long as the community is strong. Wing Chun is limitless! If I can train hard even when I don’t want to or kick open new doors when I am too tired to, then there is nothing I can’t do, in life or in Wing Chun.

Start your Journey with Sifu Och Wing Chun

Are you ready to discover the transformative power of Wing Chun? Begin your journey with Sifu Och Wing Chun today! Fill out our contact form to start your journey and take the first step towards enhancing your martial arts skills and personal development.

Join Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu – Fill out our contact form to start your journey

A Letter To Myself-Marcus Morales

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

In this Article: “A Letter To Myself-Marcus Morales”, Marcus tells us his story of how he started his Wing Chun Training. We hope you enjoy this little story!

A Letter To Myself-Marcus Morales

Do you know the feeling you get when you are about to do something and you do not know what the outcome is going to be? It happens all the time. For example, imagine it is the middle of summer, you are at the local pool cooling off along with a bunch of other people, and suddenly you decide you want to dive off the platform and continue to develop your patented cannonball dive. There you go, walking past everyone and you climb to the first level.

But, You realize that there are steps that will take you to the second tier and you follow them up another level.Then you see there is yet another set up steps and they take you to the very top platform. Somehow, you have managed to get up there, where no one else dares to go. There you are, standing at the highest level at the public pool with your lucky red bathing trunks. The ones with yellow rubber duckies on them. You look down and see that you are on the edge, staring at the crystalline blue water, deciding whether or not to jump.

The Jump

That is exactly how I felt when I was standing outside the door of Sifu Justin Och’s Martial Arts school. I was standing there, watching everyone doing all kinds of crazy things. Trying to decide whether to step inside or just keep walking. I must confess that I only knew a little about Wing Chun. I consider myself to be a bit of a tough guy; grew up in some tough neighbor hoods. I also served my country for six years and finished my obligation with an honorable discharge. During that time I even came back from a major injury in the Army. Suffice it to say, I thought I was tough enough. But something kept urging me to step inside, so I did.

In the Water

Wing Chun, Self Defense, Sifu Och Wing ChunOnce inside, I was intimidated by all the people there, knocking each other around. I stood there, at that ceramic tile square at the entrance to the school. And the, Sifu came along and welcomed me in. He was not what I expected. Truth is…I didn’t know what to expect. But he walked up to me, with a thousand-watt smile on his face, and made me feel right at home. I didn’t know this until later, but he had just finished wrestling on the floor with some of his students.

One more thing I did not expect. I was still a little defensive, mostly because I didn’t know much about how things worked. All Sifu did was invite me to join in on the class he was conducting and then he would get back to me to see whether I wanted to be a part of it, so I accepted the invitation. I have not left the school since.

Learning How to Swim

From the very First minute you become a part of the school’s family and its culture. I was automatically being grabbed and tossed. I even received a stiff punch to the face, and just like that I was absolutely drawn to the scene. Somehow, despite all the punches and tosses, the sore bones and sprains, I have become more and more involved in the art. Sifu is there, with a smile on his face, teaching you everything you need to know about the art. And this is not a man who is boastful or driven by a sense of superiority. No… this man truly loves to tach, he wholeheartedly love the art, and he absolutely enjoys his students.

Sifu Och

One other thing that Sifu Och strives for at his school is the development of a community within the school. He is constantly coming up with events for the school, activities designed to strengthen the camaraderie within the student, to help foster positive relationships between the students, ones that they can potentially carry along wit them throughout their lives. I have come to believe that his desire to develop and nurture these positive relationships is at the core of the most successful martial arts school. Creating bonds not only between student and teacher, but between students, strengthens the school itself.

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Sifu’s Students

The students at the school are without a doubt the greatest assets Sifu has at his disposal. From the Green Sashes all the way to his instructor level students. They understand Sifu’s philosophy when it comes to helping everyone who start training. They

 

 

The Kickers Guide A-H (Part I)

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Kicking is hands down one of my favorite things to do. It’s just so versatile. Once you learn how to use your legs, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. And it is a beautiful world. But this world is full of complexities and a ridiculous amount of different kicks. Not to mention the fact that almost every martial art will perform each kick slightly differently. These two facts combine to make learning kicks more difficult than it needs to be, but we are here to help clear some of that confusion. The Kickers Guide A-H (Part I) is a nearly comprehensive list of kicks known to the martial arts world:

The Kickers Guide A-H (Part I)

Axe Kick

An axe kick is usually preformed either to someone already on the ground or to the collarbone/sternum of a standing opponent. Use a straight leg to come in a downward motion striking with the heel. The two biggest variances are in the load of the kick: some people perform axe kicks by swinging a straight leg up into the air and back down again, while others bring their knee to their chest, kick up, and then drive down. The first is easier to perform and more common. The second offers a more controlled technique and is better for attacking a standing opponent.

Back Kick

Also known as a donkey kick, this kick attacks an opponent that is directly behind you. This kick is more commonly used in fights where there are multiple opponents, as for a general rule you would not want to turn your back on an opponent.

Butterfly Kick

This kick is often more for demonstration than practical self defense. It comes from either standing, or a running step in. The body twists as both legs come off the ground, one after the other, with the entire body more or less parallel to the ground. Striking occurs with the heel coming down on the opponent. A very beautiful kick.

Fish Kick

A flick like kick done with pointed toes, typically aimed at the groin. The kick comes up in a snapping motion, with the strike occurring somewhat like the flick of a fish’s tail. This kick also targets the head during fighting combinations that end with the opponent being pulled down to knee height.

Front Kick (Push/Snap)

A front kick refers to either an upward snapping motion (striking under the chin), or a forward thrusting motion (pushing with the ball of the foot). Either way, the kick comes in a direct line in front of the body, usually with the hips squared. This kick is often used to push opponents away, or as an entry move to a follow up technique.

Half-Moon/Crescent (Reverse Half-Moon/Crescent)

This kick starts with the knee brought up and into the chest. The foot is then thrust out and around, from the outside of the body in. The reverse kick comes from the inside out. This kick is primarily used as an entry move to get past an opponent’s guard, but can also strike to the side of the face or body.

Half Crescent/Tong Kick

A forward thrusting kick done with the foot and knee tilted at a 45° angle to the outside of the centerline. Directed toward the knees, hip, or ribs. The Tong kick is similar to the Half Crescent Kick, except the foot and knee are tilted at a 45° angle to the inside of the centerline. This can be aimed at the diaphragm or chin.

These kicks and more make up the bottom half of our martial art strikes, keep an eye out for our next article on the second half of these kicks!

Punches Across the Arts

Posted on by Sarah Lister

The punch is a staple in every conceivable martial art. Even those that focus on ground work, like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, at least address how to defend against a punch. In short, martial artists like to punch. But when a Karate guy says punch, and a Wing Chun guy says punch, they don’t always mean the same thing. Punches across the arts vary widely and each art has its own reasoning for choosing to punch slightly differently.

Karate & Tae Kwon Do

When it comes to Karate and Tae Kwon Do, the punch is exactly the same. As a martial artist holding an instructor level in Karate, I figured that I would not have to research the Karate punch and moved straight into Tae Kwon Do. The very first video I found on Tae Kwon Do punching sounded like I could have made it myself and called it “The Karate Punch.” This punch primarily hits with the first two knuckles closest to the thumb. If you make a fist, you should be able to draw a line from those two knuckles straight up your arm, matching the bones in the forearm. In traditional drills practitioners will chamber at the waist or hip and strike out as the other arm draws back with equal force. However, in sparring or other applications, the punch will usually come from somewhere near the face. Practitioners use this punch because it allows for the structure of the arm to back up the power of the punch.

WIng CHun

In Wing Chun Kung Fu, the punch looks a little different. Instead of a fist with fingers down parallel to the floor, the Wing Chun punch ranges between a 45 degree angle to perpendicular to the ground (depending on the school); with the pointer finger at the crest of the angle and the pinky at the bottom. These punches come through the centerline of a practitioner’s body, attacking with a square chest. The punch strikes from a state of relaxation to tension. It is less forceful than the Karate or TKD punch, but can deliver the same power. Practitioners use this punch for a couple of reasons. This punch is “invisible” because it is often more difficult to see coming. By simply taking the shortest and most direct route to its destination. It also requires the opponent to be closer, being more effective for close quarter contact.

whipping punch broken down

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Sifu Och’s Wing Chun Florida School

Variations

These two different variations of the punch represent either end of the spectrum. Karate and TKD on one side with Wing Chun Kung Fu on the other. Most other martial arts will fall somewhere in the middle of these punches. Tai Chi punching incorporates the relaxation to tense aspect associated with Wing Chun to the horizontal aspect of Karate/TKD. Whereas in Aikido, they do not focus as much on the techniques of the punch, rather using it as supplementary to other techniques. Muay Thai, Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts, all utilize a punch called the jab. That is very similar to the Karate/TKD punch, but originates from a guard up by the temples and is more often used as an opening technique.

Similarities

Though each martial art may punch a little differently, there are a few concepts that are generally constant. One being to engage the core. Punches may be executed by the arm, but they come from the whole body. Likewise most martial arts will encourage putting hip torque behind punches to make them more effective and powerful. As well as a strong base through structure and rooting. Even though these fine points may be difficult to visibly discern, they are what makes any punch a good punch.

http://www.aikidofaq.com/misc/

https://fightrr.com/muay-thai/technique/punches

Wing Chun Entry Techniques

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

The ability to close the distance with an opponent is essential to any Wing Chun practitioner. You must be able to quickly respond to an opponents attack and shut them down to avoid follow up attacks. Different ranges call for different responses. That being said we will cover a few Wing Chun Entry Techniques here in this article. Before reading this article we suggesting checking out our previous article Wing Chun Vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo. We explain the difference between committed and non-committed strikes which is essential to your training.

Hand Entries

Paak Slip

In our previous article Wing Chun Vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo we touch on the idea of using the Paak to simply slip off the first punch. Connected is a video of Master Sifu demonstrating this technique. He explains how to utilize the Paak to deflect the initial blow and then glide off into a strike. A very effective and quick technique.

Paak Punch

The Paak Punch is a very effective combo to use. Instead of trading blow for blow with an opponent, the Paak Punch allows you to strike and defend at the same time. When countering a cross or straight punch this is a definite must. You are able to either crush a punch and counter above it with a punch of your own. Or, you can slip the punch and strike the ribs. Either way you are able to immediately counter straight punches and close the distance.

Paak into Bui or Tan

If an opponent does not throw a committed strike it can be very difficult to throw a counter. In this case it would be prudent to defect the first punch with a Paak and then counter the second punch. Two great choices would be either a Tan Punch or Bui Sao Punch.

A Tan Punch would be a great choice against any sort of straight punch. Since the Paak would have simply deflected the first punch you can use this as a set up for the second punch counter.

If he throws a haymaker or wide hook the Bui Sao Punch would be the best choice. The curved shape of the Bui Sao would match the trajectory of the hook allowing for maximum protection.

Kick Entries

Shadow Kick

If facing an opponent that moves a lot, pushing off the front foot, a Shadow Kick may be a option to consider. Our article Kung Fu Kicks goes into more detail about this kick. The idea is to crush into your opponents leg with a stomping motion. Typically aimed to blow out the knee the lead hand will typically drop as a result opening up an nice window for an attack.

Crescent Kick

Finally, the Crescent Kick. One of the most effective ways to use this kick is to the ribs when they extend their punch. This has the same shape as the Shadow Kick but instead of going down it strikes forward. You must thrust your entire body behind the kick. When this is done the head usually comes down as a result of the body caving into the kick. This allows for an easy strike to the head.

The Key to Closing the Gab

All of these techniques are futile if you do not close the distance with the right timing. You can only develop timing with hours of practice. Doing techniques in lines are a great way to build the structure for them and speed. However, if you do not consistently keep up your training your timing will be off an no amount of skill will help you if you do not time it correctly.

How to Choose the Right Sparring Gear for Safety

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Sparring is an essential part of most martial arts. But when it comes to gear, each school decides how much and of what type to wear. While some schools require the use of sparring gear in all combat situations, others are a lot more lenient. They might only require it for designated matches and competitions and in some cases, not at all. Some people argue that sparring gear doesn’t actually keep us safer, but can even increase our chances of getting hurt. Others don’t want to wear it because it can be bulky and cumbersome. So where do we draw the line?

Get Ready for Battle: Choosing the Right Sparring Gear


Why wear gear?  If competition is your goal, then the answer is because they require it. The North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) rules require head gear, hand and footpads, mouthpiece, and groin cups for all adult competitors. For competitors under seventeen, they also require chest and face guards. If you are training to be a professional competitor, or are at least serious about competing, your training should always include the gear that you will wear on competition day. If you practice with less gear, or none at all, competition day will feel awkward and slow. In fact, many competitors practice with weighted gear so that when they go back to wearing regular gear they feel lighter and are able to hit faster. 

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The Hidden Risks of Not Wearing Sparring Gear

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If your goal is to simply stay safe while training, you may need to take a different approach. Depending on what martial art you practice, different gear may be more beneficial than others. For instance, some martial arts frequently incorporate the use of elbows and knees.

In these arts you may want to consider adding elbow and knee pads, especially if they are actually making contact. Other arts that heavily rely on kicks to the body may need a chest guard. Or if your art includes more eye and facial strikes, a face guard might be in order. 

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Could wearing head gear actually hurt? there is an argument going around that head gear increases your risk of brain trauma over not wearing gear at all. This argument comes from personal opinion though it does rely on facts.

Sparring Gear Myths: What You Should Really Know

Perpetuators of this idea claim that the added inch or two of padding make your head a bigger target, and more likely to get hit. It may also lure fighters into believing that they won’t get hurt, making them less defensive of their head.

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They also claim that head gear impedes your peripheral vision, further increasing your odds of getting hit. While they have not yet tested this phenomenon, they have tested how effective head gear is at reducing the impact to your brain. Wearing head gear can reduce the trauma to your brain by about 50% (McIntosh & Patton, 2015). While 50% is eons better than zero, it is still a relatively low number. Thankfully this statistic is pushing manufacturers to invest research into creating a more effective head gear. Something that we will hopefully see in the near future. To begin with, sparring protective gear helps prevent injuries. Additionally, it allows practitioners to train with confidence, knowing that they are shielded from potential harm. In fact, the right equipment enhances overall performance and enables students to focus on technique rather than fear of injury.

Sparring Gear Explained: What You Need for Safe Training

So what gear will you wear? Personally, as someone who sustained a concussion while not wearing head gear, the choice is easy. I would wear anything with the potential to reduce brain trauma, no matter how annoying or obtrusive it may be. Protecting your brain is not something that should be taken lightly. But for others without the same experience, maybe going without seems like the better option. Whatever choice you make, make sure to make it from the point of sound research and not momentary comfort. 

Related Articles for Comparison

  1. Benefits of Sparring in Martial Arts
    URL: https://sifuochwingchun.com/benefits-of-sparring-in-martial-arts/
  2. Wing Chun Techniques and Training
    URL: https://sifuochwingchun.com/wing-chun-techniques-and-training/
  3. The Importance of Sparring in Wing Chun
    URL: https://sifuochwingchun.com/importance-of-sparring-in-wing-chun/

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McIntosh AS, Patton DA (2015, September 1) Boxing headguard performance in punch machine tests. In Br J Sports Med 2015;49:1108-1112.

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown was a question a beginner posted for anyone to answer on a Facebook group. He asked for the key to using Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo. Sifu Justin Och and Senior Instructor Garret Brumfield posted a video titled “Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo”.

In this article we will address some of the finer points. Stopping this combo is no easy task but Wing Chun does have an answer.

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo

The Jab

If you are to deal with an attack you must understand it. To understand strikes you must make a distinction between committed and non-committed strikes. A committed strike could be defined as a strike that has the entire weight of the body fueling the power for the strike. Alternatively, a non-committed strike will be much faster but won’t have the power. A jab is a non committed strike. That being the case, the counter must be equally fast. As you can see in the video Sifu Och uses his paak sao but immediately follows up with a straight punch. This allows for quick adjustments where needed.

The Jab, Cross

If your opponent crosses immediately after his jab you may not have time to follow up off the initial strike. Sifu chose is one of the most direct options to counter although there are many variations. The hand that was used to paak the initial strike simply follows its trajectory to the face. In conjunction, the back hand paaks the next strike. This results in and immediate strike to your opponents face.

The Jab, Cross, Hook

Let’s say that your counter does not damage your opponent enough. As a result, he follows up again with a hook. The hook that Sifu Och Demonstrates is a very tight “rabbit” hook. Theses types of hooks are very hard to deal with. A Bui Sao, Bui Jee, Man Sao will be very hard to execute in this scenario. You must be able to fully extend these techniques for them to become effective. When the opponent throws this hook, it will be very tight to the body with a lot of torque. Torque equals power, and if you are unable to fully extend your technique it will crumble. In this scenario Sifu chooses to utilize upward elbow to cover the opponents strike. He is now able to strike with is other hand and move on with his attack.

The Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown

wing chun vs jab cross hook

Finally, we moved on to dealing last part of the combo. None of your counters have successfully stopped your opponent but because you are in so tight he feels the need to shoot in and take you down. There are two scenarios to be address when an opponent shoots in on you. If he gets under your elbow or not.

If he does not get under your able a you can simple remove the foot he is attacking and stop his forward motion with a Gum or Jum Sao to the neck\head. This is addressed in our article Fighting Footwork where we go into a little more depth. However, if he does get behind one of your elbows you must sprawl back or you will be taken down. Once you have sprawled you can then establish a line of defense again with your Jum or Gum Sao. This line allows you to regain your structure and move on with your attack.

End the fight

At each stage of the attack your goal as a Wing Chun practitioner should be to the end the fight. When you respond to an attack you should be immediately seeking to follow it up to finish your opponent. You would only utilized these counter techniques if you are unable to flow into and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. follow up. So in theory, your opponent will never get to his takedown, or his cross for that matter. However, that is why we as martial artists should always be prepared. If the worst happens, you will be ready.

The Fatal Flaw in Testing

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

Getting tested in martial arts can be nerve racking but also invigorating. Your abilities are all laid out to bare for all to see. No more excuses just reaction. This is quite exciting. Along with that is the satisfaction when all your hard work does actually pay off. Attaining the next level feels great and if you earned it you should feel proud. However, “The Fatal Flaw in Testing” is what I would call the Sprint Mentality.

Sprinting for your test: The Fatal Flaw in Testing

Finals week, the week before the last set of tests for college students. Energy drinks, microwaved food, and zombies with backpacks become rampant on college campuses. Students will “cram” in those last extra hours of studying to strive for that grade at the end of the semester. This is the same as I call it, the “Sprint” in martial arts. Martial art students will train for months but many times you will see a tendency to really step up the training right before a test. Even though this does encourage that extra training at the end of a section there is a fundamental flaw to this process.

Student’s who are training hard consistently will have no need to sprint at the end because they will already be prepared for the test. But for this to be realized your goal must be analyzed. If your goal is to simply achieve belt ranks, then cramming is a perfectly legitimate way to achieve that. However, if your goal is to be prepared at all times for combat, then you should train as if you had testing every day.

One Breath

Grandmaster Ken Chun, from Wing Chun Dynamics in California, visited our school and gave a great tip on mindset. He explained that in an encounter you have one breath to channel all of your training to defend yourself. In that one breath you must focus your mind and your body to one task.

He also explained that this should be trained every single day. In other words, you shouldn’t wait for the week before testing to snap into that “one breath” mode. Every single punch, every single kick, every single takedown should be done with the same mentality. If you don’t accomplish this attack it could be the end, not of your opponent, but of you! So as you train, take in that one breath mentality every single time you move.

Your actual goal

Attacks on the street may have indicators. However, indicators do not come a week ahead of time. They may only be caught a moment or two before something happens. That being the case, if you do not keep yourself optimally prepared you could be overtaken. If preparing for testing is your ultimate goal, you are in danger of getting caught. Testing should not be used as your goal. Your goal should be your training regiment. Each day you should seek to improve and upgrade that training. The result of this shift is that your perspective changes on your testing. Instead of looking at that as an end game, it is used to evaluate whether or not your training is effective to keep you prepare.

The importance of keeping your training up is even emphasized in martial arts business circles. Even with these successful million dollar schools the owners understand that their training is top priority. John Kovar, found of Kovar systems lists Training first, then Teaching, then Business. You don’t know when you are going to be attacked so every training day is vital to you surviving an attack.

So ask yourself, what are you training for? Have you fallen prey to the The Fatal Flaw in Testing? Are you training for a belt? Social standing? Sense of accomplishment? Or are you preparing yourself for real, terrifying, messy combat?

 

 

Afraid to Get Hit?

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

We see it all the time. Someone will come into a class with the goal of learning realistic self-defense. However, they have no intention of getting hurt in the process. And then the first class happens. They realize that goal is a little bit more difficult to achieve than they had imagined. So what is at the root of this fear? And how do we combat it both mentally and physically? In reality, true martial art injuries are less common than that of football and hockey players. But the martial arts is still viewed as the more dangerous activity – Still Afraid to Get Hit? Let’s unpack that.

Afraid to Get Hit? Mental Preparation

Fear of getting hit is a common enough mindset. It most certainly makes sense: why would I intentionally do something that would hurt me? We all have built up layers of protection in our minds that keep us from doing things that will hurt us. The body has countless mechanisms in place to protect itself and is reluctant to consciously allow harm. But when it comes to martial arts, we have to weigh the risks against the benefits. Do I want to (a) be able to defend myself when I really need to or (b) avoid the possibility of immediate injury in my martial arts class? Choosing option A is the first step toward changing this mindset and moving toward being an effective fighter. The second step is a bit more complicated: accepting that you are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, going to get hit. A lot.

Hopefully your school implements safe sparring practices like gloves, a mouthpiece, and head gear – and doesn’t glorify students beating each other into a pulp. But if they do implement safe sparring practices, be rest assured that there is little to no risk of serious injury. Minor cuts and bruises yes, muscle strains and sprains maybe, but serious injury – unlikely.

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Afraid to Get Hit? Physical Preparation 

After you have accepted that you will be getting hit, the best way to prepare for that is a lot of practice. Practice in the air, against a punching bag, and with a partner who is willing to take it slow until you get the technique. Learn the defensive techniques and practice them until they are a part of your muscle memory and engrained in your subconscious. Practice until you no longer have to think about which technique to use, because you already know.

Time

No one is going to be a great fighter their first day, like everything it takes practice; but if it isn’t the right kind of practice, it could only make it worse. Say you are practicing with someone who always throws their attacks in the same sequence. Or they aim toward the side of your head instead of straight at it. Or obviously telegraphs their moves. The amount of progress you make working with this person is going to be considerably less than working with a good partner.

Fear

Ultimately, it is possible that your fear of getting hit is actually a fear of failure. A fear, not of getting hurt, but of losing and being considered lesser than your opponent. When I first started sparring, I was a purely defensive fighter. This was solely for the reason that I was afraid to try and attack. I was afraid to attack because I knew at first I would fail. In my mind trying and failing was worse than not trying at all. For other people, they fear the pre-punch anticipation. Meaning, not knowing when or how they are going to get hit. But if you ask any instructor, they would rather see someone who puts in the effort and fails over someone who never gets hit any day.

Fighting Stances Across Martial Arts

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Structure is literally the foundation of any martial art, making it exponentially important to just about everything we do. It dictates the amount of power we can expend in our punches, what areas of the body become more vulnerable and open, and how easily we can throw in kicks. Most martial arts will include a variety of different stances yet will usually rely on one in particular as their fighting stance. Every possible fighting stance has its own advantages and disadvantages and complements the individual art. Though there are countless variations, the most prominent fighting stances fall into the categories of side and front stances.

Side Stance

In this stance, the practitioner turns their body sideways so that they are essentially perpendicular to their opponent. Both feet are on one line with the majority of the weight shifted toward the back leg. Some of the martial arts that favor use of this stance are Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Judo. Martial artists who use this stance do so for a few reasons. Primarily, they claim that there is less of a target area for the opponent to exploit when the body is sideways instead of full on. Another advantage is that this is an easier stance to kick from. Since most of the weight is already on the back leg, there is minimal prep work needed in order to pull off a kick.

Most of the time, you can do so without visibly shifting your weight, making it easier to conceal the kick until it has already made contact with the opponent. Some possible disadvantages to this stance exist as well. When a fighter employs this stance it will be easy to attack from the front hand and foot, but much more difficult to attack with the back limbs. Though it is certainly possible to attack with the back hand and foot, it will be highly telegraphed to the opponent due to the amount of distance the attack has to travel and the shift in body weight.

Front Stance

The front stance is a favorite of those in Wing Chun, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga. In this stance, the practitioner squares their hips and shoulders to face the opponent. Both feet point toward the opponent, one foot back, weight low and evenly distributed. This stance allows for greater structure than the side stance with a higher capability for impact. The ability to root is gained making you less likely to be pushed off balance. This stance also allows for all weapons to be closer to and facing the opponent. With the shoulders square, both arms have the opportunity to be equidistant to the opponent. This makes it easier to pull off combos and simultaneous hand techniques.

Avid side stance practitioners may claim that a front stance makes you more susceptible to body blows. This is due to having the whole torso facing the opponent; however, both arms and legs are free to help guard. Another possible disadvantage to the front stance is the groin being a more open target. In Wing Chun, they combat this issue by turning the front foot in slightly making it so that the leg can block the groin.

Conclusion

Though forcing all martial art fighting stances into these two categories may be a vast oversimplification. It actually shows how much we all have in common. In fact there are some martial arts that do not fit in these categories at all. As an example, BJJ and Aikido prefer a stance somewhere in the middle, neither a front nor side stance. But after you get past all of the different techniques and ways of doing things, at the root of it all is a solid stance and that is something we can all agree on.

Strategies for Situational Awareness

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Training in the martial arts is a great way to improve your personal safety and increase knowledge in self defense. But if you aren’t aware of your surroundings, no degree of training is going to help you. Having situational awareness is a choice; one you have to make early on if you want your training to have any real world practicality. So how do we make this choice?

Understanding the problem

The two major obstacles preventing people from having good situational awareness are naivety and laziness. In general, people want to believe in the good of others and often believe that rape or theft is something that happens to other people, but not me. Having this mindset lulls people into a false sense of security which will often last until something does happen, or the person makes a personal decision to make sure that it never does. The laziness factor is hugely prevalent and goes hand in hand with naivety.

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If I believe that nothing bad will happen, then why should I take steps to ensure that it won’t? It is difficult and emotionally draining to be constantly aware of your surroundings, but entirely necessary if you want to be an effective martial artist. The key is to get to the point where practicing situational awareness is habit, eliminating the need to go that extra mile.

Practical Ways to Increase Situational Awareness

Now that we understand the problem, it’s time to fight it:

  • NEVER text and walk. This is especially important when transitioning between locations, such as your place of work and your car. Wait until you are in a locked car to address anything on your phone. There have been numerous incidents of muggers targeting people on their phones, simply because they aren’t paying attention. Phone calls are also not advised, however, if you must – make sure to keep your eyes up, still monitoring your surroundings.
  • Have your keys ready before you get to the car. You don’t want to be rummaging around in your bag at your car, looking for keys – especially at night. The car is a common place of attack and requires extra caution. Do the same from the car to the front door.
  • Always check the area around your car before you get in. Is anyone close enough to get in your car between the time that you unlock it and the time that you are inside? Also make sure that no one has put anything on your car that may impair your driving, necessitating a stop down the road.
  • Check the back seat. Take a look through the windows in the back and make sure that there is no one already in your car waiting for you. Behind the wheel of the car is not the time you want to find out that there is someone in the back dictating your next stop.
  • When entering a building, look for exits. Locate the nearest exit and the quickest route. Whenever possible, position yourself facing the majority of the room and the exit, never with your back to it.

Conclusion

Developing situational awareness is a skill that takes both time and dedication. These suggestions are a good starting point to increasing your situational awareness, and the list will only grow once you start practicing them. Some Practices may seem over the top and near paranoia, but personal safety is not something to be taken lightly. When it comes to personal safety and the safety of those around us, we cannot expect someone else to protect us. Take matters into your own hands, be prepared, and decide to be that one person that is actually paying attention.

Kung Fu Kicks

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

There are many kicks used in a fight. Some more useful than others. In this article, Kung Fu Kicks, we will show some of the kicks used at Sifu Och Wing Chun. We will review the Inside and Outside Shadow Kicks, Tong Kick, Half Crescent, and Side Kick.

Wing Chun Kicks

Before going into the the specific kicks let us touch on Wing Chun as a system to set the groundwork. In short, Wing Chun’s goal is to end the fight as quickly as possible. Every strike intent on crushing the opponent. Understanding that goal the kicks that we choose to utilize fall into the place.

Inside Shadow Kick

One of the most useful kicks to use is the Inside Shadow Kick. Kicking the opponent in the knee is one of the quickest ways to end the fight. With this Shadow Kick, considerable force can be driven through a target at a downward angle. The setup (implied in the name) is that the kick is done in the shadow of your hands. As a result, an opponent will find it difficult to avoid or stop this type of kick. The reason is because it is usually done in unison with the hands. Not only can it be used to attack it can be used in defense as well. It can be used to stop low kicks to the leg.

Outside Shadow Kick

Equally important, not all enemies or targets will be directly in front of you. The Outside Shadow Kick allows you to hit targets off center. They can also be used to block kicks depending on the angle. Furthermore, one advantage of this kick in particular is it can be used to drive out the support leg of an opponents kick. Jum Saos together with a low shadow kick can block roundhouses and blast the supporting leg.

Tong Kick

The Tong kick is similar to a front kick. Uniquely, however, it thrusts in upward diagonal angle. Can be used for multiple targets, but it’s primary hit is the Xiphoid. Combined with a Double Jum Sao, this is a great choice to counter a roundhouse. In addition, it can be used used to strike the ribs or inside of the thigh.

Half Crescent Kick

The Half Crescent Kick similarly takes the same shape as the Inside Shadow Kick. The difference is it drives forward as opposed to down. This kick is usually delivered to the ribs when a punch is thrown. Countering a Jab or Cross style punch with a Crescent Kick is a great option. It is unexpected which it was lends to it’s usefulness.

Side Kick

Overall, the Side Kick is one of Wing Chun’s longest ranged weapons. One of it’s main uses is delivering a powerful strike to the side when turning to face the opponent may not be available. Whether it’s a question of speed or restriction doesn’t matter. The side kick allows an immediate response to someone coming from the side. It can be done two different ways:

Static, fired directly from your stance:

or with a skip. The skip allows for a the distance and power to be increased by swinging the back foot foot. The base is re-established closer to the target and momentum is gained which increases the power.

(To view a video of the skipping side kick click the following link: Skipping Side Kick Video. )

 

The key to your Kicks

One thing all of these kicks have in common is what part of the foot is going to be used to strike the body. If you read our article “Fighting Footwork” you will see how the body needs to be aligned through the heel for structure. With the correct structure your power drives from your legs through your heels for maximum damage. This is similar to a person doing a heavy squat. Moreover, to support the weight the heel must be used. Piggybacking off of that concept is another, focused energy. If you take the energy you would use to slap someone and applied it to a needle, you will easily penetrate the skin. Just the same with your kick, if you drive all your power through your heel your damage is focused through that one point as opposed to spread through whole foot.

In conclusion, focus your power and train your structure and you will be able to develop kicks that will drop any opponent you face.

Unlock Maximum Power with the Right Wing Chun Fighting Footwork

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

You can have the fastest hands in the world, but if you aren’t at the right place at the right time that won’t matter. Foot work is literally the foundation to any style. Fighting footwork is the ability to be dynamic with your intent. You may be able to block or evade an attack here and there with good hands or head movement. However, if you do not base your counter with fighting footwork, it will be difficult to execute.

positioning your Fighting footwork

Superior angles will make your life much easier. It is much simpler to deal with an opponent when you have minimized their ability to use multiple “weapons” at once. In the same way, striking your opponents key points will also be easier when you are positioned correctly. Wing Chun seeks to dominate the outside angle allowing maximum trapping and striking to occur.

Weight distribution

There is a big debate among Wing Chun practitioners. Not only about weight distribution through the feet but also between the legs. First let’s address weight through the feet.

Heels

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When a weight lifter squats his weight must drive from the middle portion of his foot to his heels. With proper skeletal alignment his structure is locked in place and only the strongest muscles are recruited to move the weight.

If alignment is broken serious injury can occur. When finished correctly the weight will be completely on the heels as seen here.

Just as the weight lifting supports his weight with structure, the Wing Chun Fighter supports his power through his alignment. Following the same rules through physiques the weight is on the heel when engaged. This allows strikes at full power to be stopped and maximum strength can be delivered through blows.

Fighting Footwork Secrets for Stronger Strikes and Superior Control

Even though the heels are the source of power and structure, speed is seriously inhibited when the weight is focused there. Weight should only be distributed to the toes when looking to utilize speed. Speed is used to gain the correct position. This is typically done before contact is even made. Once connected to your opponent weight should immediately be transferred to the heels to again for power. Closing the distance with an opponent is essential to the Wing Chun Fighter. If he is unable to get to the trapping range it will be difficult to execute proper techniques.

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Stance Distribution

The final aspect of weight distribution to cover is the amount of weight on each foot.  At Sifu Och Wing Chun we typically keep our weight 50-50. To give a specific example, we will look at a single leg takedown defense. First, hand positions: jum to the neck, gan to the arm. (Essentially a Gan Da).

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The reason behind this is to keep our ability to defend against takedowns. If the weight is distributed to far to one leg you can become susceptible to those types of attacks. Sweeps and single leg takedowns are difficult to stop without even distribution of weight.

This will then become a tan and a fook. The Jum to the neck stops the person from getting to your core. The gan to the arm is used to block them from getting your leg. As a result you gain an underhook. (illustrated right).

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Fighting Footwork Fundamentals: How to Stay Balanced and Powerful

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In unison the foot that is being attacked must be retracted. The foot must be swept back to avoid getting caught. This all occurs within a split second. If the weight split 70-30, or 60-40, it will be very hard to adjust and defend this type of attack.

In Conclusion

There are many different opinions and reasons about weight distribution. But at Sifu Och Wing Chun; the rule is, if your engaged with the assailant keep a 50-50 weight. When you are not engaged and mobile its a 70-30 weight (more on the back leg then front.) You must be able to engage and disengange, move in and out, and adjust in any direction as quickly as possible. YOU should be in control and have a full range of motion. Able to shift and adapt to any attack that is thrown our way. Moving in and out of the assailant whenever we see the opportunity to attack an opening.

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There are many different opinions and reasons about weight distribution. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we keep it mostly 50-50 to maintain the ability to adjust in any direction as quickly as possible. We are then able to shift and adapt to any attack that is thrown our way.

Basic Wing Chun Defense

Posted on by Tim Kittelstad

The first few months of a martial artist are crucial to their success. Instructors must work to instill confidence from day one. The student must learn to trust not only their instructors but also the techniques they are learning. If a student knows what he is learning is practical and useful from the start he will stick around for the fine tuning of those techniques. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we want to help students learn a basic Wing Chun Defense right from the beginning. To help cover some of the most basic attacks we teach 3 defenses right away: Bui Sao, Tan Sao, and Gan Sao.

Bui Sao

Haymakers (wide hooks) are some of the most common attacks you will see on the street. Without training the body’s natural tendency to draw power will be to twist. This results in a chain and ball effect on the arm with the punch being the ball of course. While these can still do damage they can be easily defended with proper training. That is why one of the first techniques we teach to new students is the Bui Sao. The deflecting hand is shaped as if you were blocking light from the sun. Palm facing away from the body pressing from the elbow. The palm will be about forehead height and the elbow in line with the trachea. This provides a wall of cover with the forearm.

Tan Sao

One of the more famous moves in Wing Chun is the Tan Sao. When teaching it to children we call it the “pizza hand”. This is due to the palm facing upward with the arm extended outward. The Tan Sao is used primarily against straight punches. It deflects punches off the centerline either to the inside or the outside opening up your opponent for a variety of follow ups. You can view a video of the Tan Saos on our Instagram by clicking here>Tan Saos.

Gan sao

Used against nasty body shots or uppercuts is the Gan Sao. Translated it means “low plowing hand”, this technique is very effective for defending the lower half of the body. To shape your Gan Sao simply reach your hand out in front of you as if you were shaking hands with someone. Your hand should end up in front of your belly button and your elbow about a fists distance off of your rib cage. This allows your ribs to be covered and consequently, your hand is now fairly close to your opponents body. You are now prepared for an easily follow up such as a palm to the ribs or an uppercut to the face.

Basic Wing Chun Defense Striking

All three of these defenses have something in common; they are paired with a straight punch. As opposed to many other styles most defenses in Wing Chun are combined with some sort of attack. In this case it is the straight punch. There are other variations off of these basics but for beginners we use the punch to begin with. The straight punch is delivered with the fist held vertically at a 45 degree angle. The reason for this is mainly structure. There is also a nice perk associated with it; it fits nicely under the chin to strike the side of the neck. As a result you can easily deliver a crippling blow to an opponent by simply changing the angle of your fist.

Conclusion

To Summarize, the Bui Sao, Tan Sao, and Gan Sao are three effective and important attacks you must know for your self defense. They allow you attack and defend simultaneously. These are so useful that they were borrowed by many Krav Schools to be incorporated into their system as well. Train these hard and you will have a good starting point.

Why wait until your child is a victim?

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Children will always be susceptible to acts of bullying, but why wait until that happens? Don’t wait until your child’s already a victim of bullies, harassment, depression or a habit of disrespect. Enrolling your child in the martial arts under individuals like Sifu Och Wing Chun has the potential to solve the problem before it begins. Creating a proactive solution to the problem that so many face. Putting your child in martial arts has the ability to increase respect and self-esteem, and improve peer relationships. Why wait until your child is a victim?

Respect and Self-esteem

Sifu Och Wing Chun kung fu and other martial arts for kids can help increase respectful talk, and respectful behavior. This can go a long way in life and with teachers in the school system, making learning and education a more enjoyable experience for all involved. But fostering a sense of respect is no easy task and takes time, effort, and lots of parental involvement. If the child is only disciplined and in a structured environment once a week, it may take years to see change; however, if the parents are continuing the effort put forth in class, results may occur in as little as a few weeks.

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Respect and self-esteem are two values that often influence one another. When the child is respectful to others, he or she is more likely to respect his or her self – encouraging good self-esteem. Having good self-esteem is imperative to warding off bullies. Bullying leads to a lack of self-esteem, but a lack of self-esteem may also lead to bullying. When the child’s self-esteem is low, they begin to believe what the bullies are saying about them and start to identify with that image. Children with higher self-esteem are more likely to disregard bullies, easily believing their words to be untruthful. In the martial arts, children are taught their worth and encouraged to build themselves up. Martial arts give children goals to set and achieve and, with the right school, instructors that mentor each child to reach their full potential.

Peer Relationships

Sometimes your child may be their own bully solution. By increasing their self worth they reduce depression and anxiety. Sifu Och Wing Chun can also help with their social skills which can help them to make new friends. When children are suffering with depression and anxiety, they are at a greater risk to become a victim of bullying. Physical activity of any kind has a positive effect on depression and anxiety, when that activity meets with the structure and discipline of martial arts the effect is twofold.

But on top of benefiting the child physically and mentally, the peer relationships that they make in class encourages good social development. Often times in school, certain children have a tendency to get left out. Either by the group as a whole or ostracized from different cliques. In a martial arts class, children work with everyone in the class as well as in groups and individually. When doing partner work the partners will switch up every round. This gives each child the opportunity to meet and make new friends as well as work with different body types. Simultaneously promoting social and martial arts skill.

Choose Now-Why wait until your child is a victim?

People of all ages are susceptible to bullying, but why wait until after the fact to do something? Most adults have learned to cope and deal with bullies, but it is usually after years of being bullied themselves. Enrolling your child in a martial art does not mean that they won’t get bullied. It does, however, ensure that they are better equipped to deal with it when it happens.

Little Lions preschool martial arts

Which Martial Arts Are More Practical for Self-Defense

Posted on by Sarah Lister

When asked about the origins of martial arts, most people will gravitate toward thoughts of Asia and the east. Though the majority of martial arts do originate in the east. The west has certainly produced credible martial arts as well as adopting eastern martial art practices. A few western martial arts include: boxing, fencing, wrestling, and jousting (as well as eastern martial arts that have adapted to the west). While some eastern martial arts include: kung fu, aikido, escrima, and karate. Western vs. Eastern Martial Arts and the differences between training actual differences in technique.

Why Eastern Martial Arts Like Wing Chun Offer Superior Self-Defense

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Western Martial Arts:
In the west the time it takes to learn a martial art can be shorter and more optimized. Allowing for practitioners to achieve the rank of black belt in as little as three years (with some programs promising less). This optimization is in line with the (often) western mindset of consumerism.

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The craving for immediate results can cause much disappointment to those who are use to short term satisfaction. They often compare themselves to students who have been practicing for years and wonder why they are unable to produce the same results. This frequently leads to students quitting early on, due to either disappointment, frustration, or boredom.

Because of this phenomenon, western martial arts felt the need to streamline their programs. This helped to keep students both physically and mentally engaged in their classes. On top of wanting a shorter martial arts program, westerners are also highly concerned with the practical. Western martial arts generally have no room for ritual. And less practical practices that may be present in their eastern counterparts.

Western and Eastern Martial Arts: Unlock Their Core Differences

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Eastern Martial Arts:
In the east there seems to be a greater respect for the amount of time it takes to truly learn a martial art. Eastern martial arts will (generally) take longer to achieve the rank of black belt. Many requiring ten years and some even longer.

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That is assuming that the individual is regularly practicing multiple times a week, pushing themselves toward their goal. Eastern martial arts also emphasize the concept of loyalty and perseverance. Loyalty to the martial art and to one’s dojo and master are key components in the practice.

Many eastern martial arts developed from a need to be able to revolt or defend themselves in times of war. For example, slave would do Karate forms to defy to their drivers. After a long day of work, they did these forms in a line on the rail-roads they were being forced to build. The slaves sought to display strength, power, and endurance despite the work that they were being forced to do.

Explore the Unique Philosophies Behind Western and Eastern Martial Arts

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Adaptation:
Both western and eastern martial arts have great merit and training techniques. Easily improving discipline, fitness, and overall health; but there are some major differences. These differences can affect the entire training regimen and lead to the overall perception of the art itself. If someone is looking for an eastern martial art in the west, has the art adapted to cater to the western mindset or does it hold true to the east? In the same way, looking for one of the western martial arts in the east that holds true to western values may be difficult as well. Does an art exist that is purely eastern or western? Free from ideals from the opposing side? When choosing a martial art the decision is not necessarily eastern or western. Instead one should look at has the art developed over time.

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Discover Why Eastern Martial Arts Offer Complete Self-Defense Mastery

Western vs. Eastern Martial Arts:

  1. Comparing Wing Chun Kung Fu to Other Martial Arts
  2. The Real Difference Between Martial Arts Styles
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Martial Arts School Safety

Posted on by Betsy Olay

The title of this article may seem like an odd question, but it is something everyone should ask themselves. This is only for their own benefit and health. Safety in this respect refers to the physical environment, cleanliness, and set up of the martial arts school. There are certain warning signs and things you should take note of. Not only should you observe when you looking for a school but even after you enroll.

So what should you be looking for when you enter a martial arts school to ensure that it is going to be a healthy place to train:

Look at the physical arrangement of the studio

Is the training area around anything that you could bump into, trip over, fall on, be pushed into, etc. (Chairs, weights, brooms, tables, training equipment, other students bags/gear?) A responsible martial arts school will have specified places for these items. They will also be sure that those items are kept there to ensure the safety of the students.

Are there mirrors in the studio? If so, are they far enough away to not cause injury? Most studios are going to have windows to let in light and to allow the public to be attracted to what is going on inside. However, all training should occur well away from any windows to avoid potential accidents.

Look at the training floor

Wherever you will be doing your martial arts training, you need to be sure that the floor is going to be safe. Concrete floors, or floors covered with only a thin matting are a red alert that your safety may not be a high priority at the studio. If you were taken down, swept off your feet, or knocked down doing a technique, would you feel safe landing on the training floor? (Sifu Och Wing Chun has professional martial arts mats covering our training area so our

Also, does the floor look clean? If there are mats on the training floor, it is essential that the mats are cleaned with a hospital grade disinfectant on a regular basis. Martial arts mats can be breeding grounds for staphylococcus and other communicable skin diseases. (At Sifu Och Wing Chun we sweep and disinfect our floor, mats, and bathrooms a minimum of 2 times a week for the health and safety of our students.)

Use your nose and your eyes. Does the martial arts studio look or smell moldy or foul? Can you see dirt on the floor, can you smell garbage that needs to be taken out, are the bathrooms in a clean state? If you are in doubt about the cleanliness of the studio that you are looking to train in, ASK! Your safety should be as important to the owner of the martial arts school as it is to you! If you feel uncomfortable about anything when you visit a training studio, trust your gut and find a place that makes the safety of its students a top priority!

Learning Ground Game Tactics in Wing Chun

Safe sparring

As a side note, sparring also needs to be addressed.  The area where sparring is done should be void of  windows, concrete, or thin mats which could injure individuals. If they are are taken down, get swept, thrown, or fall these areas could cause serious damage. Halt training if the place you are at has hazards to you before they become a injury. Along with location you should also check equipment every time. The death of a martial artist is inactivity. That inactivity should never be because of an injury due to faulty equipment.

Just as your training requires discipline, so should your safety.

How to Defend Against Punches: Martial Arts Techniques You Need to Know

Posted on by Sarah Lister

Master Real Self-Defense in Lakeland with Proven Techniques

Martial Arts Punches, from jabs to straight strikes exist in almost all styles of self defense. Though different arts may vary slightly in how they deliver this technique, the biggest difference lies in how they defend against it.

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Some martial arts punches will block the blow with a stagnant defense. Others will avoid contact completely by dodging or evading by moving in or to the side. This article will analyze how some of the most popular martial arts in the world defend against that attack.

Enhance Your Martial Arts Punch Defense with These Expert Variations

Wing Chun and Krav Maga: Efficiency and Minimal Movement

The Martial Arts Punch of Wing Chun and Krav Maga both prioritize efficient movement and minimal energy expenditure in their defenses. Training details, strike positioning, and technique to maximize your ability is Wing Chun so any size practitioner can train and utilize it. Whereas, Krav Maga is usually placing more emphasis on being aggressive, Wing Chun wants aggression with good technique and details why and how.

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Wing Chun’s intercepting punch technique, combined with the effective use of both hands, sets it apart from other martial arts. In Krav Maga, open-hand defenses often guide the punch away while positioning the practitioner for counterattacks.

Where-as any blocking and attacking simultaneous that Krav Maga does is taken from the fundamentals of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

How to Defend Against Punches: Top Martial Arts Punch Techniques

Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Muay Thai: Hard Blocks

In martial arts like Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Muay Thai, blocking is a key method of defense. These styles often employ hard blocks, absorbing much of the punch’s energy. Tae Kwon Do and Karate use guard positions, either blocking from outside-in or inside-out, while Muay Thai absorbs the blow through the guard with tight fists and elbows.

Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Muay Thai are similar in their defense of punches in that they block the attack in a hard stop that accepts much of the energy. The most popular punch defense in Tae Kwon Do is either an in-to-outside or an out-to-inside block.

To perform this block, one will start in the guard, one arm across the body and the other fist up by the face, by bringing the front arm either from the outside-in or inside-out of the body; this pushes the punch off course. Karate starts from the same guard, but will employ a box block.

The box block will move up, down, left or right, but only by a few inches; choosing to take an angle so that not so much force is necessary. In Muay Thai, the most common punch defense is accepting the blow to the guard. To form the guard, one will place both fists on the forehead while keeping the elbows in tight. The Muay Thai practitioner may turn slightly to deflect some of the blow, but the guard will absorb most of the blow.

Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, and Judo: Redirect, Deflect, Throw, and Submit

These styles aim to avoid direct force, using angles and redirection. Jiu-Jitsu practitioners might dodge punches or use takedowns. Aikido relies on circular energy to deflect attacks, often ending in joint locks. Judo, like Jiu-Jitsu, uses redirection techniques to maintain control of the fight. These martial arts prefer to take an angle to the oncoming offense, desiring to not incur quite as much damage.

Jiu-Jitsu defends mostly against ground techniques, though they acknowledge that most fights will start in stand-up. A practitioner may dodge the punch altogether, coming in with a take-down. To handle punches from the ground, much like the Muay Thai practitioner, one will use a guard. Aikido is all about redirecting energy in a circular fashion.

The Aikido practitioner may block to the outside of the opponents hand, continuing the momentum in a circle – usually ending in some kind of lock. Judo, like jiujitsu, does not like to address the punch directly. A Judo practitioner may side step the punch, following through with some form of lock or wrist manipulation.

Wing Chun and Krav Maga: Efficiency and Minimal Movement

Krav Maga and Wing Chun fall somewhere in the middle of our previous two groups in their martial arts punch defense against punches; both desire minimal movement, taking the path of least resistance.

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In Krav Maga, a practitioner will start with both hands open and in front of the face, stepping to the side and pushing one hand out to meet the oncoming punch; directing it off target. Wing Chun’s goal is to block and strike immediately at the available weakness or opening in the assailant.

Wing Chun will start off with the hand closest to the oncoming punch controlling the space that the opponents punch was in.

An alternative to that is to intercept it with a straight punch of their own. The martial arts punch from these systems prioritize efficient movement and minimal energy expenditure in their defenses. Wing Chun trains strike positioning and technique heavier so any size practitioner can train and utilize it. Wing Chun’s intercepting technique, combined with the effective use of both hands, sets it apart from other martial arts. In Krav Maga, open-hand defenses often guide the punch away while positioning the practitioner for counterattacks. Where-as any blocking and attacking simultaneous that Krav Maga does is taken from the fundamentals of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Master Proven Wing Chun for Real-World Self-Defense in Lakeland

At Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu, our instructors specialize in effective, real-world self-defense, emphasizing Wing Chun’s efficient techniques like the intercepting punch. Whether you’re defending against quick strikes or powerful punches, Wing Chun’s precise and minimalistic approach provides unmatched practicality in self-defense situations. Sifu Och Wing Chun’s tailored training prepares you for both competition and real-life encounters.

Take your punch defense skills to the next level. Fill out our contact form today and start training with Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu and Sanda Kickboxing!

Experience Real Self-Defense: Wing Chun Training in Lakeland with Sifu Och

Learning Krav Maga Lakeland FL Style

Posted on by Sifu Justin Och

If you’ve been interested in Krav Maga, then you’re in the right place! Sifu Och Wing Chun is a certified and licenced training facility for realistic self defense, close range combat and Wing Chun Kung Fu. If you are looking into the Krav Maga fighting style, popularized by the Israeli special forces, then you may want to take a look at Wing Chun, which is actually fighting style with similar goals and overarching principles. Sifu Och Wing Chun is located in the Downtown Lakeland area and serves adults, teens and kids within Polk County and surrounding areas. That includes Plant City, Bartow, Auburndale, Winter Haven, Brandon, and even Tampa.

We have a great appreciation for Krav Maga. It’s an effective and forcible martial art and self-defense form that had its origin in Israel. It’s considered a powerful fighting style and, like Wing Chun, the techniques can nullify an attacker by striking the body’s most susceptible parts. Our training incorporates much of the Krav Maga disciplines, but when we apply it Krav Maga Lakeland FL style, it delivers even more devastation. With our training you’ll be able to successfully block and counter attack in the quickest and most efficient manner possible.

Krav Maga vs. Wing Chun

Krav Maga is comprised heavily of Wing Chun Kung Fu, boxing, jujitsu, and weapon defense. We are elite certified trainers in Wing Chun Kung Fu and have on-staff boxing coaches on-hand. We also incorporate and teach fundamental jiujitsu and weapon training as well. The training sessions also cover situational awareness programs, so that you can identify the probable threats before any assault actually takes place. Keeping with the same foundational principles behind Krav Maga, our Wing Chun training experts blend mixed martial arts techniques that use striking techniques, wrestling, and grappling. This training is indispensable, and it keeps in mind the real-world scenarios you;re likely to encounter in a fight.

The key features of our Wing Chun training include:

  • Techniques to neutralize the attacker at the earliest possible point, time, and position.
  • Techniques to strike the body’s most susceptible parts like eyes, face, throat, ribs, and knees so as to achieve the maximum damage potential.
  • Techniques to simultaneously block and counter attack quickly and efficiently.

Sifu Och Wing Chun Teaches Krav Maga Techniques and More

Wing Chun Kung Fu and Krav Maga are both extremely effective martial arts forms that can be highly effective for self-defense and protection. Their unique fighting and combative skills set them above the norm and produce highly effective results. While many other systems focus on forms, jumping, and fancy moves—Wing Chun Kung Fu and Krav Maga bypass that for real-word self defense techniques.

If you’re interested in Krav Maga, our Wing Chun self defense program will exceed your expectations and incorporate most if not all of the attack and defense elements you’re looking for. Our classes are suitable for both men and women and can be learned by people of all age groups. In addition to unarmed training, it also includes coaching techniques to handle uncertain situations by using nearby objects for self-defense.

As you train more and more in the Sifu Och Wing Chin Kung Fu system, you will feel more and more confident in dealing with adverse and unpredictable situations.

Contact us to start your class today.

Krav Maga vs Wing Chun – Which is Better?

Posted on by Sifu Justin Och

It seems that every week I her someone ask the question: Krav Maga vs Wing Chun – Which is better? The other day I was watching an episode of Human Weapon on TV. Krav Maga was the martial arts style that was spotlighted. Krav Maga uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial arts forms together into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense. From the perspective of a Wing Chun practitioner, I was especially interested in the explosion of Krav Maga as a self defense technique against a descending knife thrust. My friends and I were awestruck—none of us had never witnessed this kind of resistance in any martial art. But lo and behold, this defensive move was taken right out of Wing Chun! Maybe this was Krav Maga Wing Chun we were watching?

Fak-Da of Wing Chun

In Wing Chun the kind of defense we witnessed is known as Fak-Da, and it’s performed by stepping into the attack. On the other hand the Krav Maga exploding defense is excellent when you have many attackers assaulting you at the same time. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense. The risk is that you need to crash the assailant with the hit on the throat or else he will just keep returning to you again.  But I find it interesting to blend Fak-Da with Jik-Tek by aiming at the knee of the assailant. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.

Method of Israeli warfare training

Krav Maga first originated as a method of Israeli warfare training, but is rapidly turning out to become very popular as a self defense method with both law enforcement as well as the civilians all over the globe. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.  Krav Maga mingles factors of Wing Chun, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, grappling, Judo, wrestling, and boxing together with fundamental street fighting talents into an exceptional but a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.

Fundamental principle of Krav Maga

The fundamental principle of Krav Maga is not standing and fighting, but to immobilize the assailant till you are able to escape.  Krav Maga can be picked up and applied by anybody.  In the US students as well as housewives are utilizing the working out to defend themselves, their associates as well as their families. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense. The self-confidence derived from Krav Maga instruction may perhaps, paradoxically, in fact assist to evade the want to employ it.  The training assists students distinguish and stay away from any potential situation which could turn out to be dangerous.  But, in case a student faces such a situation, then they are able to be calm as they are well aware that they can protect themselves. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.

My Vote is for Krav Maga Wing Chun Lakeland

Even though Krav Maga and Wing Chun has all the above positive merits, I would vote for krav maga wing chun Lakeland.

There is quite a lot of reasons for this and the most important one among them is that Wing Chun includes all levels of internal and external discipline, self defense, and an all level systematic soft and hard real combat defense. There are alot of situations that cause for real self defense being used and Wing Chun covers some of the best that Chinese Martial Arts has offered for over 5,000 years.krav maga wing chun? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.  For Modern combat Wing Chun prepares a person to face a real world combat situation. It prepares you to respond calculated reactions to everything without thinking.

Wing Chun provides quicker strikes as well as quicker counterattacks.  Wing Chun trains you to apply Qing or Ki which is the transmitting of energy from the practitioner’s legs by means of the power of the body. This helps in adding strength in addition to weight into the hits, thrusts as well as blocks. The Martial arts of Wing Chun is all concerning Ging, strength by itself is not adequate to fight. krav maga wing chun Lakeland? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.

Most importantly Wing Chun teaches you that POWER and STRENGTH alone without true understanding of structure, rooting, relaxation to tension and proper body mechanics is key.krav maga wing chun? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense.  Wing Chun teaches that using Power and Strength with speed, rooting and proper body mechanics will gain you the upper hand.

Not every school is equal

Just because you choose the “style or type” of martial art system you now want to study doesn’t mean your job is over and you should choose the closest one.  In fact now you have to visit every school and do every trial for at least a week or two each before you settle and officially start your training. krav maga wing chun? Krav uses factors of Wing Chun and other martial art forms together with into a useful arrangement of noncompetitive self defense. Measure twice cut once my grandfather once said to me, this goes for training as well.  If you pick the closest school you may find yourself years behind on training.  This is not to say that every Wing Chun school teaches you these lessons or that every Krav Maga school does either.  It is the teacher of the school that makes the difference in your outcome with the right teacher and instruction you will soar.

Our choice is Wing Chun, but you should try it out for yourself every school is different and the one that teaches you realistic self defense should be the choice you take.

Wing Chun Kung Fu school Lakeland Fl
Sifu Och Wing Chun Lakeland Florida
https://sifuochwingchun.com
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116 east pine street, Lakeland Florida
863.800.0171

Krav Maga Wing Chun best martial art for street self defence

Posted on by Sifu Justin Och

Krav Maga Wing Chun Best martial art: Which is the best martial art for street self defence

Choosing the best martial arts program that fits your overall physical, intellectual, wants and desires can be a tricky thing. There are martial arts program that can enhance the mind but fall short on practical and real street effectiveness. Krav Maga Wing Chun are the best martial arts.There are martial art programs that will pat you on the back, hand you a black belt in a few years and not teach you how to get out of a wet paper bag (just in case you ever get stuck in one). Krav Maga Wing Chun is a type of self defense martial arts. There are also martial art programs that excel in crude street skills but are low in the area of mental growth, theory, and advancement principles. Krav Maga Wing Chun martial arts in lakeland. In order to get a holistic approach to a great self defence program there should be an excellent fusion of practical theory, realistic street self defence, stress relief and family training/practice. One can only execute proper street self defence martial arts by understanding and being able to apply the principles behind the discipline. Krav Maga Wing Chun martial arts have their own importance. At the same time, the constant practice under a good instructor of the combinations, theories, applications and self defence tactics against resistance will all contribute to better execution and true self protection of a trained martial arts fighter.

krav maga wing chun best martial artSome martial arts disciplines are also for aesthetic purposes. This means, they are only really good for performances and formal staged fighting. Krav Maga Wing Chun are the best street self defense martial arts. Krav Maga Wing Chun is a self-defense system created based upon the street fighting skills. Krav Maga Wing Chun, its meant to be the best marshal art in the world. Fancy movements, large open attacks, flipping and jumping are truly wonderful to watch but will not really help you in a home invasion, bar fight, parking lot encounter or worse a situation where your family is endanger.

There are also martial arts disciplines that are good for real-life street self defence and fighting, these include but are not limited to Krav Maga Wing Chun Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiujitsu, Cage MMA (mixed martial arts) and Jeet Kune Do. Krav Maga Wing Chun’s  specialty, in that they literally practice surprise situations all the time.  These are some of the best martial arts for you to participate in if you are looking for real life street protection. Ok first, taking Brazilian Jiujitsu out for a second…. Krav Maga Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do have both taken from Wing Chun and given it respect as a street self defence martial art. 

I love stand up and striking so let’s look at Krav Maga Wing Chun schools of martial art self defence it really depends on how hardcore you get and where you are training. Also as always it depends on the instructor, I have seen some pretty hardcore Wing Chun and Krav Maga schools, but I have also seen some very laid back Krav Maga and Wing Chun schools as well. 

Anyway, back to the devastation which is Krav Maga Wing Chun.  Don’t let the word Kung Fu fool you, Wing Chun is a brutal style of close quarter combat.  They get in quick, they trap your arms and stike you in the throat/ribs/or/face at the same time, they kick out your legs and are not one trick ponies.  The whole art is based on brutally punching, kicking and beating your opponent into a smashed paste, but so is Krav Maga.  Krav Maga has pulled aspects of Wing Chun into its art because it respects this style so much, so much love. Wing Chun teaches mostly close quarter in-fighting punching and striking techniques, though there are some seriously dangerous moves even at a distance.   Wing Chun has very destructive and powerful low kicks to the knees, groin and ribs which don’t take alot of stretching or flexibility to use.  Wing Chun also punches, elbows and chops at the eyes, throat, ribs, neck, joints, arm breaks, knee breaks, headbutts and loves to trap and attack simultaneously.  If you are lucky enough to find a Wing Chun school that teaches ground self defence, knife and gun tactics you will be privy to a amazing arsenal.  It can be taught to women, men and children that are looking to quickly stop larger and stronger attackers in a quick manner. 

Krav Maga is more of a militaristic martial art in that it focuses alot on combat encounters such as a AK-47 or other Military gun being pointed in your face.  Krav Maga also teaches kicks, grappling, knife, gun and other types of military scenarios. Wing Chun schools such as Sifu Och’s Wing Chun school in Lakeland, Florida, Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun schools in Europe such as Philipp Bayer’s are great street self defence schools.  These guys teach these knock out street fighting Wing Chun aspects as well but from real serious scenarios such as home invasion, parking lot, and bar scenarios. Though Krav Maga also teaches a lot of scenario techniques as well such as chokes, bear hugs, knife attacks, and shirt grabs.  The same type of scenarios are in both Wing Chun and Krav Maga and they both want you to just react, react, react or laugh out loud… attack, attack, attack!  The best offence is a amazing defence right, Wing Chun and Krav Maga have both! Both of these street fighting and self defence styles teach how to knock out or kill in the advanced levels.  Both Kra v Maga and Wing Chun were developed for war and real street self defence.

Krav Maga or Wing Chun?  I personally would recommend Wing Chun unless you live in a area of the world that has been torn asunder by war or terrorist.  Not to mention that Wing Chun has aspects that suit every age and size, drills and applications that can keep you advancing into your 80’s and 90’s. Wing Chun’s fast rooted and structured attacks will increase your self defence while in a family environment. I would also say that in my opinion Wing Chun is better for day to day street self defence in most countries as they focus on the close quarters of practical fighting.  I personally in all my years have never been approached in a street fight by guys carrying automatic weapons and bullet proof vests.  If I did, I get out of there first before I said hmm time for my Krav Maga or Wing Chun training.

Just make sure you find a Wing Chun instructor that is really focused on knock out combinations, real street self defence versus the forms and intense theory/slapping hands/and lots and lots of history.  Make sure where ever you are you let your instructor know your goals, tell them you want real street self defence and fighting combinations.  Let them know you want to push yourself towards a higher level of street self defence protection.  If they know and they teach it, you will love it! Both Krav Maga Wing Chun are amazing street realistic self defence combat martial arts, I just hate fighting Wing Chun guys, I guess that’s why I joined them.

an unbaised opinion from a guy that loves to fight –

If your wondering why I left out MMA (mixed martial arts) cage training and JKD (jeet kune do). I left out MMA (mixed martial arts) cage training as there are many rules and the street has none, though it is very effective I would have to say most schools do not cover knife, gun, stick or reality situations that may be encountered on the street.  Such as you get a guy to the ground and he pulls out a knife or hey, lets just say he is standing and trying to cut you… when did your MMA (mixed martial art) coach go over that for the ring?  I am leaving out Jeet Kune Do as I love the practice and idea but finding someone that actually has a root in Wing Chun teaching it is getting near impossible. Wing Chun was hailed by Bruce Lee as the huge fighting engine for JKD (jeet kune do).  To hear some JKD instructors actually say Wing Chun doesn’t need to be learned as part of the system is like saying pressure and close contact shouldn’t be part of Jiujitsu .  It’s hard to admit but most of the JKD (jeet kune do) instructors I have seen now only have a understand of boxing, muay thai, some jiujitsu and some takedowns, which is unfortunate.  If a JKD (jeet kune do) school is missing a big handle on using and understanding the Wing Chun fighting aspect then I would have to say its more MMA than Bruce Lee JKD. With much love and no disrepect I stick with my choices of Krav Maga Wing Chun as truly devastating stand up striking street self defence martial arts. 

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