Building a Fun Kung Fu Kids Class

Posted on March 9, 2018September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

There are many steps to Building a Fun Kung Fu Kids Class. You can vary teaching styles based on age, style of martial art, and size of the class. Regardless of these factors there are a few things you can do to make sure that you are running and fun and engaging kids program. These are some of the things we do at the Sifu Och Wing Chun and Just Dance Afterschool and Martial arts Programs.

Building a Fun Kung Fu Kids Class

Discipline

The very first thing that you must have when running any kids program is a focus on discipline. When the class is smaller, under 15-20 students, it can be easy to slack off give them more leeway. However, if good discipline is not integrated early in the program it will be difficult to maintain that when the class gets closer to 25+. What you must feel is the class energy. If the kids are engaged, following instructions, working hard, there will obviously be a very good energy in the class. On the other hand, if there are children that are whispering to each other, spending too much time fixing a shoe or belt, etc. there will be a hiccups in flow of class. When you feel the flow of energy weakening you must change the class dynamic. But more on that later.

One of the first tricks we to maintain class discipline and structure is using the word discipline itself. When one of our instructors calls “discipline” the entire class responds with “yes sir” and stands at perfect attention. To compliment that you must enforce this and any other rules without hesitation or exception.

When we call discipline if any child speaks, doesn’t stand up, or is distracting another student we address it immediately. We enforce this with burpees. To keep the group together we will tell the students to start the burpee by saying “down”. When we say “up” we have them stand back up in discipline and say “yes sir”. This is repeated as many times as necessary until the group is performing this quickly as a unit.

Class Dynamic

The next aspect we will discuss is the class dynamic. As mentioned earlier you need to feel the energy in class. If you have classes that include children as young as 5 years old you will find that they my struggle more so with paying attention. If you also have a larger class this problem is compounded. To help maintain a fun but focused atmosphere you have to be able to make adjustment quickly. By interchanging combos with a mini work out you can quickly re-engage those who may be distracted. Teaching a basic combo like Jab, uppercut, round house, can be either very fun, or very boring. If you mix it into a fun work out to get the student’s moving you lift the overall energy. For example: if we have the students run in place, switch to high knees, then immediately take a fighting stance. Quickly follow up with the combo two or three times. Then we have them isolate one or two of those techniques and repeat them. The go back to the high knees, or jumping jacks etc. By cycling through different mini workouts, techniques, and other options you can keep the class very exciting.

Fun

The last thing is of course have fun with them. If you as the instructor have an upbeat excited attitude then the students will more than likely emulate that. By embracing your inner child you can usually find new and engaging ways to energize the class. Have fun, maintain discipline, and you will have quite a enjoyable kids class.

Sifu Och’s Three Sections of Teaching

Posted on January 29, 2018September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Wing Chun is not the easiest martial art to teach. The techniques come from a philosophy and list of principles. Due to this, the application of the techniques can be done with many variations that can be considered “correct”. These variations can cause added frustration. This is due to the details when it comes to teaching the variations. So that being said, you need to give ample attention to your students to genuinely help them understand, learn, and apply their Wing Chun. Sifu Och’s three sections of teaching his main classes help accomplish that.

Sifu Och’s Three Sections of Teaching

Beginner Class

The beginner class is for those students that are within their first year of training. We typically have one main instructor on the floor who has trained for at least 3 years. He or she helps the new student’s build their fundamentals. The focus of this section of class is to build their immediate ability to stop basic, common attacks. In our article When to Learn Chi Sao & Wooden Dummy we cover in more detail what our philosophy is for that class. We want to make sure that when a student leaves our doors the are able to hand dangerous situations as quickly as possible.

Much like a building we must set the groundwork. Within someones first year of training we teach them the basics to a few things. First, we guide them through the basics of footwork. Second, while building their footwork we help them through the concepts of using two hands at the same time. Thirdly, we want to build an attacking mindset. Instead of being focused on the perfect counter, block, or defense, we want our students to build an immediate offensive mindset.

Intermediate Class

For our Intermediate class we move past our basic footwork and attacks and start building our combinations. After initial contact you must follow up to finish your opponent. Building on the foundation of attacks we begin to teach students how to effectively and efficiently follow up.

Not only do we build in the ability to follow up and finish an opponent we also begin to lean heavier into reaction training and sparring. There are three main stages of development which I go into more detail in my article Three Cycles of Martial Art Training. The last of these stages is reaction which is the hardest to master. Speed, technique, power, all mean nothing if you do not have the correct timing.

Conner McGregor said “Precision beats power, and timing beats speed” in a post fight interview. You can take this one step further and say that without any form of timing you cannot fight. So you MUST develop your timing. Wing Chun is very effective when used properly. But due to many attacks being intercepts versus blocks, learning the timing can be tricky. You must devote consistent hard work in sparring and active attacker training.

Advanced Class

At our advance class level we begin the refinement of the techniques. We being teaching and using the Wooden Dummy at this level. Now that there has been years of using the Wing Chun shapes and applying them against pressure we can now upgrade them to the fullest level.

The Wooden Dummy training helps conditioning of the arms as well as tightening of form. Since the dummy does not hit back it serves no purpose other than that refinement of techniques. Spacing, shapes, rooting, all can be worked on using the dummy.

When at the advanced class we now also pass on the more traditional aspects of Wing Chun including Long Pole and Butterfly Swords. Wing Chun needs to stay applicable to the current martial arts you might run in to. However, you must keep your roots strong in the history of your training. Now that your training is coming full circle we finish the circle with advanced techniques and weapons.

WING CHUN LAKELAND FL CONTACT (863) 800-0171

Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu
Call us: 863.800.0171
116 East Pine Street, Lakeland, FL 33801 (Downtown Lakeland)

4 Ways to Intercept

Posted on December 26, 2017September 6, 2020 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

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

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

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

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.

The Strength of My Wing Chun

Posted on December 12, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

The Strength of My Wing Chun: By Ryan Beck

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. These gains can come fast while others take years to achieve. After approximately three years, I have seen these gains made by myself and others.

My Wing Chun Start

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 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. 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 Year Two

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.

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.

Wing Chun For Life

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.

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!

Your Wing Chun Journey

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.

A Letter To Myself-Marcus Morales

Posted on December 5, 2017September 6, 2020 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

Once 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.

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

Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training

Posted on November 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Sal Ficaro came to Sifu Och Wing Chun about one year ago. He tried one of our classes and got very frustrated with himself and decided to leave. Sifu Och was able to talk to him and arrange for private lessons instead to help him through those first steps of learning. When I took on Sal and his private lessons I knew this would be a difficult task. Sal was not used to Wing Chun and it’s movements. However, I knew that it could be done because Sal had the right mindset. In this article, Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training, Sal will tell a little bit about himself and his training here.

Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training

“Hello, my name Salvatore Ficarro I am 58 years old. I’ve been training at Sifu Och Wing Chun it’s been a learning process. Timothy Kittelstad is one of the trainers at this studio and he is absolutely wonderful. Even though the journey has been tough I absolutely love it.

If anybody is in the 40s or 50s age and would like to learn some self-defense they should not hesitate. They should come down to Sifu Och and start their own journey! Your age shouldn’t hold you back. I’m 58 but that is just a number. I don’t allow that to be an excuse to not learn something new. Life can be very hard. And many times you want to just give up. But the wonderful things in life take some time to learn.

When you are working hard to learn something you may fall a little short. And when that happens, as long as you get back up and come back stronger that day was a success. There are days I feel I’m only at maybe 60% where I should be. But if I leave at 61% that means I am improving. Then next time maybe I’m at 70% or 80%. As long as you work hard and improve, no matter how small the improvement, you will always be able to grow. The staff at Sifu Och Wing Chun are the best trainers I’ve ever seen. They are their to help you. All they want is for you to be your best. And I want you to succeed. I feel if you give it a try your will fall in love with it.”

Age doesn’t Stop Hard work

Sal shows that now matter your age you can accomplish anything with hard. Day after day Sal comes into class and puts in a hard days training. Starting from private lessons he has been able to work himself into the group classes. The most impressive thing about Sal is his determination. He doesn’t care about belts, or awards, or flashy techniques. He simply wants to know that he can take care of himself. Each day he comes in and builds himself from the last class.

Age is just a number. Everybody has hurdles they have to learn to overcome. Everyone has their own life story. Once you learn to accept your story and do the best you can with what you have you can start to really learn new things.

Instead of complaining about his age, or “not being able to move like he used to”, Sal trains his body to move the best it can right now. Because that’s what matters, the now. Not the past, not the future, but right now. What are you doing right now to make a difference in your life? If nothing than you should find the reason why. And then find a strong reason why you need to change that. Sal is a great example of someone who tackles life no matter what happens.

My Journey Toward Wing Chun

Posted on November 21, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

My Journey Toward Wing Chun

My martial arts training started late in 2006 at Dan Parrish’s Taekwondo school. The sole purpose of me training there was for it to be an outlet for my anger issues. When my training first started, my attitude toward others, school, and life in general was horrible. At the same time that I was practicing Martial Arts, I was also regularly seeing a “Guidance counselor“ . With the help of my “guidance counselor“, my instructors at my Martial Arts school, and my parents… I was able to reduce the amount of anger I’ve always had and calm down as much as possible.

Introduction to Ip Man

As years went on I became a black belt at the same martial arts school but under a different instructor who’s name is Master Gary Hernandez. Around that time is when I watched the first Ip man movie. That’s when I wanted to start to learn any new style of Kung Fu, but Wing Chun in particular. Something terrible occurred I was working towards my 2nd degree black belt. A near fatal incident happened to my mother and now ex-stepfather. Once that happened, my training drastically went downhill. I wasn’t wanting to throw a single punch or block a single strike.

Re-Focusing

After a while, when I knew my mother would be OK I began to start training again. But this time I was traveling with a friend every Thursday and Saturday to Zephyrhills to continue my training. I was also training and teaching as one of the head instructors at my Lakeland taekwondo school. As 2014 was coming to A conclusion, my taekwondo school and Lakeland shut down because of financial issues which allowed me to become A full fledged student under Gary Hernandez. Once I became a student under Gary Hernandez I started training in the super foot system and earned my 2nd degree black belt. Soon after I received my next rank, I moved further away to the city of Winter Haven which kept me from training because of transportation issues.

Lakeland Wing Chun

Fast forward towards 2016, I stumbled across the Wing Chun school in Lakeland. At the time I was very hesitant about walking in and asking questions because of the simple fact that I did not know how I would be able to make it to classes without there being A problem. I am glad to say that I do not regret walking into the front door. I met both the manager, Timothy Kittelstad, and the owner, Sifu Justin Och. They immediately made me feel welcome.

sifu justin och, ip chun, hong kong, florida, son of ip man, master One of the many reasons why I love to train at this particular school is because of the authenticity of the Wing Chun that is being taught. There’s no place else like it, and there’s no other place that you can learn wing Chun from one person that’s been certified under multiple lineages. So far what I’ve gained and hope to continue gaining is the realness of Wing Chun and how the principles of Wing Chun affect more than just a persons martial art aspect, but also different aspects of every day life and activities. I’ve also learned and have gained many different techniques that is and will be always important to any true martial artist.

Wing Chun’s Greatness

Lastly, one thing I’ve gained since I’ve signed up at Sifu Och’s Wing Chun is the love and care that he provides and all of his students. Anyone who signs up will be able to experience the greatness and directness and effectiveness of Wing Chun. They will also be able to see how family oriented the school and the atmosphere is. They will also how hard and dedicated all the students are to their training.

Tony Plasse: Becoming an Orange

Posted on October 17, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Here on Tony Plasse: Becoming an Orange I explain my story but first, some history. Wing Chun a southern Chinese martial art mentioned during the period of the Red Boat Opera in the Late 1800s. Developed by southern Shaolin monks to help combat the Manchurians. It is influenced by other Fujian martial arts that preferred short steps and close fighting, with arms placed close to the chest and elbows close to the flanks offering protection. A simple boxing form quickly mastered by dedicated practitioners.

Two key figures keeping Wing Chun system alive after the burning of southern temples were Yat Chum Dai Si, 22^nd generation Siu Lam Grandmaster monk, and Cheung Ng, also known as Tan Sao Ng within the opera. It was taught to other rebels taking refuge with the opera. From there it spread along the coast and rivers of south-eastern China by people who lived by and on the water. The Shaolin nun myth was most likely created to protect the identities of the creators and perpetrators of the Wing Chun system. Wing Chun translates to Spring Chant or Spring Praise.

Tony Plasse: Becoming an Orange

I remember my first introduction to Wing Chun Kung Fu was an Ip Man movie three years ago. Did not know much about it, but the movie inspired me to research it. I liked the theory behind and thought it would be more practical for myself. High flying kicks, although cool looking, are not my style. When I finally had the opportunity to attend a class near my house I thought to myself, “this is great”.

My Reaction

I have spent the last year training with Sihing Garret and I have noticed improvements in myself. Garret emphasizes physical training at the beginning of each class. I have improved muscle tone and stamina. Wing Chun techniques taught to me have improved my reflexes much to my surprise. Not just in wrist against wrist but in everyday applications. I react to things such as doors flying at my face. I caught one once with a Jum Sau action. The lady next to me said “Wow! That was like a ninja!”. I also catch the items knocked off shelves with a lot more ease.

My Confidence

The wrist against wrist drill has helped my sensitivity improve into reaction. It has given me more confidence in handling myself. I always knew my normal movements gave me power. But now I am learning to channel that power more efficiently through stance and technique. I am more confident that I’m more prepared for situations when I’m out on the town or at work. I believe there are many applications I could have used previously in my life as a football player. Namely the footwork and center line punch drill. Both would have greatly helped me as an offensive lineman and coach. It also adds to my overall scariness.

My Future

As the days grow closer to my son’s birth, I look forward to sharing Wing Chun with him. I hope he will benefit from Wing Chun training developing skill, balance and confidence. I see Wing Chun as an opportunity to develop father and son bonds.

The instruction and encouragement I receive is outstanding. Sihing Garret and Sifu Och inspire me to dedicate myself and continue training. I hope to be an inspiring instructor one day. I look forward to progressing and to be a good representative of Tampa Bay Wing Chun Kung Fu and Sifu Och Wing Chun.

Your Black Belt Journey

Posted on October 10, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

There is a reason the title is “Your Black Belt Journey”, it’s YOUR journey. No one else can walk your life. You were created for a purpose and it’s your job to walk it to the best of your ability. That being said, too many times we see students comparing themselves to another student. In this article I will discuss what it means to walk the journey on the road to a black belt.

Your Black Belt Journey

Anything worth having takes time to get. Earning your Masters degree in Engineering, finishing Ranger school, a successful life long marriage. All of these things have something in common, they took a long time and a lot of hard work to achieve and/or maintain. People tend to treat martial arts different. As if learning to defend yourself from a threat is easier then one of these skills. Defending your family while fighting off multiple attackers or maybe even just one is not something you can learn in a weekend seminar. Yet, people continue to say they’ll “give it a try”. Or they will “do some Wing Chun” as if it were finger painting session with their friends.

Building a lifestyle

To really learn self defense you must embrace it as a lifestyle. The same thing that is said about being healthy is true here. If you “go on a diet” you will eventually go back to your un-healthy ways. You must change how you live as a whole. You must become a healthy person. They choices you make a the grocery store, restaurants, and gym time. This is who you are and what you do. Not an activity you participate in for a few weeks. The same is exactly true in training self defense.

But I’m High enough ranked I’ll be ok

In my previous article 3 cycles of martial arts I explain that there are 3 main stages to training: Programming, Application, Reaction. All 3 take time to develop in reference to a technique. But the most important thing is they must be maintained. If you do not keep up your training then you will NOT BE ABLE to respond to a threatening situation. Reacting to an attack takes split second reflexes as well as a situational awareness that maximizes your time. You may remember techniques from your training time but applying them quick enough will be very hard to accomplish.

The proof of this is many previous higher ranking students will come back from a hiatus and will struggle greatly with sparing and gor sao and lower ranking current students. That being said, setting goals and reaching them is a huge help when it comes to training as you go. But you should not have a rank as an end game. Living your life like a Black Sash is the key.

You Must Change

The Sash itself is NOT the goal in martial arts. It is the person you become while trying to obtain it. When you envision a person who is a “Black Sash” you typically picture someone who is wise, patient, hard working, compassionate. You must become the person you envision as a Black Sash. That transformation into something new only happens under the heavy anvil of rigorous, consistent training. Be reaching for small goals (i.e. your next rank) you have something you can slowly move towards and develop those characteristics on the way.

Nobody else can walk this path for you. You must accept where you are as a human. Recognize the type of person you must become. If you were a Black Sash how hard would you train? How compassionate would you be towards others? How loving would you be towards your family? These characteristics are what make a Black Sash. What are you doing to become that?

3 Training Cycles of Martial Arts

Posted on October 3, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

If you have just begun your training in martial arts you know it can become very frustrating. You can feel lost in the material. Confused on a technique. Or you feel like you are behind where you should be. All of the these factors make starting martial arts difficult for the newbie. In this article, 3 Training Cycles of Martial Arts, we will explain a concept that will hopefully help you push past the first slump.

The 3 Training Cycles of Martial Arts

There are 3 basic stages of learning a new technique. Once you understand these stages you will be able to identify where you are and what you need to work on. What you must understand is everyone develops different. Some learn the initial technique faster than others. Yet those same students may struggle in applying it. Everyone learns different. You must accept where you are so you can focus on YOUR development. Don’t stress about the progress of others. That being said, lets look at these 3 stages.

Stage 1: Programming

The first stage of training begins with programing. This is exactly like installing a new system into a computer. It takes time. When a new technique is shown it comes with a new set of motor functions the body is not used to. To overcome this the body needs time to “program” the new function into the “hard-drive”. Some students are more prone to certain techniques. Maybe they grew up doing a certain sport that had a similar movement to what they are learning now.

For instance, in Wing Chun there is a lot of rooting through the heels. If someone spent a lot of time lifting growing up they might be able to grasp that concept a little quicker. As opposed to someone who played soccer for instance. They would have been taught to always be in their toes. Therefore, they would need to spend more time teaching their body to draw power from the heels then the first person.

Stage 2: Application

Secondly, after you have learned what the new technique is and how to perform it you must learn WHEN to perform it. This is called application. One technique can have many applications and then variations from that original. Applying the technique must also be treated like the programing because you are learning how to time it against an attack. You must be attacked over and over again to get the timing down.

Along with timing the technique another very important part of application is learned and testing: structure. Without structure a block or attack will be ineffective no mater the timing. Just like gold is refined in fire so must the structure of a technique be refined through the fire of pressure. Pressure testing your structure helps develop your shapes that shadow training (or practicing in the air) can never do. Real attacks must be thrown and you to really develop your structure. Combining the timing and pressure training will give you the ability to fully apply your techniques.

Stage3: Reaction

Thirdly, the final stage of developing your technique is reaction. You have could structure and timing, but how will your fair when you do not know when the attack is coming? Reaction is the hardest part of training. You must build one technique at time. Learn how to react to one certain attack. Once you have dealt with that you build again from step one. Program a new technique; apply it to real attacks; react to it in a sparring scenario. You must learn how to deal with skilled and un-skilled attacks. Single attackers and multiple attackers. As well as Feinting, counter striking, grappling, High-low hit combos. All of these things and more must be thrown at you.

In conclusion, this cycle must be repeated over and over again. Day by day, technique by technique, this must be done. Consequently, if you stay consistent with your training you will master every technique given to you.

Jacob Cramer: Orange Sash Pre-Requisite Paper

Posted on September 26, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Where to Begin? Where does one begin divulging the effervescent determination surrounding my growth in Sifu Och Wing Chun? But also the growth in myself.

Jacob Cramer: Orange Sash Pre-Requisite Paper

The Beginning

Ultimately the scrupulous truth would be in my young age of six when I as many martial artist has divulged found my passion for martial arts watching Enter the Dragon featuring Bruce Lee. It was my favorite movie to rewatch and practice the moves of in my mom’s living room. From that moment on I knew I wanted to learn more about Bruce lee but also learn more about martial arts. Growing up we didn’t have much extra money so my passion laid with tutorial videos, school wrestling team, and books explaining how to train and learn new moves or techniques.

Ip Man

Fast forward to the important part, the year 2009 when the film Ip Man was released in the united states red box system, I was helping my grandpa move when he out of kindness decided to rent a movie for me and my brother. He casually strolls in and I will never forget what he said “you Know you guys have worked real hard and I wanted to show a small gesture of appreciation, I know you both love martial arts so I saw a film on Bruce lee’s master in red box and thought it would be interesting for you to check out.”

Little did I know that night after years of watching, reading, and jumping styles when able I would find my passion. I watched the film and fell in love with the pure flow of combinations, relentless ferocity in each hit and it wasn’t flashy but it was unprecedentedly fast and effective.

I begin with this prelude only to set the proper background for why I study as hard as I do and why I have such an appreciation for every moment I spend learning something in Sifu Och Wing chun.

The Search

In my years of martial arts fanaticism and study I have trained in my styles of course seeing as I have landed in Sifu Och Wing Chun never were for very long. The complete breakdown would be six months of high school wrestling, a month of Muay Thai, a month of Goju-Ru karate, and Six months of Sport Judo. I gained a proper understanding of what most martial arts schools were about because of the many styles that I bounced around in.

The schools primarily focused on the money, they would show you a couple moves leave you on your own and then after a bit would ask if you want to join up. This was an industry standard I did not like, so I often parted ways, if I wasn’t sure I maybe stuck around for a bit to maybe see if I was judging to quickly or harshly. I feel that my jumping styles did in fact help me grow as a martial artist however the training only took me so far and let’s be honest it wasn’t very far at all. I still had nervousness in fighting situations or even in confrontational situations.

Home

Sifu Och Wing Chun has and will always be a blessing to me. It’s not simply a school to learn how to defend yourself, for me it’s so much more. To elaborate in greater detail and analysis it’s a family that helps me when I’m struggling. It’s a support group to help me further grow as a martial artist however the training only took me so far and let’s be honest it wasn’t very far at all. I still had nervousness in fighting situations or even in confrontational situations.

Sifu Och Wing Chun has and will always be a blessing to me, its not simply a school to learn how to defend yourself, for me it’s so much more. To elaborate in greater detail and analysis it’s a family that helps me when I’m struggling. It’s a support group to help me further my physical and mental goals. And it’s also the one place in the world where I feel myself separate from my troubles.

The Training 1

First note I am going to touch on is the benefits of the training I receive from Tampa Wing Chun and Lakeland Wing Chun with my martial arts growth. When I began a little over a year ago I was nervous when entering a physical confrontation, however from the moment I joined (Like literally Day One) I was put into wrist vs wrist. This automatic exposure with the accommodations of the further advanced students I could not only overcome the fear but also conquer it. Now I love sparring and wrist vs wrist.

As a result when situations outside in my daily life seem to be escalating I don’t worry, I am able to keep a level head. This allows for proper understanding of my surroundings and better problem solving analysis. Sifu Och wing chun also gives realistic defense training. Whereas in other schools I have found what felt like rigid motions that are supposed to at some point just become natural. Sifu Och Wing Chun has offered close quartered and naturally fast movements that take your body no time to understand and implement. It may take years to perfect or tweak to get it in the state you most desire. But in the beginning, you already see significant differences.

The Training 2

Second I also found a school that talks to each other. Where older, more intimidating students walk up to the newbies and say hello.Give praise while also offering helpful criticism instead of sink or swim. It’s a place where I feel at home, not judged and where only growth is possible. Growth of the self, growth of the heart, and growth of body and mind. Nowhere I have crossed paths with has ever come within striking range of what is offered.

All of what I wrote hopefully explains why I love what I do at Sifu Och Wing Chun, why I drive 2 and a half hours for private lessons, tests, classes, and get together, and dream of one day offering a place of Sifu Och Wing Chun where I end up when I become Sifu.

Importance of Martial Art Forms

Posted on September 12, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

The form, or kata, is present in almost every possible martial art. Each art will, however, vary in how much emphasis and time it spends working on these forms. Some martial arts incorporate them, but do not place much emphasis on perfecting them; while others will spend a great deal of their time working on mastering all their forms. Either way, forms are an essential part of martial arts – yet an often underappreciated one. We will explain Importance of Martial Art Forms here.

What is a kata?

“Kata” is a Japanese word that literally translates into “form” in English. At its core a form is simply a sequence of martial art techniques, or one side of a choreographed fight. The main goal of a form is to preserve and drill techniques for new and future generations of practitioners. The idea is that you learn a multitude of skills while executing your art’s blocks and strikes. These blocks and strikes then become your muscle memory and are much easier to execute in a sparring or fighting scenario.

When is it used?

Present day forms are often used in demonstrations and competitions. For competitions, judges will score on a ten point scale that is usually given after all competitors have demonstrated their form. That way they can compare competitors against each other and score them accordingly. In days past, forms were used as military drills or as a sign of defiance towards the government. The forms were sometimes used with weapons and empty hand to drill fighting techniques in soldiers. While in other areas, the form was done after a long day of enslavement to show slave drivers that they could not break their spirit.

What skills do we gain from forms?

Practicing forms has the opportunity to offer many benefits. The most obvious being the learning and drilling of a new technique or sequence. One must do forms repeatedly, giving the practitioner ample time to work on mastering the skill. Some forms are more focused on centering the mind of the practitioner and preparing them for the class they are about to enjoy. These forms will appear more meditative and will warm up the necessary muscles for class.

Enhancement of overall martial art skill

There is also a subset of skills that practicing forms enhances in any martial artist. This includes power, breath control, focus, precision, and muscle memory. Power comes through the repetition and learning how to add torque and core strength behind your strikes. Breath control is another, often forgotten, aspect of both power and focus. Proper breathing during forms allows one to channel more energy behind their strikes as well as focus their attention on the one hit.

Precision of technique occurs in the practitioner through repetition. The more repetition, the more precise the movements become. Likewise the muscle memory gained through practicing forms allows for techniques to become more natural and automatic. So that when needed, the body has no problem executing the technique. It becomes much more likely that you will be able to use the moves with a split seconds warning.

Though many of these skills are often taught verbally, like most aspects of martial arts, you have to practice to make the art your own. Practicing forms is important because it gives the artist time to work through their martial art and learn new things along the way. Forms preserve history and teach us lessons long past, learned from those that came before us. The next time you practice your form, ask yourself: am I just going through the motions, or am I really getting all that I can from this form?

Lost Qualities of Modern Martial Arts

Posted on September 5, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

The world of modern martial arts is full of commercialized schools with watered down training. In an attempt to please the masses, martial arts has become what people want it to be and drifted away from what it was. The following is a list of common Lost Qualities of Modern Martial Arts. Some of these are either severely lacking or missing entirely.

Lost Qualities of Modern Martial Arts

The art of manipulation

The ability to make your opponent do exactly what it is that you want them to. This may mean causing them to react to something that you throw and then exploiting their reaction. Or using their previous attack to your advantage by controlling it and guiding it into your next attack. Manipulation also involves the use of feints and other misleading maneuvers that end in a desired response.
The art of timing

Timing is an essential martial art skill, and most learn it through trial and error. The problem with this approach is that it takes a very long time for the practitioner to be able to execute proper timing and even longer to understand what they are doing. Timing training can and should be supplemented with drills that specifically target the skill.
Ducking, bobbing, and weaving

Too often do we choose to rely exclusively on the blocks that our art has taught us, while completely ignoring the fact that we don’t actually need to even make contact with the attack. Not only does this eliminate the blow, but we are also able to keep both of our hands up and ready to attack at will.
Development of senses

This quality refers to both improving our natural senses and becoming more aware of our surroundings. Improved senses naturally increase our situational awareness and both lend themselves to increasing our personal safety. Allowing us to be able to effectively use our martial art skill.
Conditioning

Shaolin Conditioning

Though highly prized by some schools, many others choose to ignore the benefits of conditioning. The body should be able to withstand a good degree of abuse in order to have the confidence to be an effective fighter. Odds are that you will get hit, what counts is that you are able to come back from that hit and power through – causing more damage to your opponent.
Developing intent over instinct

Many fighters prove to be either overly intentional in their movements or overly instinctual. A good martial artist will develop a fighting style that balances these two traits, and develops the muscle memory required to execute it. To a point where they are strategic, yet also reactive with good instincts.
Proper breath control

Developing appropriate breathing supports each and every martial art technique. Allowing for more focused and powerful strikes. As well as better cardiovascular function and endurance during a match.
Familiarity of pressure points

When all else fails, it is always nice to know how to exploit pressure points. Often times it is the more muscular men that are more susceptible to this exploitation, due to the greater surface area and nerve endings the muscles bring.
Simultaneous blocking and attacking

Tan Sao Punch

Many martial arts will focus on blocking an attack, and then following that block with a strike. Instead of choosing to defend and attack at the same time. They get stuck on their traditional blocks while the opposite hand just idly sits and waits.
Development of character and personal strength

Finally, martial arts is not in its’ entirety about fighting. A true martial artist aspires to better themselves in every area of their life, from their character to their physical fitness. They choose to respect themselves and others, and strive to pass on the great knowledge that the martial arts has taught them.

All martial arts were designed during times of strife in order to combat the ugliest parts of humanity. You must keep these in mind during training to ensure the original intentions of these arts are not forgotten. Does your school incorporate all, some, or none of these qualities?

The Kickers Guide A-H (Part I)

Posted on August 22, 2017September 6, 2020 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 August 15, 2017September 6, 2020 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.

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.

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Wing Chun Entry Techniques

Posted on July 18, 2017September 6, 2020 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.

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo

Posted on May 23, 2017September 6, 2020 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

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.

Top 10 Reasons to Send Your Kid to Summer Camp

Posted on May 18, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Sending your kid to summer camp can be one of the most difficult and rewarding choices you’ll make this year. Whether it is an all summer long day camp, or a week long overnight camp, the benefits are infinite! But for the sake of brevity, we’ve narrowed it down to ten:

Top 10 Reasons to Send Your Kid to Summer Camp

Fun – Let’s start with the most obvious reason. At any summer camp that you choose to send your child to, fun will be the number one priority (apart from safety of course). The days are full activities, barely allowing a moment’s rest. Children leave camp brimming with excitement over the day’s events, often ready for a quiet evening after having exerted themselves all day.

Time away – On top of having quieter evenings, the days are entirely quiet! Whether you are a stay at home parent or working during the day, camp days are often longer than school days and allow for a little bit of extra rest.

Socialization – While you are enjoying a bit of rest (or productivity), your child is participating in a variety of activities that all encourage different aspects of socialization. They may be learning to share through arts and crafts, the value of teamwork in sports and trust exercises, or even simply how to get along with people that are different than they are.

Structure – Throughout all of this, there is always a strong sense of structure. Children thrive off of a solid structure. They know the boundaries and are free to operate within them, they also know that there are consequences to breaking the structure; further preparing them for life after childhood.

Increased Creativity – Though camps are certainly structured, there is often designated free time. It is especially during this free time that kids will develop their creativity. The kids will be without direction from their mom, dad, or counselor. This freedom spawns their creativity and the camp environment is the perfect place to let them explore!

New Skills – Along with increasing their creativity in free time, the skills that they learn at camp will broaden their mental and physical capabilities overall. New skills learned at camp will certainly vary among camps, but a few of the most common are: arts and crafts, yoga, swimming, horseback riding, ect. And if your camp specializes like at Sifu Och Wing Chun, they could even learn martial arts or dance.

Active – Many of these new skills will get your kid moving, instilling a sense of how important frequent physical activity is. Summertime was once a time of outdoor exploring and activity, summer camps keep this tradition alive with plenty of activity.

Nature – Recent years seem to have pushed summer activities indoors, limiting a child’s exposure to sunlight and nature. Summer camp ensures outdoor activities in nature, often way more than any of us see in a week.

Unplugged – Going along with exposure to nature is the huge benefit of unplugging at camp. This is personally my favorite reason to go to camp. Cell phones have taken over our world in a huge way, and this generation’s children will be the first to grow up surrounded by this phenomenon.

Immersion – Being unplugged allows for your kid to be completely immersed in their surroundings at camp. They are able to focus their whole attention to the task at hand and grow as an individual on a higher level than they would be able to with the distractions of daily life. This has the opportunity to start combating ADHD tendencies and possibly reduce the need for medication.

I like to consider summer camp to be education without the rigidity and monotony of school. Children are able to learn so much at camp without ever getting bored! A feat schools have been trying to pull off for decades. So this year consider sending your kid to summer camp. Watch as these ten reasons come to life in the little person in front of you.

Sparring Weaknesses: A Checklist

Posted on May 16, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Almost every martial art will include sparring in one way or another. Some may start it right of the bat, while other schools may wait until the student is more familiar with techniques; but either way, it is very often incorporated into training. Sparring can be a great tool for applying techniques learned in class in a less rigid and more organic activity. Despite its usefulness, many of us are not as skilled at sparring as we would like. Here in Sparring Weaknesses: A Checklist are some of the most common sparring weaknesses and how to avoid them:

Sparring Weaknesses: A Checklist:

Dropping your hands

This one is a no brainer but happens way too often. Fighters will drop their hands when they back away from the opponent, thinking that they are safe – and then get hit with a kick. Or, even more likely, they will drop their hands while kicking. Focusing on the legs and forgetting about the arms, making you a bigger target for a follow-up attack or even a simultaneous one. Keep your arms up at all times and check to make sure that those arms aren’t telegraphing any of your moves (i.e. twitch or downward movement before a kick, pulling back or clenching before a punch, etc.)

Pendulum fighting:

This is when the fight swings back and forth like a pendulum. One fighter will attack, then the other, going back and forth as if the opponents were taking turns. In any sparring match, you want to avoid getting into a predictable rhythm. If your opponent is more experienced, he or she will exploit that rhythm and attack off-beat catching you in the middle of a sequence. To counteract this weakness add more variety to your attacks. Maybe charge the opponent without giving them the opportunity to hit back, add in combos, or dodge their next attack and move in.

Single attacks

Too many people come in with a single jab or front kick thinking it’ll get the job done. While it is okay to employ some single attacks throughout your match, make sure that you aren’t relying on them. Try adding in a low and a high strike, or a combo that includes both hands and feet.

All defense/offense

Many of the more timid fighters may focus on their defense in the beginning, looking to minimize the damage rather than gain advantage over their opponent. This may be a good place to start but if you are looking to improve your game, their needs to be a good balance of both defense and offense. Other people, however, may focus more on offense and neglect their defense. This weakness may not be much of a problem in the dojo, but would certainly be in a real fight. Increasing your awareness of the problem should lend to solving it. If that isn’t enough, shift your entire focus to the opposite problem. If you are a defensive fighter, try to go a round entirely offensive and vise versa. Your muscle memory should kick in and make it a fairly balanced fight of what you know and what you are focusing on.

All hands/feet

Similarly to the offense/defense problem, some people find that they are more comfortable with either their hands or feet and will focus in on one or the other. It always comes down to balance. Entire martial arts will prioritize hands over feet or vise versa. It is really up to the individual to find what works for them within his or her style. If you feel like you are too frequently using your hands or feet, find a good technique you like and drill it like crazy. If you are more of a foot sparer, find a good hand technique and practice until it flows in easily with your sparring. From there it will be easier to add in more techniques, creating balance.

Sparring with an ego

This one is probably the most dangerous of all the weaknesses. Sparring should be used as a tool to learn and better oneself, not as a means to assert dominance or ‘win’ a match. When you focus on whose better or winning a match, the focus shifts from inward improvement to outward comparison. And although competition can be healthy and helpful, if it’s used in the wrong way people can get hurt.

Consider the last time you sparred. Do any of these sound familiar? Frequent assessments of your strengths and weaknesses are healthy in order to develop as a fighter. Don’t ever settle for average, constantly strive to be better.

The Fatal Flaw in Testing

Posted on May 9, 2017September 6, 2020 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?

Fighting Stances Across Martial Arts

Posted on May 1, 2017September 6, 2020 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.

Kung Fu Belt Ranking

Posted on April 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Kung Fu in its origins does not have any sort of belt system. The Chinese would wear sashes whether they trained martial arts or not. Sashes were used to help with carrying day to day odds and ends. So then why do you see modern day (typically American) Kung Fu Belt Ranking used by schools? The main reason is here in American we feel the desire to achieve or attain very strongly.

Kung Fu Belt Ranking: Goals

Karate and Tae Kwon Do as businesses have flourished in America. This is partially due to their dynamic movements but also due to their ranking. Attaining a Black Belt brings with it not only a social recognition but also sense of accomplishment. Setting short term goals and hitting them on the way to a larger goal is the key to achieving long term success in anything. Since these systems already had these concepts in place their transition to America was very fruitful.

Kung Fu (Wing Chun in particular) while popular hasn’t been able to reach the same level of success. Since Wing Chun is a conceptual art it is very hard make the teaching uniform. Without a standard it is difficult to reward someone for their achievement. This concept is difficult for Americans, generally speaking, to let go of and stick to for a long period.

The need to feel achievement is not only reason, after all american’s are used to instant gratification. Technology is a big part of that. If a student trains for years on end and feels no achievement or sense of accomplishment their spirit can get dampened. As a result of our culture conditioning us many masters decided to implement something to combat that.

Sifu och wing chun: Belts and curriculum

5th level Master, Sifu Och has been able to create a curriculum and belt system that works very well. The belts provide short term goals that are attainable within 3 months for the lower ranks. As a student progresses the term in between ranks increases and the amount of material grows.

Sashes

Sifu has broken up he stages to a Black Sash into 4 main sections. Subsequently, he then broke those sections into smaller sub sections. Shirt Colors divide the main sections: White (beginner), Blue (intermediate), Red (advanced), Black (Sifu). The Sections within those shirt colors are divided again by sashes:

White Shirt

No Belt
White
White Black
Yellow
Yellow White
Yellow Black
Orange
Orange White
Orange Black

The above list about a year to year and a half of training depending on how hard someone pushes.

Curriculum

Sifu Och uses a rotating curriculum. We group students together by their main sections and have them all work on the same material. For example: if you have a white shirt, whether you are a white black belt, or a yellow white belt, you will all work on 1 of the 5 sections going towards blue shirt. As a result we accomplish a couple of different goals.

First, brand new students are able to work with more experienced students. It is not wise to pair up two brand new students with each other. The old adage, “blind leading the blind” applies perfectly. Neither of them know the techniques but more importantly they do not know how to help the other person train the technique. Having that person a few steps ahead of you when you start out as a partner can make the difference in someone staying or not.

Second, it keeps things fresh. We are able to continue to challenge students who are unable to actually make it to testing. Instead going over the same material again and again, they are able to go over new things and continue growing until they are able move to the next level. As a result of this, students also get a good review of the material once it cycles back around. This ensures that the material is well known before graduating to the next big section.

American Kung Fu

Even though traditional Kung Fu does not use any sort of ranking system, there can be great benefits to having them. Goals and purpose bring a powerful dynamic to ones training.

Kung Fu Kicks

Posted on April 21, 2017September 6, 2020 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.

Fighting Footwork

Posted on April 17, 2017September 6, 2020 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. 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

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.

Toes

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.

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. 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.

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). 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 below).

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. 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.

Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World

Posted on April 6, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Ask any martial artist if what they do is realistic self defense, and the most common answer will be something along the lines of “Yes, of course. Why would I do it if it weren’t?” But the honest truth is that a lot of martial artists are not equipped to defend themselves in a real world scenario. So where is the disconnect between Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World ? Why are so many people practicing ineffectual martial arts? And what does a truly effective martial art look like?

The Disconnect in Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World

When people try and understand why the martial arts have drifted away from effective training methods there are a few factors to consider. Primarily the difficulty of taking an individual and training them to be able to defend themselves in any scenario is no easy feat. There is no conceivable way for an individual to practice every possible scenario. So what do we do? We have to train our instincts and expand our knowledge base, to prepare ourselves for any given scenario though we may not have practiced for it. Another problem lies in an instructors innate desire to gain and keep students. Sometimes this desire may lead schools to adapt an easier, less effective curriculum in order to keep students entertained and engaged. When this happens it can be easy to fall into a lull of safety and easy money, perpetuating a sense of accomplishment.

The biggest danger comes when the student, having done exceptionally well in class, is now faced with a real world scenario that they are not prepared to deal with. The student enters into this scenario with a false sense of confidence and may end up making things worse. We find another difficulty in lack of experienced instructors. Though the instructor may have plenty of martial arts experience, they are completely inept when it comes to real world fighting experience. And how is someone with no experience expected to give a complete curriculum to their students? This is the main question when comparing Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World.

Ineffective vs. Effective Martial Arts

Let me be clear, no martial art is in and of itself ineffective, the effectiveness lies within how we train that martial art. Drills in the martial arts can be effective tools at making certain techniques ingrained in the student’s mind and muscle memory; however, many drills isolate a certain skill with the intention of honing that skill while we ignore other skills.

Major problems occur when teachers fail to integrate those isolated skill together. Take for example point sparring. Many martial arts accept point sparring as a means of being able to practice all of one’s martial skills. But what if the fight goes to the ground? Or the opponent doesn’t back off after you score a point? Point sparring can be an effective training tool, but it is important to accept that it does not simulate a real fight.

lakeland fl advanced martial arts classes sparring

In an effective school of martial arts, there must be a comprehensive curriculum. One that teaches not only good techniques, but also when, where, and how to use them. It is important for a student to be able to deescalate a fight before it starts, and only consider fighting as a last resort. An effective martial art will teach all aspects of self defense: technique, execution, timing, and distancing. They must also teach determination. Students must drill regardless of whether or not they get bored. In modern martial arts there seems to be a dangerous trend of catering to what the student wants. But if we were really doing what was best for the student, wouldn’t it be catering to what they need instead of what they want?

Western vs. Eastern Martial Arts

Posted on April 4, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

When asked about the origins of martial arts, most people will gravitate toward thoughts of Asia and the east. And 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. The differences between training in west versus training in the east are primarily in the mindset of the practitioners and the rituals of the dojo, rather than actual differences in technique (though those are sure to exist as well).

Western Martial Arts

In the west the time it takes to learn a martial art is 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. 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.

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. 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.

© NHNZ. Ta Gou Shaolin Kung fu School, Deng Feng, Henan (Not Shaolin Monks). Inside China Shaolin Temple

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.

Wing Chun’s Weakness: Long Range Fighting

Posted on March 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

The idea that Wing Chun has no long range “game” has circled the internet for a while. It is true that Wing Chun focuses its techniques on “in” fighting but that does not mean it is not effective further away. Wing Chun, although it has longer range techniques, simply prefers to close the distance as soon as possible. This may give the impression that there are no long range techniques to those unfamiliar with the art.

Wing Chun’s Goal

To understand this topic one must remember what the goal of Wing Chun is: to end a fight as quickly as possible. Many people consider Wong Shun Leung to be the greatest fighter to come out of Ip Man’s training. This can be attributed to his history of Beimo fights. As the story goes he won between 60-80 street fights all in under 3 seconds. With Wing Chun creation at a time of war this makes sense. One needs to end the fight as quickly as possible. That in mind, lets explore the idea of long range fighting versus short range fighting.

Long Range Fighting Versus Short Range

There are 3-4 main ranges in martial arts depending on who you are talking to. Striking (Kicking and punching), trapping, and grappling. Each range has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Striking is the range with boxers and Tae Kwon Do Fighters. Grappling is the home to Judo and Bjj Practitioners. Trapping is found between the two and is where Wing Chun mostly operates. For this discussion we will focus on the Striking range versus the trapping range. Examples of “Striking” range attacks would be a boxers jab and cross or a Tae Kwon Do fighters roundhouse and spinning back kick. Examples of a “trapping” range attack would be a Paak Punch or Huen Sao strike in Wing Chun.

The main advantage of the Striker is distance. If a striker can successfully fend on an opponent they can never enter into the other ranges nullifying their abilities. Quick foot work combined with deceptive fakes can quite difficult to deal with. Wing Chun seeks to close the distance as quickly as possible. However, if the Wing Chun practitioner cannot do that, it may be difficult to end the fight.

Wing Chun’s Answer to the Long Range game

So then how does a Wing Chun fighter deal with an opponent that will not commit and fully engage at the same range? There are specific techniques that need to be used with certain attacks but before that even happens there must be the strategy. The strategy is baiting. The techniques come from Wing Chun’s ability to use 2-3 “weapons” at the same time.

Strategy

Let’s look a the strategy first. If the opponent tries to stay “out of range” the Wing Chun fighter must draw in the opponent until they through a committed strike. When they throw that strike the counter must be fast and ferocious. Jabs and front kicks are to of the main weapons seen when trying to keep an opponent away. Trying to counter these can be difficult due to their speed. These are best deflected with an equally quick defense. Man sao’s, Paak Sao’s, and Jum saos are usually the most effective.

Technique

With the strategy in place the Wing Chun fighter can counter. Again, the emphasis must be place on using multiple weapons at once. When the opponent throws their “knockout” strike they must be overwhelmed immediately. If not they will retreat and continue to attempt to break down the Wing Chun Fighter. Against crosses Paak Punches and Intercepting Fist strikes do well.But to prep the counter a shadow kick to the lead thigh slows down the movement of the opposition. If an opponent throws a kick one of the most effective tactics is to kick out the support leg. These can be done simultaneously with a block when used against roundhouses. When a front kick is through it should either be passed off with a jum or it can be caught. Once caught the support can then be accessed for a kick or sweep.

Wing Chun’s Weakness is the student

The idea that Wing Chun has no long range game is not necessarily correct. Rather, Wing Chun seeks to disrupt the core of the fighter which can only be done when close to the opponent. Therefore, the Wing Chun fighter simply closes the distance as quickly as possible. When a ranged attack it should be countered and then followed with and flurry of overwhelming attacks that do not allow for a recovery. Wing Chun as a system as many tools at it’s disposal, whether they are used correctly is up to who uses them.

Why Sifu Och Wing Chun After-School Program?

Posted on March 21, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Importance of a Strong After School program

Parents all over the United States rely on an after-school program to take care of their children while they are finishing their day at work or at home. With an increase in dual-income families and single parent homes, these after school programs have become a necessity for a vast number of families. This has created a great demand for after-school care programs; however, all programs are not created equal. Parents have many options to choose from in picking an after school program and the amount of time the child spends at that program makes it an incredibly important decision, so what makes a good program?

Sifu Och vs Other After-Care Programs

Most after school programs have a singular focus with only one program to offer. Our children have the opportunity to learn both martial arts and dance. Let’s face it: children have very short attention spans. The opportunity to attend two completely different aftercare programs every week allows for a greater ability for them to learn and enjoy themselves. The two skills of dance and martial arts in themselves are invaluable. The dance classes teach coordination, flexibility, and self-expression. While the martial arts classes teach children discipline, respect, and to defend themselves. As well, children in both classes will learn a number of skills that teachers cannot explicitly teach in the classroom. Some of the additional skills taught include: etiquette, manners, team building, organization, social interaction, and cleanliness.

Curriculum

Sifu Och Wing Chun and Just Dance offer a unique program curriculum that encourages both personal growth and learning. We place children into different classes based on age. The older children working on Wing Chun Monday’s and Wednesday’s while the younger children follow Just Dances program. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s the older kids go to Just Dance and the younger ones do kickboxing. We offer kickboxing to the younger children instead of Wing Chun, as it is a little bit easier for them to comprehend and practice. In the Wing Chun classes, we teach children the same curriculum that adults learn throughout the week; including punch and kick defenses, forms, and combinations. The kickboxing classes incorporate a mixture of principles from Wing Chun, Karate, and Boxing all done in a kid friendly class.

The Just Dance classes teach dance from a variety of styles including: Ballroom, Ballet, and Hip Hop. Summer Camp is also offered along with the regular school year after-care. In summer camp kids will continue taking martial arts and dance. They will also participate in a plethora of activities to keep them busy. Activities range from museums to amusement parks to arts and crafts, and are all monitored by an attentive staff.

Lifelong Benefits

The benefits gained from our after school program reach beyond the immediate. They have the potential to greatly affect each child’s future. We give these children valuable time to be physically active and interact socially with their peers in a way that their school is unable to provide for them. Being active in the younger years has the potential to decrease the likelihood of various diseases and boosts immunity, allowing for a healthier future. It may also have the ability create fewer emotional and behavioral problems. At Sifu Och Wing Chun, our program also strives to instill good leadership qualities in the children. Rewarding leadership in students and encouraging success by positive reinforcement. An investment in your child’s future, is always worth the effort. This investment made early on will have lifelong physical and cognitive benefits, make sure it’s a good one.

Does Martial Arts Make Kids Violent?

Posted on March 14, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

The average parent will have many concerns when contemplating enrolling their child in a martial arts class. The top three questions I have encountered talking with parents about their learning a martial art are: Will my child be safe? Will they use techniques on their siblings or bully others? And at the root of it all, will these classes make my child violent? The last one is especially a concern among parents of children who are already showing violent tendencies, leaving parents wondering “will martial arts help or only make it worse?” In this article I will address the question: “Does Martial Arts Make Kids Violent?”

Will my child be safe?

In observing any martial arts class, once can generally expect to see aggressive and violent techniques. So why then would that be safe for a child? For starters, these techniques are usually performed on punching bags, target mitts, or in the air without an opponent. Before the child is even allowed to hit a punching bag, we teach the proper technique. The goal is to avoid any injury to their wrist in the execution. When the child moves on to working with partners when drilling techniques, punches are always pulled and they are not allowed to hit the face – as a general rule that many adults follow as well.

When it comes to one-on-one sparring, many schools don’t even allow their students to spar until the student achieves a certain rank and the instructor is confident in their ability to follow instructions. At this point, we require all students to wear gear that will usually cover the head, hands, and feet, with some styles including a chest guard, shin guards, elbow pads, and a mouth guard. Even with all of this padding, students are often instructed to keep contact light, with good technique praised over power.

Will my child use techniques against their siblings or bully others?

Another top concern of parents is that their child will start to use techniques on other children in order to bully them or exert power. This is a common problem throughout martial arts schools, and it is necessary for the instructor to address early on in the child’s training. Along with teaching martial arts techniques, it is the instructor’s job to explain when exactly to use these techniques. This part of the instructor’s job is sometimes overlooked, but is equally as important.

The child’s first instinct in a fight should never be to egg on and encourage the fight, but to deescalate. One of the first things that I learned was to put my hands up. This was a non-threatening semi guard combined with a verbal exclamation “I don’t want any trouble”. Your hands are up simply as a precaution. It needs to be explicitly taught to the child that fighting is always a last resort. To use only if there is a threat to the safety of themselves or another individual. We never fight over possessions. Children should learn that if they are being physically threatened over money, especially with a gun or knife, to give them the money.

Will martial arts make my child violent?

So will learning martial arts techniques ultimately encourage violent tendencies? To be honest, the answer to this question greatly depends on the martial arts school and the instructor. A good school will explain the situations in which to use their techniques. This helps to will cultivate a non-aggressive mentality in their students. When done right, children that do martial arts will actually have less violent tendencies than their peers. They will have a greater understanding of when, where, and how to use their defensive techniques.

Martial Arts Philosophy-Chinese Versus Japanese Part 1

Posted on February 22, 2017September 6, 2020 by Ben Devris

When broken up, martial is referred to as “those inclined to war or fighting”. Art is referred to as “the expression or creative skill and imagination”. Thus, martial arts is to be translated as “the expression of creative fighting skills”. Some (possibly the majority) of the practices still firmly embrace this concept. However there are other practices that use martial arts as a catalyst and add it with the practices philosophy in order to create a new self. In this part of our two part series titled “Martial Arts Philosophy-Chinese Versus Japanese Part 1”, we will cover the Chinese side of the two lines of thinking.

Martial = inclined to war or fighting

Art = expression or creative skill

Martial Arts = Expressive or Creative Skill in Fighting

Chinese Martial Arts

Despite it having a combat effectiveness, Kung Fu (also pronounced Gung Fu) is founded on the philosophy of attaining intelligence and wisdow. Two qualities that take years to develop and attain. Additionally, the first character, Kung, when translated, means “training intensely” or “skillful work”. Translation of the second character, fu, refers to “time spent”. Together, Kung Fu may be translated as “time spent training hard” or “spending time on skillful work”. By this translation it is somewhat difficult to pin kung fu (time spent working hard) solely to martial arts (creative skill of fighting). Rather Kung Fu is referring to a skill or skills in a variety of subjects, and not just martial arts affiliated.

Kung (Gung) = Skillful work

Fu = Time Spent

Kung Fu (Gung Fu) = Time Spent on Skillful Work

Kung Fu

For instance, in today’s time when one speaks of Kung Fu, those involved immediately perceive it as martial arts—more specifically Chinese martial arts. However, this view contradicts the literal translation of kung fu as it predicates to a single subject. Kung fu is a meaning of achievement in a subject; be it in medicine, industry, mathematics, culinary or martial arts. It represents the training process that one had to go through—the strengthening of mind and body, the learning and the knowledge gained from it.

Take for example one that acquires self-achievement in the knowledge of medicine through a long period of time; in comparison, there may be slight difference from one that acquired self-achievement in a martial art. Considering that both went through intense years and massive amounts of effort to reach their goal, it is difficult to deny that both carry kung fu skills. In this case you would say that the person has kung fu in medicine and the other person’s kung fu is in martial arts.

Kung fu to Wushu

The misuse of the word kung fu traces back to the misinterpretation of the word in Asian movie dubbings and subtitles. Since then Westerners often use it in its false pretense and is even defined the same way in the Oxford English Dictionary. Asia, even China, adopted the English definition of kung fu in the late twentieth century. The accurate term used that describes Chinese martial arts is Wu Shu. Wu, when translated, means “war”, and shu translates to “art”. Fully translated, wu shu means “the art of war” (which is also the title of Sun Tzu’s well known book).

Wu = War Shu = Art

Wu Shu = the Art of War

Chinese Martial art roots

Much of the philosophy that Chinese martial arts follows is deeply rooted in eastern religious doctrines. The three that has the greatest impact in the evolution of Chinese martial arts are Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. What Chinese martial arts took from Daoism is the important teaching of the harmony between Yin and Yang. It is universal that for something to exist it will have an opposing force. Buddhism teaches the importance of all life and the need of one avoiding suffering through self-cultivation. Its use of practicing self-defense and learning make it an essential aspect in Chinese martial arts.

Body Trinity

It also focuses on three aspects that make the human: the spirit, mind and body (some may refer to it as the “trinity”). The body contains all that we are—all that we are made up of—the legs, arms, torso, etc. although it may be a healthy body it is an instrument that can be improved upon. The mind is what drives us to live the lives we live and is fed with knowledge and information. Feeding it positive information will have a parallel effect on the body and will greater ones existence.

There is specific amount of time that it takes to achieve “kung fu” in Chinese arts. For some it may take a single decade, others it may take many! It all depends on your effort and dedication!

Martial Arts School Safety

Posted on February 20, 2017September 6, 2020 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!

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.

Too Young for Martial Arts?

Posted on December 19, 2016September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Every martial art school will refuse to train children under a certain age, but what age should that be? Some schools set a hard and fast number. Other schools base their choice on the individual. No instructor wants to waste his or her time with a student who is unable or unwilling to learn. Some argue that a child should wait until he or she can comprehend the information before beginning their training. Others argue that a child should learn discipline through martial arts as young as possible. So what is too young for martial arts?

What Age is Too Young For Martial Arts?

Children as young as two years old have been seen training and competing in martial arts. In fact, one of the largest martial arts tournaments in the world, the U.S. Open, has no minimum age requirement – rather an entire bracket for children under the age of five. This is said to be beneficial to professional child competitors, but what about the average student? While it is certainly possible to start training at this young age, we need to determine if it is in the best interest of not only the child, but also the parents and the instructors involved. Many children pushed into taking martial arts classes too early wind up burning out and losing motivation to continue. As a child, I remember a period of time when I only went to class to satisfy my parents who had already invested a good amount of money. Burnout causes many students to leave. To avoid burnout, open communication between the student, parents, and instructor is critical. Our Little Lions pre-school kids class is a perfect example of how this works.

Focus

One argument with what age is too young for martial arts involves the ability to focus. For example, two to three year olds may have the desire to learn. However, they often lack the focus and motivation to pay attention for more than a minute at a time. This may be counteracted by engaging the child in frequent play breaks or games. Retention is very slow at this age, but possible over a long period of time. A four to five year old child is much more likely to be able to engage in class, but will still have problems with retention. To help children remember what they have learned, games can be used. Kids (and for that matter, adults!) remember words better when put to a song. A child at this age may play games like “Sifu Says,” where the instructor will encourage learning by asking the child to perform moves that they had learned that day, while simultaneously making sure they can follow directions in a captivating manner.

6-7 Year olds

A six to seven year old may little bit better equipped to handle the demands of a martial arts class. Though the child will be slightly older and more able to comprehend, they are also likely to be more opinionated and resistant to training. This is, however, something that martial arts instructors are more than capable of dealing with. For the benefit of the child (and sanity of the parent), enrollment in a martial arts class is one of the best decisions a parent can make for their child. Our kids martial arts program is second to none.

All Children Can benefit

All children can benefit from practicing the martial arts. The discipline, focus, and endurance gained will be an invaluable and impactful part of their childhood. The question is not necessarily how young is too young for martial arts, but rather what is the best age to start my child. At Sifu Och Wing Chun, we teach children as young as three years old. To deal with the attention issue our class is only 30 minutes and filled with fun. Learning a martial art is a lifelong journey—you might as well start early!

Building a Fun Kung Fu Kids Class

Discipline

Class Dynamic

Fun

Sifu Och’s Three Sections of Teaching

Beginner Class

Intermediate Class

Advanced Class

WING CHUN LAKELAND FL CONTACT (863) 800-0171

4 Ways to Intercept

Intercepting Fist

Turning Punch

Tan Sao

Paak Punch

Final thoughts

The Strength of My Wing Chun: By Ryan Beck

My Wing Chun Start

Wing Chun Year Two

Wing Chun For Life

Your Wing Chun Journey

A Letter To Myself-Marcus Morales

The Jump

In the Water

Learning How to Swim

Sifu Och

Sifu’s Students

Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training

Age doesn’t Stop Hard work

My Journey Toward Wing Chun

Introduction to Ip Man

Re-Focusing

Lakeland Wing Chun

Wing Chun’s Greatness

Tony Plasse: Becoming an Orange

My Reaction

My Confidence

My Future

Your Black Belt Journey

Building a lifestyle

But I’m High enough ranked I’ll be ok

You Must Change

The 3 Training Cycles of Martial Arts

Stage 1: Programming

Stage 2: Application

Stage3: Reaction

Jacob Cramer: Orange Sash Pre-Requisite Paper

The Beginning

Ip Man

The Search

Home

The Training 1

The Training 2

What is a kata?

When is it used?

What skills do we gain from forms?

Enhancement of overall martial art skill

Lost Qualities of Modern Martial Arts

The art of manipulation

The art of timing

Ducking, bobbing, and weaving

Development of senses

Conditioning

Developing intent over instinct

Proper breath control

Familiarity of pressure points

Simultaneous blocking and attacking

Development of character and personal strength

The Kickers Guide A-H (Part I)

Axe Kick

Back Kick

Butterfly Kick

Fish Kick

Front Kick (Push/Snap)

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

Half Crescent/Tong Kick

Karate & Tae Kwon Do

WIng CHun

Variations

Similarities

Hand Entries