Sifu Archives - Sifu Och Wing Chun

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo

Posted on May 23, 2017December 14, 2024 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.

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?

Unlock Maximum Power with the Right Wing Chun Fighting Footwork

Posted on April 17, 2017October 26, 2024 by Tim Kittelstad

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

positioning your Fighting footwork

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

Weight distribution

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

Heels

Squat form, Structure, Press, Wing Chun Structure

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

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

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

Fighting Footwork Secrets for Stronger Strikes and Superior Control

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

Wing Chun Stance, Kung Fu Structure, Footwork, Wing Chun Stance, Wing Chun Kung Fu

Stance Distribution

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

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

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

Wing Chun, Takedown Defense, Takedown, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Takedown Counter, Takedowns

Fighting Footwork Fundamentals: How to Stay Balanced and Powerful

icmac wing chun, wing chun icmac, international chinese martial art competition, martial art competition, wing chun competition

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

In Conclusion

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

Sifu Och Wing Chun, Official Banner, Ving Tsun Association, Florida, Southeastern USA, Wing Chun, Ving Tsun, Florida, group, best wing chun, best wing chun teacher, wing chun sifu, best wing chun,

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.

Is There a Difference Between Ip Man Kung Fu and Sifu Och Wing Chun?

Posted on October 12, 2016September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

Frequently, the question is raised as to whether a difference between Ip Man kung fu and Sifu Och Wing Chun exists. The short answer remains no. There is, however, a difference in Wing Chun Sifu’s and what they know, understand or can apply from Ip Man. My personal goal includes understanding, training, and certification under, these different lineages from Ip Man. I do this to get a greater understanding of the Wing Chun system. It has taken to this point in my life so far, but I am now appointed the position of Southeastern USA Regional Director of the World Ving Tsun Association for the America’s.

Genuine Sifu Lineages in Wing Chun

I’m also certified as a Black Gold Sash Sifu by Masters under Ip Chun, Ip Ching, Simin Lau and Moy Yat. All of these great men trained directly with Ip Man. Over the past 4 years I have made efforts to train under Grandmasters and Master’s from the Wong Shun Leung Lineage of Ip Man Wing Chun. This includes Grandmaster David Peterson who has helped me make great strides in this area.

So, no, there’s no appreciable difference between Ip Man kung fu and modern Wing Chun under a well-trained Sifu. For me, it’s about fully understanding Ip Man’s vision. It works with what he left, through all of the eyes and experiences of those he taught most. That is my goal and the goal I have for teaching my Wing Chun students. I want a fuller understanding of Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu. I find that I can draw this from each branch that came from this amazing man. This way I can better appreciate and practice his dedication to the art. I hope to reflect his vision and teachings through each student and person that I teach and pass along these skills along to others.

Online Certified Sifus – Bad or Convenient?

Posted on September 21, 2016December 16, 2024 by Betsy Olay

There are many ways to get martial arts “certifications” online. Options range from eBay to online courses in Wing Chun Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiujitsu, or a host of other styles. In this day and age, it can be as easy as paying a fee, taking some online courses, and getting your Instructor level sash. Do you consider online certified sifus to be real, genuine teachers? We don’t. If one opens a school and begins teaching, how do students know if this is the best person to give their money to? We have some suggestions.

Online Certified Sifus – Would You Like Fries With That Sash?

Is there a real check and balance on these online certifications? Are they truly doing any real training? Or, are they simply “buying” their certification and then coming out the other end as a “certified” Wing Chun instructor? Online certified sifus represent an unfortunate, growing, problem in martial arts.

My sifu, Sifu Justin Och was trained in person by each of his Masters through weekly group classes and private lessons. Typically, I have a hard time believing that you can get the same full understanding without touching the hands of an advanced instructor on a weekly or even daily basis. However, does that mean that online Wing Chun training can’t be beneficial? No, but getting “certified” as a Sifu through online training doesn’t seem to be worth much more than the paper it comes with.

We can all agree it’s getting too easy to buy your way (or even fraud your way) into everything from certifications to Hall of Fames. But does that make online training certifications and weekend seminar courses “fraudulent”? Does this make your sifu a fraud? That depends on what questions you’re asking, and what answers you’re getting in return.

Do Your Research

Some instructors are out for the rank, but they aren’t willing to put in the years of work, time, effort, and devotion to truly earn their title. Do your research. Don’t be afraid to run a background check on your potential instructor. You need to know who you’re going to be devoting yourself to as your sifu. Be informed, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

If your sifu’s certifications are reputable, then the next thing you need to look at is how the instructor teaches. Some martial arts instructors have been trained extremely well, but are not gifted with the ability to communicate that training to others. This is an unfortunate situation. It’s not going to be a productive environment for you if you cannot learn or properly understand the techniques. Unfortunately, some instructors try to hide this lack of teaching ability by having their assistant instructors teach the classes. Don’t be afraid to ask who actively leads the classes that you’re interested in taking. If you’re paying for a quality sifu level instructor to teach you, then be sure that’s what you’re getting.

Personal Training and Improvement

If you can see your sifu is qualified with legitimate certifications and has the gift to be able to teach others, then the next thing I would look for is how the Sifu trains and keeps his own skills sharp. If I’m seeking Wing Chun training from an instructor, then I expect my sifu to take his own training seriously. Does he still train on his own to keep his skills fresh? Does he meet periodically with other sifus so they can exchange ideas and learn from each other? If your sifu is still showing personal motivation and devotion to his own development and growth in Wing Chun, then he will be able to pass this same dedication on to you!

Digging Deeper

I did the same thing I’m telling you now before I began training with my instructor, Sifu Justin Och. I checked his background—all of it. Next, I contacted the people he got his sifu level from. Finally, I even checked on his overseas visits with other grandmasters and instructors.

After my research, I have no doubts that my Sifu, Justin Och, is the real deal. He was not trained online. Sifu Och was trained in person through weekly group and private lessons for many years. He was tested and certified under master’s from 4 different Ip Man Wing Chun lineages (Moy Yat, Ip Chun, Ip Ching, and Simon Lau) after years of arduous training according to his master.

The World Ving Tsun Athletic Association, a group of Wing Chun Kung Fu masters and grandmasters appointed him as the Regional Director for the Southeastern USA. Sifu Och trains in Jui-Jitsu with black belts in BJJ and has had a professional MMA fighter and black belt in BJJ as his coach for years. Sifu Justin Och has traveled to 11 countries seeking out the full understanding of Wing Chun Kung Fu. This is on top of being three times certified as a Sifu in the Wing Chun system.

International Training

His travels have expanded his own Wing Chun training, and he brings that training back home to his Lakeland, Florida students. He has even met and rolled Chi Sao hands with Ip Chun (eldest son of Ip Man).

Sifu Justin Och is by all means the real deal when it comes to Wing Chun. His constant strive to grow and learn pushes me to no end.

Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu Studio
World Ving Tsun Association Regional Director for the Southeastern USA
863.800.0171
116 East Pine Street, Lakeland, Florida 33801
https://sifuochwingchun.com
http://facebook.com/sifuochwingchun

Is Your Sifu a Fraud or the Real Deal?

Posted on September 9, 2016September 6, 2020 by Betsy Olay

There are all kinds of martial arts instructors out there running all types of martial arts schools. Some teachers are well intended but poorly trained. Others are very skilled martial artists, but they don’t have the knack for teaching. Still others are simply out there to push their students through the belt or sash system. Their goal is to make as much money off of those students as they can. So, is your sifu a fraud or the real deal? Read on to find out.

How exactly can you tell if your martial arts instructor is the real deal? While no one is perfect, there are characteristics you should identify in the person to whom you’re going to entrust your martial arts training. There are things you should look for and things you should avoid. I happened to find all the right qualities in Sifu (teacher, master, mentor) Justin Och and hope this article will help you find a true master for yourself.

Is Your Sifu a Fraud? Check Their Credentials!

Are they in a Hall of Fame? Great, but remember most hall of fames are businesses that you can write in what you get and pay them for the award and banquet. Sure, you dressed up, met a bunch of famous people, and took some photos. That doesn’t make you a Sifu.

Look for the certifications that your sifu has earned. Also, how did they earn it? Was it a weekend training course? How would you know? Was their main instructor from outside the country? If so, how did they truly learn the entire system from them? It could be likely they have only been to seminars with this person and done mostly DVD or distance training. How did they train with them if their instructor wasn’t accessible. It takes years of daily, hands-on attention in order to become a sifu. This is a warning sign that the certifications are less than genuine.

Remember, unlike many other systems of martial arts, Wing Chun needs one on one, personal instruction with an upper level master to become better in the finer aspects and details of the system. So what level of understanding and capability does your instructor have compared to others in the USA or other countries?

Training overseas or away from home is amazing and can improve your ability, but claiming certification from someone in another country is a red flag you should watch out for.

Instructors claiming they trained with “so and so” for years but who only have a photo of them standing next to their teacher sitting on a chair, may not be genuine sifus. Look for photos of your instructor in their youth training with the same teacher they claim, and then photos or video of them being older and doing the training. Without REAL (time-spanning) training photos or videos of them over time…well, this is possibly not a genuine instructor.

“But, Sifu is my friend and he is nice to me!” We’ve heard this before, but being nice to you or being your friend doesn’t make them a sifu or a good instructor.

Trust, But Verify

Check their claims. Stop believing things just because people have told you. If a person tells you they had cage fighting experience, look online and type in their name and check for records, photos and video. If you can’t find it, then they might not be a genuine instructor. If they told you they have a purple belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu, but you can’t find any evidence online or otherwise (and the person’s name doesn’t really exist or is unreachable), they might not be a genuine instructor.

Most genuine sifus had to train for a multitude of years one on one and are going to proudly display their certifications and awards in their studio so they can be viewed by their students. Look around. Check out their website. Does he or she say she is certified at all? If so, in what are they certified? Who certified them—and is that organization reputable? Are those certifying organizations huge with hundreds of instructors under one teacher that resides in another country? If so, this could point to the fact that you are not in the presence of a genuine sifu with full training under their sash.

Final Thoughts

Remember there are some fantastic instructors out there that aren’t sifus and can give you a ton of information and make you into a fantastic Wing Chun Kung Fu practitioner. But you should look around, check out different schools, and separate the great ones from the mediocre.

A great instructor doesn’t have to be a sifu, or have a amazing lineage to show you. But how would you know the great instructors from the frauds unless you understand how to tell the difference?

Wing Chun White Sash to Black Sash – How Long?

Posted on August 24, 2016December 16, 2024 by Tim Kittelstad

Famous entrepreneur, Jim Rohn once said, “Success is something you attract by the person you become.” That statement , which is typically heard in the business world, has never been more true than in the realm of martial arts. When it comes to training, significant focus is devoted to the development of technique, skill, speed, but the development of who the person is cannot be overlooked. Going from the Wing Chun white sash to black sash (the equivalent of a black belt in other forms) takes time, commitment, and a lot of self-control.

THE Wing Chun White Sash to Black Sash Journey

The journey from the Wing Chun white sash to black sash is typically a long one. At Sifu Och Wing Chun, a practitioner training diligently every week may take anywhere from 8-10 years to finish the system in its entirety. But for those who do finish the system, the transformation from the beginner to master is beautiful. The title of “Sifu” (literally “teacher”), when attained, carries with it the essence of not only instructor, but of mentor, discipler, and leader. The evolution into a Sifu comes only through perseverance in the face of opposition, frustration, and pain.

Where, however, does the struggle originate? Is there opposition within a school? There can be. Is there frustration with an instructor’s method? Potentially. Is there pain at the end of a sparring partner’s strike? Without a doubt. The inward struggle, however, is much more vital to the success of a martial artist. To reach the next level in Wing Chun classes, one must face his or her own flaws and take them head-on. You face opposition with your own work ethic—to train or not to train. Someone dealing with self-doubt will struggle to have the confidence that new abilities can be learned resulting in frustration. And pain, pain from failure, can lead to great personal disappointment. All of these adversities are examples of things which direct each person to one of two ends: failure or success.

From White to Black

To succeed in moving from the Wing Chun white sash to black sash, one must actively work on him or herself. And that, is the exact moment where the title of “Sifu” comes full circle. The Master has overcome those very same struggles in his or her walk. He can now guide and teach the student in the journey before them. And that is the key to Sifu Och’s success, reaching into each individual’s lives and pulling out the very best in his students. That is how success is attained. That is how the Black sash is earned. This is the journey from the Wing Chun white sash to slack sash.