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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
