Do any of you incorporate weight training into your Wing Chun?

[koenig]

I think weight training is a necessary component of martial arts development but a lot of purists are 100% anti-weight lifting.

What are your opinions?

[almost a ghost]

I've been practicing Wing Chun for close to 8 years, the past 6 of those I have been going to the gym and lifting weights.

I've never experienced a problem with it affecting my wing chun, and quite frankly I do it to combat a sit-on-your-butt 9-5 job does.

[Seeker]

I think weight lifting is a great supplement to any physical activity. As long as you don't confuse strength training with body building. If you want to get stronger, stick with strength training, do compound exercises over isolation.

Or heck, just do kettlebells.

[Nabakatsu]

I've never done any of these techniques, and have no idea about their validity but.. it seems to be on topic and may help at least give ya some ideas!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTsqszpxChg

[mook jong man]

I don't do it to help my Wing Chun I do it to stay alive , I have hereditary high blood pressure and if I don't watch it I will end up with diabetes too.

I also do kettle bells lots of swings and snatches , pull ups and chin ups , hanging leg raises for the gut and sometimes free weights . I don't think it makes you slow as long as you don't go mad and lift maximal weights trying to get a body builder typ of body , the Bruce Lee type of physique is what I try to aim for , and I might just get there if liposuction were to suddenly come down in price.

[chisauking]

Is that you in the utube clip, mook jong man?

[koenig]

Originally Posted by seeker

or heck, just do kettlebells.

Kettlebells are great!

[geezer]

Originally Posted by koenig

I think weight training is a necessary component of martial arts development but a lot of purists are 100% anti-weight lifting.

What are your opinions?

The "purists" have a point. Unless a weight program is very selectively tailored for the unique kinds of strength needed in Wing Chun/Tsun, you end up building a lot of unnecessary, unproductive bulk. That bulk will add weight to your arms and slow down your WC/WT techniques. The traditional approach is that lots of hard work training at WC/WT will give you all you need.

The other problem is that weight training can get a bit addictive. You start liking the fact that you look strong, and neglect training your technique in favor of counterproductive lifting. Really, my current instructor is a short, fat guy who surpassed me in skill just by training WT to the max. I literally can't touch the guy... and he was once my junior in the system. So based on what I've learned by working with him, I'd say that weight-lifting is for second tier dummies who can't hack it with their technique. Oh, look at the time! Gotta go, this is my day for working upper body (chest and arms) and I'm hoping to up my limit a bit and finally break my plateau on the bench press... later dudes.

[paulus]

Originally Posted by geezer

The traditional approach is that lots of hard work training at WC/WT will give you all you need.

That's the approach our club takes. Given that WC is geared towards helping the smaller, weaker person defend themselves against bigger, stronger attackers it makes sense that the focus is on skill and not strength.

[Hagakure]

I do weights, but not necessarily at all for Wing Chun or health reasons, or to look good, but simply because I enjoy it. I've done it for years. Waaay before I restarted MA training and many years before starting my WC specifically. Can it be of benefit? I think that depends on what you train and how.

[Joab]

And the Sifu was incredibly quick and a weight trainer.

[Hagakure]

Originally Posted by Joab

And the Sifu was incredibly quick and a weight trainer.

My sifu also weight trains and is quick as hell.

[geezer]

Originally Posted by Hagakure

I do weights, but not necessarily at all for Wing Chun or health reasons, or to look good, but simply because I enjoy it. I've done it for years. Waaay before I restarted MA training and many years before starting my WC specifically. Can it be of benefit? I think that depends on what you train and how.

You can get strong and fast with or without it, if you train smart. Me, well I'm old and slow and I do some weight training. So what does that tell you? Don't train with weights. If you do, you will eventually get old!

[Hagakure]

Originally Posted by geezer

You can get strong and fast with or without it, if you train smart. Me, well I'm old and slow and I do some weight training. So what does that tell you? Don't train with weights. If you do, you will eventually get old!

Bought a smile to me face then mate. Good on yer.

[koenig]

Originally Posted by geezer

The "purists" have a point. Unless a weight program is very selectively tailored for the unique kinds of strength needed in Wing Chun/Tsun, you end up building a lot of unnecessary, unproductive bulk. That bulk will add weight to your arms and slow down your WC/WT techniques.

That's what "traditionalists" say but it's not true. The people in the world with the fastest muscle contraction time (Olympic sprinters and Olympic lifters) have plenty of bulk.

Muscle mass does not hinder flexibility or speed (two common arguments against weight training by "purists"). Tom Platz, the bodybuilder with the biggest quads ever, could do the splits. The only way muscle size gets in the way is if you get to be ridiculously huge which isn't going to happen to the average weightlifter who doesn't have elite level genetics and who doesn't eat 8,000 calories a day and doesn't use the drugs required to get into the upper levels of competitive bodybuilding.

The traditional approach is that lots of hard work training at WC/WT will give you all you need.

It gives you a great foundation, but you're screwed if you come up against another WC practitioner with equal skill but who is also a powerlifter!