I know you all have seen it. The Wing Chun guy that stands there in Chi Sau or other drills hunched over with his or her shoulders rolled forward and chin stuck out. This is a common hazard in our modern world where we spend so much time sitting in front of a computer or at a desk. It is made worse in Wing Chun when someone is worrying about keeping their elbows in tight close to the centerline. This is bad posture and bad for your health. Southern Fist styles like Mantis, Bak Mei, and Dragon teach this hollowed out/hunched over posture as part of their power generation method. Wing Chun typically does not. This can lead to chronic mid-back, upper trap, or neck pain and degenerative changes in the thoracic spine. Take my advice, avoid it! Keep your chin and shoulders back. The elbows should be angled inward so that they point towards the opposite knee, but they don't have to hug the centerline.
As you go through-out your day don't "hunch over" at your desk. As you type at your desk scoot in closer to your keyboard. If your elbows stay back near your torso, your shoulders will stay back as well. Keep your chin tucked back. As you walk around, don't think of holding your shoulders back because this will lead to excessive tension in your upper traps and eventually cause pain. Instead, think of keeping your elbows tucked into your sides and your palms rotated slightly towards the front. This will naturally fire your rhomboids which will help keep your shoulders back.
Someone that habitually has this posture will develop some shortening of their pec muscles. Stretch out the pecs by standing in a doorway with your arms against the doorjab and then step through the doorway. Do this in 3 positions: arms down at 45 degrees, arms straight out, and arms up at 45 degrees. This will stretch out the pecs and also help the shoulders stay back.
One of the Pin Sun sets is an excellent conditioning drill to counter the "Wing Chun Slouch." In the Dai Bong set we start with double Low Bong Sau's just as in the third part of the Chum Kiu form. Then pivot and do double upward backhand strikes to shoulder height with both in a straight line through the shoulders. Then swing at the elbow and do double downward backhand strikes to shoulder height, then swing at the elbow again and do double upward backhand strikes once again. Now pivot 180 degrees and back to the double low Bong Sau position and repeat. Stand up nice and straight with the chin tucked back and keep pivoting back and forth doing the "swinging 3 count" as much as you want. This works the muscles of the shoulder girdle to help keep the shoulders back.
Another drill, though not actual "set" is the Pin Sun Da. Stand face forward and pivot 90 degrees while you do an extended straight punch while pulling your other fist back to your chest. In the ending position your punching arm should be in a straight line with your shoulders and your opposite elbow should be at a 90 degree angle with the punching arm. Then pivot 180 degrees so you are fully facing the opposite direction and punch with the other arm. Again, stand up nice and straight with the chin tucked in and repeat as many times as you want. This also works the msucles of the shoulder girdle and will counter the dreaded "Wing Chun Slouch"!!!
As you go through-out your day don't "hunch over" at your desk. As you type at your desk scoot in closer to your keyboard. If your elbows stay back near your torso, your shoulders will stay back as well. Keep your chin tucked back. As you walk around, don't think of holding your shoulders back because this will lead to excessive tension in your upper traps and eventually cause pain. Instead, think of keeping your elbows tucked into your sides and your palms rotated slightly towards the front. This will naturally fire your rhomboids which will help keep your shoulders back.
Someone that habitually has this posture will develop some shortening of their pec muscles. Stretch out the pecs by standing in a doorway with your arms against the doorjab and then step through the doorway. Do this in 3 positions: arms down at 45 degrees, arms straight out, and arms up at 45 degrees. This will stretch out the pecs and also help the shoulders stay back.
One of the Pin Sun sets is an excellent conditioning drill to counter the "Wing Chun Slouch." In the Dai Bong set we start with double Low Bong Sau's just as in the third part of the Chum Kiu form. Then pivot and do double upward backhand strikes to shoulder height with both in a straight line through the shoulders. Then swing at the elbow and do double downward backhand strikes to shoulder height, then swing at the elbow again and do double upward backhand strikes once again. Now pivot 180 degrees and back to the double low Bong Sau position and repeat. Stand up nice and straight with the chin tucked back and keep pivoting back and forth doing the "swinging 3 count" as much as you want. This works the muscles of the shoulder girdle to help keep the shoulders back.
Another drill, though not actual "set" is the Pin Sun Da. Stand face forward and pivot 90 degrees while you do an extended straight punch while pulling your other fist back to your chest. In the ending position your punching arm should be in a straight line with your shoulders and your opposite elbow should be at a 90 degree angle with the punching arm. Then pivot 180 degrees so you are fully facing the opposite direction and punch with the other arm. Again, stand up nice and straight with the chin tucked in and repeat as many times as you want. This also works the msucles of the shoulder girdle and will counter the dreaded "Wing Chun Slouch"!!!
