Wing Chun Video Training

[Spartan]

Well guys, I've basically run up against a wall: there's nobody in my area that teaches wing chun.

I've been thinking about investing in some high quality instructional videos and trying to learn the style that way. What are your thoughts on this? What words of wisdom can you give me?

Just to let you know I still practice bjj, so I'm not completely out of the martial arts/ self defense loop. I have a ground game; it's just that wing chun is the system that I really want to be my stand up.

I do appreciate everyone's ensightful feedback.
Spartan

 

[Flying Crane]

I've been thinking about investing in some high quality instructional videos...

It does not exist.

Don't do it, you cannot learn it properly this way. Wing Chun has A LOT of subtleties in it's technique, and you WILL NOT pick it up from video without an instructor to guide you, and these subtleties will make the difference between your understanding and skills being LOUSY or NON-EXISTANT, and being good.

If you have no live instruction, video WILL NOT help you overcome that. Save your money and train something else that is in your area.

I just absolutely cannot support the idea of learning ANY martial art from video. Video can help as a reference tool if you already have quality training from a good instructor, but it absolutely cannot replace an instructor.

 

[almost a ghost]

Spartan, where are you located?

 

[Spartan]

St. Louis, MO

 

[tshadowchaser]

I must agree with Flying Crane on this. You may be able to pick up a few basic ideas but if you do someting incorrectly you will never know with out an instructor. Looking at a technique on viedo and having an instructor demonstrate and explain it are two different things.

 

[melry88]

I also agree that with the videos you will be able to pick up the basic forms, but without being able to work with someone who will explain why and how you use each one of the motions in the forms it will be hard to expand your skill set. Also being able to work with another partner is more than half the battle, because you need to be able to build your reflexes that work off of sensation to your opponent. Working with the dummy will give you correct body alignment, but you need that partner to really build your skills.


Good luck and I wish you the best in finding a teacher....

 

[hungfistron]

Dont give up, keep looking. My advice would be to go to local competitions, tournaments, anything that has a large number of people. There maybe a good instructor in your city that just isnt on the map officially.

In the meantime read as much as you can about the art, but dont try to learn anything besides the forms from video's...

 

[profesormental]

Greetings.

Unfortunately, Wing Chun depends mostly on partner training interactions and a good instructor to guide you.

That being said, Jason Lau's, C.K. Chow's and Ip Chun's videos have good fundamentals in them. Their form is very good and you can practice the forms from them.

Again, pay attention to details and practice them drills on a live human.

Yet I have to stress that Wing Chun is developed by training with partners in specific drills that good Instructors will guide you through. So look for a Wing Chun instructor near you even if you have to drive for a while... once or twice a month.

You can use the driving time to learn a new language or something using audio instruction... that is how I'm learning mandarin... next it is japanese...

Juan M. Mercado

 

[qwksilver61]

My advice;fly to a seminar,or look up Wing Chun in your area,if I am not mistaken there is someone in your area.I'll see if I can help you locate someone.Rotsa Ruck!

 

[qwksilver61]

Don't know where Raytown Mo. is,so here you go PH.#816-916-4470 for info or go to ;Lcmakc.com for Wing Chun in Missouri.Hope this helps,Qwksilver

 

[Spartan]

Thanks dude.

 

[qwksilver61]

My pleasure.Never deprive someone the willingness or opportunity to learn,"it happens almost every day that someone else's ego gets in the way of another's progress." Good luck to you Spartan.

 

[DungHo]

I also don't think learning from video is a good idea. The video will tell you everything, but it just doesn't work. I try to that and when I do find a teacher, everything have a new meaning or have meaning. The "little idea form" pact alot of concept and idea in it. It look simple but you just can't learn it from video, even if you do all the movement.

 

[fightingfat]

Although I think everyone who is saying "you can't learn Wing Chun from a video" do have a good point, you can learn some stuff. You can observe and copy techniques and practice on a wall bag for example.

The reknowned Master James Sinclair, chief instructor of the U.K. Wing Chun Kung Fu Association has a great DVD out which has detailed training regime including recommended warm ups and loads of techniques which you can practice on the bag, and then showing the application for this techique. It is excellently produced and contains an incredible amount of knowledge! You can purchase the DVD here: -

http://www.crouchingtiger.co.uk/pro...d=181&osCsid=8bf6bbfe7469a100b78056253103e987

 

[KamonGuy2]

Although I think everyone who is saying "you can't learn Wing Chun from a video" do have a good point, you can learn some stuff. You can observe and copy techniques and practice on a wall bag for example.

The reknowned Master James Sinclair, chief instructor of the U.K. Wing Chun Kung Fu Association has a great DVD out which has detailed training regime including recommended warm ups and loads of techniques which you can practice on the bag, and then showing the application for this techique. It is excellently produced and contains an incredible amount of knowledge! You can purchase the DVD here: -

http://www.crouchingtiger.co.uk/pro...d=181&osCsid=8bf6bbfe7469a100b78056253103e987

Whilst I like some of the instructors of James Sinclairs school, I do not think much of his training DVD. Also one of his instructors told me she always felt scared of him and that he had an aggressive personality

Kamon have two DVDs out but these are not instructional - they are intended to help students revise what they have learnt

The big danger is that you watch a DVD and completely misinterperet what is being taught

Remember that without an instructor or person checking structire you could easily be falling into bad habits without knowing it

Spartan -
The BJJ practice sounds good enough - eventually you will be very very good at BJJ and fold back into a striking art liek wing chun or boxing etc

 

[TaiChiTJ]

Wing Chun holds such a treasure of interactive drills, if you have no one to interact with, as everyone has explained so well, you are at a bit of a loss.

If you really want to invest in videos, it can be just as important that you fundamentally like the teacher and how he communicates. Richard Chu wrote an important book on the various Wing Chun lineages, and his student Alan Orr has created a series of videos. I respond positively to the way he teaches, you may not.

Here's Orr's site:
http://www.alanorr.com/htdocs/products/videoproductlist.html

Remember, there is alot of wisdom in the advice to consider other martial arts in your area and train in them. Good Luck!

:ultracool

 

[arnisador]

I've been thinking about investing in some high quality instructional videos and trying to learn the style that way. What are your thoughts on this? What words of wisdom can you give me?

Your best bet is to broaden your perspective on what stand-up arts will work for you. Does someone teach boxing near you?

If you can get access to a WC instructor once a month, even at seminars, and have a partner available for training in between, you have a chance with video training. Otherwise, I don't think you'd get any benefit from doing WC wrong. Really, you'd be better off with nothing than with a bad understanding of WC and how to apply it. I've taken WC...I assure you that you cannot get the feel of it without crossing hands with someone who knows what they're doing. It won't work. Sorry!

 

[buldog]

Try asking around at different schools if anybody knows of a WC practitioner in your area. I have found that down South not everybody advertises about their schools. You basically have to know someone in order to get an invite(kind of strange in these days of McDojos). I was in the same town as a Pekiti Tirsia Master for 13 yrs without even knowing it because everything was word of mouth. Don't give up, hopefully that other lead will get you where you need to go.

 

[titoisme]

After reading your post I came across this website http://stlouismartialartscenter.com/

If you don't find what you need there, perhaps they know of someone off the beaten path who teaches wing chun. Good luck.

 

[geezer]

Well guys, I've basically run up against a wall: there's nobody in my area that teaches wing chun.

Just to let you know I still practice bjj, so I'm not completely out of the martial arts/ self defense loop. I have a ground game; it's just that wing chun is the system that I really want to be my stand up.

Spartan

If you're active with other martial artists through BJJ, then you can do as Qwicksilver says: go to some seminars, and then get a group going in your area. Or you can do as Arnisador suggests and practice something else. When I was in your situation back in '79, I got together with my friends and went the seminar route. Your problem finding instruction is very common--another topic for a new thread--mabe tomorrow.