Can I learn wing chun in my living room?

[bogdy23]

Hello,

I have the opportunity to learn wing chun at a really great price. I can have an instructor with over 20 years of experience come to my home and teach me. He says that he can teach Wing Chun to me in my living room.

My living room is about 15-20 square meters roughly 180 -200 square feet. Can you do it in that space learn how to punch, kick, keep your body in the right posture do the sticky hands technique or whatever technique in which you work with your Sifu with your hands? I

`ve heard people learning this stuff just from the internet. But this is a great opportunity for me to work 4 hours a day on my wing chun with a teacher at a great price.

So can you do it the whole 1500 hours that are needed to learn Wing Chun (without weapons)
Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you guys what you think

 

[Xue Sheng]

If a live teacher is coming to you, it can be done. However the whole "1500" hours thing makes me a little skeptical. I don't know how you put a time on learning any system, even without weapons.

What is the teachers background, how did he learn it, who from and where, is important

 

[bluepanther]

If the teacher knows the art and can teach it well and you are a good learner then it should be possible. The whole 1500 hours is probably subjective as I have seen very skilled martial artists with only a few years training and some that just showed up for a decade to class and leave a lot to be desired.

 

[bogdy23]

Ok, great thanks. The teacher is also teaching at a local military base. He learned Wing Chun in the communist ERA but every Wing Chun master from my country has studied at one point with him. Is he the best teacher in the country NO. But as far as Wing Chun he might be with an accuracy of 99% the best in Wing Chun in my country.

So you also think that the 170-200 square feet is enough to learn it? There still is furniture but if you remove the table you do have some space so that 2 people can sit do squats and something like that.

 

[bluepanther]

I do not practice Wing Chun myself so maybe some experienced players can chime in, but watching the 3 forms it seems like you literally need only a 6'x6' area?

 

[O'Malley]

Try it once with an instructor, see if you have enough space. If not, train elsewhere.

 

[dream]

Wing chun can certainly begin in a small space. You don’t move until the second form. Even when moving, it’s similar to yang Luchans saying “all you need is a 6x6’ space”, because wing chun is about adaptation and freedom. It will take months to learn your first form and years to do it properly, so if you have the chance to learn at a great price, give it a shot! If you like it keep going, and if you run out of space when you get to chum kiu you can find somewhere to go by then I bet

PS regarding what Xue said, he’s right . That is a dubious claim, 1500 hours? That is arbitrary so try it out first

 

[ShortBridge]

Small space is not a limiting factor. Can't be sure about the rest, but if he is really that good, your environment won't be a limiting factor.

 

[geezer]

The teacher is also teaching at a local military base. He learned Wing Chun in the communist ERA but every Wing Chun master from my country has studied at one point with him. Is he the best teacher in the country NO. But as far as Wing Chun he might be with an accuracy of 99% the best in Wing Chun in my country.

A couple of questions first:

What branch of Wing Chun is this? Who did your instructor train with and for how long and how long has he been teaching? There are no "right answers" but it's good to know his background.

Will you only be training privately? IMO a mix of private (or semi-private) lessons and group training is probably the best option for most people. It is important to "cross bridges" with a variety of people, some of whom are not your instructor.

Finally, what is your country? Where are you located?

Oh... and as far as your first question goes ...space is not a big issue learning Wing Chun. You should be fine, based on what you said.

 

[Buka]

It might not be ideal, but it can be done. Used to spar with one of my instructors in my kitchen when he stayed over. Unplanned, it just happened as we talked shop. Small kitchen, too.

Wally Jay used to spar with Bruce Lee in Wally’s living room. Even though Wally had a full gym downstairs. They shoved everything to the side and just played.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It might not be ideal, but it can be done. Used to spar with one of my instructors in my kitchen when he stayed over.

You have to enter your opponent's kicking range before you can enter his punching range.

How much space do your opponent need to stay out of your kicking range?

 

[Buka]

You have to enter your opponent's kicking range before you can enter his punching range.

How much space do your opponent need to stay out of your kicking range?

More than I’d let them have.

 

[Gyakuto]

Yes if you can get a teacher in the room too.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

It's my belief that it can be done. Especially if you agree to fight people who went to classes in the flesh and take bets on the likely victor