Wing chun footwork

[callMeHawkEye]

So how exactly does wing chun footwork work? Is there any footwork really in wing chun? Most of it seems like just the arms. How do you move and close the gap or make room in wing chun?

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[wckf92]

So how exactly does wing chun footwork work? Is there any footwork really in wing chun? Most of it seems like just the arms. How do you move and close the gap or make room in wing chun?

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We move forward to close gaps. We make room to move forward by striking the bad guy

 

[Martial D]

So how exactly does wing chun footwork work? Is there any footwork really in wing chun? Most of it seems like just the arms. How do you move and close the gap or make room in wing chun?

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There are actually many different answers to that.

The way I was taught was a combination of shifting, triangle stepping and pull stepping(where you pull your rear planted mass with your forward foot.

Some, like the cheungers, like to hop in to bridge with the front leg in the check position.

Some say footwork doesn't matter at all as long as you keep a hold of the centerline.

I tend to prefer kickstand footwork these days(always one heel planted and one heel up) but it isn't in any traditional WC syllabus.

 

[callMeHawkEye]

There are actually many different answers to that.

The way I was taught was a combination of shifting, triangle stepping and pull stepping(where you pull your rear planted mass with your forward foot.

Some, like the cheungers, like to hop in to bridge with the front leg in the check position.

Some say footwork doesn't matter at all as long as you keep a hold of the centerline.

I tend to prefer kickstand footwork these days(always one heel planted and one heel up) but it isn't in any traditional WC syllabus.

Sounds like Bruce Lee bai zhong stance with the raised rear heel

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[Kung Fu Wang]

In Chinese wrestling, you can train footwork in the following way:

1. Mark L1, R1, L2, R2 on the ground.
2. Put left foot on L1 and right foot on R1.
3. Move L1 to L2 and move R1 to R2 (advance).
4. Move L2 back to L1 and move R2 back to R1 (retreat).
5. Repeat 3 and 4.

Sometime you combine step 3 or step 4 as 1 step. Instead of moving 2 feet separately, you may just use 1 single "hop". I believe this training method can be applied to all MA systems.

 

[Martial D]

Sounds like Bruce Lee bai zhong stance with the raised rear heel

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Sort of, but it's not always the rear heel, and applies also to (transitional) lateral stance and movement.

The tpbk stance is a different animal altogether.

 

[geezer]

...Is there any footwork really in wing chun?

Any real footwork? Jeez, from my perspective that's a very odd question. In our lineage we train footwork intensively. I know that different lineages differ on this, but wow!

What do they teach where you train?

 

[callMeHawkEye]

Any real footwork? Jeez, from my perspective that's a very odd question. In our lineage we train footwork intensively. I know that different lineages differ on this, but wow!

What do they teach where you train?

I don't mean any offense by it. Geezer. I am currently training under yuan kay shan lineage but am still only beginner. I am not really sure about the foot work in wing chun and that is why I ask the op questions. There definitely is a lot of stance work though - Zhang Zuang

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[geezer]

I don't mean any offense by it. Geezer. I am currently training under yuan kay shan lineage but am still only beginner. I am not really sure about the foot work in wing chun and that is why I ask the op questions. There definitely is a lot of stance work though - Zhang Zuang

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I don't know, I'm betting that YKS WC has pretty strong footwork training. And it's probably pretty different from what I learned in WT. There's gotta be somebody on this forum who can weigh in! I'll sit back and wait.

 

[Flying Crane]

I don't mean any offense by it. Geezer. I am currently training under yuan kay shan lineage but am still only beginner. I am not really sure about the foot work in wing chun and that is why I ask the op questions. There definitely is a lot of stance work though - Zhang Zuang

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Have you asked your instructor about it? That seems like the most direct way to get a relevant answer.

 

[Vajramusti]

Any real footwork? Jeez, from my perspective that's a very odd question. In our lineage we train footwork intensively. I know that different lineages differ on this, but wow!

What do they teach where you train?

--------------------------------------
In Ho Kam Ming and Fong's classes there is lots of footwork.

 

[Ojibway Bob]

Hi there OP. I see you are new just as I am. I have only been doing WC for 3 weeks now and we are starting to do basic shifting. I asked about footwork a week in and was told that for pretty much my first 3 months, I would be mostly in the dreaded stance.

One of the senior members told me they want me to be rooted, learn proper technique to drive power from the ground up so the stance is important.

I do see other members moving around in a bit of a shuffle, short quick slip steps it looks like. So I say hang tight and you will learn the footwork. We have to crawl before we walk lol.

I do not want to get into the lineage wars because I really do not know how to find out what my WC is. When ever I ask they mention it is direct from Ip Man. They then always point to a picture hanging up on the wall with our Sifu, Bruce Lee, And Ip Man sitting along with a few other people.

I find the class so weird because it is so informal. When I was young I went to Karate classes and there it was so strict. I remember having the Sensei kick out our feet to see if we were properly standing or rapping our knuckles with bamboo to train our fists in the right position. But my WC is so much more laxed, very social, everyone is treated like a Brother or Sister. It does get serious when it has too. One of the masters, (no one likes to be called Master there lol) was showing me how to properly do Tan da. A week later my forearms are still bruised from forcing his punches out of my center hahah.

Anyways I always look forward to reading new posts and look forward at looking at more.

Take care all.

 

[APL76]

Hi callMeHawkEye. My sifu was a disciple of Sum Nung and I have trained and taught in Yeun Kay San wing chun for many years and I can assure you that not only is there plenty of footwork, but it is an absolutely integral part of the ability to apply wing chun (by our standards at least).


Having said that though, you must do an enormous amount of stance training to get yourself ready for it; otherwise, it will be slow, unstable, flimsy and ineffectual. So if you are a beginner, and your sifu has you doing almost nothing but stance training, then that sounds about right to me. You can probably expect to be doing almost nothing but jun ma (turning stance) training for a good while too before you get to the actual footwork (stepping and so on) which you will develop as you learn the sup yi sik.

 

[VPT]

I only ever took one class of Wan Kam Leung lineage Wing Chun. I don't think it was any kind of separate beginner class, but nevertheless I was made to do basic stepping patterns already then. I wasn't taught any kind of body shifting or turning stance as far as I can remember.

I wholeheartedly disagree with APL76 in regards to stance training. I think it's important to get yourself moving with footwork, even sparring from the day one. Even if it sucks and is unstable and ineffective, then hey, it's your first class anyway. In a month or two it's already waaay better than day one.

 

[Danny T]

So how exactly does wing chun footwork work?

Shift your center of gravity to one foot or the other step forward, to the side, or backward and shift your center of gravity to that foot or center it on both. It is very similar to walking.

Is there any footwork really in wing chun? Most of it seems like just the arms. How do you move and close the gap or make room in wing chun?

There is a lot of footwork in the wing chun I have been exposed to. When and how it is trained will vary from instructor to instructor. I have students doing specific stance and footwork practice from day one. I know of others who only do specific static stance practice for a few months. In time you will do a lot of stance and footwork if you stay with the training.

 

[APL76]

I only ever took one class of Wan Kam Leung lineage Wing Chun. I don't think it was any kind of separate beginner class, but nevertheless I was made to do basic stepping patterns already then. I wasn't taught any kind of body shifting or turning stance as far as I can remember.

I wholeheartedly disagree with APL76 in regards to stance training. I think it's important to get yourself moving with footwork, even sparring from the day one. Even if it sucks and is unstable and ineffective, then hey, it's your first class anyway. In a month or two it's already waaay better than day one.

Fair enough, but all I'm saying is that if he is doing Yuen Kay San Wing Chun, assuming he is being taught properly, the way Sum Nung taught it, it would be completely possible and even expectable for him to literally do nothing but Yi Ji Kim Yeung Ma every day and be able to hold it for around two hours before he learned the next thing (which would be single centreline punches). When I learned the traditional way I did nothing but YJKYM for around 4 months. Its just how that style of wing chun is taught (if you do it the way Sum Nung did it).

Most people don't do that kind of training, that's completely understandable; it is grueling and takes some serious amount of time and dedication. I have done it and I can assure you that the difference between that and "moving with footwork, even sparring from the day one." is monumental. The quality, strength, speed and power that one achieves through that kind of training is in another universe compared learning it piecemeal from day one. You can disagree whole heartedly but unless you have done that kind of training, and know YKS wing chun, you are not really in a position to know anything about it.

What I would say to callMeHawkEye is that you should ask your sifu these questions, and if your sifu is expecting you to do a lot of stance training and not a great deal of anything else I would guess he is training your properly for YKS wing chun. Can I ask you who you are learning from and where you train?

 

[callMeHawkEye]

Thanks guys. I will try to ask my teacher tonight if I can make it to class or on Saturday. In my school we cover some basic drills like 3 star punch and pak gam tan drill and punching and stance work. We did do some basic shifting. And I notice it is in some ways similar to taiji. (I used to do taiji years ago)


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[callMeHawkEye]

Fair enough, but all I'm saying is that if he is doing Yuen Kay San Wing Chun, assuming he is being taught properly, the way Sum Nung taught it, it would be completely possible and even expectable for him to literally do nothing but Yi Ji Kim Yeung Ma every day and be able to hold it for around two hours before he learned the next thing (which would be single centreline punches). When I learned the traditional way I did nothing but YJKYM for around 4 months. Its just how that style of wing chun is taught (if you do it the way Sum Nung did it).

Most people don't do that kind of training, that's completely understandable; it is grueling and takes some serious amount of time and dedication. I have done it and I can assure you that the difference between that and "moving with footwork, even sparring from the day one." is monumental. The quality, strength, speed and power that one achieves through that kind of training is in another universe compared learning it piecemeal from day one. You can disagree whole heartedly but unless you have done that kind of training, and know YKS wing chun, you are not really in a position to know anything about it.

What I would say to callMeHawkEye is that you should ask your sifu these questions, and if your sifu is expecting you to do a lot of stance training and not a great deal of anything else I would guess he is training your properly for YKS wing chun. Can I ask you who you are learning from and where you train?

I am learning from sifu Anton Miller

Kwok Wan-Ping -> Chun Ming Lee ->
Alton Miller

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[APL76]

I am learning from sifu Anton Miller

Kwok Wan-Ping -> Chun Ming Lee ->
Alton Miller

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OK, I know of him and have seen some of his stuff, he seems much better than most. Kwak Wan Pin actually did quite a bit of tai chi, and according to one of my friends who goes and visits him, he is only doing tai chi these days. Could be that he added it to his wing chun.

My advice would be to do heaps of stance training, and then heaps of jun ma. It will make doing sup yi sik much easier, and better quality. If sup yi sik is good you will have good wing chun.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

So how exactly does wing chun footwork work?

I don't believe WC trains footwork as much as some other CMA styles such as the XingYi, Bagua, or long fist. The long fist 3rd road Pao Quan sometime requires 1/2 basket ball field to train.