Wing Chun - Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Tze

Xue Sheng

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I have to admit my looking at Siu lim tao through the eyes of a taiji guy and approaching it from that direction has opened up my eyes a lot about Wing Chun or I should say it has opened my eyes a lot about Siu lim Tao. And it has been pretty cool training that way too. I also realized I had never really taken the time to really look at Chum Kiu and Biu Tze so I went and found some videos to look at and I like what I see, now that I actually took the time to really look at them.

My first two attempts to learn Wing Chun I learned and relearned siu lim tao and both attempts ended in confusion and frustration because everything I knew about Wing Chun told me I should really love it, but there was something missing and I could not figure out what. I was fairly certain it was not my sifu since he was, and is, easy to get along with, a good teacher and very well trained. I eventually realized I was approaching it all wrong because I was stuck in the view of Internal CMA and External CMA. I have since come to understand, IMO, that of Internal and External, in the overall scheme of things, does not mean much in CMA and from a historical perspective it is likely grossly misunderstood and weighted way to heavily.

My third attempt, with a different sifu, left me just as frustrated as the first two but I realized I was still looking at it as a hard “external” style and that was my problem not any problem from Wing Chun. I also realized that although the sifu was a good guy and very skilled he just was not my sifu, my sifu was the guy I trained with the first 2 times and if I am to seriously train again (or maybe finally train seriously) it will be at my first sifu’s school.

So… I decided to try again, pretty much on my own, and try and combine it with some of the Qigong I had learned as well as my Taijiquan and I liked what was happening and for the first time nothing seemed to be missing so I guess I can say I finally got out of my own way as it applies to training Wing Chun, again not actually Wing Chun as much as siu lim tao, and things got really interesting and very cool. The problem the first 3 times was my approach, my way of thinking and not Wing Chun.

What does this all mean to me, well it means that I have gained more respect for Wing Chun and realized how much I was the problem and what was missing was the correct approach and attitude. Also this has pretty much proven to me, and it does not need to prove anything to anyone else, that the categories of internal and external and not to be taken seriously.

Thanks for putting up with my questions and interjections in the Wing Chun section :asian:

I found these videos and I thought I would post them, I am sure they are nothing new to any of you, but I thought you may enjoy them

Yip man siu lim tao

Siu Lim Tao - Ip Chun

Chum Kiu by Yip Chun

Biu Tze by Yip Chun

Ip Chun (葉準), 84yo wing chun legend

Ip Ching Sam Kwok Chi Sau outside Ip Man Tong
 

yak sao

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Several years ago when I had a commercial school, I was sharing space with a guy who taught Yang tai chi. He came in one night during class and was watching while I was talking to the group about yielding to the force of a punch. The particular drill we were doing was I believe a jum sau with a stance turn.
After class he came up to me and said that I had just taught a tai chi class.
 
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Xue Sheng

Xue Sheng

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Despite all the appearances of hardness I see in Wing Chun forms I am rather amazed at the softness that lies underneath. I am almost to the point of believing the appearance of hardness is more a misdirection to throw off an opponent than anything else.
 

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