Wing Chun uber alles...

[geezer]

I love 'Chun. That's why I came back to it after a lay-off of many years. It is my "core-art" and it's principles such as efficiency, economy of motion, yielding, borrowing power, and so forth, have influenced many other things I do in life, from other MAs and sports, to my ceramics technique (I'm a ceramics teacher by profession), to the way I interact with other people (learning to yield and "borrow the force").

Yet in spite of my long term commitment to WC/VT, I still rankle at the attitude that this art is superior to all others, and that you need to give-up any involvement in other MAs, and other similarly distracting and counterproductive activities such as weight training and the like.

Once again I've run up against this attitude from instructors who have counseled me to abandon other activities so I can make real progress in WC. While I might appreciate a sincere, well meaning suggestion, I don't appreciate what feels like pressure to abandon my eskrima (which I've enjoyed immensely since I first began training it back in the early 80s) and other sporting activities, ...weight training and so forth.

Just wondering. Do any of the rest of you ever feel pressure of this kind... especially any of you who are instructors and are therefore expected to "represent" your art? How do you feel about it?

 

[CRCAVirginia]

My Sifu allows his instructors to have any Martial Art they want in the same school or train any MA they want, his only requirement is that you only teach CRCA Wing Chun.

I would not appreciate someone telling me what I can train and what I can't. I also train BJJ and if I had a large school I would probably teach Aikido as well.

 

[cwk]

I was already practicing northern shaolin before I started wing chun, in fact it was my northern shaolin sifu that introduced me to my wing chun sifu.
On top of that I also do a bit of judo when I'm not weighed down with work and both my sifus have no problem with it, so I guess I'm lucky in that respect.
I was speaking to a guy last week though and he was saying that his sifu/sensei/guru (it's a mcdojo) doesn't even allow people to talk about other masters of other arts that they've seen on the net. Even though he teaches 4-5 different arts himself! it's sad and funny at the same time.

 

[Danny T]

Geezer,
To become a full instructor under my sifu one is required to have a high level ranking in at least 2 different training systems. It is not so one has more ranks but to have in-depth understanding of different systems and deep understanding of how to utilize the WC methods in different situations and environments.

 

[l_uk3y]

Geezer,
To become a full instructor under my sifu one is required to have a high level ranking in at least 2 different training systems. It is not so one has more ranks but to have in-depth understanding of different systems and deep understanding of how to utilize the WC methods in different situations and environments.

I like that. Sounds like a Sifu who thinks outside the square and aims to modernize the school and make it stronger.

 

[Poor Uke]

Just wondering. Do any of the rest of you ever feel pressure of this kind... especially any of you who are instructors and are therefore expected to "represent" your art? How do you feel about it?

I have come across this a couple of times and think it sucks. One guy actually stopped playing chi sao with me so that, he could lecture me on how other training would ruin my chi sau?!?!?!? In fact I have noticed the opposite!

Personally I think that instructors with such attitudes are overstepping their boundaries. What you train is your own business.

 

[geezer]

Geezer,
To become a full instructor under my sifu one is required to have a high level ranking in at least 2 different training systems. It is not so one has more ranks but to have in-depth understanding of different systems and deep understanding of how to utilize the WC methods in different situations and environments.

Danny, when you say "2 different training systems" do you mean two different WC lineages or two totally different arts, like WC and Silat?

 

[Danny T]

Danny, when you say "2 different training systems" do you mean two different WC lineages or two totally different arts, like WC and Silat?

Different "arts" like Muay Thai, Pekiti-Tirsia, BJJ, Shotokan, Silat...or whatever.
Make for some very interesting combinations and perspectives when training with the different instructors within the organization.

All of the training systems have something great to offer.

 

[dungeonworks]

I'd challenge anyone of at least 1 yr of solid Wing Chun training to go and try grappling of any flavor (or boxing/kickboxing style), namely Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and tell me that Wing Chun did not evidence itself in their sparring methods! WC makes you better in any other art for one simple reason....the theory base of the art alone can be applied to anything martial arts. Heck, it even helps me build cars on an assembly line to some extent. I use the stepping to make my movements at work more efficient!

Its not about the individual style so much as what you have to start with and what you do to get where you want to go. When things come full circle, you may see that one style could have worked all along but you needed to have an understanding of others to come to such realization.

 

[Danny T]

Training in other methods to a high level allows the practitioner to get an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the methods, tactics, and strategies utilized. It also makes one work in different environments with an opponent who has highly developed skills within the framework of the other arts. You don't talk about and theorize you actually work to develop the skills to a high level against someone who probably has better skills than you do in their system. We don't talk about having the ability to work on the ground. We get on the ground and work there. We don't talk about if you work the forms and practice the skills sets against another wc practitioner pretending to be a muay thai fighter you will be able to handle them; we go out and train with and against many muay thai fighters or whatever art.

Wing Chun is a great training system but so are the others. It wasn't until I actually was kicked by an excellent Muay Thai fighter that I realized I needed to work on my kick defense to a much higher degree. When working with other WC practitioners who were throwing muay thai type kicks I had "no problems" against them. BUT when I was in engaged with one who was proficient in Muay Thai kicking, I immediately understood I was missing something. When I got taken down and was on the ground with a highly trained BJJ player I immediately understood I was missing alot in that environment. We train the other systems not to play the other's game but to know and understand it.

Danny T

 

[Poor Uke]

Good post Danny, this is my experience down to a tee.

 

[coffeerox]

It's pretty disheartening when I type Wing Chun into Google Maps and see the only places that teach it surround phoenix and Phoenix is like a giant void of nothingness. My DIY approach isn't working due to not being able to practice what I learned against a live opponent. It's because of this that I'm adopting other arts such as Boxing. I'm not sure how far that will get me by myself, but I at least know that I can instantly pick up those tools and utilize basic defensive concepts w/o a partner. I'm worse off with no practice still, but at least I have something. I wish I had that something back in high school and jr. high when kids attacked me b/c they didn't like me.