Wing Chun Syllabus

A basic description of the Wing Chun syllabus contains the three open hand forms of
Siu Lim Tau (Little Imagination), Chum Kiu (Seeking the Bridge), Biu Jee (Thrusting
Fingers), Chi Sau (Sticky Hands), and the Mok Yan Jong (Wooden Dummy Form).
There are also the weapon forms for the Luk Dim Boon Guan (Long Pole) and the Baht
Jam Doa (Double Knives). It is a common misconception that one completes the art of
Wing Chun after learning the above syllabus. There is actually much more to Wing
Chun than just this. Just regarding the forms, there is an additional dummy form for
the eight Wing Chun kicks called Buhn Jee Jong (tri-pole kicking dummy). Also
various dummy forms for the Long Pole and Double Knives must be trained. And still,
even after learning all of the forms and sticky hand drills, one cannot yet claim to
have learned the whole Wing Chun system.
For instance, learning Chi Sau (Sticky Hands) is more of a stepping-stone that
prepares one for training fighting applications. Chi Sau trains ones reflex, sensitivity,
coordination, mobility, and non-stop movement. Chi Sau also trains one in the concept
of coverage, which is important for simultaneous offense and defense.
I would also like to stress that the forms alone cannot be employed as-is for fighting.
Even after one has learned all the forms, one must employ Chahk Kuen and Chahk
Jong. These two terms mean to break down the individual techniques and movements
contained within the forms, and recombine them with other techniques/movements
for application in fighting. In addition, Wing Chun has special training methods called
Dah San Jong and Dah Wai which employ the recombined techniques from Chahk
Kuen and Chahk Jong. Dah San Jong means to apply the recombined techniques on
a live dummy. The live dummy is an opponent who will attack you using different
techniques, both from Wing Chun or from other styles. Dah Wai is similar to Dah
San Jong except the Wing Chun practicioner is confronted with more than one
opponent.
The recombined techniques may appear different from how they are played in the
forms. This is because the forms are just a rudimentary foundation to Wing Chun,
just like the English alphabet is to the English language. For example, the letter B
holds no inherent meaning on its own. But when combined with the letters A and T,
the three letters can spell out the word BAT. This word may contain several
different meanings. If one rearranges the order of the letters, another word TAB,
with different meanings and applications, can be spelled. It is also necessary to point
out that no one letter is more important than another. A similar approach holds true
for the forms in Wing Chun. No one form is more important or more advanced than
the next. No one can speak English just with the alphabet alone. There are other
factors that affect a language, such as vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. As such, no
one can fight in a form because fighting involves more than just forms.

As Chahk Kuen is important to better understand the application of some

techniques in the forms, Chahk Jong is also very important for understanding the
Mok Yan Jong (Wooden Dummy Form). The techniques from the Wooden Dummy Form
also cannot be used as in the form when fighting. This is because, unlike a fighting
opponent, the wooden dummy is inanimate. Although it has two arms and one leg, the
arms and leg cannot move, even when they are hit. Nor will they hit you back. It
follows, then, that the application of technique in the form must again be different
from that employed in actual fighting.
Many techniques in fighting application are completely beyond what one may imagine
when attempting to interpret the forms. As we start to see this amazing progression
from form to fighting, we begin to realize how ingenious the previous generations of
Wing Chun practitioners must have been in designing these techniques centuries ago.
In addition to Chahk Kuen, Chahk Jong, Dah San Jong, and Dah Wai, Wing Chun also
has many other exercises and training methods. Although all based upon scientific
principles, the actual training does not require sophisticated equipment. These
training methods are for the sake of developing Gung Lek. Unfortunately there has
been much effort in mystifying this concept. Gung Lek is a method of generating a
specific type of power. For example, a power-lifters legs are specifically trained to
lift large amounts of weight. In contrast, a runners legs are also very strong but are
trained more for speed and endurance. Gung Lek training in Wing Chun is designed to
maximize the power and speed of Wing Chun techniques. If one does not have the
physical ability to back up technical prowess, then one has but a mere shell of a
martial art. As such, the Chinese have a famous martial arts saying, Lien Kuen But
Lien Gung Doh Lo Yut Cheung Hung. This can be translated as If you diligently
practice your martial art with Gung Lek, you will have substance in your kung-fu,
instead of an empty shell and a dream of what you could have been in your twilight
years.
Due to time constraints, I must stop here. When time allows, I will write more about
Wing Chun in future articles. We will dig deeper in our discussion of Wing Chun
theory and some of the training curricula. We will also show that explanation must be
backed up by practical application. In the next article, I would like to discuss some
basic Wing Chun theories and concepts. To conclude, I reiterate that this article is
based merely on my experiences and point of view. If the reader feels there are
discrepancies, or inaccuracies, please feel free to voice your opinion. My philosophy
towards Wing Chun and how to teach the art results from and reflects the teachings
of my SiFus, the late Grandmaster Yip Man, SiFu Lok Yiu and SiFu Duncan S.H. Leung.
Essence of Wing Chun
According to legend, Wing Chun kung fu originated from the Shaolin Temple in China,
around 300 years ago, during the end of Emperor Yung Jengs reign. Ng Mui, already

an accomplished martial artist, developed the core ideas and philosophies of what is
now Wing Chun kung fu after witnessing the fateful encounter between a crane and a
snake. Ng Mui observed that the snake, though possessing no limbs, was able to
skillfully defend itself. The snake would lure the crane into initiating the first move
by coiling up its body while constantly moving its head. The snake remained deadly
calm, poised for the most opportune time to swiftly attack. The crane used the
opposite tactic. It would make a lot of movements to distract the snake while also
waiting for the right moment to launch an attack. The crane would jump up and down
and side-to-side to avoid the snake and to bait it into initiating the first attack. The
crane would smack the advancing snake aside with its wings and immediately follow up
by attacking with its beak. It would also lure the snake further within the range of
its deadly beak by dancing back. Once the snake took the bait, the crane would
immediately lash out with one of its talons and follow up with its beak. Ng Mui
thought that this battle demonstrated an awesome display of strategy and technique.
It was through this battles edification that Ng Mui received an epiphany: to apply
the strategy and techniques of the crane and snake into human combat. Although the
battle between the crane and snake provided the inspiration for Ng Muis ideas for
combat, Ng Mui did not use the specific motions of the two animals as a basis for her
new system, but rather only the strategies she observed in the encounter.
Whether through chance or fate, Ng Mui had the opportunity to pass on her
newfound knowledge to a girl named Yim Wing Chun. It seemed preordained that Yim
Wing Chun be Ng Muis successor, for she possessed both a deep, diligent passion for
martial arts and an innate genius for understanding martial arts and its application in
real combat. Yim Wing Chun undertook much hard work and research to refine and
expand upon Ng Muis ideas and philosophies through numerous challenges and
conflicts. Yim Wing Chun took the teachings of Ng Mui and created what would be the
beginnings of Wing Chun kung fu. In order to memorialize and forever recognize her
incredible achievements, people called this once nameless martial art system, Wing
Chun.
Wing Chun cannot strictly be considered an independent style. This is because before
Yim Wing Chun developed her own system, she already had a foundation in southern
Shaolin martial arts. It is believed that Yim Wing Chun had a foundation of Fukien
Shaolin kung fu prior to her studies with Ng Mui. This is why we consider Wing Chun
kung fu as merely a branch of Shaolin. In fact, many Chinese martial arts can trace
their roots back to Shaolin. The arts of Hung Ga, Choy Li Fut, Mok Ga, Praying Mantis,
White Eyebrow, Hap Ga, Jow Ga, Eagle Claw, and numerous others are also branches
of Shaolin. Each of these styles emphasizes different aspects of the Shaolin art. It
is only when later generations of martial arts practitioners divided and categorized
these different aspects that these styles came into existence. The Chinese people
have a saying: mahn faht gwai jung, yut sui lam. Simply put, this phrase means that

all styles flow back to Shaolin, which is not unlike the ancient saying, All roads lead
to Rome.
Actually, all styles have their own special emphases and advantages. It is very
important for a martial arts practitioner to have an open mind when encountering
other ideas and streams of knowledge. This should be done with humility and
thorough research, so that our quest for knowledge may remain sincere. A mutual
comparison and exchange of ideas with other martial artists of any style can help you
gain a clearer perception of both the advantages and disadvantages of your own
martial art. This will not only result in a better understanding of your opponent, but
also of yourself. This relentless research and self-examination is essential for taking
martial arts to a higher level, improving upon the art until it can gain universal
popularity. This kind of insight cannot be achieved by isolating oneself from other
ideas while learning.
Thanks to the extensive research, review, and real, practical fighting experiences of
past generations of Wing Chun practitioners, an accumulation of knowledge and real
application allowed Wing Chun to evolve and be refined into an amalgam containing the
best of these ideas.
Although Wing Chun theory is very scientific and systematic in its approach, the
application of Wing Chun is simple. Unlike many other styles, Wing Chun techniques do
not try to imitate the movements of animals such as tigers and monkeys. Although it
is commonly believed that the movements of a crane and snake in battle inspired Wing
Chun, it should be noted that only the idea and not the actual movement was
incorporated into Wing Chun. Because we are humans and not tigers or monkeys, we
cannot hope to gain the ability to pounce like a tiger, jump like a monkey or coil up like
a snake. No matter how diligently we train, our hands will always remain human. Human
hands cannot possibly be like the claws of a tiger or the deadly talons of an
eagle; nor will one be able to grow taller or that much bigger through training. This is
because the human body is limited. If one attempts to imitate an animal, the
movements will be much harder to learn and perfect because, as humans, we are not
designed for specialization in their movements. It follows that a great amount of time
can be consumed in attempting movements that humans are not born to do. This is
why Wing Chun techniques are designed to accommodate the structure and
capabilities of the human body.
The majority of sound scientific definition or theory is derived from observing
conditions in nature. For example, Sir Isaac Newton observed an apple falling from a
tree and later developed his theory of gravity. This is also the case in Wing Chun.
The idea behind Wing Chun was inspired by watching an intense battle between a
crane and snake. Furthermore, it uses the key hypothetical assumptions that we are
smaller, slower, and weaker than our opponent. If we hold to these assumptions, we
must then find a better, more clever way to conquer our adversary.
We say that Wing Chun is scientific because any and all of our theories and
techniques can be explained through principles of physics and/or geometry. There are

no mystical tricks or secret techniques that cannot be explained by universally proven

scientific theory. Wing Chun is a complete system of training that includes elements
such as confidence, theory, technique, speed, timing, distance, reflex, agility,
stamina, coordination, power, strategy, etc. Without training all of these elements,
you cannot honestly call what you train a complete martial art.
Due to its scientific approach, Wing Chun has become a style that specifically
emphasizes practical, real life application. Proper training in Wing Chun can offer a
diligent practitioner decent, applicable combat ability in a relatively short period of
time. It is this specialty that has made Wing Chun extremely famous in the martial
arts field.
However, martial arts are definitely not for everyone and even fewer people are able
to excel at it. There are several criteria one must first fulfill in order to truly obtain
the art of Wing Chun. Some of the most important are the following:
1. FATE: You must have the good fortune to meet a SiFu capable of passing on the
knowledge to you.
2. THE RIGHT SIFU: Your SiFu must be able to apply Wing Chun in actual combat.
For example, how can you trust someone to teach you how to swim if that person has
never even tried to swim in the water? Your SiFu must also be willing to teach you
wholeheartedly and without reserve.
3. PASSION: To be truly great at anything, you must first love whatever it is that
you do. You must want to truly obtain Wing Chun in order to sacrifice so much time,
money, and effort.
4. ADEQUATE FINANCES: Obviously you must, at the very least, be able to afford
some type of tuition for the chance to learn. But the most important point of this
criterion is that you must not have to worry about money if you are to devote
yourself to Wing Chun. How can one seriously train in anything if you must worry
about even how to put food on your table or how to keep a roof over your head?
There is also the question of equipment and a place to train. All of this requires
money.
5. TIME: This criterion is closely tied together with adequate finances in that you
must have the luxury of time to seriously train. It takes several hours of proper
training everyday to achieve the ability to apply Wing Chun in real combat.
6. PERSEVERANCE: The path to truly obtaining Wing Chun is filled with pain,
difficulties, obstacles, and other unforeseen circumstances. You must have the
mindset to meet and overcome all of these challenges. If you give up because of
discomfort or injury, or if you cannot sacrifice socializing and your recreational time,
you will never make it.
7. TRAINING PARTNERS: You must have access to a large number of training
partners. This is because you must learn how to apply Wing Chun in such a manner
that it will work against any type of opponent. It is also imperative that these
training partners be willing to help you.
8. APPLICATION: Because Wing Chun is an art of combat, it is necessary to apply

the art in real fights. You can read all there is to know about swimming and practice
the motions diligently in the air, but unless you actually get in the water and practice
swimming, you may very well drown the first time youre thrown in. So it is necessary
to always ask yourself if you truly have and are able to apply Wing Chun in a real
fight. The definition of a real fight is not necessarily one that involves defending
your life. A friendly sparring match or competitions that are well regulated can also
be considered as such. This is because you have no idea what the opponent is going to
do. The only thing you do know is that the opponent will try to attack you.
9. AMBITION: You must have the ambition to always achieve more. The only way a
style can progress is if each succeeding generation tries to surpass the previous
generation. It is true that the succeeding generation may not always be able to
surpass the last, but at least the style and art may be preserved.
10. FIDELITY: The quest for knowledge is an endless journey. As such, the desire to
acquire knowledge must never be lost or there is the possibility that the knowledge
may fade away entirely. In order to truly obtain Wing Chun, you must devote your
entire life to the art. Your love for your art and style must never waver since it now
rests on your shoulders to educate and enlighten the next generation as your SiFu
has educated and trained you.
The above criteria are paramount for truly obtaining Wing Chun. One should also note
that these criteria are in no way complete. Due to these constraints, it is rare indeed
to encounter a Wing Chun practitioner who has truly obtained the art. In addition to
the above criteria, it should also be mentioned that the SiFu must believe that the
student is worth teaching. The student must be of good character, sound
temperament, and trustworthy. This is because the SiFu must also consider if the
student is able to take on the role of being a SiFu to the next generation. He or she
must be capable of perpetuating the art responsibly, and whether this is the case
greatly influences how much a SiFu will teach his student. I should be clear that
when a SiFu takes on a disciple, it is the beginning of a deep bond between the two
that goes beyond that of just teacher and student. There is a Chinese saying, yut
yat wai Si, jung sung wai Fu, which roughly translated means, even if only a day as my
SiFu, the SiFu is my father for life. And so it is that the relationship between SiFu
and disciple is akin to that of father and son. Each has a great responsibility to the
other and each also has a great responsibility to society. Accordingly, the SiFu must
determine how much of the art it is appropriate to pass to the disciple. Just because
a SiFu takes on a disciple does not mean the SiFu should pass on all that he knows, for
there are other factors to consider such as time and the disciples readiness, ability
and, most importantly, character. Although a disciple can be effectively considered
as the SiFus son, we should remember Wing Chun is a precious but deadly art. A
disciple must have a deep appreciation of this and be of a sound, responsible
disposition if he is to be chosen to continue its legacy.

A Brief Discussion of the Training Methods and Procedures of Wing Chun Kung Fu
It is now almost 60 years since SiFu Yip Man established and initiated the
art of Wing Chun Kung Fu in Hong Kong , and we should appreciate and honor his
lifetime of research and perseverance to maintain and preserve this secret Art of
fighting. He arduously managed his unknown schools in a tumultuous period on this
small island and fortune will not let down a man who does his best to hand down his
comprehensive knowledge to his disciples. Under the cultivation of SiFu Yip Man,
many outstanding students gained fame through diligent training and successful
application of Wing Chun in numerous contests. As a result, the Wing Chun style
became famous in Hong Kong. His descendants have since taught this art on all
continents including Bruce Lee who single-handedly influenced and changed the
way martial arts films were made. Bruce Lees fighting movies
such as Fists of Fury , Return of the Dragon , and Enter the
Dragon , to name a few, continue to capture audiences to this day with his
stunning fighting techniques and choreography. These extraordinary fight sequences
are a magnificent demonstration of an explosive fighting art that can be traced back
to the unique style of Wing Chun. In the years since, Wing Chun has become one of
the most popular styles of Martial Arts in the world.
As the Wing Chun family grows larger, it seems that there are many different and
sometimes conflicting interpretations of our style in the Wing Chun community, yet I
am absolutely sure that SiFu Yip Man taught one and only one Wing Chun to
everyone. The causes of this disparity may be that most teachers have their own
ideas, prefer to teach in their own way, have misconceptions of the original ideas of
the Art, or all of the above. In Wing Chun we have basic techniques like Tan Sau
, Bong Sau , Fook Sau , Gaan Sau , and Kwan Sau which every
practitioner will perform and in each instance may look alike. However, if you are
careful enough to spend the time to properly explore the ideas and nuances behind
these techniques to discover the differences in angles, structure, and position you
will gain a better understanding of the ideas and applications of each. It is much
better for us to accept and consider each others ideas so they can be analyzed,
experimented with, and used to experience what-is-the-difference. This is the way
to seek out the truth and improve in what you are doing. This is always my advice - to
be more humble and more liberal in your approach to all things. Self righteousness
, arbitrary deference , and prejudice will only prove to stop or
drastically hinder your progress.
With this article I am now trying to express some aspects of my approach and
training methods for this style, all of which I have learned from my three SiFus, SiFu
Lok Yiu , SiFu Yip Man , and SiFu Duncan Shiu Hung Leung

. It is the approach and methods that I have determined to work for

me. Whether or not you like or agree with it, please take what I have written here
into consideration and if possible attempt to accept these different ideas to further
your research. With an open mind, you can better further your knowledge and
distinguish yourself in the field of Martial Arts. This approach to knowledge is not
unique to Chinese philosophy and you will find the same advice in many cultures. As
SiFu Duncan said, I certainly do not claim to speak for the Wing Chun family,
and would welcome any correction that is offered. That certainly would help me
improve. It is my hope that many Wing Chun members will share their ideas
with all of us, no matter who they have learned from.
If you want to learn something outstanding or special you must perform quite a lot of
research and plan carefully to arrange the time, money, man power, and a decent
environment (, , , ) for your training before you even start to choose
the right SiFu (teacher). Then, you have to find a SiFu who will wholeheartedly pass
his precious knowledge to you and approach what you are going to learn properly as I
have mentioned in my last two articles, Wing Chun Syllabus and Wing
Chun Myths . Wing Chun has three empty hand forms, sticky hands
training, the wooden man dummy forms, the breakdown and usages of the wooden
dummy techniques, Dar Wai , Sang Jong , the Tripoles Form , the
breakdown and usages of the Kicking techniques, and much more training. To fully
earn this style will take years of honest study, perseverance, and
dedication. Without a doubt, you will need advice along the way and an open mind to
accept many different ideas to better yourself. Always remember that you will make
many mistakes along the way and that the most important thing about a true quest
for knowledge is considering it an endless journey. Accept the ideas you come across,
compare them with what you know and try them out. You have nothing to lose and
everything to gain through research and discussion. When you are training in the
field of Wing Chun, think about what you are learning and do not be afraid to
respectfully ask your SiFu, Why?, How?, or How can I improve?. This is not to
question his knowledge, but if he can not or will not answer your questions it may be
necessary to find another SiFu. There is nothing top secret in Wing Chun because
every thing in the art can be explained scientifically or mathematically with physics,
geometry, and anatomy. The only secret is to train hard. Every movement in the
forms has certain meaning and numerous details behind it. According to the design of
Wing Chun Kung Fu, each movement must be played properly and precisely while
maintaining the centerline idea of each movement and with an understanding of these
underlying meanings. Without understanding its origins, the form will simply be a
series of techniques that look like Wing Chun, but lack spirit . I touched on
this idea in my DVD, Fundamental Wing Chun Kung Fu , which will
be available soon on the internet. This introductory video is the first of a series in

which I will delve progressively deeper into the ideas and theories of Wing Chun. As
my SiFu Yip Man told me, Who I am is not important. The most important thing
is what I teach you. If it works then it counts. This statement is important to
remember in order to make the art work for you. In the words of SiFu Yip Man,
Dont believe what I tell you, use your common sense to learn, try it, use it,
and find out for yourself.
In ones quest to learn a martial art, it is often not only martial skills that are
acquired. I make an effort to teach in such a manner as to develop strong problem
solving abilities in my students. In Wing Chun, this means that they will use their
knowledge of techniques, philosophy, strategy, etc., to most efficiently solve a
problem in their training, or in a real fight. Students will learn how to stay calm and
dispassionately look at the problem to analyze it as a whole to determine the most
logical angle of approach, move on to determining the most efficient method for
tackling it, and subsequently developing the most efficient procedure to achieve their
goal of solving it. This mental acuity can be attributed to anything from building a
shed to preparing for a corporate presentation and thus learning martial arts will
strengthen many more aspects of a person in addition to their fighting prowess.
Recently, my student published some clips on YouTUBE, and it created some
debate. It is always our pleasure to accept criticism otherwise we will never improve,
but unfortunately it seems there is some misunderstanding of what we are doing in
our practice. While some have understood or attempted to understand our
intentions, other viewers simply denied to accept the videos for even a little
consideration. For instance, I would like to direct your attention to The Tan Dar and
Guan Dar drill . Our intention in this drill is not to say we fight like that. It
is only a drill to help beginner students to build up good habits to respond to incoming
techniques like swings to the upper gates or lower gates of their body. These drills
should be considered as only the beginning of acquiring a basic understanding of
simple techniques which breakdown from the Sil Nim Tao . Students begin to
learn to feel the area that is under attack and covering that area without looking at,
reaching out, or blocking to the attack ,,
(:). Through these exercises, responding by reflex will be trained
as well as performing defense and offense simultaneously. We shift the horse, thus
keeping away a little bit to have more time to react, cover, and earn half a body
length to reach further with the attacking punch. In an actual fight you dont have to
fight like this and there will be many ways to counter to this type of swing attack
, such as with Tan Sau Dung Gerk , throwing in the body with Taan Ma
Tan Dar (some people call it Triangle Horse ), Kwan Sau Dang
Gerk , or many other options that would be suitable responses. This
approach allows the student to train the basic ideas of Wing Chun, get used to being

attacked, and to keep in mind that we are always to consider that we are smaller,
slower, and less powerful than our opponents. With this in mind, the student will
learn to choose the most intelligent and efficient way to conquer their adversary and
in the mean time build up good habits, practice correct technique , develop
coordination , learn to understand and feel proper structure , and
develop muscle memory . There is no technique better than the other
techniques; each technique has a distinct advantage and disadvantage. Additionally,
some people have said we are doing Karate Wing Chun, or that we created those
kind of techniques, or even Wing Chun doesnt fight like that!. However, if you
carefully inspect those clips again, you will find all my students are doing correctly
and clearly the techniques Wing Chun is supposed to require, such as Gaan Sau ,
Bong Sau , Pak Sau , Kwan Sau , and more. All of them are utilizing Wing
Chun techniques in their training drills and only the attacking person is doing another
styles techniques. In the fighting art of Wing Chun there are many different
fighting methods, what you see in the clip is the method I personally prefer, which is
called Counter Attack. In Wing Chun its called Dar Joung Moong , or Crash
in the door fighting style. In addition, we have the usages of Short Bridge Power
and Long Bridge Power . Normally, in our school we emphasize
Long Bridge Power and Counter Attacking. This maybe something you have never
seen before but it does not mean Wing Chun lacks these kind of fighting methods and
techniques. To be honest, sometimes I wish I had the kind of ingenuity to invent
those techniques because it really takes a lot of talent and fighting experience to do
so. The techniques that comprise Wing Chun originate from our ancestors who
meticulously developed them over the course of many years and through their
successful application in an immeasurable number of contests both for sport and self
defense. Finally, the Circle Fighting Drill is simply a stepping stone in the
foundational training before students start learning how to actually fight. They have
to earn the ability to protect themselves by using Wing Chun techniques fluently,
reflexively, and in a proper and controlled manner so as not to hit their practice
partners ensuring the safety of their fellow students. To hit someone is easy; to
fight without getting hit is hard. Besides these basic ideas there is much more to
the circle fighting training included in our curriculum.
Sticky Hands Training, or Chi Sau , is definitely an extremely important part of
the Wing Chun curriculum and it is not only used to train you how to be good in this
exercise, but also to refine your skills across the board. Students must learn it in
the correct sequence, step by step, to understand the ideas behind it, because it
covers many of the integral ideas of the style. A small mistake or misconception at
the beginning will end up making a big difference in the future. While training Chi
Sau, students can focus on improving the sensitivity of their hands in response

to contact from an opponent, reflexively reacting to a stimulus, developing the

coordination and dexterity required to use both hands at the same time, helping each
other to progress, and on resolving others mistakes. No matter how good and hard
you train, you will always make mistakes. Every mistake presents a possible opening
for you to be attacked if your partner knows how to exploit the mistake. Since
mistakes are unavoidable, in Chi Sau we train the hands to be mutually dependent, so
that when you make a mistake with one hand, the other hand instinctively responds to
help close the opening that is created by the mistake. If done properly, when your
partner attempts to exploit your mistake you can often convert this into an
opportunity for you to penetrate your partners coverage and strike. Chi Sau should
be done in a reasonable way, maintaining coverage, and with flowing non-stop
defensive and offensive techniques. In addition to learning how to be a good training
partner to each other, a student training sticky hands will also learn first hand the
ideas of proper timing and distance, as well as how to use proper force instead of
fighting directly against the force of your opponent. They have to learn how to use
the structure of the whole body to their advantage, to advance and retreat at the
correct angle and distance, and to understand the direction of power. It will take
much explanation during Chi Sau training to achieve proficiency but it is essential to
understand one key concept. Chi Sau is not fighting. While the skills that Chi Sau
helps to develop improve ones fighting abilities, nobody is going to play that game
with you on the street. Wing Chun is an art of maximum efficiency, doing the most
while expending the least amount of energy. In Chi Sau, the most efficient way that
we respond to incoming pressure from our partner is to use his power to help you
create more power to use for your advantage. Basically, you learn how to use your
partners power against him and by thoroughly training all of these ideas of intention,
you will develop reflexes that are essential to being an effective Wing Chun
fighter. On the other hand, if you train with the wrong intentions (i.e., just trying to
hit each other, running hand for no reason, or training robotically) your Chi Sau will
not improve your senses as a fighter. Ultimately, I have come to realize that it is
most valuable to teach Chi Sau to students particularly to empower them with a keen
understanding of Wing Chun theory and a sharp feeling of the proper application of
technique. With these attributes they will be able to correct their own mistakes and
deepen their knowledge far into the future when their SiFu is no longer available for
consultation.
Most Styles of Martial Arts have Forms that are collections of hand and
foot movements that define the physical blueprint of the style. Wing Chun Kung Fu
has three empty hand forms, which most practitioners are familiar with. However,
the construction of the form is such that every hand movement and section has
certain meaning associated with them. Without a qualified SiFu, you might
misunderstand the meaning of the form, and only guess to the application of the
techniques. It may look like Wing Chun, but the spirit, usage, and intention are

completely different. Also, the form is a collection of idealized movement. Upon

learning them, you must be shown how to take the elements of the form and combine
them to create a technique to suit the situation. In fact, the fighting applications of
the techniques are totally beyond your imagination from what is seen in the form, and
must be taught by the SiFu who has applicable knowledge and experience. After
learning the forms students will begin to learn single hand sticky hands, Dan Chi Sau
, followed by double handed Chi Sau . Training the horse with different
footwork will typically continue throughout and students will
eventually start to learn the dummy form. At these stages one of the goals is to
become so familiar with your training attributes that you will be equipped to analyze
your own performance. To be able to recognize and correct your own mistakes and
truly be able to self-correct without constantly consulting your SiFu for the basics of
Wing Chun theory will mean faster progress and aptitude that will last long into the
future. Also at this stage, training of basic techniques such as Tan Dar Guann Dar
, Kwan Sau Bong Gerk , and Gum Sau Tan Dar will
begin. Many of these basic techniques can be viewed in the videos on our site and on
YouTube. We call it Chark Kuen or Chark Jong - the break down usages of
the Forms and Dummy Form.
After relatively perfecting with the basic one on one drills weve discussed so far,
students will move on to apply those techniques in the simple hypothetical scenarios
of Circle Fighting . This training allows the students to develop their Wing
Chun skills in a controlled step by step manner but also to become comfortable with
being attacked. The confidence will automatically build up, and incoming punches and
kicks are no longer a big deal as the circle fighting progresses to deeper and more
realistic situations. The attackers will eventually no longer call out which attack is
coming. Ultimately, attackers are going for real while the person in the center, who
is training Wing Chun, will respond in a controlled manner so as not to injure their
training partners. If the students can handle this, they will move forward and learn
Wing Chun kicking , the Tripole form , sparring , real fighting
with different styles, strategy, and much more.
A fully experienced SiFu will teach his students in the proper manner, offering a
flexible and adequate curriculum to fit the students progress. He will correct all the
tiny mistakes whenever they occur to ward off bad habits and answer the myriad of
questions that will come up to ensure that there are no misunderstandings and only a
firm and clear understanding of all ideas. It is important to understand that in
addition to all of the training mentioned so far there are many other exercises
designed to develop Power, Speed, Reflex, Agility, Endurance, Timing, and Distance,
etc. Without training these attributes you are not actually completely training the
whole system of Wing Chun. It can take months or even years to fully explain the
entire curriculum of our style in person so please forgive the brevity of this

article. My intentions were to provide an overview of the training methods,

procedures, and progression of Wing Chun. If time allows, I will continue to share my
opinions with you, such as the fighting methods of Wing Chun, in future articles. If
you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to write to our school email
address, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and I will do my
best to answer as soon as possible.
In closing, I always advise my students as what SiFu Yip Man advised me Be more open minded, accept the ideas of others that you come across, analyze
them and attempt to apply them to find out whether they are true. Do not
blindly believe what I say and always use your common sense to learn.

Overview of the Fighting Methods of Wing Chun: Part I

This is the first segment of an in depth, multimedia article on Wing Chuns fighting
methods by SiFu Lee. It is always best to discuss such intricate ideas in person where
that discussion can be supplemented by hands on demonstrations. However, since that
is not always possible, the upcoming segments of this article will attempt to convey
these concepts as accurately and completely as possible through text, images, and
integrated video clips filmed specifically for this piece. It is our hope that this will
be a success in helping to bring a deeper understanding of this topic to not only our
fellow Wing Chun practitioners, but to any others who may have an interest in some
of the finer details of Wing Chun.
...............................................................
Fighting is a real-life duel, and in a split second things can happen so fast that there
is no time for you to hesitate or think of what to do with the situation. You can only
respond instantly by your reflex and your natural instinct. A lot of diligent practice,
practical application, and actual fighting experience are required to fully understand
and to earn this ability. In this article I am trying to explain some ideas and provide
some understanding of what I myself learned from my SiFus. It can only express my
own interpretation and understanding of what I learned. Whether you feel it is right
or wrong, my intention is for the following topics, which I will address individually
later in this article, to be taken into consideration and to assist you in learning this
particular Martial Art and attaining a deeper understanding of it through your
sincere research and experimentation.
1. Fighting is a kind of body language.
2. The fighting post of Wing Chun.
3. Smaller, Slower, Weaker vs. Adversary. (The use of opponents power,
speed.) , , .
4. Short Bridge and Long Bridge Power Usages.

5. Close Range Fighting: Sticky hand style - Jammed in with close distance, emphasis
techniques, skill, speed and coverage.
6. Evade aside, attack opponent on one side eliminate chance of exchanging blows;
Bright side and Blind side.
7. Counter Attacking: Dar Jong Moon, crash in the door fighting style; counter
attacking at the instant the opponent initiates his attempt to attack.
8. Wing Chun has a complete curriculum of the Martial Arts training. If any of the
above strategies do work ideally on their own, we can combine
them. ()
9. The combination of Short Bridge and Long Bridge approaches. Compare and find
out which you prefer, or, which is more suitable for yourself.
10. The Wing Chun Fighting Strategy.
11. The proper usage of hand techniques and combination with Kicking techniques in a
Fight, doing defense and offense simultaneously.
12. SiFu Jiu Wan Style.
Besides developing discipline, good health, and a diligent work ethic, the bottom line is
that the purpose of truly learning and training in a Martial Art is for practical
application. In the event of an unexpected dangerous situation, the skills attained
can be used to protect family members, friends, or oneself. What is learned must be
handy and genuinely practical, so when initiating a defensive maneuver after one has
detected an offense, that countering reaction is a fluent, accurate, properly timed,
execution of perfect technique. The goal is for the response to be so effective and
natural, it will be as if you were born with that kind of ability. In this real-life duel,
even a tiny mistake can lead to serious injury being inflicted upon you, hospitalization,
and ultimately a result that you may regret for the rest of your life. . When
preparing for a dangerous conflict, training should always be approached from the
perspective that you are smaller, slower, and less powerful than your opponent. With
this idea constantly in mind, you will never assume to be able to overpower or react
faster and will always seek out ways to better conquer an adversary. Furthermore,
despite years of training and studying the fighting art of the martial arts style of
your choice, there may always be someone in the world with more experience or skill
than you . Therefore, your fighting methods must be very clever so
that your chances to win will be greater. We are so proud and grateful to our
ancestors, who with their ingenuity and genius meticulously created and developed
this sophisticated and comprehensive art, for having passed down the
knowledge of the Wing Chun fighting methods to us.
Since the birth of Wing Chun, the guidelines, rules, and regulations of our
style, , have always been:
Conduct oneself in society, be humble and tame


Nourish ones inborn nature, avoid fighting indiscriminately

Assist the young and weak, supplement benevolence with martial arts

and the most important reminder:

Martial Artists only Fight for Righteousness

We always try our best and it is our responsibility to abide all the rules and
regulations. However, we are all human, and since tempers sometimes flare or moods
may often turn bad, conflicts are at times unavoidable, confrontations and fights may
happen. In order to improve in the fighting art that we learn, it is always necessary
for us to have some friendly contests and competitions. Through these methods, it
will help us mutually progress more efficiently in a peaceful manner. One must also
endeavor to fight with perfection of strategy, skill, and understanding. The fighting
methods employed to do so are some of the most important attributes for us to
decide the chance to win.
A true quest for knowledge is considered an endless journey of learning and research.
There is a fitting quote of unknown origin that sums this up - the truly educated
never graduate. This is especially pertinent nowadays with new technology such as
computer generated illustrations revealing the many physical aspects of fighting
arts. With newfound fervor from television shows and the popularity of MMA
competitions, the martial arts world continues to progress and improve. There are so
many kinds of popular Martial Arts from all over the world, such as the French
Savate, Israeli Krav Maga or Russian Sambo, Filipino Martial Arts, Thailands
Muay Thai Boxing, etc., and the newly renowned Mixed Martial Arts. People
everywhere are being exposed to martial arts so frequently that it is possible to
learn more then ever before through observation. Martial artists are also fighting
smarter by developing an understanding of bio-mechanics, physiology, and the
strategies of many different Martial Arts through this increased exposure. Similar
to how many professional athletes prepare for a game by watching game films, martial
artists are studying MMA competitions, documentaries, and online videos. With the
plethora of information available over the internet and on television, it is possible to
supplement ones own studies now through not only personal application but also
through reviewing the practical or impractical results of other martial artists. With
these tools people can to begin to understand what an actual fight is, whereas in the

old times, students were allowed only to listen and blindly follow what their instructor
said. While the others will learn it from their actual fighting, they can accumulate all
their experiences from their previous fights, but this method may cause a lot of
injuries and it is a very difficult or tough way to earn this kind of natural instinct for
fighting. In recent times fighters are able to gather and study the methods of many
other fighters and found advantages to replace the disadvantage. . Learning
from the scientific computer generated illustrations of human body mechanisms,
fighters can understand how to optimize their own performance. Fighters know more
than ever how to build up their body to become stronger, and to improve their
constitution and stamina for longer endurance. Today, with all of these widely
available tools it has become a greater challenge for us to deal with those fighters.
However, no matter how hard you train, how much time you train, or how smart you
fight, all human beings are born with only two hands and two legs, there must be
some limitations. Once you are committed to a movement, there must be a gap. As we
are all aware, Wing Chun is a Martial Art style of scientific design, every thing can
be explained logically. Our style strongly emphasized in theory ,
methods , and principal law . We always have a better way to deal with a
fight, as long as we train extremely hard in all the attributes that Wing Chun offers,
which is the program that SiFu Yip Man handed down to only a few
Disciples. That is when we will then know what Wing Chun truly is and know
that Wing Chun can match with any of the Martial Arts mentioned above.