Impressions: Wing Chun on Fight Quest

So by now, you've had a chance to take a look at the clips on my previous post regarding Fight Quest feature wing tsun.  Now, if you want to get into specifics, the lineage shown to represent wing chun/tsun was the Leung Ting lineage - which is the lineage I study (Haenel -> Kernspecht -> Leung Ting).  Is this fair? is this representative of wing "chun"? Maybe yes, maybe no. But to the rest of the world, it's all the same. Of course, you can leave that to our wing chun circles and politics to battle it out on the keyboards...

First off, I thought the hosts were really good and giving an objective view of what the system is trying to do - crash/blast/overwhelm the attacker within seconds. 

Second, I give credit to the hosts for really trying their hand at WT - it is not easy to learn in days, let alone months/years - I don't mean that on a commitment/philosphical/art level, but simply of the physical demand and initial awkwardness of the mechanics found in the system (weight on the back leg, chain punches, etc). 

Third, the hosts did a great job trying to stay within the confines of the WT style and explain the ideas behind the kung fu style.

Finally, they showed a lot of respect to the teachers, students and to the system. 

Now, to the opinions from the Grasshopper himself

WOW - I was really dissapointed with the sparring sessions - incredibly dissapointed and actually a little shocked that Leung Ting would let such results represent his lineage on the DISCOVERY CHANNEL.  The hosts were, within days, able to hold their own and even get incredibly good shots in that, sure weren't WT punches, but who cares? The point of the, or any, self-defense system is to handle any type of punches, not just chain punches!

What are the chances we are gonna run into a skilled MMA guy on the street? Yea, not good. Now what are the chances were are gonna run into a WT guy on the street? EVEN SMALLER! So, I can't say I was impressed when i kept seeing the right cross and jabs get through.  And on top, you know those punches had something behind them (you can tell by how the head jerked back pretty good when it was hit), while the chain punches just "looked" like a flurry of hysterical rabbit punches....

One part I started to like was when the instructor said to the guy "Come hit me."  I thought he was going to unleash hell. No, not so much. I'm sure those punches sting, but they were pretty much "I got you" punches.  WT is about breaking the opponents structure, occupying the opponents limbs or blasting through the opponent - none of that was demonstrated....

EVEN BETTER...none of that was demonstrated in the weeeeaaaakk ass demo that the school gave at the beginning of the show.  There was absolutely no "umph" in the hits, just "tag - i got you" type of touches. This goes for both the student and the teacher that gave the demo. 

WEAK SAUCE all the way. Dismal display.

Maybe your skills are really good, but at least make it LOOK good!  It's TV for crying outloud. And you just know the camera man was trying REALLY hard to make it look exciting with the tight camera shots in too.

I don't know - what's with ALL the chain punches? Is Leung Ting trying to hide other punches? It just seemed that was all they got. Sure, in the flurry of the fight, chances are the chain punch will prevail as the weapon of choice, but make em count.  Maybe throw in an elbow?

I can sit here and critcize all day...sadly. The point I want to stress is that it seemed pretty evident, at the end of the day, that if the hosts really wanted to go in and hit the guys for a knockout, instead of focussing on trying to chain punch, you know they would've.  

And getting a knock out, or knocked out, is the measuring stick, isn't it?

I dunno, maybe the sparring "wing chun warriors" were student level 2...

Until then.