Wing Chun YouTube Video Clips

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In the YouTube world, wing chun will bring you the following major types of videos:

1) Instructor/teacher drills and explanations

2) Demonstrations (this includes commercials, or any pre-arranged sequences)

3) Free sparring

Let's focus on the 3rd category. Although many would want to believe otherwise, wing chun full contacting clips on the web are pretty weak. Either the wing chun guy loses or the use of wing chun skill just goes to crap in the free sparring environment.

Do you think that such videos are a good thing or a bad thing to post for the art of wing chun? Will wing chun meet it's inevitable fate as a horrible system of fighting (at least in the context of sparring/full contact fighting)? Or will it simply encourage those that can use their wing chun to post a video to demonstrate that it does work?

If there are so many wing chun instructors out there that know their stuff, how come none have been able to post their skills in a free fight, MMA type of scenario?

Where are all these wing chun fighters hiding?

And why are they hiding?

Nothing to prove? Sure, but how about simply to spread the art? Why does it seem so difficult to find really convincing wing chun action? Look at the Leung Ting WT organization with THOUSANDS of schools and students and instructors. I'm sure they can at least produce 1 guy to shoot a video on youtube and post it?

Until then.

Week 13: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

This week is very straight forward but may not be that easy.

Set the timer for 10 minutes and chain punch away until it beeps at you!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Very simply. What's wrong with this picture? or what's right with this picture?

This picture was pulled from a blog where Robert Downey Jr. discusses his wing chun training.

And yes, I realize that this is just a snap shot and that such a snap shot provides no real context to the actual move, nor fairly represents any form of wing chun skill. But what if he was posing for it?

Until then.

Sexual Assault In Vancouver Response

This is in response to some feedback I received regarding my last post. Apparently, changing behaviour or, apparently, my recommending the changing of behaviour to sexual assault victims is actually offensive to victims. I had no idea! From what I understand, it implies that their attack was their own fault.

Let me make it clear that I have no intentions of implying that.

That said, there is no doubt in my mind that attackers look for a particular victim and measures their victims based on their behaviors, activities, daily routine, etc.

My advice was never to imply blame on anyone, but simply to avoid such horrific situations. It would seem silly to me, however, to maintain status quo after such an attack and do something about it.

When a house gets burglarized, chances are you'd invest in a security system. Does that imply fault tot he home owners?

When someone's car is stolen, does that imply the car owner's at fault for parking in a wal-mart parking lot?

Maybe it does. But, realistically, we all know it can happen to any of us and we have to do what we can to prevent it.

"Fool me once. Shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

Until then.

Week 12: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

Hello gang! Week 12 is going to be an interesting drill...don't worry, not as fatiguing.

Now, take the position advancing stance position (left leg forward, right leg back) and be ready as if to throw your first chain punch.

Let's say you're going to throw a punch with your right hand.

Now I want you to imagine how the energy is generated from the ground and continues all the way up along your body and then to your fist, tensing each muscle group and then relaxing, as you imagine the force traveling through your body.

For example, so imagine the force generated in your feet(tense then relax), then ankles (tense/relax), then calves, then knees, then thighs, pelvis, butt muscles, lower abs, middle abs, lower back, upper back, lats, chest, shoulders, low elbow, triceps, forearms, fist, neck and spine.

Remember to tense, then relax the muscles - in essence you want to be aware of the muscles being used. This is not a muscle building exercise where your tense like crazy.

Then repeat it again for the other side.

Do this for a total of 10 times per side.

Until then.

Sexual Assault in Vancouver

I've been following the news lately and within the recent weeks or days, it seems there's been a string of sexual assaults and/or attempts all located within the fairly safe and busy area of Vancouver. In all instances, the report is that the man assaulting these women is described to be someone in his teens.

This is a good time to refresh some good habits of self-defense beyond the actual fighting aspect. A lot of this, on the surface is common sense, but when you have a cell phone on you, or if you're walking in a safe area, or if your mind is in the moment, it's easy to let our guards down.

• Be aware of sounds around you. Unfortunately with the iPod days, this may not be possible. Simply listening on a lower volume, or having only one ear plugged into your iPod may be better. You want to be able to hear who's walking or running behind you.

• Don't be afraid to turn around. If you hear people coming up from behind you, turn around and see what's going on. Maybe it's just some guy catching the bus, other times, it's a bit more shady. The attention you show him makes you less of a victim.

• Keep your head high and eyes aware. When you're looking around and aware of your surroundings, this is like "the club" and visually signals to potential attackers that you'll notice them, noticing you.

• Keep distance. If they walk toward you, walk away, cross the street, change direction

• Watch for corners or door corridors. When you turn the corner, be sure to leave distance between you and the corner in case anyone is standing right there.

• In parking lots, watch for corners or hidden areas, keep the keys ready to go to enter the car or as a weapon.

• Got bear spray? it's useless in your bag. You actually have to have this ready. Keep it ready when you're in open, quiet areas - this is prime mugging/assault territory

Got more ideas? feel free to post in the comments section!

And don't forget, when an altercation happens, that's where your fighting skills really kick. Consider self-defense schools that go beyond tournaments or sport fighting. You want something that mimics the reality of the street, including it's emotions and variables.

Until then.

Week 11: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

My apologies for not getting this to you sooner folks! I've been incredibly busy with work, my two blog sites, and other projects...it's been a lot of fun, but, unfortunately I missed this post.

OK, the week is simple.

Find a hard surface like a cement wall, tree, or even floor.

Depending on how soft/hard your fists are, begin to tap the surface repeatedly for a total of 100 counts. Then switch hands and do the same. Just light taps. You can add more pressure if you feel it's required.

Repeat this for a total of 5 times/side.

Finish off with a blast of chain punches for 1 minute.

Until then!

Trauma Factor

Common in many martial art styles is the idea of inflicting pain onto the other person.

"oh that's painful!' "ouch!" or "oohh! that's gotta hurt!"

There are certain parts of the body that is very susceptible to pain, where there are certain areas that contain concentrated bundles of nerve endings. Pressure points, joint locks, and bony areas are great for this.

But there's a problem with this.

When the attacker is hopped up on adrenaline, pain isn't a factor. When the attacker is hopped up on drugs, pain isn't a factor.

What that means for us is that we have to take our focus away from hitting areas that are "painful" and focus in simply inflicting TRAUMA no matter where you hit.

Trauma means you're going to shut down a physiological function as a result of the physical impact. Hit the guy hard enough in the jaw, temple, chin - the brain will hit the sides of the skull and the person will shut down no matter how hopped up he is.

If you're able to hit the person hard enough in the solar plexus - the force of impact will disrupt his breathing and he will collapse.

These are automatic physiological reactions - the enemy has no control over this.

So then this comes to our training - do we have enough force in our hits to inflict TRAUMA? or are we just "patty-caking" the other guy?

Chi-sao has this problem - slapping, or touching or this "i got you" mentality. None of that means anything. You have to know that not only can you "get there" but that getting there will drop that person down.

Don't inflict pain. Inflict trauma.

Until then.

Functional Power vs. Powerful Looking

Four videos are brought to my attention:

1) Choy Lee Fat - to me, each move is incredibly powerful. Probably one of the best looking one's I've come across. That said, i'm not CLF expert.

2) Choy Lee Fat - this one is bag work using CLF moves. New video to me, interesting to see how power is released into the moves.

3) Wing Tsun - many of you have seen this before. Fast hands.

4) JKD - I'm sure many have seen this one too.

Now which ones do you think can actually throw powerful hits or just look powerful on video?

Until then.

Wing Chun Workout

For those within the wing chun circles, there are two camps - one that is for weight training and another against weight training. Let's take a look at reasons for weight training/workout and wing chun:

1) Increases muscle mass, therefore adds to punching power

2) Health benefits from working out contributes to overall body health

3) It does NOT slow one down (look at the sprinter!)

4) Trains muscular endurance (minimize fatigue during a fight)

But here are the reasons for why weight training is not for wing chun:

1) Increased muscle mass restricts freedom of movement, therefore slows you down (look at the body builder!)

2) There is always someone stronger than you and wing chun is designed to fight the stronger enemy

3) The muscles trained with weights counter muscles used for punching (eg. biceps vs. triceps)

4) Want to be better at wing chun? train more wing chun!

So what's the right answer? Is weight training a good thing or a bad thing for wing chun? Can one design a workout that finds the happy medium between these two extreme positions?

You bet.

And I've found it! I was playing with my resistance bands on the weekend and, after some consultations with my Si-Fu, I was able to find some really interesting drills that can be replicated with the MightyBands while sticking to wing tsun moves!

After 15 minutes, I was sweating like crazy! But not from some crazy pushups, but simply performing step and punch drills, positioning and stance drills and kicking drills all with the use of the resistance bands! I actually made a quick video for you guys to check out the type of wing chun resistance training drills I was able to perform. There was very little compromise of the positioning of the hands, elbows, shoulders and stance - unlike using weights or machines. I was pretty impressed with what I was able to do.

Something like this provides enough resistance to challenge muscle (promote muscle growth) specific for wing chun structure and punching power, without creating huge muscles. And while it's doing all this, you can perform the exercises in a manner that gives you a great cardio workout! Best of all worlds.

So check it out - my wing chun workout/wing chun resistance bands training drills.

Until then.

Week 10: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

Welcome to week 10!! only 6 more weeks to go - it just seems to have flown by! this week's theme: 300 training!

The drill is simple:

300 chain punches

300 hooking punches (alternate each side)

300 lifting punches (do 150 lifting punches with right arm, 150 punches with left arm).

Until then!