IronFist vs. Wing Chun forum

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Wing Chun
1

Hey, let’s play make a deal. Instead of telling me how unsuccessful I will be with my chosen method of learning, can you instead stick to just helping me out, or at least answering my questions? (You know, I could really be a 60 year old WC guru and I’m just testing all of your knowledge by asking basic questions. haha, or not :smiley: ) Sorry if there’s no WC in my area (my area = a 1 hour radius by car).

I like WC because it’s a cool art. I don’t like TKD or Shotokan or X art, so I’m not going to study those. If you wanted to learn a foreign language and thought Russian was cool, and the only languages any schools in your area offered were Spanish and German, and you wanted to learn Russian, would you settle for Spanish or German? No. Because you don’t have interest there.

I’m not a total newbie to martial arts or physical culture, plus I think I have the aptitude to learn at least somewhat successfully from videos and books. Granted, most of the videos I’ve seen are bits of this and pieces of that, but the people here who are cool enough to give me straight up answers have totally helped. Seriously, I’ve learned more here than from any books on WC I’ve seen. Indeed, I think I can safely say every book on WC I’ve seen sucks (if you want names, I don’t remember, but go to Borders and look there. Those are the ones I’ve seen).

I’ve even got a few MA’s here to do drills with, and a TKD guy back home I can do chi sao with. Yes, he’s TKD, but he’s got 10+ years at a hard ass school that’s definately not a McDojo. This guy is brimming with talent. I taught him single hand chi sao a few weeks ago, but haven’t been able to practice much cuz he went on a trip. But hey, feel free to tell me how you’re sure we’re doing it wrong because we didn’t learn from a teacher.

So, if you want to be a díck and answer my questions with “dude you can’t learn from videos, find a sifu, study a different art,” then please don’t bother answering cuz it’s just a waste of bandwidth. If you want to be cool and help me out, then rock on!

Besides, if I totally suck at this WC thing after a few months I’ll probably quit anyway. I don’t like things that I’m not good at :smiley:

Oh well. Time to go finish my program for C class.

IronFist

2

Well said.

3

Hi Iron Fist

Todd Shawn Tei has many WC videos for sale.

Good luck…hahaha!!!

4

Guys, its obvious he is pretty freaking dedicated to learning the art, to spend his money on expensive books and tapes in a hope to learn the style. It is unfortunate there are no schools in his area and for him to try and learn despite the fact the school isnt there shows some dedication.

5

IronFist, sometimes life just isn’t fair.

For example, there are about twenty different ways to do bong sao, dependent on which lineage the bong comes from. Each has its strengths and weaknessses, reasons for doing it that particular way, some are concept based, some are technique based. Many are totally incompatible with each other. Some lift the bong, some drive to the shoulder, some turn and absorb. Some are defensive, some are aggressive.

Which are you going to learn? The one advocated by your most recent correspondent here? You cannot learn all variations. And this is just bong sao. What about the stance? Punching? Turning on the heels or toes? Chisao?

Its a hard truth to swallow, but it is a truth nonetheless; Despite your obvious interest and dedication, you cannot learn WC effectively from books or videos, or from public forums like this.

>> Besides, if I totally suck at this WC thing after a few months I’ll probably quit anyway. I don’t like things that I’m not good at <<

It would be a great shame for this to happen. But without tuition, it probably will.

Im sorry, I know this is a negative post, and I know it is exactly what you don’t want to hear, but at least I have tried to give you the reasons why I think this way. Is there a chance you will move to a more WC friendly neighbourhood in the near future?

6

Being a relative newcomer to this forum, I’m not sure what has gone on or been said in the past regarding your particular situation, but to learn solely from books and videos is to do a great discredit to wing chun as an art - and to yourself. I do not doubt your passion and determination for wanting to learn WC, but there are so many subtleties within learning ANY martial art, that attempting to learn them without suitable supervision is foolish. You only start ‘getting’ the point of forms and chi sao when you practice with someone with experience, as it comes down to feel rather than a visual appreciation. You cannot get a sense of sensitivity from books or videos.

Regardless of your attraction to WC, if I were you I would join up with a martial arts school that is in your local vicinity. You will get much more out of learning from a ‘real-life’ teacher, and praticing with a number of different people on different levels and with different aptitudes for different things.

I hope you do not take offence to any of these comments, as none has been intended.

7

Maybe you can find a teacher that are willing
to give you private lessons every other month
or so ?
And even better try to find a training partner
that are willing to join you in this.

I don’t know where you live but finding a
teacher within 8 hours driving by car might
be possible.

Good luck

Best regards
Joakim

www.go.to/wingchun
www.wing-chun.nu
www.wingchun.com

8

Ironfist, where are you located again? I say rock on brother! do what you have to do to learn. Alot of people are going to tell you you cant learn that way. In some respects you are going to have a larger challenge then those of us with teachers.
Take some advice that has been given to you though. Instead of gobbling up every video and book you find, save some money, and when you are ready, go visit a good teacher for a weekend. Seriously. you can pick up the basics and jist of things from video, but you need some definite guidance, and even once or twice a year will do wonders for you.

9

What the World Really Needs

Is a robotic Chi Sao machine!! Maybe the Japanese will produce something for solopsistic Wing Chun practicioners in the near future – might even revive their economy!

10

Good luck with your WCK! If you can get someone to practice with you, it’ll make it easier. If, as Joy suggested, you can get to a quality sifu every once and a while, you can also make it a lot better.

AD - A couple years ago on the WCML one of the William Cheung folks mentioned they were working on a Chi Sao machine. (Wooden Dummies around the world are probably cheering at the chance to strike back!)

RR

11

RR

The problem with a William Cheung chisao machine is that no one will know how it works! Just kidding

12

Originally posted by monkey man

Regardless of your attraction to WC, if I were you I would join up with a martial arts school that is in your local vicinity. You will get much more out of learning from a ‘real-life’ teacher, and praticing with a number of different people on different levels and with different aptitudes for different things.

I’ve studied other arts at different schools before, so I have learned from a ‘real-life’ teacher and practiced with a bunch of different people there. Like I said, I’m not a complete newbie to MA.

I hope you do not take offence to any of these comments, as none has been intended.

Nope, none taken at all. Thanks for your input :slight_smile:

IronFist

13

Read his lips!

Quote:
–The problem with William Cheung chisao machine is that no one will know how it works.

LOOK ::::::::::::> Read Rene Ritchie’s Lips…!?

14

Iron fist

If your not able to go to a good sifu why don’t you find a couple of guys who are interested in WC then see if you can set up a seminar near your place with a sifu your interested in learning from.

15

Stonecrusher has a great idea. It doesnt even need to be people interested specifically in WC, just MAists with an open mind.

Ironfist I think you should just quit and crawl under a rock. There you can think about pak sau drills without all this noise.

16

Ironfist I think you should just quit and crawl under a rock. There you can think about pak sau drills without all this noise.

Maybe while I’m there I can work on my book entitled “Principles of Muscular Anatomy for Wing Chun Stylists.” This book will put an end once and for all to the phrase “you must do X technique with no muscle.”

:smiley:

IronFist

17

Iron fist

of course you use your muscle in WC how could you move your arm. It just you don’t need to use strong muscle contractions like say in hung ga.

18

IronFist vs Wingchun Forum

When? Where?

That’s gotta be the dumbest challenge I ever heard, but if you live, it’s one helluva way to learn!!! :smiley: :eek: :smiley: :smiley:

19

GO FOR IT

go for it man. the sorry thing is that i have not seen very many good wc videos out. the only ones i would recomend are the one’s from augustine fong. i don’t trust benny ming. so i don’t recomend his videos. he blantenly says that hung fa yi is superior to other wing chun styles (it was in a article on this web site call "is your martial art a system or a style). but then he comes out with yip man style videos. ???!!!. the yip brothers are ok a guess. in my oppinion they focus way to much on chi sau. and i have other reason, but i wount go into that (it would be rude). william cheung’s videos are strange. he ends every aplication with like 6 chain puches and a karate punch to the throat. if your stikes are good you don’t need 6 chain punches. but his videos are at least interesting because his forms are a lot different that other wing chun people. a really good book on wing chun is “yuen kay san wing chun kuen” by renie richie. its really good, it shows some good drills and a lot of good aplications. its a lot better than those books that just go thru sil lim tau. sorry if i sound so negative, but i hope this helps.

20

Deal.