Re: Just started Wing Chun
Originally posted by heelkick
The only thing I was dissapointed in was when the sihing told me that his students didn’t do wd form/training until much later on. I thought wooden dummy was essential for wc training and for toughening of the forearms? At what point in your training should you start to work on that form? Is the time frame within years or how many forms you learn?
The time for learning weapons and dummy varies wildly from school to school, teacher to teacher. As does the nature and quality of instruction. Everyone will have their own view about appropriate timing and use of such tools.
A few of my own thoughts:
- Some people use the dummy as a conditioning tool for the arms. In contrast, I distinctly and very intentionally do [i]not[/i] use the dummy for this purpose. Any conditioning effect is ancillary.
- The dummy and weapons were traditionally (and with good reason) advanced forms. Precious time is often wasted (or worse, bad habits developed) by training them before one's foundation is solidly built.
- The dummy and weapons forms are indeed useful aids in learning and development. Otherwise we wouldn't have them, tending to be seekers of efficiency as we are, and thus also degrees of minimalism. However, high levels of skill and knowledge do not [i]hinge[/i] on these tools. They are indeed [i]aids[/i] rather than [i]essentials[/i] for building skill and capability, in my estimation.
- What builds strong kung fu is proper practice and work [i]effort over time[/i]. There is no tool that will assure this. There is also no tool, the lack of which, will prevent this if we apply ourselves. Kung fu is something we must [i]earn[/i] from the inside out, not something which can be conferred upon us by teachers or objects.
- I don't judge my training by what everyone else seems to be doing. I judge it by what is right for me, and what [i]I[/i] need to be doing. For me, it's a personal quest, not a contest. There is no race to the finish line (or to the weapons or dummy).
Despite popular claims, I do not believe in such a thing as “instant” kung fu. If someone tries to tell or sell you otherwise, I’d caution you to be wary. All good things take time.*
Also originally posted by heelkick
I’ve been looking for a good WC school for quite awhile but there isn’t like even one WC school in orange county, ca.
IMHO, a “school” is best defined by those who learn and teach there, rather than by a location, building, or trappings. If I’m not mistaken, I believe there are several schools (by my definition) in that area, though they may not all be easy to locate.
But I happened to come across a sihing who teaches out of his house and he keeps the class size very small so that everyone gets a lot of attention, and the price is really good too. All these guys seem to have a true love for the art and they are very humble and have no ego. This is really important to me as I checked out so many schools and they are too commercialized or have black belt clubs, contracts…etc.
If, in addition to the atmosphere, the quality of instruction and learning is also high, then you are most fortunate, with a rare opportunity at hand. It could be loss if impatience rules the day.
Having said that, I fully appreciate that we all, as individuals, have differing goals, personal needs, and expectations. More often than we might like to think, we even hold different definitions of what Wing Chun is. And some of us are by nature more or less patient than others. If your expectations or desires are insistently opposed to those of the prospective school, then it will likely serve everyone best for you to choose a different avenue, regardless of the quality of learning available there.
Perhaps these are some things to think about anyway. Sometimes our “wants” change over time, as we continuously discover what we really “need.” I would encourage you to get out to see and experience for yourself as many exponents of Wing Chun as you can; and other martial artists as well. Early on, we must take a great deal of our training on faith. As our experience, understanding and skills grow, we become better equipped to reasonably challenge that faith, ensuring it is well founded. And moreover, moving toward higher states of confidence through personal knowledge, skill, and experience.
Best wishes in your training.
Regards,
[i]TTT
Put up in a place
where it’s easy to see
the cryptic admonishment
T.T.T.
When you feel how depressingly
slowly you climb,
it’s well to remember that
Things Take Time.[/i]
