Learning Wing Chun online?

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Wing Chun
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But yea, going back to the thread topic. I think things can be learned online, but learning kung fu or martial arts in general online is hard imo. I feel that most answers in the thread say that it’s possible under certain circumstances such as

-the person studying online has a live training partner
-the person studying online has experience training with people in an art
-the person studying online can occasionally meet up with a teacher who judges his progress

and while i agree with those sentiments, it is important to note that what those statements are really saying is “learning online becomes more possible as you turn the situation into one where you’re not really learning online.” Or in other words, learning online is possible if you have a way to make your online lessons become “in person” lessons as well. While it’s true, I wouldn’t say it’s purely learning online.

The reason I’m not a big fan of learning online is based on this logic: Most of us here have trained under our sifus in person. Im sure at one point (if not every point), we’ve all learned something from sifu, and then had sifu correct/refine it over time as we trained it. My siu nim tao appeared normal when i started Ving Tsun, but now there’s a lot more to it than originally met the eye when I started training. Now if we cant even get a full understanding of something when learning with a Sifu in person without seeing him/her in person continuously, then learning online must have a huge disadvantage in this sense.

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[QUOTE=Sihing73;1167294]Sorry, unfamiliar with either of them. :o

I still say you cannot learn from Video, although Paul does make a point about having prior experience and training partners.

You can grasp things if you already have a foundation, but you would not be a good example, imho, of the art you are learning via video unless you also have hands on training with someone more senior than yourself.

Consider that one can kill a bear with a .22 rifle. Does not necessarily mean that is the right tool for the job at hand. Just cause it may be possible, does not mean it is the optimum?

For me, if I am facing, say a Polar Bear charging me, even though it may be possible for me to kill said bear with my .22 I would opt for something else. Same thing with learning via Video, if I had the opportunity to train with someone trained in the system I desire to study I would opt for the hands on opportunity.[/QUOTE]

Context is needed.
I have a shodan in Judo as most know and had this before I started BJJ.
Before I started BJJ I also got a few DVD series so as to familarize myself with BJJ.
I trained a few months with friends ( judokas and strikers) and when I started BJJ, in my first rolling session with the instructor he asked me where I had done BJJ before and what belt I was.
Of course Judo is identical to BJJ in many regards to the point of reference from one to the other almost identical.

Point being that I could indeed have learned BJJ from a DVD and gotten quite good at it because I have extensive prior experience with a system that was a “sister system” AND had training partners.

In terms of WC that would be like a Pak mei learning WC from a DVD or, even better, a Moy Yat guy learning WSL WC from a DVD.

Beyond that, it is A LOT to ask of anyone to learn a fighting art from a DVD or online.
Not impossible mind you, just impractical.

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Quite apropo under the circumstances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jvVObjQwwE

:smiley:

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I can learn a technique or movement from a DVD or online. What I can’t learn from online is:

  1. The 10,000 reps with correct form necessary to become proficient
  2. How to use it live.
  3. Correcting my own positioning and form during execution (much much harder)
  4. Fine tuning details. When to focus on what details during my proficiency development.

The more experience you have with something similar to what you are learning, the easier it will be to pick up. But to me it takes such a long, long time to do this. I need video up and running where I have a training surface, I need a partner, I need to rapidly go back and forth over the video, etc. The quality of the video matters as well. What detail is being shown? Who is the audience? Etc. I need to manufacture drills to set up the context of the technique. And I need to move to performing it live. All this before I can add it in to my live training arsenal.

It’s just a lot easier and faster to have somebody show you and provide a roadmap and path to implementing the technique.

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Hello,

While some may know, I have studied Wing Chun for a little while. Prior to Wing Chun I have also trained in Judo and Pekiti Tirsia.

When I first learned Wing Chun I was under the impression, mistaken in my opinion, that I could learn what I needed from books. Back then video was rare if it was available…though I am not as old as Phil, I believe in his time they used drawings on the walls of caves, :wink:

What I learned was that I did indeed need someone to teach me as I made what may seem like small mistakes but those mistakes changed the whole thing.

What I did find out is that once I started training with a Sifu, all of the things I read about made more sense. I could then see them from a different perspective. So, while my reading and other research was of benefit, it really was of limited benefit until I had the opportunity to train with someone more senior than myself.

I have several videos which I use as a point of reference. Some Wing Chun and some of the Kuntao and Silat variety. However, despite my knowledge and prior experience in both Silat, Kuntao and Pektiti Tirsia Kali, the videos would be of limited use for learning without another base or point of reference gained from training with someone with more experience.

So I think we are all pretty much agreeing that Video training can be of benefit. But, the benefit increases with access to a knowledgeable sifu or with experience in a similar system. However to try and learn a system, with no prior foundation, strictly from Video alone is difficult at best and highly improbable as the most common result.

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[QUOTE=sanjuro_ronin;1167387]Quite apropo under the circumstances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jvVObjQwwE

:D[/QUOTE]

Excellent…

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nice online training site opened recently. has the entire wing chun system

www.wingchunonline.net

there’s no substitute to training under a good Sifu but I think this kind of site would be a good compliment to your training