What style to compensate for?

[KempoTiger]

There ain't a WT/WC school close enough for me to consider it, other than this one. I do not want a Japanese art, nor Korean. I don't want a mixed art either. I do not know exactly how to take your advice since WT is almost a compac demo version of Shaolin. Why is Tai Chi not a good Choice?

I never said it was a bad choice, I just feel that a mixed style is a better choice...just my opinion

If you take Tai Chi it could greatly compliment your WT training so go for it. My only real advice is to take a system to "compliment" your WT training, not contradict and conflict it.

[dippedappe]

WT is almost a compac demo version of Shaolin

no it is not.

fighting the shoalin way is nothing like fighting the wing chun way. The very reasoning behind wing chun is that it is first and foremost, UNLIKE traditional shaolin styles.

My teacher who trained WC before Shaolin told me that WC is a way to go through the Shaolin system in a quick, easy and clumsy way. But I guess that was just a fools opinion. I take the "Compaq demo version" statement back.

I already know two forms in Shaolin, aswell as many techniques, stances and kicks from it that I can train myself.

and?

i know quite a lot of forms from other chinese styles and as much as i train them, I will never claim to know them properly beyond the form itself. Learning a style is a lot more than just doing the form. Sure you can practice the forms as much as you like but that doesn't actually equate to much.

I think you missed this part.

I already know two forms in Shaolin, aswell as many techniques, stances and kicks from it that I can train myself. But I would still like to develop those Skills from Shaolin, and I think I will need a competent teacher for that.

Meaning I would like to have a teacher who can improve my stance, punches and kicks. The WT teachers can't do that.

Don't take this offensive, but I have quoted my posts, explained my explanations, and referred to something I wrote in another reply, to people who missed that part I wrote, a lot now. Is it me? Do I write cryptic?

I want to train WT because of it being so different, quickly effective, and because of Chi Sao.

chi sau isn't anything special and in my opinion, too much emphasis is put on it over the other training exercises. It is just an exercise. If what you were doing previously was a traditional shaolin style/school then you'd already have your own versions of such exercises.

So if I already practice Shaolin, I have no use for WT? Is that what you are saying?

Why would you say Capoeira is the better choice? Not that I disagree with you. I just wonder why.

because techniques aside, they both deal with the same issues.

Issues like what? issues like WT almost only deal with hands and are standing strait up, and Capoeira almost only deal with Leg's and are down on the floor?

There ain't a WT/WC school close enough for me to consider it, other than this one. I do not want a Japanese art, nor Korean. I don't want a mixed art either. I do not know exactly how to take your advice since WT is almost a compac demo version of Shaolin. Why is Tai Chi not a good Choice?

I never said it was a bad choice, I just feel that a mixed style is a better choice...just my opinion

If you take Tai Chi it could greatly compliment your WT training so go for it. My only real advice is to take a system to "compliment" your WT training, not contradict and conflict it.

Why will Tai Chi compliment the WT training?

[KempoTiger]

Why will Tai Chi compliment the WT training?

The slow flowing movements can help you incorporate stronger stances and more focus, while you develop handspeed with Wing tsun. Use the two in tangent and you will find yourself much more in tune with yourself as you flow through a series of strikes. Use the Tai Chi training for developing focus more than anything.

[dippedappe]

The slow flowing movements can help you incorporate stronger stances and more focus, while you develop handspeed with Wing tsun. Use the two in tangent and you will find yourself much more in tune with yourself as you flow through a series of strikes. Use the Tai Chi training for developing focus more than anything.

That makes sense. How much kicking especially high kicks is in Tai Chi Yang style?

[ovine king]

My teacher who trained WC before Shaolin told me that WC is a way to go through the Shaolin system

no offence but I have never encontered anyone who has said this. You yourself say that wing chun is appealing to you because it is so DIFFERENT. make up your own mind. I have no idea what the chinese martial art environment in like where you live but I like to think that I know a thing or two about chinese styles, especially two that I have spent quite a long time training and learning.

I would like to have a teacher who can improve my stance, punches and kicks. The WT teachers can't do that.

one thing that concerns me is that you seem to have a emphasis on doing the fixed things of martial arts i.e lots of forms training, stance training fixed drills etc and I don't hear you talk about actual fighting aspects. while you need someone to show how to do something for the first time, you say that you already KNOW two forms as well as several loose techniques. At this point you don't always need someone to correct you but more importantly, I think you're better of having someone who can spar with you and get you to leanr how to use the things you know. That was what my post was alluding to. Simply knowing how to perform somethign is next to meaningless.

So if I already practice Shaolin, I have no use for WT? Is that what you are saying?

no. I am saying that chi sau is not a reason to want to do something.

Issues like what? issues like WT almost only deal with hands and are standing strait up, and Capoeira almost only deal with Leg's and are down on the floor?

am the only one who looks beyond the obvious?

capoeira and wing chun similarites;

use of fighting at incredibly close range from elbow contact to body to body contact range.

use of technique that is trained to be natural instinct through practice in a safe "game" environment.

use of control of balance and ways to disrupt balance though interruption and interruptability.

use of cutting in, cutting off, sidestepping very similar issues with facing. Watch a capoeira guy move and check out how he's facing and draw triangles; what have you got? a VERY similar use of a centreline.

I would actually say that wing chun and tai chi don't actually go that well together, especially if you don't have a strong foundation in either. Wing chun is a rather fixed structure thing whereas tai chi is always more fluid. Part of wing chun's power base comes from a rigid adhesion to a strong body structure that you carry by moving a relatively fixed hip position. Then there's the way that tai-chi ward offs are too commited for wing chun, always going/turning far more than you need to. The same can be said for other basic techniques. Also, tai chi has a rocking motion in several of their stance transitions, again, a big no-no in wing chun.

the only way the two are similar is in certain issues with dealing with energy. However, the way that both actually apply the principles are very different.

[dippedappe]

My teacher who trained WC before Shaolin told me that WC is a way to go through the Shaolin system

no offence but I have never encontered anyone who has said this. You yourself say that wing chun is appealing to you because it is so DIFFERENT. make up your own mind. I have no idea what the chinese martial art environment in like where you live but I like to think that I know a thing or two about chinese styles, especially two that I have spent quite a long time training and learning.

It's different to me because it is so much simpler than Shaolin. I can see why he can get this opinion of it being a quick way through the Shaolin system, but I don't agree with him. I'm not sure if I can explain why I think it is different. Perhaps it's the philosophy behind it I don't know.

I would like to have a teacher who can improve my stance, punches and kicks. The WT teachers can't do that.

one thing that concerns me is that you seem to have a emphasis on doing the fixed things of martial arts i.e lots of forms training, stance training fixed drills etc and I don't hear you talk about actual fighting aspects. while you need someone to show how to do something for the first time, you say that you already KNOW two forms as well as several loose techniques. At this point you don't always need someone to correct you but more importantly, I think you're better of having someone who can spar with you and get you to leanr how to use the things you know. That was what my post was alluding to. Simply knowing how to perform somethign is next to meaningless.

That was also what I partly meant. The sparring part I mean. I should have written that.

no. I am saying that chi sau is not a reason to want to do something.

It was only one of the reasons.

I would actually say that wing chun and tai chi don't actually go that well together, especially if you don't have a strong foundation in either. Wing chun is a rather fixed structure thing whereas tai chi is always more fluid. Part of wing chun's power base comes from a rigid adhesion to a strong body structure that you carry by moving a relatively fixed hip position. Then there's the way that tai-chi ward offs are too commited for wing chun, always going/turning far more than you need to. The same can be said for other basic techniques. Also, tai chi has a rocking motion in several of their stance transitions, again, a big no-no in wing chun.

I see. The choice is more complicated than I thought.

Just another thing. Is Wing Chun and Hung Gar a good mix?

[ovine king]

mix how?

[ysc87]

if you're that concerned that two styles will conflict with each other, opt for a style that teaching a different aspect of fighting. there really is no reason you should dismiss a style just because it isn't the right nationality.

simple idea:

bjj/judo/jj- grappling

boxing/jkd- mobility, ability to take punches

KM- for mental drilling.

as for the WC/tai chi mix, it's not a bad one, since you can apply either as you see fit, but that's like studying for a math test, then restudying everything because you found a different way to think about adding.

[KempoTiger]

That makes sense. How much kicking especially high kicks is in Tai Chi Yang style?

I'm not too familiar with the Tai Chi Yang style... I personally trained in Tai Chi Ch'aun for a brief few month period. From what I learned there we seldom used kicks at all, and if we did they were low strikes used to step into various stances.

[dippedappe]

mix how?

Like practicing WC monday and friday, plus practicing Hung Gar wednsday. Is Hung Gar and Wing Chun a good combination to pratice side-by-side?

there really is no reason you should dismiss a style just because it isn't the right nationality.

It isn't because of the nationality. It's because I don't like the movements in Japanese and Korean styles, and because there is religious traditions in those schools. The Chinese MA schools in Denmark do not have such traditions.

simple idea:

bjj/judo/jj- grappling

boxing/jkd- mobility, ability to take punches

KM- for mental drilling.

What is BJJ and KM?

as for the WC/tai chi mix, it's not a bad one, since you can apply either as you see fit, but that's like studying for a math test, then restudying everything because you found a different way to think about adding.

I see your point.