Wing Chun Oceanic Style Kung Fu Theory with Sensitivity!

[Alan Armstrong]

Sensitivity training Within the Wing Chun style is very much in keeping with my theory of being an Oceanic style martial art. Weather and water conditions are always a concern for those on boats or sailing vessels. On dry land conditions are not usually as drastic as for those out at sea. Without the sensitivity and respect for the power of the ocean, a person will not survive for very long. This is why discipline was very strict for military seamen, because of the dangers for them was on many levels. Martial arts is known for it's respect and discipline aspects that increases a person's chances for survival. Sensitivity awareness for the surroundings and situations for all martial artist is the same as for those on boats. The Wing Chun pole is also called a 'Rat Stick'. The problem of rats on boats has always been there, would also come in handy to propel a small boat in shallow waters. The Wing Chun 'Butterfly Knives' would have been also very versitle when on a boat dealing with cutting fish, cutting a path through vegetation on land, or fighting with if need arises. Throwing knives are also a part of the Wing Chun system and are also a part of the boat culture. Flicking of hands in Wing Chun is also the same technique used for throwing knives. Knife throwing practice is also empty hand Wing Chun practice. Having all of the Wing Chun weaponry in cities doesn't make much sense but on a boat in the past they make perfect sense as tools for survival. Ropes and boats go hand in hand. I still suggest the idea to Wing Chun stylists to consider adding exercises with ropes. The physical conditioning aspects of Wing Chun ( I believe ) have been lost or neglected because the daily physical activities were already in place in daily work and now they have vanished. In our modern times physical labor has been replaced by many none physical duties. Fireman use ropes for practical and exercise purposes, so do climbers and outdoor survivalists. All types of ropes thick and thin can be used for any number of different exercise. I believe exercises with ropes will enhance and condition Wing Chung stylists to a higher level. As this style of martial art can enhance anyone's fighting abilities how about with some difficult effort, take Wing Chun to a higher level physically also. Remember the movie 'Enter The Dragon' starring Bruce Lee. Climbing up a thin rope with knots? This is the type of strength a Wing Chun fighter could have! I believe swimming will also enhance the Wing Chun fighter's over-all strength because of it's resistance qualities being different than that of rope work. The buoyancy aspect of water will make practicing Wing Chun techniques more challenging by slowing them down considerably..To be continued

[Alan Armstrong]

It has been suggested to combine Wing Chun with other styles that are more boxing related. I believe the Wing Chun stylist could be missing out on the body conditioning process that boxing related styles use. Lack of body conditioning could be the answer and not adding boxing style skills. I have witnessed many boxers that have poor boxing skills but have a great conditioned body for fighting with. Also skilled Wing Chun fighters with unconditioned bodies. Wing Chun has a great future without adding other styles to it, all it needs is just more well conditioned athletic type people to bring out the shine.

[Alan Armstrong]

As you may or may not know that Wing Chun forms are practiced standing in one position. Why? Could it be that the people learning them was confined to a small place, such as on a boat. Wing Chun's 'chi sao' is also practiced in a stationary position. In comparison Irish dancing was taught and practiced in peoples kitchen, that is why they don't swing their arms around and only use their feet. Could be asked or said, what is the big deal if a ma style was developed on a boat or from a woman. I believe the big deal exists because of the roots of a ma style is important. Bruce Lee became a legend in ma by first developing his Wing Chun skills and now we have JKD. Maybe if there was no Wing Chun, there would be no JKD either. I did happen to talk to my Wing Chun teacher about Bruce Lee. He thought that Bruce Lee was a talented individual that would not be duplicated. Also his answer about Wing Chun and JKD, is like the story of the son trying to teach his father on the subject of "how to make children"

[Alan Armstrong]

Back to the subject of sensitivity. Wing Chun is not alone with it's senitivity aspects. With the sticky hands of Wing Chun. Tai Chi has it's push hands together with Yi Chuan. Although these are all Chinese in origin, there aspects of how they use that sensitivity differ. Aikido being a Japanese ma style, it has cross over simularities with Tai Chi techniques and also sensitivity aspects of connecting with the opponent. The connection of crossing the centre line applications of Wing Chun and the off line defensive aspects of Aikido, synchronize with the same sensitivity mind set. Yi Chuan push hands sensitivity practice do not cross the line but keep each arm separate as not to fall in to the Wing Chun cross grab locking wrist techniques. The Wing Chun sticking to the opponent idea is also within the Aikido ma relm. Both styles stick to the opponent throughout techniques from the start till the finish. Never giving the opponent any way out or chance of escaping. All of the above ma styles are not considered to be competing styles; there will always with some exceptions or adaptations to be seen. Sensitivity of touch while training in ma styles is considered to be a part of the internal aspects. As sensitivity is associated with female attributes it would not be questioned or doubted easily that Wing Chun was invented by a woman. If so, then Tai Chi and Aikido can easily persuade through sensitivity association to also be originally derived from a female martial artist.

[Alan Armstrong]

Do you remember Bruce Lee in the movie "Way of the Dragon"? He made some wooden throwing darts and used them on the thugs with guns. The Wing Chun weapons are: The pole and butterfly knives. Also the not so well know darts. Stands to reason to have a long, medium and short weapon selection within a ma style. What I would like to focus this section on is the darts weaponry. The use of quickness by flicking hands and fingers into the face works well to flinch, unbalance and stun momentarily your opponent. If contact is made to the eyes or throat, it can cause some serious damage instantaneously. A perfect Wing Chun tool. This type of flicking with empty hands or with a weapon was used by Bruce Lee in his movies. Flicking and throwing small objects is the point I'm trying to make here. Be it a knife, dart or stone. They all can be used as hand held weapons also. As knives and forks for Chinese are considered weapon related items. Chop sticks are the preferred eating utensils. Food fights in schools would be more difficult to do, flicking food with chop sticks other than using the catapulting fork technique. But seriously, Wing Chun would suffer greatly, if small hand held weapons were practiced openly to students. It would be irresponsible of Wing Chun teachers to promote the use of knives or for the throwing of darts in their classes. Wing Chun schools would be closing down suddenly and small children could become accidentally, seriously injured. The flicking of hands or fingertips to the opponent face is the last remnant that remains for Wing Chun fighters. Practicing ma in a safe environment in a safe way is no easy task. Especially when training for the potential threats of hostile aggressors. Practicing as close as possible or realistic scenario ma, can be a health threat in the way of lethal accidents. Wing Chun is considered to be a self defense style. Sorry but I cannot agree! The Wing Chun's methodology's for this style is a complete one. Defence and attacking. Internal and external ma. Soft and hard... simultaneously defending and attacking. If martial artists were only to use their martial art for self defense purposes only, then it stands to reason that no martial artist would never-ever fight another martial artist. Martial art tournaments would not exist either. Martial arts should only be used for self-defense... that's another story.

Spartacus Maximus may have a relevant point about what he wrote about aristocracy and nobility in martial arts!

Off topic but I think relevent to Wing Chun. I was once told by my karate ma teacher the legend of a ma style that was only taught to princess of Chinese royalty. This style had no blocks and was considered to use only very fast straight forward fighting techniques. He told me this story some 40 years ago before knowing anything about Wing Chun. Could this style just happen to be Wing Chun. Because Wing Chun uses deflections and not full on blocks as in hard ma styles. Wing Chun theoretically has no blocks, only simultaneous attacking defensive techniques. The inner gate and the outer gate punching techniques do just that. They lop over or deflect under the opponent arm when punching. It is my hunch that Wing Chun contains this reserved for Chinese royalty ma style of fighting. Could Bruce Lee have known or found out about it, contained within his 2000 ma book library?

[Alan Armstrong]

Oceanic Wing Chun? Are you a believer yet? Are you going to get your feet wet in this topic? The way Bruce Lee could move sideways like a; O.k a crab. Most Kung Fu styles are attributed to one animal or another. The crab sideways movement is also in the Wing Chun style or system. The crab can move very fast-sideways. Speed and Wing Chun crabs; what next! The straight on Wing Chun stance will make most martial artists feel very vulnerable. Having one's shoulder's directly in front of an opponent can feel like an open invitation for disaster. The Wing Chun fighter on the other hand is comfortable with this idea. How else will the center line be protected if not in an almost head on symmetrical stance, like a crab. Everything about Wing Chun I find to be deceptive in one way or another. It is as if the style is a contradiction unto itself. This is why as a martial art style I find it to be the most fascinating. Every time I try to pull away from the Wing Chun style a type of gravity pulls me back in to it again. For example, imagine you on a small boat and you are steering it. You pull the rudder to the left and the boat steers right and point the the rudder the other way and the boat turns to the left. In Wing Chun the whole body pivots on the heels when deflecting and countering just as if one is steering a boat. There is the deceptive aspect in all Wing Chun movements that are by nature to seem unnatural but are for the initiated perfectly natural.

[Alan Armstrong]

Dantien = sea of chi. The way of Chi Kung practice is to cultivate chi and store it in the dantien. Flowing this chi around the body promoting health and longevity. With the idea of flowing water never becomes stale, those that practice daily flowing movment, enjoy a quality of live unlike the average citizen. Drinking plenty of fresh water helps to keep muscles hydrated and flexible. We are about 97% water with about 600 muscles to keep hydrated. Chi Kung practice involves and emphasize many breathing techniques. Without air within just a few minutes we will die. Water will keep us alive longer than just food. Air water food, our survival depends on them. With Chi Kung practice and knowledge it is the quality and not the quantity that matters most. Fresh air, fresh water, fresh food. Out at sea there is plenty of fresh air unlike the polluted cities. Drinking rainwater and eating fresh fish is going to improve a person's life with quality. Many of us flock to the coastlines of many countries just for a few weeks for this quality. What has all of this to do with Wing Chun you may ask. The Wing Chun practitioner in my opinion is better suited to mariners than it is to any other style of living. Those that work in offices and practice Wing Chun incorporate the healthy aspects physical and psychological. Wing Chun's economy of motion aspects can be used as a business tool also. Wing Chun ways should involve every aspect of our lives and at the top of the priority list should be health. Self defense in all of it's aspects starting from a healthy life style and protecting it with martial arts. While we learn new things we should in turn unlearn things also. Your quality of life can be improved without extra financial costs. Wing Chun's economy of movement and directness could be used in many aspects of our lives with a little imagination. Being neutral and ready to adapt to the situation. Being balanced and centered. Understanding Wing Chun centre line theories and helping hands concepts. Developing and cultivating sensitivity. Wing Chun is not a philosophy as philosophy is a Greek concept. Wing Chun is style of Chinese wisdom.

[Alan Armstrong]

Had a chance on weekend to do a little Wing Chun training theory, using the rope idea. Not disappointed at all. In fact it enlightened me to other ideas. Ropes and Knotts they go together. The hundreds of Chin-na locking techniques can be practiced with a rope as a grappling partner. No problem hurting your rope partner's wrists, arms or shoulders. Also climbing about like a spider on a web was a great exercise. Swinging and holding on to the rope was very challenging and a rewarding exercise at the same time. I am going to build/make a simple rope dummy and try some grappling techniques with it. There seems to be a more realistic feel to holding on to a rope as opposed to a metal or wooden bar. I feel my hands to be alot stronger in a gripping and or ripping type of way. Climbing up a rope squares wall the type they use on the side of military ship was interestingly enough to keep practicing again. Having to climb in this awkward way uses all of the bodies muscles and the stretching and pulling while balancing has got to be some kind of workout. I see this type of rope workout to be of great benefit for gaining overall strength, because unlike picking a weight up and swinging it then putting it down again. While with ropes there is a constant stress on the body that is transferred to different muscle groups while in motion, developing a type of strength stamina. Wing Chun theory opposes the development of muscle because it will affect and slow down a fighters touch and speed capabilities. There is also another Wing Chun theory that states that Wing Chun should be practiced, tested and improved upon.

[Alan Armstrong]

There is a saying that muscles not used will turn in to fat. Also that large muscles can hamper agility and speed. Callisthenics training develops muscles suited to martial arts. I suggest a Calisthenics training programe incorporating rope exercises for Wing Chun practitioners. The pulling and jerking movments found in Wing Chun techniques work well using ropes. I have an open minded viewpoint about Wing Chun practices and if you can incorporate some of them in to your training, you are more than welcome to give them a try. If you wrap an elbow pad on to the rope it will give you a more realistic feel to you training. In the Wing Chun system, the elbows are a very important factor. The Wing Chun master is focused on his opponents elbows. This is his secret to controlling and winning a fight. Twisting a rope also tightens it making it similar to the human arm and leg.

[Alan Armstrong]

Another exercise idea is to use "Battle Ropes" It is practiced with a 50 ft length of rope 2 inches wide. Just by wrapping the rope in the middle of a post and holding on to the two loose ends, you will be good to go with your workout. It is a cardio workout to the extreme. Power slamming, rotations and making waves with the ropes is just a few examples of many. There are a few videos on YouTube to give you a better idea.