A CURSORY VIEW
OF WING CHUN
by - "Jong Gau Lin" Tim Smith
The journey of a martial artist toward the unification of mind
and body is difficult. In infancy a martial artist trains his body using repetitious,
mechanical motions. This training is necessary, for the human body must develop physical
structure to support motions that may be used in every day life. Then, with the proper
structural foundations, the martial artist may begin to refine the motions and understand
intricate details associated with them. To develop into a Wing Chun fighter you can not be
limited to mechanical training. Your body must be subordinated to the mind. Responding
immediately to events that the mind can recognize and identify.
A skilled Wing Chun practitioner can note the salient aspects
of an attacker's position and respond accordingly. This requires a highly developed state
of awareness or sensitivity. The dictionary defines "awareness" as "very
keenly susceptible to stimuli." In the Wing Chun context, it refers to a practitioner
sensing and responding appropriately to a variety of attacks. The more developed the
degree of sensitivity, the more subtle the form of attack that can be detected.
Wing Chun is a martial art unlike any other martial art. Its
fast, flexible techniques are applicable in any given situation. Wing Chun is an elite art
based on physics and human anatomy and has proven to be one of the most effective systems
of street defense available today, being completely and totally effective. Its dynamic
techniques range from hand work to ground fighting. Wing Chun is practical, not packed
full of mystical nonsense. Because of this and the scientific fighting technique which
leaves nothing to chance, most students wish it were not public. Actually, many
instructors of other forms of martial arts want to learn Wing Chun concepts to enhance
their own style of fighting.
From the very beginning we teach you how to master Wing Chun
and how to protect yourself in life threatening situations, rather than wasting your time
in teaching tournament or point fighting. In a contest there are judges and referees to
stop things when they get out of hand, but there are no rules or weight catagories on the
street. You must learn to win every time, not take second place. On the street either you
win, or you lose.