Wooden Dummy Drills

[Slo Mo]

Several senior students in my class will be ordering a wooden dummy soon and I am going in on it with them so we can get a group discount (I will be saving $150-200).

However I am just in the process of learning chum kiu and won't be learning the wooden dummy form until I have completed chum kiu (which is fine by me since I have too many things to worry about and don't want to add to it). But instead of it collecting dust until I start to learn the form. Can anyone give me some drills or exercises that I could use to practice on the wooden dummy until then?

Right now I am focusing on a strong structure and becoming more sensitive along with footwork. The thing is I have noone to practice with when I am at home and would like improve on these then. So if anyone can help me out or give suggestions on how I can practice these (along with SLT and CK), that would be great!

I remember yimwingchun mentioning something along these lines concerning Ironfists or somthing like that...

[yuanfen]

how come you dont ask your sifu. he should know,

[Slo Mo]

I intend to...but I don't want him to think that I want to be shown the dummy form now. There have been several students who asked to be shown the form already, and he has asked them to concentrate on laying a good foundation before he shows them the form.

I believe that my sifu is looking out for my best intentions and understand when he thinks Iam not ready to move on. But right now, I would like to see if there is a way to use the dummy to help me with the basics. There have been several people on this board who say they use(d) the dummy at a beginner/intermediate level and was wondering if they could tell me how they used it.

Also I thought that some of the others could also benefit from this shared info (cough...iron fist:D....cough cough)

[Rolling_Hand]

hahaha....it's nice to feel like there's someone to lean on.
Yuanfen - You've spent so much time appeasing others that you forgot about the people in your corner - how about Augustine Fong & his Mook Jong?
Center?....hahaha!!!!

[Starbuck]

A few drills:

First find your proper distance. Stand in front of the dummy in the goat riding stance. Place your palm, fingers pointing up, on the dummy's face (between and just above the top arms). You should be at a distance so that you are standing square to the dummy and your shoulder is in its resting position, i.e. you aren't stretching to reach the dummy. This is the proper distance.

1. Do the following three things simultaneously:

Pak the outside of the left upper arm with your left hand.
Palm strike, fingers pointing right, with right hand to dummy midsection, between upper and lower arms.
Shift on your heels to the left.

Now reverse the above to do the other side. Continue.

2. Shift on your heels to the left and do a large Kwan to the upper left and lower arms. Left arm is Tan, right arm is low Bong. Shift to the right and reverse arms to Kwan upper right and lower arms. When shifting from side to side, make sure your low arm sweeps under and around the lower dummy arm and sweeps across your body and in front of your face. Make sure your upper arm sweeps above and around the upper dummy arm. Continue.

3. Shift on your heels to the left and do a large Gan to the upper right and lower arms. Left arm is low Gan, right arm is high Gan. Shift to right and reverse arms to Gan upper left and lower arms. When shifting from side to side, make sure your low arm sweeps under and around the lower dummy arm. Make sure your high arm sweeps across your body and in front of your face. Continue.

4. Shift on your heels to the left and do a small Kwan to the two upper arms. Left arm is Tan, right arm is high Bong. Shift to right and reverse arms to Kwan the other side. When shifting from side to side, make sure your Tan arm circles above and around its dummy arm. Continue.

When striking the dummy, be sure not to stick to it. You want to be "poppy" or "snappy". Hit it and move off, don't leave your arms or foot or whatever laying on the dummy.

5. You don't have to be at the proper distance for this one. Face the dummy square on and hold the ends of the two upper arms for balance. Keeping your leg straight, sweep your right leg in a clockwise direction above the lower arm and below the leg of the dummy. Keep your foot pointed to the left, you want your heel leading at the top of the circle. Make sure you stay square the entire time, don't start leaning to the left. Make sure you go all the way under the leg. Do 50 reps without stopping. Repeat with left leg in a counter-clockwise direction. Try to increase your reps by 5 every time you do this drill. Eventually use only one, and then neither upper dummy arm for balance. This drill will do wonders for your balance and kicks if you do it regularly.

There is another kicking drill but there is no way I can describe it accurately with just words, but chew on these until you start learning the forms. Have fun! :)

[IronFist]

Does "left" arm mean dummy's left arm or arm on your left side as you face the dummy?

IronFist

[Slo Mo]

Thanks for the input Starbuck!

[IronFist]

(cough...iron fist....cough cough)

Thanks dude :)

You can always practice basic techniques on a dummy, ie. pak, tan, wu, bong sao, etc. Different punches and strikes. Make up your own combos.

Of course, input from the seasoned WC veterans here is always cool as well :)

IronFist

[WCJoe]

If you're willing to spend around $20, a good book to buy is 116 Wing Tsun Dummy Techniques by Yip Chun & Leung Ting. Just go to http://www.wle.com//products/b269.html. The $20 price I put included the cost for my shipping.

[Starbuck]

Originally posted by IronFist
Does "left" arm mean dummy's left arm or arm on your left side as you face the dummy?

IronFist

When referring to the dummy, "left arm" means the dummy arm on YOUR left side as you face it. "Right arm" is the dummy arm on YOUR right side.

[old jong]

" hahaha....it's nice to feel like there's someone to lean on. Yuanfen - You've spent so much time appeasing others that you forgot about the people in your corner - how about Augustine Fong & his Mook Jong? Center?....hahaha!!!!"...
What are you telling us Rolling Hand?...

[Rolling_Hand]

Old jong,

People take great inspiration from your actions. You may be attracting a certain negative type without meaning to. hm....!!!

A few words for you, keep the skepticism in check. No flattering, but it's constructive. Just coca cola, no fries at this moment.