What did you study before Wing Chun?

[gnugear]

I did 6-7 years of Okinawan Goju Ryu.

Good style, good sensei, and good students ... I just couldn't make it work for me. Must be that "force" thing ... there was always a "bigger" guy that would throw me around.

Interestingly, I used to favor a kata called Seisan which has some similar aspects to Wing Chun's second form. I guess it was just a natural progression.

How about the rest of you guys? Has Wing Chun always been your style of choice?

[stuartm]

Hi Gnugear,

Like many of us probably, i started with Karate - Wado Kai. Then Study Yang Style Tai Chi, had a break then went back to Study Tai Chi again, along with Fa Jing Chuan (Erle Montague) as well as Chi Kung and Dao Yin Yangshen Gong. Had a brief period of studying Feng Shou Kung Fu and Li style Tai Chi (Chee Soo). However, searched for wing Chun throughout this time.

Glad i found it !!

Stuart

[Frank Exchange]

Tang Soo Do! For 4 years, starting when I was 14, huge gap between that and my WC studies.

Ah, those were the days. It was my ambition to grow as much chest hair as Chuck Norris.

Occaisonally, this funny looking man without a gi came to the classes with his very young son and succeeded in pushing everyone around in sparring.

10 years on, when I arrived at my local WC class, I recognised him as my new instructor. :)

[txwingchun]

Okinawa Te, TKD, some shaolin and some other Branch of kung Fu that I can't remember the style.

[Mr Punch]

Aikido (ongoing).
Lama-kuen chikung (dubious history, but it feels great and I still keep doing it!).
Zenshin-ryu karate (dubious history but quite practical; three years or so).
Yang taichi (still do the chikung from it).
Bits and bobs of many kungfu and karate styles, and some kenjutsu.
Kendo (eight years or so, but only two really seriously... ongoing when I have the time).

[dezhen2001]

started Shotokan when i was 8, up until 21. Didn't do so much of the kumite side, more kata and kata application (which was actually very practical). Did some kumite, which was fun but i didn't really like it...

Did boxing also from age 14-21, which was real good physical training and also got the need to 'prove myself' out of my system.

Aikido from 16-21, which really taught me a lot about body movement and body connection... also helped me understand some movememtns that were in karate kata. Also got me interested in 'internal'

Shorinji Kempo form17-21, same as aikido, taught me more about how the body works...

Muay Thai from 19-20, just for the training and to see what all the fuss was about. Those guys train HARD!

Then i met my Sifu kinda by accident, when i was 20. I saw him teaching Qigong and Wing Chun and just knew i had to follow him... no other way to describe it. So i stopped everything else, and now just study his skills :)

david