Big Guys in WC

[Yung Apprentice]

I'm kinda big, stocky, and slow.(but very strong) And I was wondering, if I would have a problem with WC. Since it's Southern, I figured low stances, and quick movements. Would it teach me to be quicker, or learn how to adapt to someone quicker, or would I just be S.O.L when it comes to training?

[Mr. Bao]

YA:

You can do anything you put your mind and body too. That is the kung fu philosophy. Actually, if you study properly you can be a lot deadlier than most if you that natural big. It means better and stronger structure, but if you are fat. Well that will have to change during hard training. Good luck.

Bao

[anerlich]

Each body type has advantages and disadvantages. Yours and mine are no exception.

One of my sihings was a big lad and slow and clumsy when he started. After a couple of years training, his speed and coordination improved drastically. He was then far from SOL, but rather a tough SOB to fight.

[OdderMensch]

you could be like me when I started : big, stocky, slow, (but very weak) :(
you'll have to train just as hard as everyone else, harder then some, less than others.

[urban tea]

If you think that you can MUSCLE down people then your kung fu training will not progress much, if any at all.

[wtinfo]

Start trainging!

You'll have a mean punch :)

[desertwingchun2]

YA - Im also a big, stocky, strong guy. I can tell you that in my experience learning relaxation and sensetivity (sp??) were the two biggest hurdles I faced in my training. I worked very hard on these two areas. And with a lot of training and help from many of my sihing these hurdles were cleared. Make it a goal to have light hands and good structure. If you work toward that goal daily results will come quickly. Dont try to muscle wing chun - it wont work.

The quick movements come from capitolizing on the shortest distance between two points. Dont be intimidated. Good luck in your training!

As for which instructor to choose, visit each school and have a conversation with each sifu. You will be training with them for a while so, why not try to build some kind of relationship early to see if this is someone you will be able to learn from.

-David

[EnterTheWhip]

Wing Chun can only help you. The added bonus it that you'll have the option of both - using your strength and not having to. Of course, it's to your advantage to NOT use your strength, i.e. to relax - supporting the principle of economy of energy and motion, as well as rendering you more mobile.

However, most Wing Chun practitioners will evangelize that it's to your disadvantage to use your strength. They'll preach a whole lot of "hocus pocus" that may actually make logical sense to you. The truth is that MOST Wing Chun practitioners, including MANY instructors do NOT know how to handle someone really strong, who actually intends to hurt them.

So, when someone (a kung fu brother or sifu) is preaching to you to "relaaaaax......" what they are actually saying is, "Relaaaax.... so that I can get in on you....".

[Mr. Bao]

Enterthe whip has a point about the hocus pocus stuff which many sifus like to teach. Actually using your strength cleverly is key here. However, solely using your strength alone is wrong idea in wing chun. You have to always to consider yourself with disadvatanges in speed, strength, and size. That way you can used your strength and other means more cleverly against someone who is stronger, faster, and bigger.

Big guys who uses power alone will never know how to cleverly use their power to overcome someone bigger than themselves. In some cases, big guys who study wing chun like bullying smaller students who aren't skilled enough to defend themselves. Since they are bullying smaller students instead of refining their structure and wing chun skills, when some bigger dude comes after them they usually do not use wing chun that well.

That is why I rather learn from a smaller man who has attained the skills to handle big dudes. But training with big dudes at my school has kept me honest about my techniques. lol.


Bao

[Jeff Preston]

If you train, you will get faster. It comes with the arts.

[taltos]

I'm in the exact opposite position. As one of the smallest guys in the school, I have to make sure that my structure is perfect and my application of strength is perfectly timed. I'm pretty fast, so I can get away with being sloppy with junior bothers and sisters, so I look to the bigger guys to keep me honest. If my structure is sloppy, I'm toast. Likewise, when I work with the big guys, they quickly learn that if they try to muscle without the proper stucture, I can weasel my way around it.

As a bigger guy, they is so much you can learn from the smaller guys, and so much you can offer them in return. As long as you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, your on the road to true martial development. When it's real, use your strengths backed by timing, structure, position, etc. In the school, on the training floor, drill the h@ll out of your weaknesses.

Most of my sparing skills have come from the big guys. When it's "go time" I don't want to have to worry about them being stronger, and I owe much to my bigger brothers.

-Levi