Training in WC

[S.Teebas]

What’s your attitude towards training?

I’m just wondering what most people think is a good way to train. I’ve noticed that most WC schools are pretty laid back and easy going. Is this a good thing? I know we are practicing a style that preaches relaxation, but wouldn’t it be more efficient to train in a more focused way?
Lots of people seem to talk in class about the weekend more than they train. I trained in a strict school as my first martial art, were we weren’t allow to talk about anything other than what relates to the martial arts, you couldn’t sit down etc… It was very regimented.
And while I believe WC is a technically superior style, I think the attitude of how you train reflects your ability. I think most of the people at my first school would cause a lot of trouble for most WC schools I’ve seen just due to the attitude.

I mean every minute you waste in class, for years, adds up to really wasing a lot of time in the long run.

What do you think?

[TjD]

well.. if your sifu is yelling at you "STOP WASTING TIME!!! RELAX! **** YOU RELAX!" you're not going to relax :D


not all students who come to our school want to be the wing chun champion of the world. some come for the camaraderie, others come to work out, others just to learn a little something to defend themselves.

our school would lose a lot if it became very strict. those of us who are serious about our WC don't waste time. having a strict sifu won't give you the determination to practice seriously, that comes from within.

[AndrewS]

Most people can't keep talking while I hit them.

If you can keep talking while you hit me, cool.

Being formal is one thing, having no work ethic is another. Most of the serious folks I train with don't put up with time being wasted. Consequentially, the juniors pick up the attitude and learn to get focused.

Andrew

[KenWingJitsu]

I’m just wondering what most people think is a good way to train. I’ve noticed that most WC schools are pretty laid back and easy going. Is this a good thing?
That s why 95% of wing chunners are wussies.

:D

[reneritchie]

Its not limited to WCK. Being laid back is part of the Chinese MA culture, where some folks might be training sets, some doing 2 person work, some drinking tea, some playing Mahjong, etc. Its part of what separates TCMA from other cultural arts, like some of the more regimented TJMA like Aikido with all the bowing and uniforms and colored belts and what not. Same way Brazilians might wander in 2hrs late for class, kiss and hug, roll a bit, then hit the surf.

This is what makes self-discipline so important. I personally refuse to train with someone who's not focused. I don't mind the occasional joke or snippet of conversation during a pause, but if you're talking non-stop, or trying to teach others stuff you should be putting time in learning, or otherwise interupting training every 3 seconds, see ya...

[PaulH]

I was reading an interesting oriental proverb on my tea bag last night; it said: " For the blind in the mind, there is no physician". WC kung fu supposedly is easy to learn but hard to master its skills. Keep hitting seriously your head on the wall only work so far if one has Moe's knuckle head. If you are a robot, all you ever need is to have the right instruction to perform the task correctly. The problem occurs when our complex human mind begin to add more things to the given instruction. Take the famous Bruce Lee's lesson on kicking from "Enter the Dragon". Are you kicking or are you focusing on doing the correct mechanics of kicking? When a person is looking inward and work seriously on eliminating the unessentials of his thinking and action, his mind begins to empty out the conditioned junks. Then he can express his feelings more honestly. You need not to concern much about wasting time. The hardest thing to do is to let go so the real power and skills from within can begin to surface and take over. Less is more.

Regards,

[1renox]

It bugs me really bad when I train and things are very relaxed in attitude and methods. What's the point of going to class when everybody is talking and wasting time? Aren't we there to learn and improve?

My Sifu made an interesting and, I believe, a very profound statement regarding the relaxed atmosphere in TCMA.
To paraphrase: "Chinese Martial Arts are family arts while Japanese Arts are battlefield arts. As such, TCMA are more relaxed, just as a family would be at home or at some family gathering. If Chow messed up, the father would say, 'Oh, it's OK just out and play for a while'."

Ok, I didn't put it as succinctly or eloquently as my Sifu, but the idea really helped my understanding of many things in our art and of all martial arts in general.

But it still bugs me when people aren't focused.

[S.Teebas]

Excellent responses so far! :)

This comment I completely agree with:

Originally posted by 1renox:


What's the point of going to class when everybody is talking and wasting time? Aren't we there to learn and improve?

This is big part of my training. I get annoyed if im not improving, and I really try to think of what I haven’t done right so that I can. I’m curious why some people pay to do a martial arts lesson and do nothing but socialise. How can people be content sitting on the same level of skill for 3 to 10 years!! (in some cases i've seen).

I accept that people hit plateaus and time management for some gets difficult. But why go to class unless your in a mood to learn and THINK about what’s being said and done. Otherwise its a waste of Sifu's, and other students time IMHO.

P.S - Please excuse the negative tone of my post, but I just felt like saying it :D