training needed before combat effective

[LoFatGai]

Hello All,
I am fairly new to the WC game, with several years of Kenpo training before WC.
I know this is mostly up to the person's dedication, but I was wondering how long it took before you were confident in using your WC skills in a self defense situation. Do you think with WC one will not really be able to use it in combat until a very advance level having mastered the sensitivity part of it?
thanks!
lfg

[John Weiland]

Originally posted by LoFatGai
Hello All,
I am fairly new to the WC game, with several years of Kenpo training before WC.
I know this is mostly up to the person's dedication, but I was wondering how long it took before you were confident in using your WC skills in a self defense situation.

Your mileage may vary, but questions of confidence and self defense are far ranging and impossible to answer for others. We've all probably met ****y self assured novices and reluctant, humble pros.


Do you think with WC one will not really be able to use it in combat until a very advance level having mastered the sensitivity part of it?

Combat? In combat, I doubt a novice will use good Wing Chun. However, early on in Wing Chun training, we learn to stay close and respond---not a bad start for most. Bad Wing Chun is better than no Wing Chun.

Regards,

[John Weiland]

Originally posted by John Weiland

We've all probably met ****y self assured novices and reluctant, humble pros.

The censors struck out c-o-c-k-y. I think they don't know what it means.

[Gandolf269]

LoFatGai -

I think that in a fight, under stress, you will use what you are comfortable with. And it does take time to break old habilts to the point of being comfortable with the Wing Chun techniques. You are, or should be, taught effect techniques from day 1. But your not going to be able to think "what is the Wing chun defense' in a fight. Making Wing Chun part of your natural defense/offense only comes with time in country. But I don't think you need to be at the advanced level to use it. I felt pretty confident with chain punches after 6 months or so. But you really don't start understanding what Wing Chun is about until you are at the sensitivity stage of your training. Hang in there, you'll get there. After all, it's not rocket science, just martial science. :D

[WCis4me]

Originally posted by Gandolf269
LoFatGai -

I think that in a fight, under stress, you will use what you are comfortable with. And it does take time to break old habilts to the point of being comfortable with the Wing Chun techniques. You are, or should be, taught effect techniques from day 1. But your not going to be able to think "what is the Wing chun defense' in a fight. Making Wing Chun part of your natural defense/offense only comes with time in country. But I don't think you need to be at the advanced level to use it. I felt pretty confident with chain punches after 6 months or so. But you really don't start understanding what Wing Chun is about until you are at the sensitivity stage of your training. Hang in there, you'll get there. After all, it's not rocket science, just martial science. :D
Excellent post IMO! It is so hard when you are just learning and get the ideas, even know for sure how it should be, but the moves come slower. Meanwhile you are watching everyone senior to you flurry through stuff and you just fee like you are never going to get it. The thing I use to remind myself is whenever something flys close to my vision I block, I don't think about it I just do it, I keep telling myself I will do it with form (or better form) in time to just be patient.

Thank you for this post as it reminds us novices to be patient and it will come, not as fast as we want it to, but it will come.

Vicky