sorrel
12-29-2003, 02:26 PM
It's been many years since I first came in contact with wing chun.I have seen and practiced with different masters and students,It's only been a few years back when suddenly I realized how wrong i was in the understanding of wing chun.Many people usually say the individual is what makes an style better or worse,others continually speak of wing chun as the ultimate kung fu style thinking the style itself will make them awesome fighters.Regardless of how much truth there is in these statements,I believe a wrong approach to wing chun can contribute to the now long tradition of confussion and mysticism involving this style.I won't mention any names as I have great respect for many wing chun masters and practitioners,some of the ones I have met are great persons,but with all my respect, I also feel I must voice how I feel about this. If I help other wing chun students,we are all students anyway,i'd have contributed to make wing chun better.
If you have a wrong approach to wing chun you can be beaten easily by other styles,if you have a good approach and understand wing chun principles you can beat any style,even the best grapplers,a good understanding of these principles is essential,concepts can drastically change the style,it's absolutely essential.Loose movements and techniques as taught by many, are of no use without a good concept, not to say a program(most wing chun traditional schools lack a good program),martial arts have evolved and all styles must adapt to the new changes.We don't want, I believe, a wing chun similar to karate in the way moves are practiced and taught,wing chun is something very different, and this is what makes it unique.I think soft wing chun is the closest you can get in practicing good wing chun,this doesn't mean your wing chun will be soft,but your approach will be different and your movements and techniques will flow in a different way from those seen in video tapes and many schools.Many techniques I used to practice in the past were very far from how I understand wing chun now,I could even dare to say it was a different style.So let's all use a bit of common sense and help this misunderstood style to have the place it deserves among the martials arts.:)
If you have a wrong approach to wing chun you can be beaten easily by other styles,if you have a good approach and understand wing chun principles you can beat any style,even the best grapplers,a good understanding of these principles is essential,concepts can drastically change the style,it's absolutely essential.Loose movements and techniques as taught by many, are of no use without a good concept, not to say a program(most wing chun traditional schools lack a good program),martial arts have evolved and all styles must adapt to the new changes.We don't want, I believe, a wing chun similar to karate in the way moves are practiced and taught,wing chun is something very different, and this is what makes it unique.I think soft wing chun is the closest you can get in practicing good wing chun,this doesn't mean your wing chun will be soft,but your approach will be different and your movements and techniques will flow in a different way from those seen in video tapes and many schools.Many techniques I used to practice in the past were very far from how I understand wing chun now,I could even dare to say it was a different style.So let's all use a bit of common sense and help this misunderstood style to have the place it deserves among the martials arts.:)