When Wooden Dummy

[FlyingChi]

Just curious,

Is the wooden dummy usually introduced after learning Biu Tze?

I've been told the wooden dummy is like Calculus. You have to learn how to add, subtract, multipy, divide, etc. first in order to understand it.

But I've also read that in order to move to the more advanced levels in WC, learning the dummy becomes important because it allows one to apply the skills attained providing a solid base.

Which is it or which theory is better? any thoughts?

[sihing]

well I guess since this forum is a politically correct one, then everyone's way is correct, lol. Anyways, in the lineage I belong to we start dummy training the same time Chum Kil is learned. According the the teachings, parts of each WC forum can be found in the wooden man forum and the combat techniques in WC come from those in the Wooden Dummy form, not from the hand forms. I personally believe that a person needs at least 8 months of basic training(that is on a 3 to 5hr a week training schedule)of hand technique and footwork drilling before they will even be competent to start learning the Wooden Dummy form. Proper structure of hands in relation to the body and footwork must be learned first otherwise bad habits may arise. Once the whole form is learned and mastered then it is a excellent training tool, always reinforcing the basics of WC as well as some other principals and theories that allow one to be successful in the art.


Sihing

[AmanuJRY]

I was taught MYJF (the dummy form) after BJ.

It contains movements and techniques from all forms, but mostly seems to be from BJ. So I think it appropriate to teach after or along with BJ, but some techniques are unique to MYJF.

The dummy gives you a sturdy (and reliable) training partner and the opportunity to strike it with as much force as you want to. It does not provide the live resistance that a human training partner would. To me, it's great for fine tuning and doing form work, but the real advancement in learning and ability to apply skills learned is free-ing up chi sau and sparring.

The dummy is just a tool and MYJF another form to learn, it has it's benifits but the soul of WC is chi sau and that is where real progress comes from.

[lawrenceofidaho]

The Ving Tsun Athletic Association's curriculum and ranking structure suggests that the first half of the dummy form is a set of training in itself which can be either taught before the biu tze form, or after it (depending upon the preference of the individual instructor).

The second half of the dummy form is always taught AFTER the biu tze (in the VTAA program).

-Lawrence