Speed of your schools curriculum?

[Damian Yeung]

Hi all my name is damian yeung and just started doing wing chun 5 months ago. Ive really enjoyed it so far but it seems somewhat slow.

I just want to ask when after no. of years after starting to train when you guys learnt the different techniques.

I see some of the higher grades just starting to learn bong sao after around 2 years of starting. Are your schools teaching at this speed also?

Please anyone who reads this please reply because i want to know the speeds people are being taught wing chun.

Thanks in advance!

[r4cy]

Well, the speed obviously tend to vary... but as for my point of view... no, you should not spend two years before learning how to do boang sao! Sometimes you have to be careful because, there are major "comercial" schools" that tend to extend their curriculum in order to get more money for you. Though I am one of those who thinks that you should spend vast time learning the basics, waiting for two years to learn a technique that is part of the first form, is somewhat suspicious. If you have a hunch that something is not right maybe is because it is.

[couch]

Hi all my name is damian yeung and just started doing wing chun 5 months ago. Ive really enjoyed it so far but it seems somewhat slow.

I just want to ask when after no. of years after starting to train when you guys learnt the different techniques.

I see some of the higher grades just starting to learn bong sao after around 2 years of starting. Are your schools teaching at this speed also?

Please anyone who reads this please reply because i want to know the speeds people are being taught wing chun.

Thanks in advance!

If you put in the time and effort, I see no problem in speeding up someone in a curriculum. This is how I was taught throughout my MA and this is how I teach.

When I teach what I know (mostly privately/semi-privately), I can get someone through the first form in a few classes (they have the gross motor skill part). I also don't spend the whole time of that class going through the form...they're learning various techniques in that class in conjunction as to where they are in the forms and their aptitude.

Best,
Kenton Sefcik

[Paul T England]

Generally a year per form is about the standard but I find that I teach a little quicker now. If the students can take it in they will get the first two forms as soon as they can. I have student swho have been training two years who are on 3rd form.

My primary wing chun teacher teaches the forms very fast and explains that you keep circling through the forms and each pass you hopefully get a deeper understanding.

I think you should have the basic tan, bong, pak, fook, gann, jum etc. down in a couple of months.

If you are confident in what you teach then their is no point in holding back too much. Certain things like the knives and third form are a shift away from basics so students need a good foundation first.

Paul

[Lugoman]

I've been in WC for a little over 4 mos.

Already I know Sui Lim Tau, Chum Kui, and the first section of the dummy form. Oh, and single hand Chi Sao, been rolling with double hand but not much else.

Oh, and don't misconstrue my use of the word "know." I am well aware that I am still at the conscious-incompetence stage of the art. :D

[Chuanfa@sbcglob]

Two years of training and just now learning bong sau? Wow.

I have over 15 years experience in martial arts but only started wing chun in January of this year. I have learned one and two hand chi sao, SLT, CK, first sections up to po pai's of dummy form.

I am in no way proficient yet, but I have been taught the above and I practice daily.

[reneritchie]

I learned the material of the system from my sifu in about 7 years. Roughly 1 year per set, including dummy and weapons.

[JPinAZ]

Hi all my name is damian yeung and just started doing wing chun 5 months ago. Ive really enjoyed it so far but it seems somewhat slow.

I just want to ask when after no. of years after starting to train when you guys learnt the different techniques.

I see some of the higher grades just starting to learn bong sao after around 2 years of starting. Are your schools teaching at this speed also?

Please anyone who reads this please reply because i want to know the speeds people are being taught wing chun.

Thanks in advance!

What have you covered in those 5 months? Also, how many hours a week do you go to the school and how many hours do you train?
Sometimes the speed someone learns/is shown things is based on what the teacher sees in the student (how fast/slow they learn and comprehend).
Not saying this is the case with you, But, it helps someone to better give advice if they understand what you have been shown and learned in the 5 months you've been there and how much time you are putting in.

[jooerduo]

if you don't feel its quick enough then why stay with the school?

don't be afraid to leave, 2 years and staring on the bong sau is the worst case I've heard so far

I know some people who stays with their organisation even after over 25 years of training, and who hasn't even been shown the knife form yet! Its pretty sad but then again they must enjoy it somehow

[Damian Yeung]

Basically at our school there are belt levels. They sort've incorporate karate/tkd into the kystem so every 6 months you would go up a belt level and learn a new set of techniques regardless of how determined or skilled you are.

At my schools its 2 lessons 2 hours each - which is pretty much the standard at most school i believe.

For the first 6 months we learn 1 third of SLT, the wing chun punch, side step and front step and some other kung fu(lung ling) stances. So basically we wont finish SLT until 1 and half years later. Which i thought was insane.

Anyway i most definitely will change schools because ive learnt more from the william cheung videos =D

Anyone know any schools in melbourne, vic? ive found 2 others but one is way too expensive and the other hasnt replied yet.

btw Thanks for everyones replys :)

[Shaolin Fist]

The way i see it if you can manage to train at least once a week and you are of average mental and hand coordinated ability then you should be able to finish any CMA's system in around 3-4 years. After those years, further learning would be about fine tuning and testing the knowedge and mechanics in an changing enviroment.

Some people may like their clubs and enjoy the social aspects and so may choose to hang around longer to teach beginners or even to kill time. But anyone who's been there over 5 years and still hasn't finished must either be a retard, or the Sifu is making it up as he goes along, but most likely someone wants your money !

The bottom line is we live in the real world and every Sifu is different and has a different motive for teaching......so its for you to wise up and to shop around. If you are paying for it, like anything else, you make's your own choice and if you like the Shop or Brand then you may even stay Loyal ! in which case it will just be down to money cos once we have a preference and loyalty who cares what else is out there !

But Just be aware that with a system like WC, most of the main knowledge is embodied in the 1st Form so in real time you should proportionatley be spending more time on this section in relation to the others.

[Dan_chi_sau]

'Anyone know any schools in melbourne, vic? ive found 2 others but one is way too expensive and the other hasnt replied yet.'

If thats melbourne, australia, then i would recommend david peterson of wsl family. He's good.

[Finny]

I have been training WSL WCK for about 5 years, and have only been taught Siu Nim Tao.

Of course I have taken months at a time off training, and despite the fact that I haven't been taught the other 'forms', I've been taught pretty much all the two man drills, dan chi sao, lap sao, seung chi sao, gor sao etc.

My Sifu probably doesn't even realise he hasn't taught me the forms - he doesn't really bother too much with dedicating lots of time to them - we practise SLT each training session, but other than that most of our training is two person work.

So... does it bother me that I haven't learned the other forms? Maybe, it'd be nice to have learned them (if I asked Sifu he'd probably say "What? I haven't taught you that? Here it's like this...") but at the same time, I agree with my Sifu that the essence of WCK is in practising it WITH someone else, not doing forms. So I'm glad that most of my training over the years has involved me having my butt kicked by my seniors, not learning forms.

In my opnion, if you're learning the system, and learning to USE the system, who cares if/when you learn the 'forms'? I could probably do CK and MYJ, from having watched Sifu and my seniors do them so many times (and the notes and other materialls I have covering those forms). BJ I couldn't perform, but I have been taught many of the techniques and concepts from it. But I prefer being able to actually use what I know.

And yeah - if you're in Melbourne and NOT training with my 'uncle' David Peterson, you're crazy. He is widely recognised as one of the world's leading experts on WSL WCK. And I've heard he's a great guy too.

Anyways, best of luck,

Brendan Finn.

[namron]

Would I be right in saying that it sounds like you are learning from one of Barry/anne Pang schools?

Other WC players in Melb area are:
David Peterson (WSL)
William Cheung (TWC)
Bing Fa WC (sifuj@optusnet.com.au)
Dana Wong (Qian li dao WC) (www.qianlidao.com).

There are no doubt a bunch of others.

The costs will vary so best shop around for quality and value for $.

[couch]

Basically at our school there are belt levels. They sort've incorporate karate/tkd into the kystem so every 6 months you would go up a belt level and learn a new set of techniques regardless of how determined or skilled you are.

At my schools its 2 lessons 2 hours each - which is pretty much the standard at most school i believe.

For the first 6 months we learn 1 third of SLT, the wing chun punch, side step and front step and some other kung fu(lung ling) stances. So basically we wont finish SLT until 1 and half years later. Which i thought was insane.

Anyway i most definitely will change schools because ive learnt more from the william cheung videos =D

Anyone know any schools in melbourne, vic? ive found 2 others but one is way too expensive and the other hasnt replied yet.

btw Thanks for everyones replys :)

If someone goes home and practices what I teach...I can get the SNT taught to someone quite quickly.

I've been teaching a small class of beginners and they have "learned/memorized" the SNT in three classes. Each class is 1.5 hours long with the last 30 mins dedicated to cardio/conditioning. This is just a primer class for Parks & Recreation board, but I'm very impressed with the students.

The great WSL said (as do many masters of Martial Arts): you can always get more money, but you cannot get more time.

My favorite is: the more you sweat in the club, the less you bleed on the street. Somehow not relevant, but fun nonetheless.

Don't waste your time,
Kenton Sefcik

[russellsherry]

hi damien i would be your si hing , if i was silly enough to be training at that school, i was there 12 13 years and i did not learn any real wing chun unill i left, not in the correct hk way. firstly if you want hong kong wing chun the wong shun lerng methord you know the one your supposed too be learning if you want william chengs go speak to my old senior keith young up at williams school be openmined in what you want or my friend dana wong has a school on carlton now
and watch blitz as i am planning to bring sifu randy williams out l early next year or sooner russellsherry geez six months before you learnt bong sau no wonder i bloody left peace russellsherry

[Museumtech]

Hi Damian, I would recommend both William Cheung's school in Lonsdale Street, City http://www.cheungswingchun.com/ and any of the Lifestyle Kung Fu centers in Oakleigh, Dandynong, Franskton and Mornington. Bruce Corles (from Lifestyle http://www.lifestylekungfu.com/home.htm) trained to level 10 red sash instructor under GM William Cheung and has been running his own academy for around 14 years now. Both run curriculum's that are designed to move the dedicated student through to Black sash in around 3 years.