It's all in the warm-up...

[LoneTiger108]

I've noticed that there are a number of users here that have their own individual take on their Wing Chun and am interested to hear from Sifus and coaches who have developed warm-up routines.

As we all know, the curriculums unite most of us, but what separates us is our individual interpretations? I find personally that this is reflected more in a sessions warm-up/cool down routines than in the actual Wing Chun content itself.

So, how do you warm-up?

[Niersun]

Good to get away from the bickering with this post.

Deep heat or Dencorub to start, over a majority of my joints and muscles.

Light routines on the joints, i.e. ankle rolls, knee bends, waist circling, shoulders circles, elbow rotations, fast fist clenching and a light physical routine of skip rope or star jumps and the stretching.

Cool down with stretches, but sometimes im just buggered after my workout so i try to stretch as much as i can during the session also.

Ive just been introduced to pool cool downs where you stretch in the water, which is good because whilst your bouyant in the shallow end you can go deeper in your leg stretches. Also learnt some new yoga techs in the last 6 weeks.

[t_niehoff]

So, how do you warm-up?

We do about 30 minutes of various exercises, including push ups, sit ups, burpees, etc. followed by some WCK-specific drills.

[LoneTiger108]

Good to get away from the bickering with this post.

Lets just say it's good to talk (and relate it to our Wing Chun!) ;)

I also like your varied approach and would ask if it was your Wing Chun Sifu that taught you the warm up exercises you mention?


We do about 30 minutes of various exercises, including push ups, sit ups, burpees, etc. followed by some WCK-specific drills.

Same question to you T.

FWIW My Sifu first taught us that SLT was enough to warm up! But after the training got more demanding (and injuries occurred!) the elders got together and formed routines to assist with stretching etc.

As far as I'm aware, there are no stretching routines in Wing Chun, so in a sense, we're already on a personal journey the moment we start with a stretch!

I am interested in hearing specific exercises that WERE taught by your Sifu too, as I also was lucky enough to have been shown some...

[t_niehoff]

My WCK sifu didn't teach me how to warm up -- I learned that from my MMA training. I've just adapted it to WCK (using WCK specific drills instead of MMA specific drills, for instance).

[Lee Chiang Po]

Stretching allows better blood flow. From my early childhood, particularly when I began my WC training, I would wake each morning, stretch, and then do different forms of light exercise. Each and every morning. I then went through my day warmed up and cranking. Then come bedtime, I would do another stretch and exercise routine and this would make me sleep better. If I was just training I would not worry about another exercise routine, but if I was to spar some I would stretch to get my blood flowing to the muscles which increased efficiency and speed. Today, and for the past many years, although I have not trained as such as I did earlier in my life, I have continued to do my stretch and exercise routines almost every day. I figure that should the time arise that I might need to move quickly, I would not have time to do this stretch and warm up routine, so doing it when I wake gets me ready for my day, and makes me ready for what it brings.

[sanjuro_ronin]

One of the easiest and best ways to warm up is to do your chosen activity ( WC in this case) and start off slow and over a period of time ( it varies from person to person of course) increase the pace and intensity till you are going full speed and full power.
You are basically doing your MA from the very first move to the very end.

[couch]

One of the easiest and best ways to warm up is to do your chosen activity ( WC in this case) and start off slow and over a period of time ( it varies from person to person of course) increase the pace and intensity till you are going full speed and full power.
You are basically doing your MA from the very first move to the very end.

You beat me to it. ;)

[sanjuro_ronin]

You beat me to it. ;)

My chain punching trumps your attached fighting !!
:D

[LoneTiger108]

Stretching allows better blood flow. From my early childhood, particularly when I began my WC training, I would wake each morning, stretch, and then do different forms of light exercise....

... I figure that should the time arise that I might need to move quickly, I would not have time to do this stretch and warm up routine, so doing it when I wake gets me ready for my day, and makes me ready for what it brings.

Great post, and something I too am familiar with as my warm-up has changed over the years. I also like the feeling of early morning stretching but I'm just too lazy to get up so early all the time!


One of the easiest and best ways to warm up is to do your chosen activity ( WC in this case) and start off slow and over a period of time ( it varies from person to person of course) increase the pace and intensity till you are going full speed and full power.
You are basically doing your MA from the very first move to the very end.

This was also my Sifus attitude in the beginning, but he did change with time. I also understand that we can gather ideas for exercise from within our style.

I guess what I'm getting at is this:

What is a Wing Chun specific warm-up? Who has been taught WCK specific preparation for, say, fistwork drills? A warm-up for SLT?

And if we do decide to use other influences in our personal warm up routines, does it in fact influence our approach to Wing Chun, and/or the end result?

[Niersun]

Lets just say it's good to talk (and relate it to our Wing Chun!) ;)

I also like your varied approach and would ask if it was your Wing Chun Sifu that taught you the warm up exercises you mention?



The warm ups are normal for Cheungs TWC class's whilst i was there, but ive always been involved in sports since an early age like every other male, so warm up techs are all the same.

You will find TWC in Melbourne that this will also include push ups, sits ups, lunges and squats.

I picked up the deep heat thing from kickboxing.

The pool cool down and yoga i picked up from the work place.

[SAAMAG]

We do about 30 minutes of various exercises, including push ups, sit ups, burpees, etc. followed by some WCK-specific drills.

That about sums it up for me too. There are different things that one can do to warm up. Sometimes its basic calisthenics, sometimes shadowboxing lightly, sometimes doing a light roll for a bit serves as a good warm up.

Very light sparring, very light bag hitting. Anything that gets you moving without serious strain is a good warm up.

[k gledhill]

warming up I do heavy skip rope 5 minutes...

[wkmark]

Since I play Ice Hockey, so the warms up i do for Ving Tsun and warm ups I do for Ice Hockey is pretty much the same. Stretch the legs, rotate the hips, the shoulders, rotate the wrist.

Then will start doing SNT and some Chum Ki; and Bil Gee if I really want to losen up. then do some quick moving of going forward and backward. Then some punching on the wall bags.

[YungChun]

Not sure from where, but a new report came out that said stretching after a warm up or activity is way better than doing any stretching before and cold.. I think it said that stretching before even had a higher rate of injury associated with it, not sure.

[wkmark]

Not sure from where, but a new report came out that said stretching after a warm up or activity is way better than doing any stretching before and cold.. I think it said that stretching before even had a higher rate of injury associated with it, not sure.

stretching afterwards helps.

For me stretching means light stretching just to get the blood flowing. I have read a similar report that mentioned that if you stretch too much before an activity as in like stretch until you reach pain, you end up weakening the muscles. But how true is that report, I am not sure either.

[Frost]

stretching afterwards helps.

For me stretching means light stretching just to get the blood flowing. I have read a similar report that mentioned that if you stretch too much before an activity as in like stretch until you reach pain, you end up weakening the muscles. But how true is that report, I am not sure either.

if yu are a powerlifter looking to max out on lifts than prelonged static stretching can be harmful, but otherwise its not that bad a thing. As usual in the S and C community people run with ideas and blow them out of all proportion, there is no real proof static stretching before training is bad for you, but there is also no proof its aids you either.

specific static stretching before lifting can be a good idea if you have really tight hamstrings, glutes hip flexors etc, but the key is a mild stretch and not to hold it too long



general warm up to get range of motion, the blood flowing and the HR up (using bodyweigfht exercises, joint mobilization and dynmic stretches) followed by a sports specific warm up is what guys like kutz have been advocating for decades.

[LoneTiger108]

The warm ups are normal for Cheungs TWC class's whilst i was there, but ive always been involved in sports since an early age like every other male, so warm up techs are all the same.

You will find TWC in Melbourne that this will also include push ups, sits ups, lunges and squats.

I picked up the deep heat thing from kickboxing.

The pool cool down and yoga i picked up from the work place.

Thanks for sharing! You seem to be one of the only guys here who has had a warm up routine included in your Wing Chun from the beginning.

I guess that, looking at most other responses, there are few of us who have actually been taught a Wing Chun specific warm up. :cool: I'm referring to the changeable nature of warm up routines, depending on what your aim is. I change with almost every session, especially if I'm teaching lines (kuit based curriculums!) and am researching how to 'set' a Wing Chun based routine for beginners.

As for me, personally I like to skip, then use plum flower wooden man as a warm-up before settling into the form work for more intense alignment therapy! A few drills on wallbags, with the pole/flag and finish with a hei gung cool down. All individual training without the partner. No chisau required! :D

In some respects, that's my warm-up but it's very difficult for beginners to copy.

[Niersun]

Yeah, well thats because GM Cheung has been in the game for nearly 60 years.

[LoneTiger108]

Yeah, well thats because GM Cheung has been in the game for nearly 60 years.

Maybe you can ask him if his warm-up is his own addition, as I'm pretty sure Ip Man NEVER taught warm-ups! Far too traditional ;)

I also hear GM Cheung is doing a Seminar at SENi in London at the end of the month. Will be very interesting as he doesn't seem to have a large following in the UK, not that I know of anyhow.

Mind you, Wing Chun is not promoted as much in the UK nowadays. The sparkle is dwindling!! :(

[HumbleWCGuy]

I've noticed that there are a number of users here that have their own individual take on their Wing Chun and am interested to hear from Sifus and coaches who have developed warm-up routines.

As we all know, the curriculums unite most of us, but what separates us is our individual interpretations? I find personally that this is reflected more in a sessions warm-up/cool down routines than in the actual Wing Chun content itself.

So, how do you warm-up?

I believe that warm-up needs to be a warm-up. When an average man off the street is coming into the gym and puking after the "warm-up" it is not a warm-up. My warm-up consists of about 20 minutes of stretching and 10 minutes of either shadowboxing, rope skipping, or footwork drills. My classes are divided in to a learning period and a training period. I don't like my people smoked right before I try to teach them something new. During the training period we focus on things that they already know and I demand that they move at a brisk pace.

[Knifefighter]

if yu are a powerlifter looking to max out on lifts than prelonged static stretching can be harmful, but otherwise its not that bad a thing. As usual in the S and C community people run with ideas and blow them out of all proportion, there is no real proof static stretching before training is bad for you, but there is also no proof its aids you either.

Actually, if you look in the research journals over the last 15 years or so, you will find a whole body of pretty conclusive evidence that stretching before physical activity decreases strength and power performance.

You will be hard pressed to find any coach who has National Strength and Conditioning or American College of Sports Medicine certification who will have his strength or power athletes perform stretching exercises before their training or competition.

[SoCo KungFu]

One of the easiest and best ways to warm up is to do your chosen activity ( WC in this case) and start off slow and over a period of time ( it varies from person to person of course) increase the pace and intensity till you are going full speed and full power.
You are basically doing your MA from the very first move to the very end.

Yep, good old "light" sparring to warm up. Bam! WTF I thought we were only going 10%?!!! :D

[YungChun]

Actually, if you look in the research journals over the last 15 years or so, you will find a whole body of pretty conclusive evidence that stretching before physical activity decreases strength and power performance.

You will be hard pressed to find any coach who has National Strength and Conditioning or American College of Sports Medicine certification who will have his strength or power athletes perform stretching exercises before their training or competition.

That is what I read. How long has this been the standard it sounded "new" in the article I saw?

[Knifefighter]

That is what I read. How long has this been the standard it sounded "new" in the article I saw?

At least the last 5-7 years, if not more.

[Niersun]

I believe that warm-up needs to be a warm-up. When an average man off the street is coming into the gym and puking after the "warm-up" it is not a warm-up. My warm-up consists of about 20 minutes of stretching and 10 minutes of either shadowboxing, rope skipping, or footwork drills. My classes are divided in to a learning period and a training period. I don't like my people smoked right before I try to teach them something new. During the training period we focus on things that they already know and I demand that they move at a brisk pace.

Yeah, true true.

Funny, how smokers can be more fitter than people who dont smoke. I always run into one.

[bennyvt]

we have always had a warm up. Barry is a fanatic that you need to be in good shape. First time i heard from a teacher that stamina is just as important. We now train from everyones house so its not as big. We do jumping up and down, (used to skip but too many in classes), squats, knee raises. Sunasun's (greet the mornings in yoga) heaps of abb stuff punches and stretches. I now from my studies do no static stuff unless at the end. My warm up is full range motions down at a reduced speed. I do my stretching and strength stuff seperately. I have a periodized plan for weights, endurance, stretching, speed and agility, and stretching. So the stuff changes depending on what phase i am in

[Frost]

Actually, if you look in the research journals over the last 15 years or so, you will find a whole body of pretty conclusive evidence that stretching before physical activity decreases strength and power performance.

You will be hard pressed to find any coach who has National Strength and Conditioning or American College of Sports Medicine certification who will have his strength or power athletes perform stretching exercises before their training or competition.

I understand that body of evidence but i always thought they used prelonged static stretches over 30 seconds and tese had a negative effect on top end power and endurance if used pre workout, but i also know coaches like martin rooney, defranco and creasy have there guys do short static stretches (10seconds or so) for the hips, hamstrings, calfs etc before squating so they have the flexibiltiy to get into the correct positions.

I have found that sort static stretches have helped me do you use them at all before your clients sessions?

[sanjuro_ronin]

The military did a study with recruits in basic training where they had a group do NO static stretcths ( stretch and hold for 10 seconds or more) as part of the warm up and another do the typical ones they had always done.
There was either NO difference in performance or a decrease.
The concluded that static stretching as part of a warm up was either counter-productive or insignificant.

[HumbleWCGuy]

Yeah, true true.

Funny, how smokers can be more fitter than people who dont smoke. I always run into one.

LOL no "Smoked" is a term used in the U.S. military a lot. It means to be tired from exercise.

[SAAMAG]

The military did a study with recruits in basic training where they had a group do NO static stretcths ( stretch and hold for 10 seconds or more) as part of the warm up and another do the typical ones they had always done.
There was either NO difference in performance or a decrease.
The concluded that static stretching as part of a warm up was either counter-productive or insignificant.

We stretched after our exercises in the military. Actually...for the runs...we'd run for a bit at a light pace, stop, stretch a bit, then do the real run. Afterwards we did our calisthenics to include the stretches, pushups, situps, pullups, and etc.

[sanjuro_ronin]

We stretched after our exercises in the military. Actually...for the runs...we'd run for a bit at a light pace, stop, stretch a bit, then do the real run. Afterwards we did our calisthenics to include the stretches, pushups, situps, pullups, and etc.

Stretching after is the way to go, as part of a cool down period.
Dyamic strectches ( where the stretch is not held) are fine as a part of the warm up and even during.