Non-fighters teaching Martial Arts
People are under the impression that unless a Sifu knows how to fight he wont produce fighters.
There are two contradictions
-A sifu who was a top fighter back in day may not produce fighters out of his students
-A sifu who has never been a fighter ever may produce top fighters!
Its not on how well your sifu fought back in the day. Its on how well he teaches you, drills you and conditions you for fighting.
Your Sifu cant make you a top fighter only you can!!!!
Some people are born with natural talent for fighting. A sifu will only give you the tools needed to home your talent, increase your skill and sew seeds for your future.
Can Someone who never played basketball coach a team?
Can someone who never played football coach a team?
Can someone who never worked as a scientist teach you science?
Look at the education system. You got people teaching classes on computers who never worked in the computer industry. You got people teaching classes on child care and education who have never been teachers. You got people teaching classes on nursing and medicine and medical field who have never been a nurse or doctor.
A person who teaches you Wing Chun. can only teach you the system.
In short he can teach you the forms, the drills, chi sau, possible applications, and theory and principles. But that wont make you a fighter!
NO to fight you first need to spar. Only through sparring can you learn how to apply your techniques while engaging at anerobic activity. Fighting is Anerobic. An you need anerobic training to maintain your fighting stamina.
Any way those who fight and spar become great fighters. Not those who practice boxing,muay thai or mma...
You can practice drills, hit heavy bags, focus mitts and pads all day. Even jump rope, run five miles a day and do push up and crunches in thousands. But until you actually take a hit or give one. You wont develop skill in fighting.
Those who fight learn how to fight!
So regardless if your sifu was great fighter or never fought...What skills he has or dont have wont translate to you when you get clocked with a right hook in the jaw!
There is no way to pass your skill in fighting on to someone else. How you fought in your glory days wont be passed on to your students or sons. At best you can share your experience and tell them what to look out for.
The Training conditions them...but fighting prepares them for fighting!
Unless you spar every class you wont be able to fight!
A sifu who fought can give you pointers from his experience. But then again his experiences may not relate to you. For his skills may be different, his body and frame may be different than yours and frankly he may not be as skilled of a fighter as you are. or vice versa. So in reality its only one person who can teach you how to fight...
Your self...along with the person who is tear your head!!!
