Does a Woodem Dummy have a place in PM

[keef321]

I now have a new house so now have some space for a wooden dummy in or outside.

I noticed that one is used in the Lee Kam Wing Book, I think stating he likes the Wing Chun training methods, I presume including the dummy. I asked my sifu on his views and he said they are over rated, although he states that he may be biased as he always has a training partner available. This is something I dont always have the luxery of.

Just wondering what people views were on this subject + any input into the design of one for PM. I was thinking of just the standard Wing Chun dummy but with longer arms! If this is the case then I would most prob look at getting an "Immortal Dummy" with a few adjustments, if not a friend of mine says he will tailor make one for me.

Your views would be appreciated.

[Robinf]

One of our students bought one from Century Martial Arts, I think, and built it at the school (no room at home).

I've been using and found it works great for praying mantis. You can practice just about anything--rolling your wrist for grabs, arm pounding for forearm condition, grabs with kicks, short range kicks... There's lots to do with one, and it's a good stretching partner, too

[MantisifuFW]

keef321,

Mantis108 did a great article on the use of the dummy in the latest issue of Mantis Quarterly. It is on its way to you guys in the UK right now! The wooden dummy's inclusion in the Tanglang curriculum was pioneered by the renown Taiji Tanglang grandmaster, Jiu Jook Kite. Others, including HK Tanglang master, Lee Kam Wing have found the dummy a great training tool and have followed the path preserved by Taiji Tanglang practitioners.

I am hoping that Mantis108 will do other articles on this training tool! (my shameless hinting continues...)

Once you have read his excellent article you would have a basis for discussion and I am certain that he would be able to answer questions on this forum, (where I could read them too).

Great topic,

Steve Cottrell

[hungy]

Hey Keef,

We have a wooden dummy at our school as well and I find it extremely useful especially when there is no one around. Sometimes no one wants to practice iron arm training so i use the dummy. I think it is a great tool to use but it can never replace a partner. I also try to practice my 14 roads... for those of you who are familiar with the 14 roads.. HK 7*. on the dummy. In addition I find it very useful to practice mill stone palms... ah lau choi and other techniques on the dummy. allows me to hit it as hard as i can with out hurting anyone.

[keef321]

From the replies it looks like it would be a good addition to the mantis family as a further training aid.

Sounds like it can be used to train techniques on and also conditioning. Whilst on the subject of conditioning anyone know what effects positive/negative this could have (done correctly) when one has had previous damage to the arm. In the past I have broken my left arm & wrist, If I shake my left arm I can feel where it is not right at the wrist (can feel movements in the bone), I am hoping to build this wrist up with sword/staff work.


MantissifuFW,

Another fine reason to blag my sifu to get me a copy of the latest Mantis Quarterly ;-)

[Robinf]

Don't hit the dummy with your wrist. And, stop when your wrist becomes uncomfortable.

To help strengthen your wrists, try doing knuckle push ups with your palms facing in--make sure you're going straight down and your arms are perfectly perpendicular to the floor.

[yu shan]

While traveling in Taiwan, My Gong Fu uncle did an encredible wooden dummy Mantis set. Tainan Mantis should know who he learned from. Thank you.

[Tainan Mantis]

which uncle?

Our shrfu, Shr Zhengzhong learned from Mantis 108's shrfu.

[mantis108]

I really appreciate Sifu Cottrell support. I also hope to have feed back from the greater Mantis community on the article as soon as people have a chance to read it. So please keep your insights coming.

As for the place WD has in Mantis, I addressed this in the article as "it is a tool for Attribute Cross Training." Some of you who have been following my work would know that I identified cross training into Discipline Cross Trianing (DCT), Conditioning Cross Training (CCT), Attribute Cross Training (ACT), and Globle Cross Training (GCT). The advantage of ACT is that a discipline can shapen a particular attribute through adopting drills, tools or methodologies from another dicipline without the fear of compromising its own integrity. This means the indentity of the discipline remains intact while a particular attribute (ie as short range fa jing) being augmented.

While WD is great for impact training, it is not the only thing it is good for. The WD begin naturally Gang (hard), it is a great oppotunity to work on Yu (soft) overcome Gang (hard) techniques. Fa Jing is an act of hard/soft. If it is purely Gang, it would just be strength (li) and not power (jing). Wing Chun stylists (Yip Man's lineages) often would practice this. There is adage that Kung Fu is dead but a person is alive. It is about how you use the stuff to your advantage. Even a cripple (pardon the political incorrectness term) can do kung fu . WD training certainly doesn't equate machoism but it is meant to be hardwork nontheless. It is prudent to apply medication (Dit Da Jow) after WD practice.

In LKW's book "The Secret of Seven-Star Mantis Style", the WD design is different and perphaps more suitable to practice his version of techniques. I will leave that to those who have used that design to share their input. Personally, I would perfer to use the Choy Li Fut Ching Jong (lever dummy) instead. But that just me. Regarding techniques, I would think the suggestion to practice 14 Roads on the dummy is a fine one. So have some fun with it.

Mantis108

[yu shan]

Tainan Mantis

Ya Wei had a wooden dummy out back of his family building, he showed our group a nice set. Very fast movement with alot of power. Wish I could learn.

Thank you Tainan Mantis for the great weekend in Tampa. I appreciate your Teaching style and the shared info. We are training hard.