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I've finally had enough of wing chun. I've trained for a 8yrs but feel unsatisfied at my current progress and have no motivation..It seems the instructor that I was training with seems to hold things back and I'm unimpressed by the other wing chun instructors in my area.
Thinking of taking thai boxing and escrima.Any of you wing chun guys practice these arts? Do you use "wing chun concepts" when you practice these arts?
GM of Hadaka Korosu
After 8 years in ANY MA, you should be able to kick ass and take names.
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But what if your 147 lbs and 5ft 9 and not a natural athlete ?Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin
One of the things that attracted me to wing chun was the idea that a smaller person could beat a bigger guy but this is more difficult in practise !
Last edited by IRONMONK; 08-26-2009 at 05:51 AM.
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(Note to self, and to sanjuro ronin, do not get involved in another size doesn't matter argument)
You might find you use aspects of your wing chun in Thai boxing, (especially in the clinch work were any sensitivity you have gained will be a big help) but ultimately they are different styles so at the very least if you are fed up it will be a change and might be just what you need
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Where are you based? Find another teacher further afield?
Registered User
Good and knowledgeable wing chun teachers are not easy to find.
As far as sensible dialogue on many subjects specially martial arts and most specially wing chun- this quote is perceptive:
“The velocity and volume on the Web are so great that nothing is forgotten and nothing is remembered,” says Leon Wieseltier, the literary editor of The New Republic. “The Internet is like closing time at a blue-collar bar in Boston. Everyone’s drunk and ugly and they’re going to pass out in a few minutes.”
Start your engines!
joy chaudhuri
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First: I'm really sorry. I went to a karate/kung-fu mix of a school. They watered things down and held me back for 8-9 years. It wasn't until I got more martial arts exposure and matured in my early 20's that I realized that I hard partly wasted my time. I feel your pain!
Like SR said, 8 years is a bit much. When you look at more of the 'pressure-tested' arts, you'll see that within 1-2 years, you're banging with the big boys. I can see the issue....if you get back into Wing Chun, you'll want to fast track and make it work. And part of you has been let down, so it honestly might be easier to just switch arts.
So the way I see it, you've got a few options:
1. Find another Wing Chun instructor, tell them the deal and fast track your learning.
2. Take what you've got and make it your own. Research other families via youtube, bittorrent, DVDs, etc. Spar, spar, spar and make your WC your own.
3. Drop the Chun and get into something else. You'll notice similarities of angles, etc that will easily translate from your Wing Chun into any martial art/system. Don't feel like you've completely wasted your time.
Wish you all the best in your journey,
K
“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.” – Friedrich Engels
Cybernetic Polymath
I'm 6'1 and 150lbs. I started Wing Chun in 97. I trained for 5 years, and was feeling pretty good about my striking skills, then promptly got demolished by an internal stylist. So I checked out Tai Ji, Xing Yi, and Ba Gua. It was cool, and I took some classes, but the instructor kept mentioning this guy in town who did a form of Zi Ran Men, and eventually suggested that I go train that. So I found the guy, and boy am I ever glad I did!
From my experience, training in another art will not "degrade" your Wing Chun; on the contrary, I find that the more I learn, the more perspective I get on what Wing Chun is and how it's meant to develop skill.
Wing Chun was often described to me as an art that you would traditionally learn once you had a strong MA/fighting background. It's only somewhat recently that Wing Chun has been taught as a base art/skill set.
My recommendation: If you have any internal schools in the area, check them out... otherwise, your Muay Thai/MMA idea sounds good! Maybe consider Judo as well?
"It is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and to forget his own." -Cicero
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I don't feel my training has been a complete waste of time ..i think i've got a decent punch(used to be extremely featherfisted) and have used it successfully in a streetfight.
However, the last few years it seems that the instructor is holding back on the advanced techniques etc and as a result my progress has stagnated IMO
Wing Chun Fighter
What sorta of advance techniques do you feel your lacking?
Also do you know all three hands forms?
You may need to begin to meditate, drill, test, and spar with new techniques.
Keep in mind that most instructors train WC as their lively hood. its a business. Plus they may not even have the advance techniques you seek. But you know what it doesn't mind. So they may or may not want to give out all their trade secrets. If they even have any. Ha Ha. But after a while many techniques should be revealed to you by simply practicing, meditating and sparring with different people.
Seek out other WChunners in your area. Attempt to context with them and learn from one another. Also the video thing is good. Since you have a strong foundation you can look at videos and read insightful books on WC to increase your knowledge of your art.
Last edited by Yoshiyahu; 08-26-2009 at 08:57 AM.
The Flow is relentless like a raging ocean with crashing waves devasting anything in its path.
"Kick Like Thunder, Strike Like Lighting, Fist Hard as Stones."
"Wing Chun flows around overwhelming force and finds openings with its constant flow of forward energy."
"Always Attack, Be Aggressive always Attack first, Be Relentless. Continue with out ceasing. Flow Like Water, Move like the wind, Attack Like Fire. Consume and overwhelm your Adversary until he is No More"
GM of Hadaka Korosu
In 8 years of training in ANY MA that actually involves fighting, you should be able to fight, regardless of size.
Banned
1) If he's holding back after all this time, get out of there.
2) If you're not doing some serious contact sparring (including headshots) on a very regular basis, ie.- at least once a week, get out of there.
3) If you're over the "I'm a small guy who's looking for the silver bullet in order to beat bigger guys" idea (that lots of wing chun instructors try to sell), then get out of there and get into a Muay Thai, boxing, or kickboxing school that spars regularly.
This third option might be the best idea, as some exposure to other striking systems like the ones I mentioned would be good for you sooner or later anyway - as it would expand your striking horizons for the better even if you were satisfied with your present school.
Last edited by Ultimatewingchun; 08-26-2009 at 09:15 AM.
Registered User
Are you at liberty to say who the Sifu is? Have you sat down and talked to your Sifu about how you feel? If so, what was his response? Do you do anything more than just attend class - hang out at his house, get together with others after class or other days?
I don't agree that after 8 years you should be anything but yourself. Time goes by quickly. I have seen those claiming to be in martial arts for over 10 years and they can't fight at all. Keep in mind that you train martial arts for a goal. You should be charting milestones. There are good instructors and bad ones. but make sure you have made yourself heard. Remember, your Sifu has many students but you have only one Sifu.
Do you have any relationship with a Sihing who can show you these "advanced" techniques you think the Sifu is holding back?
Moy Yat Kung Fu - Martial Intelligence
Junior Member
What is being withheld?
Registered User
A famous Wing Chun Sifu has said many times if you don't have a good WC teacher in your area learn from whatever style you can find that has a good teacher. Whats good for one person isn't good for another.. so try the thai boxing and escima see if you like it. I know a few people that do kali or whatever its called.. I can't figure out the differences.. but they both have triangle style footwork and many similarities .. but also many differences. It really depends on the style of WC you are leaving.. The thai boxing personally from experience will be hard. The footwork is very different. Depending on the style of Thai boxing you may be doing allot of different things. Thai boxing may be more for you.. keep a open mind.
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