How to improve your Wing Chun

Whether you are struggling or excelling in Wing Chun, there's always room for improvement. This guide will give you several tips on how to improve as a Wing Chun practitioner for self defense by applying Wing Chun principles.

* Strike first - A big mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is waiting for an attack to happen. If you wait for an attack to happen, you might not have time to respond and it puts you on the defensive. By striking first, you control the flow and pace of the fight as your opponent is on the defensive. Make the first hit count especially if you plan on using Wing Chun for self defense. 

* Apply forward pressure - Another big mistake people make is not closing the gap and applying forward pressure. I've made this mistake myself where my sparring partner was throwing uppercuts, crosses, jabs, and realized Wing Chun's power comes from driving your body forward as you attack or defend. If you simply stand there deflecting and attacking your opponent without stepping forward, all your opponent has to do is either move forward to grapple you or back to avoid getting hit. Once you have the opportunity to attack, you keep stepping forward until your opponent is overwhelmed with attacks or falls over. 

In this example (ignore the rest), notice how the Wing Chun chain punches the Muay Thai fighter while stepping forward to drive the fighter back into a mirror. This is the concept of applying forward pressure.   

* Take your opponent off balance - Another common mistake is not taking your opponent off balance. As long as your opponent is still standing, you have not eliminated the threat effectively. Removing your opponent's balance is one of the principles in Wing Chun. If your opponent tries to do a kick, step forward to intercept it and cause your opponent to lose balance then deliver powerful blows to knock him or her over. If your opponent tries to do a high kick, tan sao or trap the leg and deliver a stomp kick to the side of the knee in the rear leg. The quicker you can take your opponent off balance, the quicker the fight will end.

* Keep your balance - The proper way to keep balancing is knowing how much pressure to apply to which foot. Improper application of energy leads to loss of balance. For example you should not put all of your weight in the rear foot and no power in your kicking foot. A solid structured alignment, footwork, and proper use of pressure are all essential in keeping your balance. 

* Steal your opponent's balance - One effective method of keeping your balance is by taking your opponent's. For example, when you are about to fall over and your opponent throws a straight punch - you could trap the hand while delivering a front kick of your own. 

* Don't mirror your opponent's centerline - If you mirror your opponent's centerline, you will have to face all of his or her limbs than if you fought on the outside. By moving to the outside or blindside, you will only have to deal with one arm and leg as you are in a better position to strike. If your opponent rushes in for a kick or punch for example, move in to the side and deliver a kick to the rear leg or trap the arm before you attack. 

* Don't retreat - A mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is falling back from an attack. You might create distance but this doesn't give you an advantageous position. Rather than move back, step to the side in order for you to get a superior position to attack while avoiding the line of your opponent's attack. For example, i'd step to the side and deliver a counter-attack to a charging opponent rather than move back then face the possibility of falling over. You retreat only when necessary to create space and even if you do, you don't lose contact. If say an opponent advances to seize an opportunity to attack me, i move back but deliver a straight punch in the process to create distance before i apply forward pressure.

* Control your opponent - There are many Wing Chun practitioners who allow their opponents to control them rather than the other way around. They lose structure, balance, and technique before it turns into a grappling contest. Controlling your opponent is one of the most fundamental principles in Wing Chun. If you are within range for example, use fook sao to bring your opponent's head forward while delivering a strike to the face. Grab your opponent by the hair or clothing for leverage. Control the elbows to nullify your opponent's striking ability then throw him or her to the ground. Control your opponent, don't let your opponent control you. 

* Go with the flow - Another fatal mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is fighting force with force. Wing Chun is about absorbing strength and using it against your opponent. If your opponent grabs your arm and pulls you forward, that's fine because he/she is bringing you into your attacking range quickly. If your opponent tries to pull back from your lap sao, help him or her fall over by letting go and delivering a kick to the groin.

* Watch your opponent's elbow and control it - The elbow moves slower than the fist. Therefore, keep your eyes on the elbow and you will predict what your opponent will do.

* Proper elbow alignment - Your hands should defend your upper body while your elbows should be aligned to defend your lower body. If your opponent tries to uppercut, you elbow strike the fists and cause them to break.

Practice these principles in your training and sparring sessions. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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Ineffective Wing Chun training for self defense

Despite being a Wing Chun practitioner, i must be honest and admit that there are several ineffective training methods in Wing Chun that will get you hurt or killed in a street fight. They only work for health benefits, sparring with a Wing Chun partner, preserving tradition, etc. They don't transition well to self defense unless you adapt your training methods for that specific purpose. The list is as follows:

* Forms - Wing Chun usually begins with practicing forms. There's nothing wrong with forms except that your doing all sorts of movements and you have no idea how to apply them in combat. You probably won't even use most of the techniques from the Wing Chun forms in a street fight. Why not spar all out with a partner and apply the ones you will need instead? The only useful form that will help you is the Mook Yan Jong Wing Chun wooden dummy form. It will develop your reflexes, arm conditioning, understanding of angles, centerline, positions, power, speed, simultaneous attack and defense, etc.

* Trapping - Wing Chun practitioners teach the concept of trapping usually by getting a neutral stance and sparring with a partner in hand to hand combat. The goal is basically to feel your partner out for certain openings and create them by grabbing the arm or wrist as you attack at once. This training method of Wing Chun trapping only works provided that an opponent isn't exerting any pressure at all but how likely is that to happen in a street fight? If you try trapping an aggressive violent attacker who exerts forward pressure, you will be taken down quickly. Furthermore, the attacker could just pull away with the free hand and throw a haymaker or hook punch at you.

* Chi Sao - The same problem arises in Chi Sao as with trapping. Chi Sao's purpose is to feel your opponent's energy before you strike along with training sensitivity. A street fighter won't instigate a fight and say "here let me do my Chi Sao with you.." Chi Sao only works with a compliant partner not a noncompliant attacker on the street.

* Weapons training - Wing Chun weapons training relies on use of Wing Chun butterfly swords and poles. I suppose these would be effective for developing power and proper alignment but as far as self defense goes, they are useless unless you plan on carrying them wherever you go.

* Wing Chun sparring - This training is more effective than the others but it still has it's flaws. Your only sparring to beat a Wing Chun partner instead of the average street attacker. How likely is it for a Wing Chun practitioner to attack you on the street? Your average or above average person on the street will most likely not be compliant and attack you in the same fashion a Wing Chun practitioner would. Even when i knew almost nothing about martial arts in my teen years, i would not attack someone like Wing Chun practitioners do in a sparring session. I'd go for combos with wild attacks before i try a takedown, use improvised weapons, etc.

Now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that all of these training methods are completely useless. It just depends on how you train them properly. Wing Chun sifus may argue "well these training methods aren't designed for combat, only for you to understand Wing Chun principles and concepts.." To this i respond, if that's the case then why not apply them in actual sparring? Why invest time practicing traditional training methods before you learn how to apply them in combat? These Wing Chun training methods only work for showing off or preserving tradition. How do you train trapping, chi sao, weapons, and forms for self defense? Through all out no holds barred sparring. Instead of forms, practice proper alignment and efficiency with a sparring partner using certain offensive or defensive techniques from Sil Lum Tao, Chum Kiu, or Biu Jee. Instead of trying to trap both arms, you trap only one from the outside and attack at once. Instead of trying to do Chi Sao and feel your opponent's energy before you go in, learn how to control it in sparring against a punch or grapple. Instead of sparring with just Wing Chun practitioners, practice with a variety of partners using different styles. Instead of learning how to use Wing Chun weapons, learn how to use and disarm modern weapons.

In conclusion, Wing Chun must adapt to the present day in order for it to be effective in self defense.If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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How to beat a boxer in Wing Chun

If you've seen the movie IP Man 2 or IP Man 3 then you may be inspired to know whether or not Wing Chun beats boxing in a fight or vice versa. Truthfully, neither would. It all depends on how good the fighter is in the style. As a Wing Chun practitioner, I have a few ideas in defending against a boxer who may unfortunately try to harm you. These tips should only be used for self defense, not to show off who's the better fighter or which style is superior.

* Use proper structure - the mistake I've seen many Wing Chun fighters make is lack of proper fighting structure. Your arms should not be elevated all the way up at head level as it leaves your lower body exposed. You also should maintain your back structure when fighting.

* Use your elbows - What's the key in beating a boxer? Hint - it's in the elbows and their alignment. When getting in proper fighting structure, make sure that your elbows are slightly bent downwards so you can protect your lower body. When a boxer throws a punch, your elbow should be a block but also a strike to keep in line with Wing Chun principle of simultaneous attack/defense. If your opponent has no gloves on then his/her fists will break on impact. Practice putting power into your Bong Saos and elbow strikes. Make sure to also keep your eyes on the opponent's elbows. No matter how fast they hit, you will always be able to use your elbows to attack and defend at once due to distance along with eye coordination. Be sure to practice downward elbow strikes to counter uppercuts.

* Keep the pressure on the boxer - One of the most common mistakes i've seen Wing Chun fighters on youtube make is failing to keep the pressure on the boxer. Wing Chun fighters linger back and try to find angles of attack or patiently wait for the boxer to come. Don't wait. Wing Chun is about aggression and eliminating the threat at close range. Get close to the boxer and strike with a flurry of attacks. If he retreats, you keep following him until you back him into a corner. Don't let him breathe for a moment.

* Keep your distance - Another problem is failure to keep your distance. Control the distance with kicks between you and the boxer rather than punches. If your too close to a boxer, you will get hit. If your too far, you won't be able to hit. Aim for the knees or sides of the knees to throw the boxer off balance before you close the gap and get into striking range.

* Use different angles of attacks and blocks - Another common mistake i've noticed Wing Chun fighters make is only training to block attacks coming straight forward. Boxers train to strike at many different angles such as throwing an uppercut punch so you must learn not only how to respond but how to counter at different angles as well. It may come as a surprise to Wing Chun fighters that Wing Chun also has uppercut punches in some Wing Chun forms. What's the difference? The Wing Chun uppercut is delivered without compromising the Wing Chun body structure.

* Know when to strike and where - As soon as there's an opportunity to attack such as after a boxer finishes a punch, close the gap and strike hard at the boxer. Strike at his center of mass, temples, legs, sternum, throat, sides of the neck, the eyes, groin, nose, etc. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. It takes more time for an attack in a curved line to reach it's target than a straight one. Therefore, when a boxer throws a hook punch, it would be a great opportunity to simultaneously deflect and strike at the centerline as you close the gap.

* Control the elbows - once you close the gap, immediately control elbows preferably from behind the boxer. From there, knock the boxer off balance and finish him quickly.

Some additional tips to consider:

* Beware of the bob and weave - If the boxer is good, he/she will bob and weave before attacking you from a different position. The key is to focus on the boxer's lower body such as the knees and waist for areas of attack.

* Training - Practice your simultaneous elbow strikes and defenses. The key to drawing power is using your hips and turning your whole body as you strike. Practice your turning stance as you strike, your combinations, eye-hand coordination, quick reflexes, sticking to Wing Chun principles, mobile footwork, and sparring with a boxer if possible.

Hopefully you've learned from this guide and are better equipped at dealing with a boxer. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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