I’ve been attending a Wing Chun Kung Fu school since mid August. I’ve been casually interested in martial arts since I was a teenager, but never had time or money to pursue it. Like many people, it was Bruce Lee who piqued my interest in martial arts with the incredible speed and athleticism he displayed in his movies. I read a few books about him (this was prior to the Internet) and found that he first studied Wing Chun. He liked it because it was efficient and wasn’t full of flashy spins, jumps and kicks. I promised myself that if time and money allowed, I’d give Wing Chun a shot.
I’ve really enjoyed it. Our school is taught by a husband and wife team and they make a fun, safe environment for us to learn. They are not at all like some of the crazed instructors you may have seen in movies. There are no belts or tournaments either, so the focus is on learning and practicing your skills. There is a good mix of beginners, intermediate and advanced students too. The intermediate and advanced students work with us beginners on a regular basis, and that makes the drills a little more challenging and fun.
I like Wing Chun a lot. It doesn’t require a lot of physical strength or jumping ability, which is good considering my physical skills won’t get any better as I age. It does require a certain amount of coordination as we are usually attacking and defending at the same time, but it’s not too difficult after a little practice. I also like the mental aspect of the art. You don’t have any idea what your training partner is going to do, so it’s a bit like chess. You learn principals so you can apply them on the fly, and it is a LOT of fun when you get it without any thought.
I’m including this link for anyone who is interested in starting a martial art. Based on my experience, I think these are excellent questions to ask before choosing a style or joining a school.
