2knuckleheads.net » Wing Chun

Cool Clip of Wing Chun

becki — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:54:09 +0000

Watch Mind Body & Kick Ass Moves – Wing Tsun on World of Martial Arts

This is the style of Kung Fu that I do.

Learning Cantonese

becki — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:36:53 +0000

I’m starting my Cantonese lessons from Pimsleur. The grammar isn’t tough, but there is no frame of reference for the words. The language is kind of fun though. It uses at least 6 different tones and saying the same word with a different tone changes the meaning of the word. It’s kind of like singing only the tones don’t map to a specific note, they are relative. For example, a tone can go from low to high or be mid flat. The Learn Chinese Easy website can give you more information if you are interested.

So why am I learning Cantonese? I want to go to Hong Kong and learn more Wing Chun. I’d like to be able to understand the instructor in Cantonese so I won’t have to try to find someone who speaks English or to have a translator. Also, I know that having some understanding of the local language makes travel much more enjoyable.

Wing Chun the Chinese TV Show

becki — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:49:13 +0000

I’m hooked on the Chinese TV show, Wing Chun. Although it has very short fight scenes and it is not historically accurate, I really enjoy the story. I’m not a martial arts film buff so the fact that so many well known and loved stars are in the series is lost on me. I’m sure it helps the quality of the series, and that is what I am enjoying.

Wing Chun is a 40 episode series, with each episode running about 40 minutes. I’ve seen 20 episodes so far and the story has been building and is about to shift. The story is a continuation of a well known movie, Prodigal Son, and is about a real-life Wing Chun kung fu master, Leung Jan, and his family. Jan is a widower with two sons, Bik and Chun. Per his master’s instruction, Jan is only allowed to teach one student. Jan is waiting to find the right student, and I am sure he would love to teach his oldest son Bik. Bik is irresponsible and reckless, but is also goodhearted.

There is a lot more going on in the show. The time is the early 20th century in Foshan, China. There is a lot of trouble with opium and Leung Jan helps combat the problem both working with the police and as a doctor providing treatment for addicts. This helps draw criminal attention to he and his family.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. I expect that I will learn a bit more about my kung fu lineage. Wong Wah-bo, played by Sammo Hung, is about to teach Bik Wing Chun, just as he taught Bik’s dad, Leung Jan. Leung Bik is one of the people who taught Ip Man, who taught his son, Ip Ching, who taught Ron Heimberger, who taught my teachers Scott and Frieda Woods.

Kung Fu

becki — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 23:53:16 +0000

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.