Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 5: Wing Chun Principles
• Part 2 of 5: How to Learn Wing Chun
• Part 3 of 5: Siu Lim Tao
• Part 4 of 5: Chum Kiu
• Part 5 of 5: More Complex Wing Chun Forms
• Tips
• Warnings

Wing Chun is a style of kung fu that emphasizes hand-to-hand combat, quick strikes and solid defense to defeat an opponent.In this traditional Chinese martial art, the adversary is destabilized by the quick footwork, defense and attack that occur simultaneously, and the redirection of the opponent's energy towards himself. It will take years to master this complex form of Kung Fu, but beginners can start learning Wing Chun by understanding its principles, mastering the theory and mastering basic skills.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Wing Chun Principles

1. 1 Learn about center line theory. The basic principle of Wing Chun is to protect the center line of the body. Imagine a line that starts from the middle of the crown of your head, runs along the middle of your ribcage and your lower body. This is the center line of your body that is most vulnerable. She must always be protected.
   • According to this theory, one should always attack the center line and perform moves at the level of the opponent's center line.
   • The basic open stance in Wing Chun is based on the center line theory. In an open stance, you need to look in front of you, bend your knees, and turn your feet slightly outward. If the enemy is in front of you, then you will be able to attack in the best way, proportionate the strength.
2. 2 Use energy wisely and sparingly. The key principle of Wing Chun is that during combat, energy should be spent sparingly and with restraint. Harness your opponent's energy by deflecting or redirecting blows.
   • Move prudently and intelligently. The point is that the body, when it comes into contact with the adversary, must travel the shortest distance in a minimum period of time. This allows you to save your own strength.
3. 3 Stay relaxed. Forces are wasted if the body is in a tense state. Relax your body and you will feel more at ease.
   • If you have experience with other martial arts (especially "hard styles"), you will have to "empty your glass" or unlearn bad habits. Wing Chun is a soft style with many neutralizing techniques that require you to be "soft" and relaxed. Changing muscle memory and developing relaxation habits can be challenging and time consuming, but it will come in handy in the future.
4. 4 Hone your reflexes. A warrior using the Wing Chun technique, thanks to well-developed reflexes, acts in battle in such a way as to interrupt the attack and continue the battle on his own terms.
5. 5 Change your combat strategy depending on the enemy and the surrounding conditions. The enemy can be tall or short, big or small, male or female, and so on. It is the same with the conditions of a battle, which can take place in rain, heat, cold, outdoors, indoors, and so on. Be prepared to adapt to any combat conditions.
6. 6 Learn about Wing Chun forms. Wing Chun is divided into six successive forms, each of which is based on the previous one. In each form, you need to know the correct stance, body position, movements of the arms and legs, as well as the balance of forces. These forms include:
   • Siu Lim Tao;
   • Cham Kiu;
   • Biu Ji;
   • Muk Yang Chong;
   • Bow Dim Boon Kwan;
   • Bat Cham Dao.

Part 2 of 5: How to Learn Wing Chun

1. 1 Find Wing Chun School. Martial arts schools often focus on one style of martial arts, especially for serious students. Wing Chun schools or clubs may be affiliated with a martial arts association. Look online or in the phone book for the number of your local Wing Chun school.
   • Check with your local martial arts schools to see if they teach Wing Chun. They can only teach the basics, and if you are in the mood for advanced Wing Chun you may need to look elsewhere for advanced Wing Chun classes.
   • Meet the sifu (instructor) and ask about his qualifications. How many years has he been practicing? How did he learn Wing Chun?
   • Attend a Wing Chun class. Feel how the Sifu conducts the class and how the other students are reacting.
   • Personal Wing Chun training is the preferred method.
2. 2 Study Wing Chun on the Internet or DVDs. Many sites have self-guided Wing Chun lessons. They usually have videos for different skill levels, as well as a flexible subscription price depending on your level of experience (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.) and access to the materials. This can be useful if there are no qualified instructors or Wing Chun schools in your area. They can also improve your personal learning if you are already attending Wing Chun School. Choose a DVD set or online course taught by a Grandmaster or Wing Chun Master.
   • Some online courses also issue certificates to high-level students who would like to teach their students in turn.
   • Some online courses offer one-to-one training with a Grandmaster via a webcam.
   • Applications available for Apple or Android phones can help you learn Wing Chun.
   • For example, the "Online Wing Chun Course" published and approved by the International Wing Chun Martial Arts Association Ip Man and the "Distance Learning Wing Chun Kung Fu" course (in English).
3. 3 Set aside a dedicated study space. Find a place in your home where you can practice Wing Chun. There should be enough room for you to be able to navigate in all directions. To test this, you can swing your arms and legs. You don't want your movements to be constrained by room furniture.
   • Ideally, there should be a mirror in the room so that you can observe your movements.
4. 4 Find a training partner. Learning the movements on your own will be of little benefit. Sooner or later, you will need to start learning how your movements interact with the enemy. Your partner will help you understand how to react to the other person's movements. He could also encourage you and make comments.

Part 3 of 5: Siu Lim Tao

1. 1 Learn about Siu Lim Tao. Siu Lim (or Nim) Tao, or "little idea", is the basis for many Wing Chun movements. Siu Nim Tao is the first form of Wing Chun and it is here that you will be taught the correct posture, control of your body, relaxation and basic hand movements.
   • First you need to master each section of Siu Lim Tao, and then move on to the next section and start learning other techniques.
   • Every movement of the primary form counts. These include pace, use of tension and relaxation, angles and distances. The form does not contain methods.
2. 2 Master Gong Lik. Gong Lik is the first section of Siu Nim Tao and focuses on good organization and relaxation. You will learn how to make an open stance in which the face is turned towards the opponent. Work to keep your body relaxed.
   • Practice in the Ji Kim Jung Ma stance or open stance. In this stance, you need to face forward. Turn your feet slightly outward. Bend your knees. The weight should be evenly distributed on both legs. In order to master the movements of the arms and hands, focus on the position of the arms and elbows. This frontal stance will give you the greatest advantage in combat, for example, with your arms and legs, you can defend your center line. It is better to use both sides of the body equally than to give preference to one side of the body.
3. 3 Master Fa Jing. Fa Jing is the second division of Siu Lim Tao. Fa Jing allows you to develop the release of power. Here you will learn how to use strength and how to conserve strength and energy. Focus on staying relaxed until the moment your hands are ready to strike.
   • One common movement in Fa Jing is the palm strike (Yang Jun) - to strike the opponent, the left hand opens, rotates with the palm down and moves downward.
4. 4 Master basic skills. The third section of Siu Lim Tao teaches the basic skills of hand movements and blocking blows, which is the basis for learning other Wing Chun techniques.
   • Some basic skills: Pak Sau or Huen Sau (kick), Tan Sau (palm up block), Gan Sau (splitting arm) and Bong Sau (wing arm). Most of the Siu Lim Tao practice in this section involves a combination of these movements. Having learned these skills, they must first be practiced on the left side and then on the right.

Part 4 of 5: Chum Kiu

1. 1 Learn about Cham Kiu. Cham Kiu, or "search for the bridge", is the movement of the whole body to complement what has already been learned in the basic form of Siu Lim Tau. From Cham Kiu, you will learn how to move your whole body correctly and effectively, paying attention to weight distribution and stability. Feet movements such as pivots and kicks are discussed here.
   • Before moving on to the next section and starting to learn other techniques, you must first master each section of Chum Kiu.
   • Before learning the secondary form, it is necessary to do a good job of turning the stance (shifting the horse's shape from side to side). In the primary form, the position is static, so this is very important.
2. 2 Master the first section of Cham Kiu. The first section, June, focuses on rotation, stability, and structure. In June, in order to fight effectively, the student begins to pay attention to what is around him, even what is behind him. It features moderate arm movements such as Jeep Sau (broken arm) and Foot Sau (blow to the eyes).
3. 3 Master the second section of Cham Kiu. In the second section, or Ser, Cham Kiu focuses on dodging enemy attacks and redirecting this energy towards them. You will learn to first move your arms and legs as a whole, and then independently of each other.
4. 4 Master the third section of Cham Kiu. The third section of Cham Kiu focuses on the use of force in conjunction with the movements of the arms and legs. It also uses a combination of tense arm movements and relaxed body movements to adapt to different combat scenarios. Here you will also practice turning the body to the right and left to develop stability, finding the center line during the fight.

Part 5 of 5: More Complex Wing Chun Forms

1. 1 Master Biu Ji. Biu Ji (piercing or shooting fingers) focuses on applying force at very short distances. Students will also learn about additional techniques, such as how to restore the centerline after a fall or grab. In each of the three sections of Biu Ji, to get out of a disadvantageous position, you will use combinations of arm and leg movements of the first two forms. This will help you take an offensive position to disarm the enemy using force at close range.
2. 2 Master Muk Yang Chong. Muk Yan Chong (or "wooden dummy") is an advanced form for practicing on a stationary opponent (wooden dummy). This will help you identify and understand how arm and leg movements are in contact with your opponent.
   • Since the dummy is stationary, adjustments to the shape should be made to match the simulator.
   • Some of the mannequin techniques are obvious. Keep in mind that some are responsive and some have different uses, reflected in a single movement in the set.
3. 3 Master Onion Dim Boon Kwan. This form, also known as the Six and a Half Point Pole, includes a pole that is used when attacking an opponent. By training with the pole, you will develop your balancing and defense skills.
4. 4 Master Bat Cham Dao. Bat Cham Dao ("eight cutting swords" or "butterfly knives") is the most advanced form in which short swords are used as weapons. The Bat Cham Dao form is not taught to everyone who can reach this level, but only to a select few. Form focuses primarily on precision, technique and position. Because of the knives, the movements of the arms and legs are slightly different from other shapes.

Tips

• The principles and techniques of Wing Chun are outlined in many books. However, books may be less useful than personal lessons, online tuition, or DVDs. Although they contain photographs of stances, techniques and styles, you will not be able to see how certain movements are performed correctly.
• Wing Chun was intended to be a combat system. Its methods and principles can be used not only as self-defense, but also as an offensive attack on the enemy's weak points, as well as when it opens up.
• Transitional movements, such as between the first and second images, are just as important as the start and end positions. These movements are not reflected in the printed matter.

Warnings

• While training or sparring Wing Chun, you can get small bumps and bruises. However, there is no need to be afraid of getting injured in training. If Wing Chun is taught properly, the injuries should not be more serious than minor bruises.
• Check with your doctor before starting any fitness program.