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| University of Nottingham | ||||
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Wing Chun Kung Fu |
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| Principles of Wing Chun | ||||
| There is mixed
reaction among the committee whenever people ask us what Wing Chun books
are good. Reason? Although there are one or two good books out
there, Michael Tse's book is one, there are many, many bad ones.
(see links for recommended books and websites.)
More importantly, even when the books are good, it is not advisable to learn from books. The information you'll find here will usually be on the principles of Wing Chun. Any other information will be beneficial to those who attend our sessions and need something to remind them of what they have done. They are not meant to be a way of "teaching" Wing Chun. |
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| Centerline Theory | ||||
| The centerline is
central to Wing Chun. It is argued that the entire
system of Wing Chun revolves around the centerline theory.
Although there are many different interpretations to what centerline theory is; the centerline is an imaginary line running down the center of your body. If you clasp your hands together with your arms in front of you, you'll form an arrow pointing away from your centerline. As you learn and practice Wing Chun you'll find that the main priority is to defend your centerline, as your most vulnerable areas lie on this line. The majority of the attacks and blocks in Wing Chun lie along the course of the imaginary arrow. In fighting, ideally you want your centerline to be in the more dominant position. Many interpret this as your centerline "arrow" pointing towards your enemy whilst forcing your opponent's "arrow" away from you. This is the most basic idea of dominance. However, there are many situations where your centerline does not point at your opponent yet you still have a dominant position. Only experience will teach you how to exert control in these situations. It is important to keep the centerline in the correct position. It is also your center of gravity, if your centerline is in the wrong position, if you lean too far back or too far forward, it also means you are imbalanced. This leaves you vulnerable. |
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| Gong Lik | ||||
| Updated
5 Nov 2000
© Brian Lee 2000 |
Many martial arts
you see, such as Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, are external arts. There
is a greater emphasis on muscular strength. Wing Chun is an internal
art. Instead of trying to build physical power we rely on speed,
accuracy and building internal energy: Chi energy or Gong Lik.
In the Western world, internal energy is sometimes perceived as mysterious and almost magical. It is not! But the idea of internal energy is very different from that of a culture of body building and going to the gym. Internal energy is the energy behind all movement. It is an intangible energy which gives rise to the controlled power within the internal martial arts. Internal energy maintains our bodies' health and growth, and many systems have grown up around developing it, examples of which include Chi Kung and yoga. Unlike muscular strength which deteriorate with age. If maintained, the level of internal energy a person has will not depend on whether the person is twenty-two or sixty-two. This is why, in the East, a walk in the park will reveal groups of people with an average age of seventy, actively practicing sports and martial arts. The type of internal energy used frequently in Wing Chun is 'Ging' energy, a spring-like energy. The benefits of internal energy over muscular strength is also that Ging energy can be used when the body is relaxed. If the body is tense, reactions immediately slow down. Speed is also compromised. By relying on internal energy rather than your strength, you are able to exert more control in your actions. It is hard to describe internal energy. It must be experienced to understand it. |
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Chi Sau or "Sticking Hands" is a very important part of Wing Chun. Because we fight at a very close distance, we cannot rely on our eyes to fight. We must instead, rely on sensitivity and correct positioning. Chi Sau is an exercise where students work to develop their skills by literally sticking to their partner's hands. Along with your partner you will engage both hands so they are in contact. (Dan Chi Sau is "single sticking hands") The first stage is to simply stay in contact with your partner's hands. This will teach you to sense your partner's movements by touch alone. This allows you to react and counter much more quickly and efficiently than using your eyes. The next stage is trying to move yourself into a more dominant position. Since both of you are doing this, you move from just sensing to controlling your partner's movements. Eventually, when you have learnt how to control your partner's movements you will try to strike your partner with controlled hits. This brings you one step nearer to close range fighting. Chi Sau is very structured. At first we will teach you to only sense movements before teaching you the correct Wing Chun "roll". When you begin to exert more control and try to strike your partner you'll find a greater emphasis on your positioning. All the time you must remain relaxed. Tension will "freeze" your arms and slow you down. Power is not the aim of Chi Sau, it is to develop control, sensitivity, and positioning. |
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