Wing Chun Blog Sifu Garry
Wing Chun Stances
When an individual first starts to train Wing Chun
Kung Fu, he/she generally assumes all Wing Chun is the same.
This is the furtherest thing from the truth.
In China there are seven main wing chun families
with many off shoots.
The principles directions of wing chun stem from
Leung Zhan, Yun Kah San, Chan Wah Shun and Ip Man.
There are many different stances in the Wing Chun
system.
The two predominate stances are 50/50 weight
distribution and 70/30 or 60/40 weight distribution.
Some wing chun styles start from a front stance,
some from a neutral stance and some from a side neutral stance.
A lot of wing chun stances step heel first and some
step toe first.
I personally believe you must always have 50/50
weight distribution. Then, you are in control of your balance and you will be
able to utilize interrupt ability. If your stance is not 50/50 in weight
distribution you will be deemed off balance and over committed to a certain
direction.
For example. If you have most of your weight on the
back leg, it will be very difficult to move backwards. Similarly with the front
leg. All the weight or some will make it difficult to move forward.
A philosophy of Wing Chun is to always assume your
opponent is bigger, stronger and more powerful.
In Combat there is always the unexpected. So
balance and speed is paramount. So when you are 50/50 you can interrupt your
movements when something unexpected happens.
Also, with balance and speed you will produce Power.
I have had this debate with many a practitioner
that leans on the back leg. They always state that “we do not step back”. This
is a very impractical statement to make. Obviously, these people have never
been confronted by a 120kg African or very large person of any nationality
trying to harm you.
A car cannot have a head on with a truck and
survive.
If someone large attacks you, you can step to the
side if quick enough, but most of the time situations occur to quickly and
stepping to the side is not an option.
Therefore, you must make space and step back. If
your stance is 50/50 you can accomplish this with the minimum of ease because
you are not over committed or off balance.
In Traditional Wing Chun, the Biu Jee form trains
the concept of “Pursuit and Retreat”.
Traditional Wing Chun also has the “Exchange step”
which enables a practitioner to take a full step back while the Assailant is
half stepping. This will create space for you to change direction and counter
successfully.
Too many Martial Arts practise techniques in class
but cannot use them is self defence, but pay heaps of money to learn
impractical self defence.
Always remember. If you practise a technique in
class, you have to be able to use it in a real situation, otherwise you are wasting
your time and developing a false sense of security.
In any Sport, balance, speed, power and interrupt
ability are imperative, especially Combat!!
