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Arm training in Wing Tsun Kung Fu

Training the arms in WingTsun is not the same as weight training. We will explain the training methods in a minute but first, some explanations:

The ultimate purpose of arm training in WingTsun is to deliver a serious and disabling strike to a vital area of a serious attacker as a self-defense method. To do this, the aim is to develop flexibility, reactivity, control, explosive power and sticky energy. The benefits are fast hand speed, ability to intercept oncoming attacks to the face or body, develop spacial relationships, precision hand movements, reaction time increased behind the wheel of a car, catch falling objects out of the air, react quickly to all manner of unpredictable emergencies, hands stay flexible into old age as long as the practice continues.

The training methods are:

January 2, 2019/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Self Defense, skills

Available Self-Defense Skills

Grandmaster Leung Ting, has said that WingTsun™ is not a ‘style’ but a system. All the parts work together without contradiction. Carried further, Wing Tsun is a concept. It is a system not weighted down by thousands of techniques grouped together from several disciplines, the majority of which are unrelated as to concepts. They would be impossible to put together and used with any degree of speed or reliability. In a real self-defense situation, a defender must react spontaneously according to the moment. There certainly is not any time to re-think that anti-grapple or that kick you just learned the way it was done in class. You must react according to the concept rather than the choreography. After all, your attacker doesn’t know this movement and he doesn’t care! Self-defense that is available is the most useful.

December 29, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, skills, Techniques, Training

The Wing Tsun Secret

Once a layperson who has an interest in martial arts also becomes acquainted with Wing Tsun (or wing chun) techniques, the fascination often begins. Due partly to online videos, tons of chatter, posts, blogs, and YouTube stars, many “wing chun fans” become obsessed. All the internet surfer wants to do is be like the guy in the videos or the star of the movie about Yip Man. It is a shame that the obsession doesn’t include an obsession with the ‘secret’ of Wing Tsun.

December 2, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Self Defense, skills

Evading Attack

Two methods of evading an attack using Wing Tsun methods will be described here. Evading an attack in the martial art of Wing Tsun™ involves movement in the most economical way. Wing Tsun uses the smallest movements possible. The first method involves a compact turning out of the path of the attack. Only one foot is required to make the turn. It might be more accurate to call this a shift. A practitioner of Wing Tsun™ turns on the center of the foot. To train this skill, you must be sure that both the toe and the heel turn at the same rate and angle. As you do this, 100% of your body weight must shift to one leg. The back remains straight with gravity. Your back must not lean back. The turn is normally at least 45 degrees but can be as much as 90 degrees. The non-weighted leg remains on the floor with light pressure but NO weight!

November 23, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, History and Philosophy, Techniques

The Direct, Practical, Force-borrowing, Economical Movements of Wing Tsun

The legendary founder of Wing Tsun is supposed to have analyzed the techniques of her native martial art, Shaolin and found it impractical to learn and impractical to use in a real encounter against her stronger male adversaries. She reduced the repeated movements in the forms and reduced the total number of choreographed forms. It is doubtful that the full transformation in developing her own method took place in one generation. She taught another female, a teenager named Yim Wing Tsun and it was passed among a series of family members and “Red Boat” opera performers over a 250-year history.

November 5, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Forms, Siu Nim Tau, Training

Your Training Can Benefit From the Lessons of the Little Idea

The Siu Nim Tau is the first set of movements of Wing Tsun kungfu. The literal translation is the “Little Idea Form.” The first section of the form is done slowly. We are told by our instructors that doing it daily is important and the slower the better. The form has multiple benefits including a deep breathing subset which has a de-stressing benefit.

After you perform the Siu Nim Tau, is that the end of it? Are there not lessons we can gain from this form, this practice?

October 24, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Personal Growth, Self Defense, skills

Wing Tsun in Defense and Attack

From the first few Wing Tsun lessons, you learn to move both hands at the same time, doing different tasks. We know that if you try to defend first, then attack, it is much too late. Your opponent’s next attack is already on the way! It is completely unrealistic to consider the defend-then-attack scenario. We see this all the time in real fights. Quite often the combatants attack at the same time. Often, both miss in landing their first attacks.

October 14, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Forms, Self Defense

Everything has a Purpose

Wing Tsun is an old martial art, the creator(s) of which which reduced the number of movements of the old Shaolin systems to create a new system. Relatively fewer representative techniques remain within Wing Tsun forms to preserve them and allow you, a practitioner, to access the roots and intentions of the founders. Unlike other arts of that era, however, Wing Tsun became an urban self-defense system with applications highly relevant for today.

October 11, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Forms, Personal Growth

Mind and Body Coordination

The first form, called the Little Idea Form, teaches one hand at a time, standing in one place. The second section of the form teaches two hands at a time doing the same technique. The third section of the form uses more complex movements using one hand at a time. The whole set of movements, all three sections are performed standing in one place.
The second form adds in mobile footwork and two hands doing two different tasks. It contains elements of multiple attacker skills training. It also contains three different kicking methods.

October 7, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Blog, Personal Growth

Self-Mastery

Many people who enter training in a martial art in today’s America take it as a lark. They want to brag to their friends that they “take kung-fu” or they “take karate.” In ancient times the real purpose was to defend oneself as a soldier or to survive in violent times. Very seldom was there a situation where a student walked into a school of martial arts to start their training. More often, a family member or a friend of a friend recommended an instructor. Instruction might have taken place behind closed doors. An instructor kept an eye on their new student for at least several months to see if they had what it takes and that their student would not bring dishonor to their martial arts family.

September 26, 2018/by Sifu Sonnenberg

Arm training in Wing Tsun Kung Fu

Available Self-Defense Skills

The Wing Tsun Secret

Evading Attack

The Direct, Practical, Force-borrowing, Economical Movements of Wing Tsun

Your Training Can Benefit From the Lessons of the Little Idea

Wing Tsun in Defense and Attack

Everything has a Purpose

Mind and Body Coordination

Self-Mastery

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