Does Your Footwork Work

Still standing strong.

WingChun footwork is equally important and misunderstood. So I decided to begin another four-part series to shed light on this intriguing topic.

The following are some ideas I’ve heard over the years. Do you believe:

  • The feet have to be parallel.
  • The feet should stand in one line.
  • The front leg pulls the back leg forwards.
  • The knees must press inwards.
  • The pelvis has to be tucked under.

I don’t. Strictly adhering to the above doesn’t feel comfortable, let alone compatible with Self-Defense, to me. Continue reading

Feed, Read, Deed (Part 2 of 4)

Continued from Part 1.

In Part 1, I introduced a simple model of how to appropriately train WingChun Applications. There were three elements, which I call Feed, Read and Deed. Now let’s further examine the first of these.

What is a Feed

By Feed I mean the action of the partner who plays the initiating attacker. In the IAW methodology we perform two kinds of Feeds: WingChun and non-WingChun.

The former we primarily train in the context of Chi Sao (黐手 Adhering Arms), Guo Sao (過手 Passing Arms) and Puen Sao (盤手 Coiling Arms), where both partners apply WingChun attacks. Secondly, when we do Applications, the Feeds are non-WingChun. Finally, Lat Sao (甩手 Casting Arms) is a hybrid of both Feed types. I will focus on Application Feeds below: Continue reading

WingChun Shoes

It's the shoes.

Train your footwork in sleek style. Now available in the US are official IAW shoes designed and developed by Sifu Klaus Brand that feature black canvas uppers, grey suede soles and reinforced heel seams.

Rather than bulkier athletic shoes, the WingChun Shoe allows you to feel more connected to the ground. This is vital in order to develop balance stability and solid stepping, which are the strong foundations that support powerful arm techniques. Continue reading