Recently, I taught an Advanced Class at the United States Headquarters of the International Academy of WingChun (IAW) in Berkeley, California. My theme was combination applications of the IAW WingChun Wu Sao (Protecting Arm). I had students practice 3 concepts demonstrated here in less than 5 seconds with Sihing Brandon Solano.
Below is a brief technical analysis of the three Wu Sao (Protecting Arm) combination options against a right straight punch:
mo·men·tum
noun | mō-ˈmen-təm
1. the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity.
You study WingChun, not physics, so why care about momentum? One goal in WingChun is maximizing the projection of our physical power. That increases your destructive effect, which is valuable for you to rapidly end a self-defense encounter. As the study of matter, energy and their interaction, physics is relevant to this objective. Remember, physics is not abstract but emerges from the observation of reality. Momentum is the aspect of physics that describes the quantity of motion an object has.
Of course, you have to repeat WingChun movements many thousands of times towards proficiency. But knowledge of momentum will help you do so with better results sooner. It is theory that will benefit your practice by understanding what variables to adjust, whereas WingChun shows you how. You might even say WingChun is physics in action. Continue reading
Over the last two months, I’ve travelled nearly 25,000 miles to teach WingChun throughout the United States, Taiwan and the Philippines. It inspired me to see such a diversity of students motivated to learn the art. This stimulated me to pass on as much knowledge as I could in our limited time together. Given the large amount of material we covered, a common concern was voiced: How do I remember everything?
First, we must accept that 100% recall is impossible. Sometimes apprehending 50% is impressive enough! Your brain has a limited capacity to absorb new information before reaching saturation. That is why ongoing lessons and repeated corrections from a live teacher are mandatory. To support this process, note taking is invaluable. By jotting down notes during or after a class, you have to mentally replay what you learned. This exercise reinforces your memory.
I’m going to discuss a method of WingChun training which we call Form. There are four Forms in our system, each with its own range and quality of movement. The first Form, Siu Nim Tau, focuses your intention and power into a single technique. The second Form, Tsum Kiu, coordinates all four limbs into asymmetrical combinations. The third Form, Biu Jee, teaches torso dynamics. The fourth Form, Mok Yan Jang, increases the synergy of your whole body. These are generalities but give you an idea of our Form objectives. Continue reading
Sihing Paul Wang teaches Sihing Ayron Johnson Section 3.
The International Academy of WingChun (IAW) imparts both a comprehensive learning methodology and teaching pedagogy of WingChun Self-Defense.
Previously, I introduced “Feed, Read, Deed” to guide your practice of specific exercises. The following — “Collect, Correct, Connect” — is a general framework to identify certain dimensions of progress. It clarifies the mode of learning you undergo at any moment. Continue reading
Sifu Paul Wang 