Why Wing Chun?

what would you two wing chun guys say about the common criticism/perception that wing chun has poor (or no) footwork?

Sorry to take over your forum, Nick! Out of interest, who do you train with in wing chun?

Also, do you ever go over to California? Gary Lam's school is meant to be totally fantastic if you ever get the chance to visit.

Blackshield:

There´s no footwork at all in the first form and very little footwork at the beginning. The footwork only really begins with the second form. IMO, it´s very good, but it´s one of the parts that is likely to get watered down or missed if people rush through the system.

All the best,
RGC

Blackshield, The footwork is really the secret too the system, but most schools unfortunatly overlook it, the second form is where you learn to move...its designed to move at short range with power but also using technique that will break the enemy down ie disable his weapons system..without effective footwork you cant make that happen..The Dummy form takes this to a much higher level..maintaing the principle of 3 points of contact ie 1 arm and 2 legs bridging the opponent or checking the opponents primary weapons..idealy with one hand free for attack or defence..although Wing Chun is primarily an attacking art...this is all hard to do as the technique is done on the dummy in one motion so footwork is taken to a high level...

Ps Im not really a WC man..did it for 18 months and loved it still keep in touch with a couple of the lads and chi sao with my cousin fairly iregularly..Im now training Goshinkwai which is great..but still like to think and do a bit of WC with mates etc...If i had the time and cash though id definetly do both and would also chuck in the FMA which i also enjoyed..

Yeah Ive never met Socrates but seem to see things Wing Chun more or less the same which is bloody RARE in the WC world....

And yeah the longer the better..we used to work on 7 to 8 years to complete the system but deeper is better and my old sifu spent 5 years onthe first form alone he spent 15 years doing the system, so i would probably go along with Socrates that 10 years is good part time..but would add 7 years would be a minimum...

Once you get into it you dont want to rush anyway..there so much in there to get......

I still do the first form every morning and it has givenm me tremendous benefits..there is also a health side to WC and that is something again which is overlooked....I may not be a WC expert..but when youve eaten in atop restaurant you know the difference!!! hope the above helps and wish you well...

matty

Here´s a nice little video with some footwork: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guWUo8qS53U&search=wing%20chun

The clip I saw was from th thighs/hips up. Yes, these guys were moving about, but you couldn't actually see any footwork.

Was that the right clip?

You're right, you can´t actually see their feet, but they move from one side of the room to the other and back again. The stereotype of wing chun is that people just stand completely still...

I trained in the Samuel Kwok lineage under two guys called Kevin (can't remember his surname, but he was pretty arrogant) and Dave Carnell.

We did move about, but it was with much of the weight on the back leg. It was like hopping about like an injured chicken!

Dave got out though and went into JKD as far as I am aware.

Didn't those guys offer you an instructorship after a year? That´s the perfect example of people being rushed through the system...

Yep.

They asked me to open my own class in less than a year actually. It was all fuelled by finances. In fairness to Sam Kwok he didn't seem to be involved in that part of it, just the two guys running the club I attended.

I made my excuses and left!