To become a high-level athlete, not only you need to train like one but also live and eat like one. It also means eating proper foods that will nourish and fuel you.

This mindset also applies to martial artists in ancient and present times. Martial artists in the past were soldiers, warriors, personal bodyguards, and securities for transportations of goods.

There are six pillars or components to be proficient in a martial art system. There are in the following:

 1) Form (拳)
 2) Principle and Theory(心)
3) Training (功)
4) Application (用)
5) Lifestyle (活)
6) Nutrition/ Diet (食)

In Wing Chun literature and maxim, it states the following. If two equally skilled martial artists are in a duel, the one who is better conditioned physically wins.

If you wish to take yourself into new heights with your fitness and martial art skill level, feel free to send me a message about my private classes.

As the saying goes – it is faster with a master, especially with the one who practices what he preaches.

In Wing Chun a lot of our techniques requires us to have our hands cooperating with one another as well with our legs in cross positions (example left hand moving with the right leg). In Wing Chun, one of our major goals is to attack and defend at the same time, this will allow us to become more efficient with our movements. One example is our Lap Da or Lap Sao techniquen, a counter-movement where one hand sinks the other opponent’s straight attack and the other hand punching. Without being coordinated we wouldn’t have the ability to execute the technique smoothly.

Being well coordinated also mean one is well-balanced. As human beings we already apply the principle of balance while we are walking. Our left hand will swing out, right foot steps forward vice versa. However, as a martial artist sometimes we tend to forget about this basic principle, where we think martial arts movements and everyday movements are two separate entity. One example will be our Tan Gerk (Push Kick), in order to have balance we will need an opposite arm coming forward. For example left hand out, right leg kicks, if we kick and block with the same arm there is a higher chance of falling down as there’s too much weight on side.

Below I have three exercises drills for your own person reference. These are some fundamental movements that I use for my own students.

I was at a workshop at the YMCA the other day on Meditation and Mindfulness. Thought I’ll share with you some exercises and notes that I thought were neat. Hope you enjoy!

What is Mindfulness
A state of active, open attention. Mindfulness is achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thought and bodily sensations.

Simple Meditation Exercise
Close your eyes and begin to focus on your breath. Take a few moments and allow your focus to broaden to your body and the sensations that it’s feeling. Now expand your focus to anything touching your body, noticing those sensations. Lastly expand your awareness to everything you can hear and sense. Now reverse this process and come back, one step at a time to your breath.

Mindful Appreciation Exercise
Notice five things in your day that usually go unappreciated. These things can be objects or people – it is up to you. use a notepad to check off five by the end of the day. Once you have identified your five things, make it your duty to find out everything you can about these things and bring awareness to how they support your life.

Mindful Eating Exercise
Five questions
Before, during and after you eat ask yourself these five questions.
1) Why do I want to eat?
2) What do you want to eat?
3) How much am I enjoying this food?
4) How full am I?
5) Why did I eat that (or that much)?

Why Mindfulness is a Superpower

I came across this article last week “The Death Of The Martial Artist (How To Tell If You Still Are One)” and I recommend it if you’re interested in the article (see link down below). The article basically talks about how a lot of martial art practitioners in modern day aren’t showing a lot of character and the coaches are encouraging more violence and not teaching much about moral and respect. Which sparks the subject of what makes a True Martial Artist.

In my personal opinion, what make a “True Martial Artist” is the value they want to pass to others. Yes, you can’t deny the fact that martial art was created for personal safety or for war, however it’s the value that makes people want to learn it. Soldiers aren’t learning martial arts primary to kill. (At least the sane ones aren’t.) It is a reason but not the main reason. I argue that the main reason is that they want to protect their country, their family, their belief and their freedom.

When you reach a high level of skill or have experience in an age of war or violence, you’ll appreciate the absence of violence and the absence of war. Veterans who have gone through WWII or the Vietnam War will probably tell you how they hate war and violence. True martial arts is suppose to build the person’s character, compassion toward another and to build a better community or nation.

“The greatest victory is one which requires no battle” – The Art of War – Sun Tzu.

Classical martial arts like Ju-jitsu, Aiki-jitsu, Ken-jitsu are now Judo, Aikido, Kendo. The jitsu (killing techniques) are removed. That’s why they called it “Do” meaning how to use martial art as a way of life. A way to cultivate your body, mind and soul. Using martial art principles and core and apply it into your daily living. That’s why Grandmaster Moy Yat will always say Kung Fu Life, how to apply Wing Chun principles into your daily living.

Moral codes aren’t written only for martial hobbyist but also for soldiers. In Chinese culture we called this Wu De (Martial Code of Conduct) or Bushido in Japanese Culture. These are all written by soldiers who train in martial arts. In the end it really boils down the character of the person and this applies to anything in life. If you want to be successful in anything, you need have good character. The same goes with martial arts.

“Only with a Righteous Heart can lead to a Proper Martial Way” – Yip Man

 

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What you think you are paying for:
– Being taught to kick and punch.

What you are actually paying for:
– A Life Coach
– A Psychologist
– A Mentor
– An Inspirer
– A Supporter
– A Friend
– A Problem Solver
– A Stress Reliever
– Being encouraged to believe in yourself
– A Personal Trainer & Dietician
– Strength, Flexibility, and Weight Loss
– Being taught Personal Victory
– Someone on call for you, 24/7
– Someone who encourages you and your children to have Respect, Patience, Humility, Discipline, Perseverance, Empathy, Courtesy, Listening Skills, Loyalty, and Self-Control just to name a few
– Being taught how to work hard and enjoy life
– Being held accountable for your actions
– Being encouraged to set goals AND to reach your goals
– Someone who helps you build emotional strength and mental stability
– Someone who will hug you when you are down, pick you up when you’ve fallen, remind you of your worth, and stand by loyally when you feel like no one else will
– Someone who teaches you to stand up to bullies
– Knowledge, Wisdom, Martial Arts Training, Opportunity, Training Equipment, and a safe Dojo to train in, and someone who puts their heart and soul into you.
– Someone who has spent their entire life in training to assist you

Still think you are paying too much for your ‘’Kicking and Punching’’ class??

Would a doctor, lawyer, plumber, carpenter, dentist, chef, mechanic, dressmaker, shop owner, or psychologist offer all of the above for free in addition to their regular service that they charge for?

Martial art and yoga may seem different, however they are both related in their meditative practices. One of the founding fathers of the Shaolin temple martial art was a Buddhist monk from India named Bodhidharma. When he first arrived in China in the 5th century, he introduced and incorporated Yoga into the Chinese martial art system. In yoga there will be people mentioning about its healing properties and energy development. In traditional martial art especially Wing Chun, we expand that knowledge by learning how to use those developed energies and how we apply them into our daily life and not just for self defense purposes. Wing Chun is a martial art system that was created from the Southern Shaolin Temple. So Wing Chun is also a meditative art form. Unlike the movies and social media, traditional martial art was a way to cultivate the mind, body and spirit, the fighting aspect is just a bonus.

One of the most improper technique being used in the Wing Chun system is the Bong Sao. You’ll see it in movies or even in YouTube, where the person will use the Bong Sao as a technique to deflect or counter an incoming punch. It may look nice, but it is a highly ineffective and improper way to use it. In Wing Chun, Bong Sao has a nickname, which is called the Losing Hand (敗勢手). Meaning you only use this technique when you’re about to lose your structure. In order to protect yourself from losing balance and structure, you’ll need to use the Bong Sao. For example, when your hand is forcefully being pulled down or pulled toward the person and if you don’t use Bong Sao your opponent will make you lose your entire body structure.

If you’re planning on use Bong Sao for the purpose of deflecting or counter an incoming punch it will absolutely fail, especially if the person rushes in with the punch. There won’t be enough time to intercept the punch with the Bong Sao and to make things worst you’re allowing the person’s punch to be on top of your arm. With the upward movement of the Bong Sao, you’re only guiding the person’s punch to your face. Even if you shift your body in an angle, now you’re in position where your other arm is too far to defend or even counter the second or third punch, which comes in very quickly especially from a boxer.

Using the Bong Sao to deflect from a punch is also unrealistic. Why is it unrealistic? One of the worst thing you can do in a real confrontation is to premeditate or anticipate a person’s attack. There are so many factors to consider when an attack comes (the speed, height of the person, distance, power, body position). When a person comes in, how do you even know it will be real straight punch? It could even be a fake punch to led to a hook or a fake jab to go with a cross punch. When a situation like this happens you should only rely on techniques that will give you the upper hand, where you can change into a better position, to stop him from moving or from throwing a 2nd or 3rd punch. But by purely relying on Bong Sao and “thinking” he will throw a straight punch at you will put you in grave danger. As it was mentioned before, Bong Sao isn’t even a good technique to stop a straight punch in the first place.

One common topic from time to time is whether or not Wing Chun kung fu works as a sport or inside the UFC ring. In my honest opinion, Wing Chun does not work as a sport. Before we explain why, I’ll like to take a bit of time to talk about the origin of Wing Chun. If you see how Wing Chun evolved then you’ll understand why Wing Chun does not work as a sport. About 300 years ago during the Qing Dynasty (清朝), when China was conquered by Manchurians or Manchus, the southern Shaolin monks created a style that was used to eliminate Shaolin disciples who betrayed the monastery. This was also an art for rebellion against the Qing Dynasty to restore the Ming Dynasty.

This art form consists of two knives, which mainly emphasis on thrusting or stabbing which is the most powerful and damaging movement as a weapon, in order to eliminate the target as quickly as possible. As time gone by, the Qing government felt a huge threat with the Shaolin Temple. Therefore, they spend troops to invade the Shaolin temple, eventually burning it down. During this event five monks escaped from the invasion. One being the Buddhist nun Ng Mui (伍枚) who was one the Shaolin disciple who trained in the assassin art . Ng Mui fleet away to a province of China called Yunnan (云南省). While in Yunna, Ng Mui taught a local woman Yim Wing Chun (嚴詠春)kung fu, but modified the assassin art as an empty hand form. That is why in Wing Chun we emphasis on straight-line strikes and thrust punches.

So how this have to do with Wing Chun not able to work as a sport. As mention earlier Wing Chun kung fu was originally an assassination art form. It is meant to eliminate the target as quickly as possible. As an assassin, time is one of the main factor, you don’t have the time to stall or anticipate what the opponent will be doing. That’s why even in empty hand form we will focus on strikes on vital areas such the throat, solar plexus, lower abdominal and groin. Where as in sport, you’re bound with rules where you’re not allow to strikes in vital areas. In the UFC, the fighters need to learn various styles like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so they have other ways to defeat the opponent and win within the rules. You can still apply Wing Chun principles, theories and techniques in the sport but definitely won’t be as effective. For Wing Chun to be in sport, will be like telling a tiger that he can’t to use his fangs and claws while hunting his for prey.

You may say, well sport martial arts or MMA can also hit vital areas too inside the street. However there’s one crucial factor, which I also tell my students all the time. “Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent”. Meaning if you practice your martial art to be suited inside a ring or as a sport, your first instinct in a physical confrontation in the streets will be the same as you practice. Striking vital areas will not be your first instinct and reaction at all.

For Wing Chun or any traditional Martial Art, their daily practice is striking vital areas and breaking joints. The goal is so the individual get caught in a physical confrontation, they can get out as quickly as possible. In modern day, I see Wing Chun as an art of survival, self-defense and self-cultivation. It is an art for everyone. People with different size, age and gender will be able to learn the art. What matter is if you’re willing to train the art.

That being said, does that mean traditional martial arts or Wing Chun is better than sport martial arts or mix martial arts? No, I’m not saying which one is better, just pointing out the difference between the two practices. Both are still skill-base practices, just depend on your goal and the one you feel suitable for yourself. There’s really no better style. In the end it really depends who trains harder in their practice. There’s a saying in Chinese in how to gain kung-fu (功夫). Kung-fu meaning a man of skills. For the answer you just read it backwards. If you read it in Cantonese it will say (苦功) which means hardship or hard work.

Due to popular films like Ip Man and movie legend Bruce Lee, Wing Chun kung fu had been popularized and have drawn more attention to the general public in the past few years. However, it’s because of these film there’s a lot of misconception and understanding of the art form. For an non-Wing Chun practitioner, it is really hard for them to differentiate between the reality of Wing Chun and the Wing Chun that is for entertainment only. So to make things easier, I’ll just list some of the misconceptions of Wing Chun in films.

1) Hand positions on body level.

In the movie of Ip Man, you’ll often see the pre-fighting position of the actors in chest or body level, which is one of the major mistake in the Wing Chun system. It isn’t logical or practical for someone to have their guards down, as the head is one of the primary targets during a real-life confrontation. You have to remember actors and actresses get paid millions of dollars so the audience could see their faces. I don’t think the producers will like it if they are paying actors to have their faces covered in their film and movie posters.

2) Wing Chun vs Multiple opponents at the same time.

As awesome as it is in film, it is not really realistic or practical even for a highly trained master to go against multiple opponents, especially if there’s more than 3 or more people. Of course it depends in who you’re going up against (their skill level and experience) which is something you don’t know.

But for me I always tell my students that there are two things to consider in a real-life confrontation, a) if there’s people in numbers or b) if the person has a weapon. These are very crucial things to consider, sometimes a situation may consists of both a) and b) at the same time.

Just because you’re trained in martial arts, doesn’t make you indestructible. A good martial artist isn’t just good with their hand techniques but also a wise-thinker. Does it mean you shouldn’t do anything if you’re against multiple attacker? No, I’m not implying not to do anything, but only if there’s no other option available and depending on the matter of life or death

3) Wing Chun have fast punches

People have the misconception that Wing Chun punches are fast. In fact it isn’t fast at all, it only appears fast. The reason why our punches look fast because we don’t draw back our punches, we go from point A to point B in one straight-line.

One of the misconceptions of modern day Wing Chun is using Chi Sao (Sticky hand) as a way to practice Sparring or treat it as a sparring practice. Where you will see two practitioner start striking each other like it’s a ring match. But in reality, Chi Sao is only a sensitivity and reaction drill, it’s purpose is only to teach the practitioner what to do when their hands collide with the opponents. In real life there will be no judges to separate the two fighters and the fight continues even when they are stuck with each other. You may ask , what’s wrong about using Chi Sao as a way to practice sparring there? Since there are various striking techniques when doing Chi Sao with a partner and as mention above it teaches you what to do when the opponent’s hands collides with yours. The problem is this, yes there are various striking techniques when practicing Chi Sao, but the main purpose for the striking is to teach the practitioner how to maintain their structure and reaction time. Those striking techniques applied in Chi Sao wouldn’t work in real life because you have to remember in the Chi Sao drill two practitioner are both the same hand positions which are Tan, Bong, Fok. Both are using the same techniques and hand positions. In real life, the opponent may not be Wing Chun practitioner you won’t be able to stick onto the opponent as if you’re doing Chi Sao. The hand collisions could be very random or in an awkward position. As well you only use Tan, Bong or Fok hand-techniques if you need to disperse or control a strike. If you expose those techniques before the incoming strike the techniques will not work.

Secondly, why you can’t focus Chi Sao as way of sparring because in Chi Sao, your hands are already engaged with each other. In sparring or real life combat, two fighters don’t start off having their hands touching each other already. You need to learn how to engage with the opponent. Sometimes your hands may collide with each other, sometimes you may not. For instance, boxers will withdraw back their punches or they might do a combination of jabs to distract you from their power/cross punch. If you purposely trying to chase after their hands and try to control or stick to them, you might get hit already.

You have to remember the purpose of Chi Sao is to train your sensitivity of your forearms, when the opponent collides or tries to grab your arms you have the reflexes to react. It is only a tool you can use for sparring. So next time when you do Chi Sao, you can strike but the main key is to learning how to feel the force coming in and react upon it. Rather than two people constantly striking each other. You can be good at Chi Sao, but it doesn’t mean you’re good at sparring.