What’s Wrong with Wing Chun today?

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 26 Jul 2018 Comments: 0 Tags: David Peterson, Wing Chun, WSLVT

HOW DOES ONE OPEN A CAN OF WORMS? WELL, THE EASIEST WAY IS TO POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS AND WATCH EVERYBODY WITH A VESTED INTEREST REACT. IN THE WORLD OF MARTIAL ARTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET, CANS OF WORMS ARE BEING OPENED ON A DAILY BASIS!

Look at any Wing Chun forum, and you’ll immediately see the arguments jumping out at you from the screen. The simplest discussion over the most innocent of posts can quickly become a battlefield. You name it, someone out there will try to knock you down the moment you comment or express an opinion. And it seems that nobody is off-limits for attack, with even well-established teachers with decades of experience coming under fire.

Structure and Relaxation: The “Dynamic Duo”

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 12 Dec 2017 Comments: 0 Tags: David Peterson, Relaxation, Structure, WSLVT

OVER THE MANY YEARS I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE TEACHING OF WING CHUN, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, MY STUDENTS (AND VISITORS TO OUR CLASSES) HAVE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION: “WHAT ARE THE KEY FACTORS THAT DETERMINE ONE IS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS THROUGH THE SYSTEM?”

Whilst the possible answers may seem endless and could involve everything from diligent practice and understanding the detail within the forms to practising specific drills or even mastering one’s “inner powers” (I’m kidding!), my answer has invariably been to focus on two things: correct structure of the body and the ability to relax under all circumstances.

Make Wing Chun Your Slave… Not Your Master!

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 10 Dec 2016 Comments: 0 Tags: David Peterson, WSLVT

THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE IS PROBABLY FAMILIAR TO NEARLY ALL WHO READ IT, BEING PART OF A FAMOUS QUOTE FROM THE LATE SIFU WONG SHUN LEUNG, A STATEMENT HE MADE TIME AND TIME AGAIN DURING HIS MANY YEARS AS AN INSTRUCTOR AND MENTOR TO SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS.

These days, as more people are drawn towards the WSL Ving Tsun Kuen Hok approach, many who really haven’t fully absorbed his ideas, or who have only a superficial understanding of his methods, take that now famous quote out of context to justify their often contradictory ideas, somehow believing that, by doing so, it will validate what they are doing.

Chi Sau: Why it isn’t a Contest!

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 27 Aug 2016 Comments: 0 Tags: Chi Sau, David Peterson, WSLVT

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FEATURES OF THE WING CHUN SYSTEM, ONE SHARED ACROSS VIRTUALLY ALL LINEAGES, IS THE DRILL OF CHI SAU, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS “STICKING HANDS” BY MOST PRACTITIONERS.

There are significant differences in the manner in which it is taught and practised, and how Chi Sau is interpreted as part of the overall curriculum of the system from teacher to teacher. Differences can even exist within specific lineages, with senior students under the same teacher often having a different slant on how it should be done and the purpose of its practice.

There are some who say the drill should be done with extreme pressure and force, while others insist it should be light and gentle. Some treat Chi Sau as a form of dynamic combat, akin to free sparring (or as a substitute for it), while others view it as a form of active meditation. Some schools insist that Chi Sau is “the be-all and end-all” for Wing Chun fighting theory, whereas within other schools, the drill is rarely trained and even considered redundant. The extremes are vast and seemingly endless, and each interpretation of Chi Sau is vigorously defended by those who practise it.

Luk Dim Boon Gwan: The Sound of One Arm Fighting

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 13 Jun 2013 Comments: 0 Tags: David Peterson, Luk Dim Boon Gwan, WSLVT

THE WING CHUN SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY COMPACT COMPARED WITH OTHER MARTIAL ARTS METHODS. MADE UP OF JUST THREE “EMPTY-HAND” FORMS, A WOODEN DUMMY FORM AND SEVERAL UNIQUE TRAINING DRILLS, WING CHUN IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS EFFICIENCY AND PRACTICALITY AS A BARE-HAND COMBAT SYSTEM.

Perhaps less well known, but equally as practical and efficient, are its two weapons forms, the Luk Dim Boon Gwan (“six-and-a-half point pole”) and the Baat Jaam Do (“eight-slash/cut knives”).

Traditionally, the most coveted form is that of the Baat Jaam Do, considered by some as the highest level of the system. However, it is the Luk Dim Boon Gwan that more closely resembles the “empty-hand” component of the system and which, in many ways, is a far more beneficial aspect of the system, in terms of what it offers to the student. In fact, it could be best described as “one-armed” Wing Chun!”

The Ving Tsun Forms: A Brief Overview

Posted by: David Peterson In: Articles 16 Apr 2013 Comments: 0 Tags: David Peterson, Forms, WSLVT

AS AN INSTRUCTOR AND COMMUNICATOR OF THE MARTIAL ARTS, SPECIFICALLY THE WONG SHUN LEUNG METHOD OF VING TSUN, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE ART AND PRESENT ITS CONCEPTS IN AS SUCCINCT A WAY AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS, OF COURSE, TO ENSURE THAT EACH AND EVERY STUDENT CAN GAIN A DEEP AND PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE SYSTEM OFFERS THEM, AND HOW BEST TO USE THIS “TOOL” FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND PERSONAL PROTECTION.

Clearly, one can get into very detailed discussions on all aspects of the system, but sometimes this can cause more confusion and lead to greater misunderstanding than clarification. Especially for the less experienced students, too much detail can inhibit, rather than enhance their development.

This being the case, in recent years I have tried to find ways of simplifying the presentation of information, and providing simple summaries of various aspects of the system so that students find it easier to assimilate the information.