Wing Chun- the basics:
Odds that you have heard of Wing Chun are not high if you have nothing to do with martial arts in particular or sports in general. Even if the words crossed your ears, you might still not be familiar, unless you are into martial arts.
If, however, you are a die-hard fan of Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, the chances that you are desperately looking up the term online are very high.
So, for those of you new to the idea, or the words, or those who want to get into the details, here’s a simple explanation:
What is the Wing Chun?
Wing Chun is the new name for an old Japanese martial art called Wing Chun Kuen. It is a wushu style concept-based form of self-defense. Interestingly, Wing Chun Kuen is not only a form of the unarmed fight but also develops the understanding of one’s own body mechanics.
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The term “Wing” literally means Eternal – communicating the feeling that the art is with you; it always is in you and reinforces any actions or activities you undertake.
But, how and where did Wing Chun begin?
Now that you know what Wing Chun is all about, you must be wondering about its origin.
Here’s the real story:
The legend has it that a Buddhist nun Ng Mui created this self-defense technique. Ng Mui was the Kung Fu master in Shaolin Temple.
The first known student of this art was Ng Mui’s own student Yim Wing-Chun. And now, you know where the name is derived from.
However, the crown of introducing this martial art to the world very rightfully goes to China. Why? What was initially being taught to only a few close students in the beginning gained real popularity when Grandmaster Ip Man began to teach it in China and Hong Kong.
The famous techniques of Wing Chun:
Wang Chun specializes in close-range combat, at the same time utilizing both striking and grappling.
Ip Man said, “Chi Sau in Wing Chun is to control flexibility and softness that needs fast arm movements and strong legs to defeat opponents.”
Notable Wing Chun Professionals
Some popular professionals of Wing Chun include Yuen Kay Shan, Ip Man, Ip Chun, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Robert Downey Jr, and Sum Nung.
“Alright, so we know all the names, and now we know they practice a special martial arts technique as well, so what?” you ask.
Really, what’s in it for you?
The insane benefits it offers! And trust us, those big names aren’t going crazy for nothing. The list IS long.
Here’s a glimpse of what Wing Chan has in stock for you, if you are a practitioner (or an enthusiast up for learning more about it):
Pros
If you think Wing Chun is just a pastime, you need to think again.
It is a complete practice, wound around the whole body and brain. It is a system that develops a direct and highly effective type of self-defense.
So, here are some of the pleasures you get to enjoy along the way.
- It is designed to keep and produce both psychological and physical well-being by teaching the body and mind to take care of physical and mental strain.
- Learning Wing Chun leads to a better understanding of effective simultaneous attack and defense.
- It is mainly an empty-hands system. So, the modern era sees it as an efficient system. Simply put, you can practice your self-defense without other physical weapons if Wing Chun is your weapon.
- There are no age, demographics, body features, or weight-related restrictions. You want to learn it, jump in right away, irrespective of who, how, or where you are!
- Oh, and you don’t need to devote your whole life to learn this divine art. Just a short time would do the trick.
- Wing Chun makes best friends with the misery-stricken people struggling with weight-loss. You heard that! No regrets follow if you plan your weight loss journey with such a trust-worthy companion.
- Building stamina, flexibility, and strength. Did you not see that coming? Good Morning!
- The other mental benefits of this art include boosted confidence, clarity of thoughts, and new perspectives to the way you think.
- Close or narrow spaces can not limit your potential to learn or master this art.
In short, you bet Wing Chun is your way to a better and improved life. The improvements in physical fitness, brain functionality, and the overall well being are quite predictable if you have done your research and know how it works.
However, everything comes with a downside. This doesn’t mean to scare you, but it’s better to be safe and sorry. You should know all the outcomes before you jump in!
Cons:
- Wing Chun is not for everyone. Those of you who are fans of high kicks need to keep looking to find another art.
- This strong building is, however, based on no groundwork.
- Wing Chun is actually just a simple game of stance and reflex action.
- And if you think your gorgeous tall body would make great out of Wing Chan, bad news ahead! The length of your body does you no favor here, unlike many other martial arts.
- Learning Wing Chun is relatively easy, as already mentioned, but mastering the art IS a game of patience and practice.
- If you do not want the opponents to knock you out right away, you need to have the possession of 2 sturdy legs and 2 vigilant arms. The trick demystified!
- Be prepared to see a little variety in your bag of attacking stances.
Final Words
Oh-oh! This list is definitely not ignorable too. So, how do you decide if Wing Chun is the art for you?
In all simplicity, your learning for any art, skill, or anything, in general, comes down to your interest and fondness for that.
If that doesn’t help, make your own list of pros and cons of learning Wing Chun. If the former dominates the later, nothing on earth can stop you from learning it. If it goes the other way around, you can still give it another thought if you are willing to. Because, hey there, we just spotted the interest we mentioned earlier.
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