The first section of Chum Kil introduces the pivot and a rigid Bong Sau movement. The second takes it further, teaching kicks, stepping and sophisticated hand-feet coordination. Sifu Barry Pang explains that what comes first in Wing Chun…
Wing Chun’s Wooden Dummy is iconic in martial arts. Unfortunately, the rush toward something exciting and the urge to modify undermine its potential. Here are the three essential principles for better practice. Sifu Barry Pang explains and demonstrates…
Wing Chun kung fu is a style that allows superior technique to overcome size and strength. It’s female origins demand this. Here are 3 attributes martial artists need to make this possible. Today Wing Chun is practiced in…
Lung Ying (Dragon Shape) Grandmaster, Wu Hua Tai, believed that to excel in martial arts you must focus on goals, rather than one specific style. He studied a range of complementary styles, including Tai Chi Chuan, to improve…
In this archival footage, Lung Ying Grandmaster Wu Hua Tai demonstrates Sam Tung 三通 in China. He was in his 80s.
Wing Chun’s most advanced form starts with a widely misunderstood grabbing technique. This underscores the importance of layered learning where it comes to developing skill in a sophisticated martial art. The Wooden Dummy Form comprises 116 movements across…
Chum Kil is critical to Wing Chun practice as it introduces movement and coordination. It teaches mobility, after having learnt the basic hand techniques from the first form’s static position. A key Wing Chun principle is to contact,…
The centreline theory is a celebrated formula for gaining control of your opponent, but is it enough? Concepts of feeling and redirecting your opponent are not the exclusive domain of Wing Chun kung fu. Here are 4 ways…
Once the hands are in contact, Chi Sao provides the tools to react to an incoming attack without thinking. However, the specific drill that develops this reflex is not widely taught or understood. Sifu Barry Pang explains the…
In real self-defence situations, free exchanges of blows are common. This is low-percentage fighting. In Wing Chun, the principle that practitioners strive for is to intercept the hands and gain the best position for attack. Sifu Barry Pang…
Grandmaster Lam Yiu Gwai could move in and strike an opponent before they could lift their guard. Their safe distance was undone by his instant forward velocity. Sifu Barry Pang explains that most strikes in martial arts involve…
Developing a strong base in martial arts is the key to everything. It’s the primary source of power and mobility whilst freeing up the hands to be relaxed, sensitive and fast. Sifu Barry Pang explains that power through…
Effortlessly controlling an opponent requires the successful application of a contradiction: Being relaxed but strong when the stakes are high. There’s a natural, self-preservation instinct to resist aggression directly. However, resisting leads to an arm wrestle that the…
In an ideal world, Wing Chun’s “I’ll hit him first” plan works every time. However, living in the real world, tools to counter the clinch are critical to rounding out your martial arts. UFC and Jiu Jitsu have…