Meditation
Each class begins with meditation to clear the mind of outside stress and distraction, as well as to focus attention on the training at hand. Our meditation focuses the mind on the act of breathing and cultivates an effortless awareness of our surroundings.
It is our opinion that practicing meditation is vital to success in the martial arts. Learning to control and focus the mind allows students to confront stressful situations while minimizing "tunnel vision" and maximizing situational awareness.
Basic Techniques
All students start by learning the fundamental movement, striking, blocking, and kicking techniques of Wing Chun. Fundamental instruction includes skills in the core hand techniques, the three open-handed forms, the movements of the "dummy" form, and multiple drills designed to promote sensitivity and instinctive reactions to an opponent's moment.
Particularly noteworthy skills are the practice of lap-sau, chi-sau, and push-hands adopted from Tai Chi.
Our training focuses on conditioning the body and mind to perform techniques properly, particularly under difficult conditions such as fatigue, distraction, or in hostile environments.
Combat Application
After learning the fundamental techniques, students practice the combat application of those techniques in a safe environment. Attacks are thrown to hit, but not hurt, a partner. Blocks and counter attacks are practiced with full intent, taking care to avoid striking areas that are easily damaged.
More advanced students practice in a free-form environment that more closely simulates a real attack. The so-called "attack circle" requires that a student instinctively utilize technique appropriate to the situation while maintaining proper awareness, balance, position, and structure.
Advanced Training
The Muk Yan Jong form is practiced on a wooden "dummy," a wooden post with three arms and a leg mounted on a frame. Wooden dummy practice helps refine a student's understanding of the fundamental techniques and teaches coordinated and dynamic movement that begins to bring the art together as a whole.
Training against the dummy cultivates an understanding of movement that eventually translates in to fighting technique. More advanced students find that they will reflexively deploy techniques learned on the dummy to good effect in other drills.
Weapons
Wing Chun includes training with two weapons, "Butterfly Knives" and the long pole. Drills using these weapons are taught at all levels to cultivate strength and power, and as a matter of completeness.
As neither weapon is practical to carry in modern society, their inclusion in the system today is less about combat than in past generations.