Looking for Wing Chun lessons online? Since the Coronavirus hit in the UK (March 2020) I’ve taken my classes online and have been offering live classes every week to my students.
Take a sneek preview into one of my “kitchen” classes! Here’s the edited version and you’ll be able to see punches, first form, steps and kicking techniques from first and second forms (hand patterns).
Some of this will be a lot to take in of course especially if you haven’t done any wing chun before.
In my free video series I’ll send you out an email daily with each part of the first hand pattern (which you can see in this video). You can sign up for the FREE video series here.
Wing Chun Lessons Online
Can you really learn Wing Chun from lessons online? Well there’s certainly some things you can learn online yes. It’s not ideal and to learn a martial art properly you should spend years in a dojo or kwoon (training room) with a qualified instructor – and ideally many training partners.
Techniques can only be perfected by hours of practice with many different training partners. However, there’s definitely some aspects of Wing Chun which you can learn and repeat using online resources.
When I was unable to train at a regular class I spent time running over the basics through form practice. Forms are basically hand patterns which contain information and principles. Through regular training (away from classes) when I returned to classes I found that I had actually improved through drilling the forms!
Punches
One of the first things you’ll learn in Wing Chun is the basic punch; Lin Wan Kuen – single thrusting punch. The principles of the basic punch run through the Wing Chun system; one hand draws back while the other one fires forwards.
This principle can be seen in many techniques through Wing Chun so you’re not just learning punches when you practice this movement. You’re also learning to draw a hand back to avoid a potential trap, for example. Fists could also be open hands too and the retreating hand could also be a pull; so there’s many applications for this simple movement. The strike is the most obvious one of course!
The Basic Stance
The basic stance is usually what you’ll learn before the punches, so we are already getting ahead of ourselves! Before you do anything with your hands, you should learn how to sit in your basic stance. This is to generate a strong base from which your techniques will be used. Without a strong base, hand techniques won’t work properly because you will be easily uprooted.
Wing Chun is characterised by having strong legs and fast hands. To get strong legs and therefore make yourself well-grounded, takes time spent practicing the basic stance over a long period.
This simple little stance doesn’t look very impressive I know! But in the simplicity of Wing Chun is a lot of sense. By practicing this stance and getting your body as low as possible when in it, you are doing a number of things:
- Lowering your centre of gravity – making it harder for an opponent to move or uproot you
- Training your legs for later movements within the Wing Chun system
- Developing strength in the legs and a ‘sinking’ energy towards the ground.
If you look closely at the leg position you’ll notice that the stance forms a pyramid too. Triangular structures are found throughout the Wing Chun system and as you most likely know triangles are very strong structures. A triangular structure can dissipate force much more easily than by using muscular strength. Look back to the punches video and you’ll see more triangles too!
You should be able to “sit” in your stance over longer and longer periods as you practice. Start with a few minutes each day and gradually extend the time with which you practice. Make your stance as deep as possible and over time, your legs will get stronger and you’ll more naturally be able to sink your energy when you want.
Wing Chun Lessons Online “Sinking” Energy
Have you ever noticed how a child who doesn’t want to be picked up is much heavier than one who does? Perhaps you even remember yourself as a child not wanting yourself to be picked up and “sinking” your energy. You relax as much as possible and think downwards into the ground. As a child, this is a natural defence which everyone has experienced.
So as you’re practicing your basic stance, have this same thought in mind of sinking into the floor. Your mind and body are intricately linked so training a martial art is not just a physical thing. The body follows the instructions of the mind, so command yourself to sink into the ground as you practice the basic stance and you will be much more difficult to move in practice.
Access more Wing Chun lessons online by signing up to the free video series on this site here.
