History
The martial art was
developed more than 250 years ago in China by the nun NG Mui and
the beautiful Yim Wing Tsun, after whom the martial art is named.
Thanks to their highly developed martial art technique these two
women could win fights with the strongest men of their time. Since
then WT had been taught practically only within families and clans.
The great master Yip Man who died in 1972, was the last Wing Tsun
teacher who taught Chinese students exclusively. The system has
since been passed down through different lineages to the present
day founder and World Cheif Instructor, Dai Sifu Emin Boztepe.
The Most famous pupil of Wing Tzun was the
late Bruce Lee who was taught by Great Grand Master Yip-Man, What
appealed to Lee about Wing Tzun was, that comparted with many other
Arts WignTzun had already been "stripped" of all inefficient
movements.
Today there are tens of thousands of members worldwide (in over
56 countries) who are learning this martial art system which was
updated by Leung Ting, Yip Man's latest master-pupil. The European
Chief-instructor, Dai Sifu K. R. Kernspecht, brought the WT system
to Europe twenty years ago and has since trained several generations
of highly qualified martial arts instructors in the European Wing
Tsun Organization.
Features
WT is self defense in it's most consequent
form WT is the smartest self-defense system ever thought of by humankind,
because WT is not based upon physical strength or acrobatic ability
and therefore allows a physically weaker person to defend him/herself.
WT teaches you to use the force of the opponent and turn it against
him. WT self defense movements derive from tactile reflexes that
are mechanical and directly determined by the attack of the opponent.
In this way WT is not susceptible to optical manipulations meant
to mislead the fighter. WT can be learned fairly quickly and built
upon. WT meets the demands of "appropriate force" and
therefore lends itself for use by law enforcement. WT is a whole
martial arts system. Its significance lies less in stylistic externals
and tricks but in the revolutionary totality of the concept! Immediacy,
the small number of movements used, etc., make Wing Tsun the fastest
martial art system ever!
Motto:"Less is more."
The Economy of WT
Number Of Movements
WT is conceived in such a way that one can
manage a fight effectively with just a few movements. The best self
defense is one that can fend off the most attacks with the least
amount of movements!
Movements That Are Used Simultaneously We can
perform up to three different movement patterns at the same time.
The Four Ways Of "Force"
In dealing with "force", there are four principles in
WT:
1. Be free from your own "force".
2. Free yourself from the "force"
of your opponent.
3. Use the "force" of the opponent.
4. Add your own "force" to the "force"
of the opponent.
Through intense training WT students learn
to "borrow" the energy of the attack by way of a sort
of controlled and deliberate "giving in". The attacked
body parts get "charged up" in such a way that they redirect
the power of the opponent immediately and with the whole force of
impact with which it was dealt out.
Chain Punches
Once a WT-fighter has gained his/her advantage
by a punch he/she doesn't just give it up but lets other chain-punches
follow the first. This is one of the most effective arms at all
, traditional martial arts know of no means to counter them. The
quick sequence of punches overwhelms the capacities of the opponent
to process information as he is driven into a helpless defense.
The "Universal Solution", the "Lenter
Line", Etc. The economy of WT manifests itself in all corners
and ends of this martial art and provides surprises and eye-openers
to even the most advanced students.
Further Benefits Of WT
Next to the emphasis on self-defense there
are many more attractive benefits to the practice of WT. Following
is a short summary of what a WT school can offer you.
The best in self-defense, Training of reflexes
and reaction, Concentration training, Breathing and meditation exercises,
Fitness and conditioning, Self confidence and relaxation, A practical
philosophy of life, Meeting fun people, A joyful pastime, Health.
The Three Parts Of A Wing Tsun Class Forms
"Forms" derive from the fundamental
natural range of movements which have been integrated for self-defense
purposes, and have also traditionally been acknowledged to be contributing
to overall relaxation, meditation and well-being.
Chi Sao (Sticking Hands)
Wt is the only martial art that features the
unique exercise of tactile reflexes which are determined by the
sense of touch. Chi Sao defense reflexes are elicited in a very
immediate and mechanical way by the attack of the opponent. Thus
they are always exactly tailored and appropriate to the situation.
Chi Sao reflexes are far quicker than reacting to visual input and
they also allow for the WT-fighter to defend him/herself blindly.
Chi Sao is the glue that integrates a number of single movements
into coherent combinations that are not preconceived yet prove to
exactly meet the needs of the given situation. Without Chi Sao WT
would only consist of an accumulation of single technical bits or
dead movement patterns. This makes Chi Sao is the very soul of Wing
Tsun!
Lat Sao (Sparring Exercises)
The goal of Wing Tsun is to develop fighting-capability
. In Lat Sao (which means "free style fight") the WT-student
learns to fearlessly confront a one-on-one fight. He can check on
the level of his work without fear of injuring his partner which
makes Lat Sao a most significant and motivating part of WT.
"Wing Tsun is not only a smart martial
art, it is also a smart way of learning"
The Five Distances Of A Fight
In a real self-defense-situation, rules of
fairness (which could alter the outcome of a fight) don't exist!
In Wing Tsun we derive from this the consequent importance of a
training that is as full and complete as possible, and which acknowledges
all of the five distances that are part of a fighting situation.
1st Distance: Fighting With Your Feet
2nd Distance: Fighting With Your Hands
3rd Distance: Fighting With Knees And Elbows
4th Distance: Grappling (Holding, Barring,
Throwing, etc.)
5th Distance: Ground Fighting
In any of the above situations the WT-principles
can be applied successfully, which is why so many martial arts practitioners
turn to WT.
In a WT-training session the punches, kicks
etc...are all executed with soft-contact so that the risk of injury
is kept to a minimum.
"WT starts where most other styles stop:
the uncompromising close range fight!",/p>
The 4 Principles of WT
WT is less a compendium of many single techniques
but a whole martial art system. WT follows the strategy of aggressive
defense (Latin: aggredi - to come close to somebody).
On the highest level of the systems hierarchy
are the four WT principles:
If the way is clear forge ahead! If there is
contact keep glued to it! If your opponent is stronger, give in!
If the opponent retreats, follow!
|