Wing Chun - The Science of InFighting (Wong Shun Leung) LEGENDADO

[1:54]This is Master Wong Shuan Leung, one of the world's leading authorities on Wing Chun Kung Fu. He is also recognized within the Hong Kong martial arts community as being the late Bruce Lee's foremost instructor under the guidance of Grand Master Yip Man. The sequence of simple hand patterns being performed here, although appearing rather gentle and harmless at first glance, are the seeds of an ingenious system of combat, containing some of the deadliest close-range fighting techniques ever devised. Wing Chun, based on the principles of both physics and human anatomy, has been proven as one of the most practical forms of self-defense to date.

[2:41]Grand Master Yip Man was responsible for Wing Chun's world fame. The text you see here, written by him, is the entire history of this Southern Chinese system which he introduced to Hong Kong from his native province, Guangdong. The roots of the art go back to the famed Shaolin monastery, which for centuries was the hub of Chinese martial arts. During the Ching Dynasty, Manchu troops killed most of the Shaolin warrior monks and burned down their monastery. Among the few survivors was a Buddhist nun Wu Moy, who took refuge in the White Crane Temple at Taylen Mountain. There, according to legend, she created a system of Kung Fu after being inspired by watching a crane and fox in combat. She then taught her deadly art to a woman, Yim Wing Chun, whom the style has been named after. Yip Man, the fifth generation master who died in 1972, openly propagated what was once a secret style in order to preserve the art from extinction. His disciple Bruce Lee, credits Wing Chun for being the basis from which his own modern style, Jeet Kune Do evolved. Wing Chun is a very effective system due to its scientific approach to combat. The style's sophisticated fighting principles are based on both simplicity and the theory of economy of motion or conservation of energy. All the techniques are designed to be structurally faster than other fighting methods as well as more efficient.

[4:31]An imaginary line running down the middle of the body, called the centerline, is the basis of Wing Chun fighting theory. Its path is determined by crossing the wrists while extending the arms, first down, then up. This movement is found in the beginning of all three Wing Chun forms. Many of the vulnerable points of the human body are located along the centerline.

[5:07]Thus, Wing Chun's offensive theory stresses attacking an opponent's centerline. Attacking either to the left, or right of his centerline, your force will be dissipated if he rolls with the blow. Attack his centerline and he must absorb the strikes full impact. All Wing Chun's offensive techniques, in particular, the straight punch, which is the style's major weapon, begins from the centerline.

[5:45]Notice your fists travel along the same path which is perpendicular to the centerline.

[5:57]Wing Chun punching is always direct since the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Your fist originates at your centerline and is delivered directly to his centerline. In general, your opponent's nose is the target.

[6:19]Defensively, Wing Chun stresses the instinctive protection of one's centerline to a tight on-guard arm position where the elbow of your lead arm is always a fist distance from the centerline. Never is the elbow out since you are left exposed.

[6:36]Though your arm moves to block, your elbow remains a fixed axis.

[6:45]Wing Chun employs shifting allowing the body to revolve on its centerline axis. Defensively, shifting helps you roll with punches that may get by your blocks.

[7:06]Offensively, shifting creates various angles for attacks that will subtly penetrate an opponent's defenses.

[7:16]Body shifting also increases the distance of your arm's reach.

[7:31]Shifting quickly magnifies punching power since tremendous force is generated from sudden torque in the waist and hips.

[7:45]Wing Chun is structurally faster than many styles of fighting because it employs simultaneous offense and defense.

[8:00]Block and attack should not be separated into two motions. Wing Chun's block and attack is executed in one motion.

[8:10]After striking out, the fist automatically blocks when retracted.

[8:20]A line extended from shoulder to shoulder and perpendicular to the centerline, forms the four gates. Wing Chun's defensive system trains one to employ various blocks to protect each of the four gates. Here, Master Wong protects his upper right gate as he blocks and punches in a single motion.

[8:52]Alternate simultaneous blocks and punches protect both your left and right upper gates.

[9:07]Observe how body shifting is coordinated with both the blocks and strikes.

[9:34]Similarly, both left and right lower gates may also be protected with simultaneous alternate blocks and chops.

[9:47]Observe how the arms move in unison.

[9:59]Master Wong demonstrates defense of the upper gates against an opponent's multiple punches. Here, defending his left and right lower gates, he simultaneously strikes with a right chop, then a left punch.

[10:31]In accordance with the theory of economy of motion, Wing Chun hand techniques defend and block at the same time and are delivered in a bursting series of straight rapid-fire attacks. The basic straight punch begins in front of your solar plexus and is thrust out with your fist at nose level. As one fist punches, the opposite fist retracts. Notice the wrist snapping action unique to Wing Chun.

[11:10]This unusual movement permits you to both deflect and punch with the same hand simultaneously.

[11:28]It also creates a powerful shocking force even from short distances as seen demonstrated by this one-inch punch.

[11:38]Execute finger thrusts like punches and keep your fingertips stiffly together.

[11:45]Finger thrusts are either aimed at an opponent's eyes, or as seen here, to his throat.

[11:55]When employing palm thrusts, use the palm heel as a weapon.

[12:03]Palm thrusts directed under an opponent's nose are very effective.

[12:18]In Wing Chun, force never clashes with force. Instead, the larger force is deflected by a lesser force.

[12:30]Tan Sau employs the thumb side of your forearm to block.

[12:39]At completion, your elbow returns to the fixed elbow position, one fist distance from your centerline.

[13:04]Yuen Sau, excellent for training wrist flexibility, is used for changing hand position quickly in combat.

[13:19]It is executed by a relaxed rotation of the hand around the wrist.

[13:31]This same hand used to encircle the opponent's attacking arm can also be used to attack.

[13:46]Wu Sau employs either your palm or edge of the hand to block.

[13:53]Upon completion, your hand is in a prayer-like position in front of your chest. Wu Sau is the rearguard hand position employed when an opponent's punch penetrates your forward defenses.

[14:12]It is employed either to block outward with the hand's edge or inward with the palm.

[14:31]Fook Sau employs the inside of your wrist to block. At completion, your arm is in the fixed elbow position, one fist distance from your centerline.

[14:50]Fook Sau is important in sticky hands practice.

[15:02]Pak Sau employs the palm heel for deflection.

[15:08]By utilizing the wrist's snapping action, it is often combined with a punch.

[15:46]Gan Sau or the low block is used for defense of the lower gates and can be combined with an attack. By combining both the hinge action of your elbow and body shifting, a low block is followed immediately by a low palm thrust.

[16:13]Bong Sau or the wing arm block can be followed with a double palm push.

[17:54]In addition, the highly guarded secrets of the famous 108 wooden dummy techniques will be analyzed in detail.