As far as self-defence goes it has been with us since the stone age. As this skill evolved man realised the need to modify and specialise these skills to make it useful to all – irrespective of age or gender. One of the most popular self-defence system Kung Fu had a new avatar Wing Chun which is the latest popular form. With very subtle and powerful changes made in it to make it “everybody” friendly, and universally good for all. Let’s see how it became good:
- Most of the people’s awareness is just at the crude level. Most don’t think how awareness will help them in life. While training for Wing Chun stress is laid on spatial awareness. To judge your opponent, you need to judge distances and objects around you – how far away they are. Looks like an obvious thing – doesn’t it come naturally? Do we need to do it deliberately and train for it? Yes, we have to – we are incomplete without it. As you learn spatial awareness you also learn that how objects affect you and how you can protect ourselves from things moving around you, your reflexes become sharper, coordinated and more efficient, with the result that you are safe from sudden influxes of objects moving towards you. You learn to “see” with your body.
- Wing Chun is an excellent way to improve your posture. It needs for you to become posture conscious and maintain a stance out of habit and due to exercise. Earlier too, you were doing it but not consciously. Now in training you are doing it consciously and deliberately, through scientific practice. So, it just registers strongly in your mind and turns in your body deeply, so that it will be there all your life. A proper posture improves breathing and circulation, makes the spine stronger, steadies your body and balances the nervous system.
- Now nobody undervalues discipline in their lives, but neither anybody practices in this age of uncertainty and insecurity. It’s a need felt by everybody, but how to learn it? Wing Chun teaches you to get it in a fun way – you will enjoy it so much and realise its benefits that you will start wondering why you did not do it earlier. The exercises and movements make it necessary to be disciplined – you must do it regularly with the company of other learners. It becomes a routine which you go on to like it the more you do it.
- One more thing which appeals to everybody is that Wing Chun is logical and scientifically proven. The principles of mechanics and physics are the basis of governing most of the techniques of Wing Chun. Since it appeals to logic, it is easily understood and the thing which is easily understood is also very easily remembered. And then the training and its practical use also go like a breeze.
-DR. SONU KUMAR GIRI
Wing Chun India