At Illawarra Ving Tsun School we have various forms of Kung Fu training available in the Wollongong regions.
小念頭
Siu Nim Tau
Siu Nim Tau or the young idea, is the first empty hand form of Ving Tsun system and is it’s foundation. It can be thought of as the ABC’s in our particular language of combat
Siu Nim Tau introduces to the student the concepts of the centre-line (Jung Sam Sin), the theory of facing square on to your opponent (Chiu Ying) and most importantly, the constant springy forward force or Lut Sau Jik Chung.
All arm positions are trained from the basic stance, Yi Ji Kim Yeung Ma, where no body movement occurs, in this fashion it lets the student solely concentrate on the basic hand positions and their associated concepts.
尋橋
Cham Kiu
Cham Kiu, or the bridge seeking form, is the second empty hand form of the Ving Tsun system. It can be thought of as the word formation level. When combined with Chi Sau it adds to the language of combat that is unique to Ving Tsun.
Cham Kiu is essentially Siu Nim Tau in motion. Where the concepts of stepping and pivoting, kicking and subtle hand variations are drilled.
Cham Kiu reinforces the idea of attacking the opponent (Joi Ying) instead of chasing the hands (Joi Sau).
標指
Biu Ji
Biu Ji, or the Pointing Finger form, is the third empty hand form of the Ving Tsun system.
Bui Ji is very different in its ideas from the first two forms.
Under normal combat circumstances where we are in control Biu Ji would not need to be used, however under conditions where things go hopelessly wrong it can be thought of as clusters of concepts to be used under emergency conditions. Biu Ji is not meant to come out a winner, but to cut one’s losses and survive. Biu Ji is used if one is outnumbered, if one is against someone who is stronger, faster, or more mobile than yourself or if you have been injured.
Biu Ji is not how you would normally conduct yourself in a fight, but rather a last resort when you are confronted with extraordinary circumstances. It supplies you with the tools and concepts you need to deliver in these situations.
黐手
Chi Sau
Chi Sau or sticking hands is taught in several stages, with initial moves being taught at the Siu Nim Tau level. The Daan Chi Sau or single sticking hands is taught first, then elbow positioning, stance training and basic feel of intention is learned, with the three (3) primary elements of Bong Sau, Taan Sau and Fook Sau being trained in a dynamic way.
Finally the two (2) hands are placed together to form the Seung Chi Sau or double sticking hands. At this point, the Poon Sau or rolling hands is trained until the student can instinctively use the forward springy forward force of Lat Sau Jik Jung.
Once this is understood the student commences with some basic attacks and defences until nothing is planned and users are instinctively reacting to each other’s movements and positions, relying only on the feeling generated upon the forearms.
At an advanced level, Chi Sau can be performed with a blind fold, where any situation can be simulated to such a degree that each person counters the other’s attacks and defences.
Chi Sau can be thought of asanything that obstructs or blocks our hands can be instinctively countered and is the corner stone of the system, and the drill that differentiates Ving Tsun from any other form of martial art.The idea is not to endlessly block your opponents hands, but to attack your opponent.
If you are not countering your opponents attack with an attack then it is not Ving Tsun Gung Fu!
木人摏
Muk Yan Jong
Muk Yan Jong, or wooden dummy form, is taught in a unique way in the Wong Shun Leung method of Ving Tsun Gung Fu.
After Cham Kiu, the first sixty (60) movements of the Jong are taught, as they represent the most often used concepts in a real fight. Next is taught the Biu Ji form and after this is understood and drilled the student is deemed to be highly proficient in Chi Sau and has a well developed understanding of Ving Tsun theories and concepts, then the rest of the movements of the Jong are taught, as these movements mostly represent the concepts behind the Biu Ji form.
The “Jong” is thought of as a bunch of recovery movements, when one is taught, if an error is made, then it shows how to recover in the most direct, simple and efficient manner.
The “Jong” brings together all the concepts that have been developed in the three (3) empty hand forms and refines them even further.
六點半棍
Luk Dim Boon Gwan
Luk Dim Boon Gwan, or six (6) and a half point pole.
It is so named as there are six (6) techniques with the last movement being classed as a half technique. The concepts behind the pole more closely mirror the ideas behind the empty hands than the next form the Baat Jaam Do or eight slash knives.
Many movements are modelled originally from the spear and are named Cheung, for example Fong Lung Cheung, the thrusting movement involved in the pole.
The concept of the pole is very similar to fighting with one hand, where the Lat Sau Jik Jung is still applied.
There are various drills that are applied prior to learning the pole with the most notable being the Che Gwan Kuen or pull apart pole punches.
八斬刀
Baat Jaam Do
The last form in the Ving Tsun system is the eight slash knives.
According to Wong Shun Leung, there is no clear explanation as to why this was called the eight slash knives. This form is made up of nine (9) sections. There were only ever four (4) people who learnt the knife form from Yip Man, Wong Shun Leung being one of them.
The idea here is not to apply the forward springy force (Lat Sau Jik Jung), as to lunge forward and stab into the opponent would render you to be counter stabbed or cut. The intention is to maim the adversary’s wrist or forearms. The concepts of stepping and applied theory differ radically from the empty hands and as such is only taught at a level where the student is already highly proficient and most trusted.