Karate or Wing Chun? My conundrum.

[johncorey]

I have a conundrum.

I have been doing Karate for the last two years. It is a style similar to Kyokushin and Ashihara. I really enjoy it, and everything is going well, except for the fact that we only train twice a week. I feel that I am learning but not as fast or as effectively as I could if I was doing it full time. To this end, I am thinking of either moving to somewhere that will allow me to train in this style of Karate full time for a couple of months (which I really need), or change styles to something that trains more than twice a week.

I have found that there is a Wing Chun club in my area. They have a scheme where if you join one club all the others are free, and they have about four schools in my area. Joining these guys would allow me to train at least six days a week – if I wanted to – which is exactly the type of commitment I am wanting to give.

The costs are fairly similar so that isn’t a factor. The only thing that is is effectiveness. I have been doing some reading on Wing Chun on the internet recently and it seems to get slammed by martial artists for being ineffective as a self-defence system. They say it isn’t realistic or effective. The only people who have anything good to say about it are those who actually train in it – unlike something like BJJ or kickboxing/boxing, where most people recognise it as pretty good.

So, what should I do? Keep doing what I am doing but going only twice a week? Move to where I can stay in the same style but train more frequently? Or change altogether to Wing Chun?

By the way, the only reason I am doing martial arts at all is for self-defence. That is my main goal – to be able to defend myself in any real life situation.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

Here is the website of the Wing Chun club I am considering joining: http://www.wingchun.co.nz/

[knifethrower]

I have a conundrum.

This is as far as I got.......hang on, this may take some time while I look that word up...................
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[m_calingo]

My take on Wing Chun is that it has a lot to offer. Wing Chun theory is based on protecting your center line, and attacking the center line of your opponent. A straight line is still the shortest distance between two points. Wing Chun punches, when performed correctly, produce a lot of power in a short range. The chi sao drill trains one's arms to read the opponent even when the hands are moving faster than the eye can see.

For me, the greatest concept in Wing Chun is the simultaneous attack and defense, i.e., if an attacher throws a punch at you, in WC, the punch is deflected at the same moment your counterpunch is landing on his nose/chin/etc.

In most other systems, one is first taught to block the attack, and then throw a counter. Block, then counter, block, then counter. Let's face it, no matter how fast you are, no matter how fast you get, you'll never do this faster than a simultaneous parry and counter. This is comparable to western boxing when a boxer slips an attacker's punch as he lands his own blow on the attacker's chin.

Of course, this system isn't perfect, as other systems are not perfect, either. Much of the practice is conducted in a straight up stance. This may work well in a crowded space, but might not train one to fight others when more floor space is available. There is either no, or almost no training on mat work, when the both fighters go to the ground. WC fighters who train exclusively in the short range punch are at a disadvantage when they face off against boxers who throw punches at a longer range. Another problem I've seen with some WC students is they don't always learn how to "sink" their weight when their punches, thereby losing a lot of power when the punch is thrown.

Just for the record, I haven't actually studied Wing Chung, although I have taken Jeet Kune Do which shares a lot of the techniques of WC.

[Thai Bri]

Wing Chun theories...... Wing Chun theories.

Never proven in practice beyond mythical "roof top challenges" in Hong Kong that are either grossly exaggerated or never even happened.

If you want self defence get some ides from these people:

https://www.geoffthompson.com

https://www.senshido.com

http://hockscombatforum.com/

Now I have no knowledge whatsoever of what may be available in New Zealand, but the old saying of "any training is better than no training" is very very wrong.

Most self defence is tactical anyway. Bu if you want an insight into it take a good look around these places, and maybe purchase one or two DVDs. They'll give you great ideas to practice.

[m_calingo]

Wing Chun theories...... Wing Chun theories.

Never proven in practice beyond mythical "roof top challenges" in Hong Kong that are either grossly exaggerated or never even happened.

Oh really??

A few years ago a friend of mine was attacked by a knifer in a parking lot. The guy came at him with the classic overhand knife attack.

My friend parried the knife arm and simultaneously hit the guy's nose with a vertical punch, followed with two more punches to the nose (straight blast).

The mugger was essentially KO'd with the first punch, the follow up punches just finished the job.

Total time from knife attack to final punch would be less than 7 seconds by my guess.

Yeah, I guess it really doesn't work.

[knifethrower]

Yes!!!!! This is gonna be another one of those Thai Bri “wing chun sux you wank stain” threads and if m colingo has the constitution it may drag its self out past the “Tai Chi, good self-defense art or not” thread.





The only reason I read these is so I can see comments like “wank stain”

[m_calingo]

"Wanker" isn't good enough?

[johncorey]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question (all five of you). This is no longer a conundrum, however. I went along to that Wing Chun club tonight and it showed me how good my Karate club is.

Now I just have to work out where I can go that will allow me to train in this particular style of Karate all day every day.

Onward!

[knifethrower]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question (all five of you).

There’s only three of us Oh wait….you must be counting those little voices in my head…….......














Then again, that would make it eight......
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[npk9]

I have a conundrum.

I have been doing Karate for the last two years. It is a style similar to Kyokushin and Ashihara. I really enjoy it, and everything is going well, except for the fact that we only train twice a week. I feel that I am learning but not as fast or as effectively as I could if I was doing it full time. To this end, I am thinking of either moving to somewhere that will allow me to train in this style of Karate full time for a couple of months (which I really need), or change styles to something that trains more than twice a week.

Do you not have a place to train on your own? or is it that you don't have the discipline to train by yourself?

[Thai Bri]

Oh really??

A few years ago a friend of mine was attacked by a knifer in a parking lot. The guy came at him with the classic overhand knife attack.

My friend parried the knife arm and simultaneously hit the guy's nose with a vertical punch, followed with two more punches to the nose (straight blast).

The mugger was essentially KO'd with the first punch, the follow up punches just finished the job.

Total time from knife attack to final punch would be less than 7 seconds by my guess.

Yeah, I guess it really doesn't work.

Luckily for you I have been extensively trained in diplomacy, so I can deliver the following message in a manner that is professional, polite and fair.



Good day!

[m_calingo]

Luckily for you I have been extensively trained in diplomacy, so I can deliver the following message in a manner that is professional, polite and fair.

You are a lying c unt.

Good day!

Ha Ha, your sooooo funny!

I can practice diplomacy too! In all fairness, I could say that you found yourself a Wing Chung teacher who couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag.

Or maybe it's just you that can't fight your way out of a paper bag.

Have a nice day.

[Tai Chi Fighter]

Learned Wing Chun from my dad's friend, didn't like it at first. But after a couple of months it grew on me. I still find my self from transitioning from Karate to Wing Chun when I fight.

[Mephariel]

Wing Chun theories...... Wing Chun theories.

Never proven in practice beyond mythical "roof top challenges" in Hong Kong that are either grossly exaggerated or never even happened.

Right, which is why a boxer admits that he couldn't do anything against Bruce Lee when he challenged him to a fight?

[Thai Bri]

Here we go again. Another mythical load of tripe. What is it with you people? Show us all the WC fighter who has won anything!

Firstly, who is this boxer? Is he related to m calingo's knife attacker? The one who attacked in the classic overhand manner..... you know the one. It's tha attack that everyone does in the dojo, but nobody does in the street.....

Secondly, Bruce Lee. Isn't he the guy who left most of WC behind and got into boxing, Thai Boxing as well as a host of other arts instead? Seems lie he didn't think too much of WC as a complete fighting system after all.

Thirdly..... do any of you actually have any real evidence?