Wing Chun FAQs 

Wing Chun is a close-quarter combat martial art that employs relaxation, deflection and re-direction to affect an opponent’s balance with the intent to strike through to vulnerable points on their body.

Wing Chun history is quite unique in that it’s said to have been founded by a woman, a Buddhist nun named Ng Mei. Unlike other kung fu history she focused on principles of movement which allowed smaller people to overcome much larger opponents.

The art was named after her first student, Yim Wing Chun. “Wing Chun” is roughly translated as “everlasting springtime”.

Wing Chun was then passed on down from person to person, a lineage that survives to this day through Kai Wing Chun.

The long Chu Shong Tin line of Wing Chun masters in our lineage includes, amongst others, Leung Jan, Chan Wah Shun, Leung Bik, the real Ip Man (not the film version!), Chu Shong Tin and Jim Fung.

Of course, there are other well-known branches of the same Wing Chun family, including Ip Chun and Ip Ching, the two sons of the legendary Ip Man.

The difference between Wing Chun, Ving Tsun and Wing Tsun is a matter of spelling. Translated from Mandarin or Cantonese “ts” and “ch” are almost identical, as are “v” and “w”. Certain lineages prefer to use a particular spelling whereas some, like the Chu Shong Tin lineage, use them interchangeably.

Wing Chun is effective when applied using its basic fighting principles, aided by a unique training exercise called chi sao or sticking hands. It focuses on how to generate power from close range in the midst of attacking and defending yourself simultaneously.

How to punch harder using the Wing Chun way is different from orthodox boxing or karate-style punches in a few ways.

Firstly, you hit with your bottom-three knuckles rather than your first two. This allows you to naturally align your arm and body-mass behind your punches.

Secondly, both of your arms are working in tandom with each other so when you’re striking with one arm the other is latching or controlling your opponent’s arms in some way. This helps you to disrupt their balance and make your punches more impactful.

Thirdly, you relax your muscles, letting your entire skeletal structure engage, rather than tensing your muscles to generate power. This allows you to strike from your centre of mass rather than just your arm muscles, that is to strike with body power rather than mere arm power. This way of striking is both more powerful and less wasteful of energy.

The first 3 Wing Chun forms are empty-hand forms: Siu Nim Tao (Tiny Idea), Chum Kiu (Bridge Detection) and Biu Jee (Darting Fingers).

The Wooden Dummy form or Muk Yan Jong is the application of the first 3 empty-hand forms.

There are 2 weapons forms: Baat Jam Do (8 Slashing Knives or Butterfly Knives) and Lok Dim Boon (the 6-and-a-half Point Pole).

There are 5 basic principles of Wing Chun:
- simplicity
- economy of movement
- minimum use of brute strength
- directness
- practicality

These all utilize the centreline theory.

There are many Wing Chun techniques:
- bong-sau (wing hand/arm)
- tan sau (lay-flat hand)
- fook sau (tame-force hand)
- wu sau (guarding hand)
- pak sau (slapping hand)
- chit sau (slashing hand)
- garn sau (splitting hand)
- huen sau (circling hand)
- dai sau (raising hand)
- lap sau (seizing hand)
- chain-punching
- dan chi sau (single-sticking hands)
- luk sau (rolling hands)
- chi sau (sticking hands)
- chi geuk (sticking feet)

Chi sao, or chi sau, means “sticking hands”. It’s a unique exercise to train sensitivity in the arms, control of your body-mass and to develop the fighting reflexes.

Chi sau is a free-style training environment, as opposed to luk sau (rolling hands) which is a slower practice for moving your arms between the full range of motion - tarn sau to bong sau on one side and fook sau on the other - in a more controlled setting.

Typically, dan chi sau (single-sticking hands) is taught before chi sau.

The most important aspect with a Wing Chun school is finding a qualified Sifu. As well as this, the training environment needs to be cooperative with an atmosphere of open-learning where questions are encouraged.

It is possible to learn Wing Chun online. However, because sensitivity and relaxation as well as the training of fighting-reflexes are tactile, it is not quite the same as hands-on face-to-face training.

During the Covid lockdowns, for example, Kai Wing Chun continued regular lessons online. This is because Sifu Kai Taylor has a knack for relaying ideas, principles and approaches to training that his students can apply for themselves.

However, if you have much face-to-face training under one's belt you will get far more out of online training compared to someone that attempts to learn Wing Chun exclusively online.

If you would like to enquire about how to learn Wing Chun online, please contact us.

Alternatively, Sifu Kai Taylor also recommends checking out Mindful Wing Chun online, which is a great resource.

Relaxation is a key factor in learning authentic Wing Chun. With this, the willingness to let go of preconceptions and to remain open to what a qualified Sifu shows you is important.

At Kai Wing Chun, there is a lot of attention perfecting each of the six forms. Every moment mist be done correctly, and the rationale for each movement, as well as the form as a whole, must be clearly understood.

As with anything, persistent effort is vital. Indeed, kung fu literally means 'skill acquired through persistent effort'.

Although athleticism isn't required to learn or perform Wing Chun, learning Wing Chun will increase your fitness.

Chu Shong Tin style Wing Chun in particular emphasizes relaxation and focusing the mind to develop the power and skill to defend yourself, whether you are male or female, small or large, young or old.

Sifu Kai Taylor is a descendant of the Chu Shong Tin lineage and welcomes you to try a lesson.

If you are learning authentic Wing Chun then your focus will be on relaxation and utilizing natural body movements. As long as you train under the guidance of a qualified Sifu and you learn to listen to your body, you can still learn Wing Chun with a bad back or knee.

In fact, there are many stories of people who managed to self-heal old back and knee injuries, for example Mick Holmes, the Customer Services Coordinator for Kai Wing Chun.

Many older people start to learn Wing Chun precisely because it focuses on relaxation and basic principles which don’t require flashy or extravagant moves.

Further, most Wing Chun practitioners continue to train well into old age and can often over-power much younger and physically stronger training partners. Sigung Chu Shong Tin was the epitome of this - even after the age of 80, none of his students had a chance of penetrating his defenses, including many who worked as bouncers with countless real-world life-and-death street fights.

Yes, definitely!

Wing Chun is the only martial art ever created by a woman. Her name was Ng Mei and her first student was also a woman, Yim Wing Chun. It doesn’t rely on brute strength to be effective. In fact, women are often much more receptive to the sensitivity and relaxation needed to be successful at adopting the Wing Chun basic principles.

Wing Chun is ideal for smaller people!

This is because it doesn’t rely on brute strength to be effective. Authentic Wing Chun allows a practitioner to utilize more of their body mass while employing leverage to use an opponent’s force against them.

How long is a piece of string? :)

A more concrete answer is that you can diligently work through the entire Wing Chun system within a few years. However, for people who train like this for a few years Wing Chun then becomes almost like an addiction. This is because there are so many positive benefits to experience and there are always deeper levels of relaxation to reach.

Sigung Chu Shong Tin was once asked how long it takes to master Wing Chun. He said:

“One-and-a-half lifetimes!”

So we don’t quite have enough time to reach the pinnacle but it’s the exciting journey that matters.

Wing Chun is a simple and direct martial art. If you find a qualified Sifu, if you can remain open to what he/she shows you and if you train regularly, then using relaxation to develop the ability to defend yourself is inevitable.

There are quite a few, for example;

Robert Downey Jr.

Donnie Yen

Michelle Yeoh

Nicolas Cage

Christian Bale and, of course, Bruce Lee who popularized Wing Chun.

There are also some of the most famous mixed martial artists who appreciate Wing Chun; for example:

Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Tony Ferguson.

Bruce Lee trained Wing Chun for a couple of years in Hong Kong before moving to the United States where he developed his own style of fighting called Jeet Kune Do. The three primary influences on Jeet Kune Do are Wing Chun, western boxing, and western fencing.

While training in Hong Kong he spent much time with Wong Shun Leung. In this video, you can listen to Master Wong talk about some early experiences with Bruce.

Historical European Martial Arts, or HEMA for short, involves the study and practice of historical European fighting techniques.

You can train with Sifu Kai Taylor at his school in Chiswick, London. Click here for specific details about the location.

For details on training fees, click here.

The simplest way is to be a fan on social media. Every like, share, and comment makes a big difference to the those crazy algorithms.