Everybody Wing Chun Tonight!
Self defense training is usually a very tiring and violent experience. It’s just the nature of the art. However, there are certain disciplines out there which are extremely relaxing to practice but are far and few. One of those disciplines is Wing Chun which is an ancient Chinese art that teaches self defense to those who practice it through relaxation of the body and of the mind. Sounds too good to be true? Well, guess again.
Wing Chun is one of the least frequently discussed martial arts. Why? I couldn’t answer that because Wing Chun is a truly incredible way to train martial arts. Essentially, the heart of the form is based of the redirection of someone’s power, so, just as with Jiu Jitsu it is an art of gentleness but, still, it is much less intense yet just as effective. The art goes back as far as the 1500’s and has a very rich history behind it as well. The style’s inception occurred when the Chinese Government attacked many Shaolin monks centuries ago and in defense the monks found the least violent way to fend of their attackers.
A person who practices Wing Chun is said to be both firm and yielding, just like a piece of bamboo. The firm part is more of the metal side of things as relaxation is the single most vital attribute in Wing Chun. Relaxation because speed and power gets reduced when they art met with tension thus relaxation allows for quick and powerful execution of techniques. The other critically important areas to be aware of in Wing Chun are balance and fortitude – don’t try to train without those either! All in all, Wing Chun is the most relaxed martial art of them all but it is also one of the most incredibly difficult to master.