Wong Shun Leung Quotes

I am now teaching Wing Chun and am in no position to criticise other Gung-fu systems. I would like to say, however, that many styles ask men to imitate animal positions. Humans don't have the ability to imitate some positions. For example, some animals can leap around from here to there quite easily because they have long tails to help them maintain balance. We humans don't have such a tail to aid us, and so some techniques may not be natural. Therefore, when someone asks me what animal style Wing Chun is, I will always say that it is 'human style'. We use the weapons which nature has given us to the best of our ability.

The situation where you need to wrestle is when both opponents want to grab. Western boxing is supposed to be hitting, but you still see situations where they want to hold on to each other. This is because one of them is scared. If you are scared then you will try to hold onto your opponent. It is very difficult for someone to lock or hold onto you if you know Wing Chun. You can stop the other guy holding or grabbing. If someone grabs you, you will only try to grab back if you are scared. But if you are not scared, then he cannot force you into a wrestling situation.

I think the kicks in Wing Chun are enough. It´s much easier to use your hands than to use your feet. Your hand is able to reach your opponent long before your foot. Why take the long way to attack (circle), when there is a much more direct method of attack? If you are using your hands, then your opponent can´t see a kick coming if you have to use it. When you teach Kung Fu, you can fool a lot of people, but not yourself. You can make like a movie and do many complicated movements and kicks, but you only fool yourself as to whether that would work in a real situation of life and death.

In training Biu Jee we are taught to be free . The first forms tell us about normal situations. Biu Jee is for the abnormal situations . The ideas in Biu Jee sometimes will contradict normal Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) ideas in order to allow the person to survive in a bad situation . We are told to do what is necessary to survive and so there are no limitations . Styles have different concepts and objectives . With Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) we want to attack our opponent in a very direct and savage manner . Other styles will contradict this objective by attempting non-direct tactics . If we combine them our objectives can become confused in the heat of the fight . We will be less effective .

If you hold two arms out in front of you and someone grabs them, then you can use the third set elbow movement to escape. Bring the hand right in to touch the body. If the hand is held in a fist, it doesn't work. Then press down with the elbow.

This situation can happen to anyone. If you learn Wing Chun you can cope with it better than someone that doesn't know Wing Chun.

The late Sifu Wong Shun-leung, of “Hong Kong” wing chun fame, in his seminars around the world over the years, liked to make a comparison with the modern combat sport of Western boxing, which he observed had changed quite dramatically over just the last sixty or so years, from the crouching-like postures of boxers like Joe Louis in the 30s and 40s, to the flashy footwork of the likes of Muhammad Ali in the 60s and 70s, through to the more upright and flat-footed approach of recent champions such as Mike Tyson.

Wong Shun-leung said that when you punch the head the brain hits the side of the skull. If the brain is against the side of the skull and a second hit follows, then damage and a knockout results because there is no cushioning possible. This is why Wing Chun has its rapid fire punches instead of the pull back approach.

In Wing Chun if you throw two fast punches to someone's head they'll be knocked out. The first punch causes the brain to go to one side of the skull. If a quick second hit comes, the person is knocked out. If you withdraw the hand to give the second punch, then the brain can recover (will have more time to recover), but if you don't give this time then a knockout results.

The situation where you need to wrestle is when both opponents want to grab.

" The first punch causes the brain to go to one side of the skull.

"Boxing moves the head to dodge punches, but in Wing Chun we don't,

..... when you punch the head the brain hits the side of the skull.

In Wing Chun we hit the larger part of the face, usually at an angle, so the butt of the chin is avoided. In Wing Chun, the main target area is from the mouth upward...

No, Wing Chun will never use a fake punch.