What is internal Wing Chun and how does it work? Internal means “inside” and with regard to a martial art, this simply means a deeper investigation of the mechanics of physical movement. What makes Wing Chun work better and more efficiently?
Not all Wing Chun has an internal aspect. In fact certain systems/lineages seem to completely miss the internal aspect of the art. This is something Chu Shong Tin discovered during his over 50 years of teaching. In the below video, he explains how he changed his previous form of teaching. He noticed that his students couldn’t replicate his structure and ability to generate force. While he could play Chi Sau with students for hours, they would tire easily – even though they were much younger.
What Is Internal Wing Chun?
My own training eventually led me to become a student of Sifu Daniel Parr, many years after my own Wing Chun journey began in 1993. It wasn’t until over 20 years later that I discovered internal Wing Chun.
I joined the classes, hoping to learn some new insights and play some Chi Sau. However, I discovered their method of Chi Sau was much different to what I had previously learned. Emphasis was not on lots of Chi Sau but on power generation and structure. This was almost the complete opposite of my previous training. Previously, the game of Chi Sau was the focus, and trying to land a hit through various means.
What was missing was structure and power generation. I continued attending the classes for several years, struggling to let go of my previous leanings and training. It was definitely a mental battle to unlearn what I desperately wanted to do!
Standing Practice
I soon learned that even though classes were geared to making the art more “user friendly” for beginners, emphasis was placed on standing practice. This was something emphasised by Chu Shong Tin, I learned, after he changed the way he taught classes. He would get his students to stand for hours. Mark, a senior student at the Sheffield class was one of Chu Shong Tin’s students and he recalled the story of how he would be standing so long his legs were trembling with exhaustion.
I was intrigued again about Wing Chun, despite having put many years into Siu Lim Tao (first form) already. I began to think I was missing something though.
The Missing Ingredient
The missing ingredient was an aspect of mindfulness. As Chu Shong Tin explains it, the mind enters a different state where a different part of the brain is used. This is difficult to teach and this is why Sifu’s ask their students to practice the first form over and over. But despite having done this myself for many years, I was missing the point somehow. The answers came to me during the testing exercises which I hadn’t previous done in Wing Chun through my previous lineage. Of course, I was also practicing my Siu Nim Tao (first form) on a daily basis and with renewed enthusiasm!
Structure Testing
Structure testing was definitely one of the missing ingredients of my previous style when it came to understanding structure and power generation in Wing Chun. Testing is something I had touched on in a Ki-Aikido class and I started implementing it into my own Wing Chun classes shortly afterwards. It involves working with a partner. Your partner gives you pressure to test your structure. Initially the force is fairly weak, so you can understand correct alignment and relaxation. Over time, more and more power is added once your structure or force development has improved.
The testing was definitely a break-through moment for me in discovering internal Wing Chun. Combined with regular first form practice it allows you to more easily generate force in your movements through greater relaxation. Your connection to the ground also becomes stronger and you are less easily manipulated in Chi Sau.
What Is Nim Tao?
Nim Tao refers to the mind, with “Nim” meaning “mind” and is the path to generating greater internal skill in Wing Chun. This is the aspect of the art which Chu Shong Tin thought was missing when he changed his teaching method. He was called “King of Siu Nim Tao” by Grandmaster Ip Man himself, because he would train the first form so diligently.
It is not surprising that few of Chu Shong Tin’s students could replicate his skill. Training Siu Nim Tao repeatedly is something many find impossible. As a younger student myself, at 19 years old when I began Wing Chun, I just wanted more chi sau. When it came to doing the first form, I didn’t see the point of it. It was only later that I came to appreciate the hidden depths of the Siu Nim Tao form.
How Does Internal Wing Chun Develop Power?
I was always fascinated with Bruce Lee and in particular his “one inch punch”. This was of course from Wing Chun. Despite having practiced a more external system of Wing Chun for many years, I hadn’t fully understood the way to develop more power. In theory I thought I had understood it. But in reality, I was still using tension in my body to generate power.
After training at the Chu Shong Tin lineage school in Sheffield, the penny began to drop. One of the instructors showed me his punch. It was like being punched by the whole of his body, only he only moved his fist a small distance. Plus he did it very slowly too.
While most people will tense up their bodies to generate power, Mark (the instructor) had done standing practice for hours on end in Hong Kong. During this time he had learned how to deeply relax his body. Most people can relax when they tell their bodies to do so, given enough time and awareness. However, when you punch something, you fire muscles which produces a reactive force which can work against you, pushing you back. When you are fully relaxed during a punch, and your body is aligned, your connection to your body mass is maintained. There is no reactive force pushing you backwards and weakening this connection.
In this video I explain the basic concept of the relaxed punch and how relaxation allows you a greater continuous connection to the ground throughout the punch.
Leave a Reply