Atul performing Bong Sau from the Chum Kiu form

The empty hand forms of the Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) system are of great importance. Many martial arts practitioners do not practice forms or worse yet, practice them but do not understand them. Some feel they are like “swimming on dry land”. Others practice them over and over yet have little or no understanding of what they are doing or why they are doing it. The forms of the Ving Tsun contain all the knowledge of the system. They are the glue that holds it together. They teach all the major principles of the art,  things such as correct position of the movements, correct energy use, the use of “Yiu Ma”  ( Hips and Stance) to develop power, how to have fast explosive movements, and how to recover from bad position, among many other things. The forms, Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, and Biu Gee, must be practiced over and over to master them.  A student must understand that the forms will directly inform your Chi Sao (Sticking Hands) practice. Without the understanding and without lots of practice of the forms, your Chi Sao will just be a bunch of random, empty movements. If you are studying under someone that says the forms are of no importance and who does not practice them himself regularly, you should find another Sifu. If you are studying under someone who has you doing the forms over and over but can’t tell you what the moves mean and how to apply them in Chi Sao or in Fighting, find another Sifu. If he says something like “do it because I told you” or “Thats the way we’ve always done it,” these are not answers, again, find another Sifu.

For more information on learning the Ving Tsun system, Contact the VTSDA by phone or email.

Sifu Matt Johnson