Of course it is important to warm up properly for any training session at the gym. A Wing Chun class is no different, but should your warm up be specifically related to Wing Chun or should it be functional for self defence?
As a woman, choosing the right martial art for you can take time, especially while exploring many different types of classes. Before settling with Wing Chun, I trained Kyokushin and Go Kan Ryu karate. Having seen and practiced different martial arts made me more aware of what I was looking for and needed from my training as a woman looking for a good approach to self defence.
Ask any new student why they wish to train martial arts, and they will invariably reply “To get fit, and learn how to defend myself”. But how fit do you have to be in the first place to defend yourself? Is there a relationship between fitness and self defence and should you take it seriously?
Our success does indicate that we are different from the typical Wing Chun school. We are effective, dynamic, and capable of fighting in arenas out of our comfort zone. Most importantly our training methods and approach differs by far too many Wing Chun schools in London.
Good fitness training is essential for well rounded self defence ability. By focusing on functional fitness requirements rather than simple gym exercises you can build a better body, but more importantly a fighters mind.
Training martial arts is fraught with challenges. There will always be people bigger, better, stronger than you. So, the question remains: Are these challenges greater for women, and does it affect their ability to learn a martial art?
Wing Chun weapons may have been a practical form of combat in the old days, but do these weapons truly relate to modern fitness training for martial arts? The simple answer is yes they do.
The Centre Line Theory of Wing Chun is considered a major component of this martial art style, but why is it so important to understand? On a simplistic level, the centre line theory provides a guide to inflict damage on the human body. Yet on a conceptual level, the centre line theory offers a strategy for fighting and even self defence.
San Shou (also known as San Da) Kickboxing could be considered the modern application of traditional Chinese martial arts. San Shou (San Da) Kickboxing is not a martial art in itself, rather a format of fighting that combines striking with punches, kicks, elbows and knees for professional fighters, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, and leg catches. This style of fighting truly encapsulates all ranges of stand up combat, which transfers nicely to self defence application.
Martial arts training teaches true values for living a well rounded and healthy life. Not only does practicing a martial art instils the right values and attitudes that are conducive to Self Defence, but you'll improve your fitness and well-being.