Archive for the “wing chun wooden dummy” Category

Greetings all,

Much as happened since I have last wrote you all. For those that are interested, I will be conducting Wing Chun classes in the Kitchener / Waterloo area beginning September 10th, 2006. Check out www.kwwingchun.com

A question came up a little while back regarding the wooden dummy (Mook Yan Jong). Are all the ‘attacks’ from the dummy arms, left handed and right handed like someone facing you?

Well…… yes, and no. (I hate those answers but it’s the truth). If you look at the upper arms of the dummy. There are two arms. A ‘left’ arm and a ‘right’ arm. Depending on the technique you use, the dummy could be ‘attacking’ you with ‘right’ meaning you may counter with your left hand or arm, or it could be a ‘crossing’ hit, much like a boxer’s cross, where the ‘right’ arm of the dummy actually represents punch from the dummy’s left to right (crossing).

If you are beginning the wooden dummy, don’t worry about ‘Is he hitting me with his left or right?!’ Just work proper angles, and footwork, while trying to memorize and internalize the form.

For more advanced practitioners, remember that the dummy should become more ‘alive’ in our training. Not just a block of wood that we do a set pattern to. Our actions in the form or pattern should be based on an imaginary stimulus of the dummy attacking us. To determine if the dummy is hitting you with a ‘straight/jab’ or ‘cross’ is totally left to your imagination. But there comes a point where you will need to dissect the form, and find the practical applications. This is where you need to ask, ‘Is it a straight or a cross punch?’.

I think this is one of the amazing things about Wing Chun. It doesn’t matter how much you train physically, if you don’t train mentally also, you will never meet your true potential. I like to tell people that Wing Chun is ‘an intelligent martial art’. That’s not to say that other arts aren’t intelligent, but that to truly grasp Wing Chun you mentally have to wrap your mind around it. I’ve been training in Wing Chun for almost 7 years now. And I find, that after you get basic mastery of the physical components, in order to grow you need to start racking your brain with the Wing Chun theory, testing it, trying to apply it, re-evaluating it. This is something I will be doing as long as I live. Wing Chun can become ‘mental gymnastics’ for the brain. Much like chi sau is a form of 3D chess.

Until Next time.
Keep Training, Keep Praying, Keep Learning,
Chuck
www.kwwingchun.com

Hey All,

The wooden dummy (Mook Yan Jong) is probably the best martial arts tool ever devised. It’s the one partner that will never quit on you. And will always be ready for you when you come home.

It’s been 6 years since I purchased my Mook from Chan Sifu. The best investment I ever made. This was a ‘traditional’ type of Jong. All solid wood, no plastic, rubber or hollow parts. I’ve yet to tire of it. You can spend hours working a single technique, or working a series of techniques or principles. To get the most from your Mook Jong, here’s a couple of points:

1. Remember the Dummy is ‘live’: If you treat your dummy like a real opponent/partner. Each technique should be in response to an action ‘done’ by the dummy.
2. Work Entering techniques: One of the best things about the jong, is you can work entering techniques. Various articles mention that Bruce Lee would work entering techniques for hours. If you can’t enter, you can’t continue to another technique.
3. Don’t Beat your Dummy: The dummy is not for bashing or arm and bone conditioning. Remember wood against flesh, in most cases wood wins.
4. Remember to use angles and Footwork: The jong is great for reinforcing proper angles and footwork.
5. Make up ‘free-flow’ responses: Just go with the flow and blend responses as you imagine the occur.

Until Next Time,
Keep Training, Keep Praying, Keep Learning,
Chuck

All,

I was talking with Chan Sifu, and a student asked what is the ‘correct’ arm orientation on a Mook Yan Jong. For those that do not understand, on ‘The Jong’ there are two arms that people ‘argue’ about what is correct. Some say the left arm should be higher, others say the right arm should be higher, there are others still that say the arms should be perfectly level.

Some argue that if the arms are both level, you get the symmetrical training on both sides. I say, it’s a good point. For those that believe that The Jong should have different arm heights, the argument goes, you are learning techniques against strikes that are slightly different (variance), again it’s a good point.

Chan Sifu asked what I think. So here goes. IT DOESN’T MATTER. That’s it. I’ve tried Jongs in all three arm heights. But the difference is miniscule. So why spend all your time arguing which is ‘the real’ Mook Jong. It’s a tool. A lump of wood designed by someone. To help support my position, I’m going to give you an example from the automotive world.

We all agree what a ‘traditional’ car is, it has four wheels, a steering wheel and an engine. Now there are multiple car manufacturers, but who has the ‘real car’? They all do, they all manufacture cars that fit the description of what a car is. You can see how stupid it would be to argue over who has the ‘real car’. The same goes for the Wing Chun Mook Yan Jong. The Jong has three arms and a leg. There are accepted approximate height locations, etc. but the details are left to the individual.

So the next time you get into the debate of what is the real, traditional, historically correct Wing Chun Mook Yan Jong. Look the other person in the eye and say, ‘Ya, okay, whatever, lets train now.’

Until Next Time,
Keep Training, Keep Praying, Keep Learning,
Chuck