The Wing Chun Kung Fu Forms
There are three bare hand forms in the Wing Chun Kung Fu system, the wooden dummy form and two weapon forms (the butterfly knives and the pole). Here you will find a brief description of the first form and videos of Sifu Neil Parris demonstrating all three bare hand forms.
The First Form (Siu Nim Tao)
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The first form (little idea form) is our alphabet of Wing Chun principle and technique. All of the concepts which bind the system together can be found here. We begin by establishing a good grounding with our footwork, which is the first step towards unifying our full body structure. Next, we establish the centre by crossing our arms in front of our body.
The point of contact between the two arms marks the centre line, and this is the path that all technique flows through. Once the centre line has been established we deliver a punch straight down it. When punching, remain relaxed along the journey and slightly contract at the end. This way no energy is wasted and we can generate speed and power when needed. The target zone remains along the centre which is where we aim for when attacking ensuring our opponent always absorbes the full impact of the blow. Next we focus yet more on the energy which drives our technique, while still maintaining our centre line. As our arm moves away from the body, it is important that we maintain a semi-contracted state in the forearm. By creating a well-defined structure in the hand we naturally build the required amount of contraction and any further tension will only result in poor technique and tiredness. The movement of the arm should be encouraged by the elbow.
When the elbow is a fist distance away from the body, we stop. Here lies another core principle in the Wing Chun Kung Fu system. At this distance, not only are we ensuring that we don't over-reach when defending, but are creating a structure which is backed up by the whole body. In a fight situation our rear guard (Wu Sau) also remains a fist distance away from the body as shown below on the left. On the right is a fully extended Tan Sau, note the fist distance of the elbow from the body.
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| Wu Sau | Tan Sau |
The unification of the body through good structure is essential but we must also unify the body with the mind. Through focusing on correctness of energy in technique these principles become habitual and will flow naturally when needed.
The first form has three sections, each showing us how to generate energy efficiently and embedding the movements into our muscle memory. The first section starts off slowly and deals with the gradual, concentrated building of energy. In the second section we are switching the energy on more abruptly toward the end of the movement. Relaxation is essential both for conservation of energy, and in enabling us to generate power. Once again through creating a well-defined shape at the end of your movement you already have enough energy (contraction). This section does not need to be done quickly, but it is good if each movement can flow effortlessly into the next. A common mistake is to contract at the end of the technique, but fail to release the tension after. As a result of this the arms tire more easily and your transitions between shapes will be less responsive. Relaxation is the key to unlocking a lot of things in the Wing Chun system, and it's worth taking time to ensure that we start from, and return to this state, both in practice and in fighting situations as much as possible. And more importantly, in every day life.
In the third section, all of the principles already covered are thrown in and combined with speed or fluidity. This does not mean that we do this section as fast as we possibly can, but should demonstrate fluidity combined with good geometry. All movements must be as direct as possible and you should maintain a forward focus at all times. Slight movements of the waist help to propell each technique so as to make use of momentum but if these movements are too large, it will throw out the overall structure. Throughout the form the wrist is directed toward the centre line and the core principles remain throughout. The only thing that changes is the way we express these principles as the form progresses.
The Second Form (Chum Kiu)
In this video Sifu Neil Parris demonstrates the second Wing Chun Kung Fu form - Chum Kiu.
The Third Form - (Biu Tze)
Also demonstrated by Sifu Neil Parris, the third Wing Chun Kung Fu hand form.