The reason why it's not a good art is because there's no full contact sparring, no ground training, no training in aliveness (training with a resisting partner). Sparring is how we learn to take punches, and how to deal them out at the same time. So many styles never teach you this, because they frankly don't like getting hit, but would you rather learn how to get hit in a safe environment, or in a scary situation on the street, where it counts most? Ground training is important to any regimine, and it's very much ignored. Traditionalists will tell you, you should never go to the ground in a fight, and while this is true, they decide that this means they should ignore it altogether. In a fight, you may not get that choice. Being prepared is the key. Aliveness is the most important thing. It's the ultimate test of seeing if what we're doing works. By working a technique against a resisting opponent, we learn how to do it, because a mugger isn't going to let you perform some extravagant technique on him. And by not training in aliveness, we set ourselves up for failure by giving ourselves unwarranted self-confidence in our abilities. Aliveness is like how an experiment is for a scientist. Imagine a scientist skipping the experiment, and drawing conclusions that he created in his own mind. That's what many martial artists do. It's also how they scam people, by creating this level of mystique about them. This is precisely what Wing Chun does. They hide behind smoke and mirrors, and bullsh*t secret techniques. Because then, they don't have to verify that what they do works. You're just told to assume it works, because they tell you it does.
You mention that you don't want a sport art. It's best to forget such labels. They're meaningless titles created by the traditionalist community. The context in which you train, doesn't matter, how you train is what matters. It doesn't matter if you're training for an opponent across the ring, or a mugger on the street. Your body will react the same way, because it's operating on muscle memory.
Frankly, I'm not interested in getting you to train in my style. What I want for you is for you and you and your children to learn a good art, that isn't a waste of time. I would suggest looking into MMA, Muay Thai, BJJ, Judo, Wrestling, Boxing, Sambo. Any of those would do just fine.
But if you don't believe me, here's Wing Chun getting it's a** kicked by those pesky 'sport' styles. First ones a nice little compilation. The other two videos are where that ground training comes in...
I believe you asked about wingchun before. I recall seeing the same link about wing chun.
It is not my preference. But that doesn't mean it is a waste of time or money. If the instructor is good then it is a good place to learn. I do not recommend styles. I cold recommend several styles and none of them might not be near you. Maybe they are near you, but the instructors near you are horrible. I said it before and I'll say this again.
Go visit several schools near you. Take the trial classes if they offer them. Most places do. Then choose the best instructor that will help you reach you personal goals. Your goal will differ from mines and mines are different than yours and others. You must make this decision as you are the one that will have to live with the decisions that you make.
Every style has good and bad instructors. This is why it is important to visit the schools. Then you can ask questions. You can observe the different levels of skills of ranked students. You get to see how classes are taught. Then you can make an educated decision on what is best for you. Make sure you have clearly defined goals.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist o a brain surgeon to realize there are differences in the goals and or objectives of competing in a sport and learning life preservation skills. They are not to be compared with each other. What applies to competitions doesn't necessarily apply to preserving your life if attacked. Competition is a planned fight between willing combatants/fighters. If attacked on the streets it is a surprised attacked and chaotic. The only person that wants the fight is the ones attacking. But through proper preparation the attacker can find that they wrote a check that they can't cash. They picked the wrong person because you have been trained well by a god instructor. You are not playing a game. There is no 3 to 5 minute rounds or a round two. You know how not to fight, but to end the threat quickly. You understand the differences between fighting and defending and ending the threat.
You need to understand a few things:
1) There is no such thing as a "pure" style. What sets a style apart from others is the fundamental principles that the techniques are based upon. What you see is only the outward expression of the idea and it is the idea defines a style.
2) A style does not tell you whether it is effective for self-defense for the simple reason that not all teachers are created equal. There are no all encompassing regulating body that graduates a master based on some standards. If you want to learn effective self-defense, then look for a good teacher who teaches self-defense regardless of the style.
3) Don't be impressed by flashy showy moves or rooms full of trophies. Real life self-defense is rarely ever flashy and they don't handout trophies for successfully defending against a mugger.
As for the schools you listed, I am somewhat leery of them. It's been my experience that schools with flashy pretty uniforms and large proportions of the students being young children are not those who train in realistic self-defense. The teachers and schools that are in the serious business of self-defense do not really care about looking good. In fact, the best teacher I ever had did not even require uniforms; he just told us to wear loose fitting cloths and tennis shoes.
I've found WC to be very effective. I learned it when I was 14 and I still practice it today, I'm 53. I've taught this art to a few people including my own children. I've used it in my youth on the street and honestly had no trouble using it against the typical street thug. My hardest fought battles where with my own classmates while I was learning the style.
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All this put aside, I noticed you said it's not something you feel comfortable with. You didn't learn using this type of technique... you feel the stance is not right and you don't feel you are comfortable with the punching style. It's apparent that you feel very comfortable with the techniques you learned when you were young. Why not just teach them what you've learned, you feel comfortable with it, you are confident in it's effectiveness. All you need is to find the discipline within yourself to teach your own children something with could protect them for the rest of their lives. The responsibility should fall on your own shoulders, something which they can take and pass down to your own grand children. If you've been through a martial arts discipline any other things which your children learn should only supplement what you've already taught them. If anything --- you should pick the style which you yourself had learned, if not closely resembles it. I would say WC would be a bad match for you, because you would only question the techniques which are to be presented to your children.
For self defense karate is the most brutal non sport. But finding a good school might be hard. Getting lessons from a police officer might be the most effective. Karate is more real here than the other styles which are usually hobby based. Wing chun in particular has the issue where the secret, real effective moves are a secret only about 1 person knows today.
All martial arts can be used for self-defense, Wing Chun included.
For self-defense it is important not to exchange blows for a few minutes, but to intercept the attack and then control or finish it. You can also avoid the attack and then do this, or something similar as well.
So whatever they do, it needs to have some of this as well. Like for example, if the hands and feet of your opponents, were knives and spears.
Is not a Boxing or an MMA match. So whatever you choose, if the school of your choice is offering that, then is more for that.
Self-defense is the ability to defend. When I have an strong argument and we shout and I am sitting with my legs up in a chair lets say, and the other guy stands up and comes behind me, then I remove my feet from the chair and I come in a position where I easily can stand up and do what is needed. Is not closely behind my head anymore either. If he attacks I will be able to easily avoid the attack, come directly on his side, and finish it. That is part of self-defense.
I spent a few years studying Wing Chun. I enjoyed learning it. But in my experience, it's best as a supplement to another program. Wing Chun on the whole tends to be taught in too rigid a fashion to generally work anywhere outside of a Wing Chun class.
Self defense is not facing up and exchanging fisticuffs. If you do that you will be in trouble and you increase your chance of getting hit. Self defense is over in 10 seconds or less. Exchanging fisticuffs is sport where they do not allow you to use techniques that would finish a fight quickly.
Now you need to find a teacher who teaches his martial arts style as self defense and not a sports style. All martial arts styles can be taught either for sports or self defense and many other reasons as well. So if you go in a school where they have 3 minute sparring matches either standing up or rolling on the ground and then declare a winner that will not be teaching self defense. If they have drills where you are done fighting in 10 seconds or less and your opponent is on the ground and you are standing up so you can run away, disabled so he can not attack again or pinned/controlled so he can not move then you are getting closer to self defense.
One thing i want to add
Wing chun can be extremely effective, but you must do full contact sparring, without that it will be almost impossible to pull up the stuff you'll learn. The teacher will be the ultimate decider in the quality of your martial arts training
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my question and some of you in great detail. I had no idea there was such a mixed view of opinions on this subject! It's clearly not as clear cut as whether a particular martial art is effective or not, there are too many factors to consider! I guess I'm going to have to trial a few classes local to me and take all your advice into consideration.
Thanks for your help!
Thank you got taking the time to answer my question. I am looking for an effective self defence martial art for my children and I. I am looking for some advice and guidance from people who are experienced in martial arts.
My question, is Wing Chun a street effective martial arts style, there footwork seems very awkward & they don't punch the way I was taught. Does this art have any benefits advantages over others. The place where I am thinking of attending is not cheap so I need guidance on whether you think I'm wasting my time & money!
If wing chun is out then which martial art do you recommend, not a sport martial art just for self protection in the street.
Can you also please check my proposed wing chun school of choice which is closest to me, is this a good & genuine lineage? : -
http://www.wingchunuk.com
I have noticed there are progressive wing chun styles out there although not in my area, does this mean that wing chun in it's purest form is no enough? Examples as follows : -
http://kamonwingchun.com
http://www.alanorrwingchunacademy.com
Thank you so much in advance for your answers, I am very grateful as this will determine which path I choose for me and my children.
Wing chun is awesome but if you dont get sparring most of it is neglegable. Its like you can only really counter after having done it before.
Lots of schools cut out sparring and it kills the ving tsun vibe.
Jeet Kune Do schools offer wing chun and sparring.
Wing chun it self is great but all things not taught to the tactical level you desire will always be ineffective.
Bruce lee was never taught true Wing Chun by Yip man, instead he was taught a modified style. Bruce lee was cocky and always getting into fights and for this reason he was not taught the true style of Wing Chun. Yip man only taught the true system of Wing Chun to those students he trusted.
This is the reason why Bruce Lee felt that his Wing Chun was not adequate and had to supplement his Wing chun with other martial arts.
a style any style is only as good as your instructor and training. all styles work in self defense but not all instructors teach there style correctly.
styles are neither full contact or no contact, this is completely determined by the instructor some people on here only like to tell half truths about this things and post there bs videos
full contact wing chun
As a police a officer I have used wing chun on the job countless times and it has saved my life on several occasions, its a fine art that nothing can be compared to it by.
For your kids I would recommend kuntao which is a smooth flowing art but brutal against an opponent yay but if the instructors say adults only then look up Chinese wrestling...you might be able to find a place near you...plain ol boxing would b second best
I studied wing chun for a while and wing chun is definitely an effective art. But it's not the only practical, effective art out there. It can't hurt to research other styles - pencak silat; escrima/arnis/kali; hapkido, and many others.
Becareful you might receive a challenge from the un seen.
