In the internal arts we often use the term ‘Bridging’ in relation to contacting with the partners arms. But there is another use for this term that relates to the connection of the arms to the torso and it is that connection that we will explore in this post. The Arm or upper body bridges are the front and back connections of the arms into the torso and are one of the major development focuses for the Internal Martial Artists. They are perhaps one of the most important areas of focus for practitioners due to the common misalignment and systemic tensions from poor posture or lifestyle that can manifest in them. These Lines are sometimes call the Superficial and Deep front and back arm lines in Myofascial work, but for the internal artist the term bridges is used in order to correctly assign the right visualization for the practitioner. The arm bridges are involved in almost every action an IMA adept makes in combative exchange, from striking to hand controls from Chin Na to Kicking. Much of the practice time is devoted to not ‘breaking the connections’ during these exchanges. For instance, lifting the shoulder while performing hand control (pushing hands) work will break the connection to the rest of the network and the practitioner will invariably be off balanced by their partner. Building this ability to maintain the arm bridge connections is vital for anyone interested in the combative side of these arts and as such, much time should be devoted to training the tissues of these lines so that they exhibit the desired function. ​ So what are the front and back arm bridges as we mean them in the Internal Arts? Well broadly speaking they are the tissue lines that connect the front of the lower dan tien (Qihai) and the back of the lower dan tien (ming men) to the finger tips, via the Axis & cross body lines. The front arm Bridge runs from the hand, more specifically the Thenar Eminence of the Thumb, along the Flexor muscles of the forearm , along the biceps into the pectoralis Minor and Major terminating at the Ribs, Clavical and Sternum. This line connects to the Superficial front line & spiral line which leads to the front point of the lower dantien. The back arm bridge runs from the little finger and hypothenar eminence, along the common extensors of the back of the forearm, along the triceps, deltoids, infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Romboids and is closely linked to the scapular and Levator Scaula. This line links downward through the Trapeziaus and Latimus eventually connecting to the back point of the lower dantien in the Lumar Fascia known as the Ming Men. Lets look at how the arm bridges are utilized within the Internal Power Training methods. Transmission from the Lower Dan Tien Lower dan tien is going to be covered comprehensively in an upcoming set of posts,  however as it relates to the arm bridges, we can say that for power expressed through the arms the Lower Dan Tien is the engine.  For this engine to effectively transmit it power there can be no slack in the system, any spongy or slack spots will lessen the total effective force available at the surface (the hand, forearm, elbow etc).  This is why we need to develop the arm bridge tissues, they take out the slack in the system and allow instant transmission from the engine to the surface. This is equally vital in grappling, hand fighting (push hands) or striking where all require the sensitivity to change, the application of large force in a small space and the ability to transform incoming forces. Thumb to Qi hai, Little Finger to Ming men. One interesting aspect of the arm connection in particular, is how they relate to opening and closing actions in the torso. In this model we can think of the thumb as connecting to the front point of the LTD(qihai) and the little finger as connecting to the back point of LTD (mingmen). With this idea in mind, the pairing action in the axis we have discussed in earlier posts now has a direct effect on the arms. If the front point is closing and the back opening the arms will move inward and visa versa. This connection is one that we utilize time and again in application, especially when working on hand controls or ‘hand fighting’ like that seen in Tai Chi’s pushing hands. This is especially useful when changing from inside to outside or outside to inside as we control the partners arms. The power is not coming from the movement of the arm itself, but from the opening of the back while simultaneously closing the front, from the Mingmen and the Qi Hai. This produces a very large volume of power in a small amount of space, a useful trait for any Martial Artist! The arms as ‘winding’ tools One of the more advanced connection training methods is the act of ‘Winding’. This is the method of twisting and pulling on the tissues of the body, around the aligned frame to develop the tissue (over several years) into a spiral. This practice is the link to the ‘silk reeling’ methods and movement types we see later in the IPT system. Winding is something that we perform throughout the body, but one of the important markers and start points is the arms. Here we can use the middle finger as the axis of rotation, the thumb and little fingers as markers for the twist, this technique of having an axis of rotation and 2 opposite markers is a method that I have seen in several different systems most notably one of the Ba Gua styles I studied briefly where making the Arms like drills was a primary concern. The drill analogy is a very good one in fact as it gives a good visualization of what we are doing with the tissues. Imagine a drill catching

Intent is one of the most misunderstood concepts in internal Martial Arts. Here, we will seek to demystify what is in actual fact, a very simple concept. All of us use intent everyday of our lives, but on a subconscious level. For instance, when we throw a ball, we know from experience that if we relax the arm and focus far away, the ball will travel farther than if we use a lot of strength and focus on our arm. In other words, we focus outside the body. Focus outside your body There are two main reasons we use intent, and they are both related to  power methods. One is to engage the core muscles, and the other is to achieve separation of moving parts. This separation of moving parts is best seen in baseball, where the hip to shoulder separation of pitchers as they throw the ball is extreme. In order to develop this skill, it is best to initially work on the core muscles and later on the separation. Imagine yourself practicing Tai Chi. Without instruction, you will most likely wave your hands around with little core muscle involvement. If now we told you that as you perform the movement you are actually rolling an imaginary ball between your arms and that this imaginary ball is somewhat heavy, you will begin to engage your core muscles. You will remember what it feels like to pick up a heavy box and you will know you must bend your knees and keep your back straight. In essence, this visualisation will help your body to achieve the alingment it requires to produce maximum force. This requires practice, and can take years to perfect but the ultimate goal is to have your body align itself in the same way it does when it has been loaded with force, before it has been loaded with force. The reason for this is obvious if explained in a combat context. It is advantageous to have force-generating body alignment a fraction of a second before one engages the opponent, so as to destabilise him upon contact. The problem is that most people can only achieve this alingment once force is applied onto their frame. So we must use our intent to produce the alingment at will. The easist way to do this at first is to imagine we are lifting an object, and this is part of the function of the imaginary Tai Chi ball which is found in so many forms. ​ Once we are skilled at this, the second stage is to imagine throwing this weight around. The purpose of this is to achieve separation of parts, like a baseball pitcher. As we do this, we will be able to engage our core muscles not as a solid block but as a spring. This is achieved by the twisting of the torso at first, and the whole body later. It is this twisting of the torso that will generate the hip to shoulder separation that we see in baseball pitchers. This is referred to as spiraling in some systems, and it is the bases for all advance level power generation methods. It is found not just in baseball, but golf, tennis, soccer, boxing and even in runners. Once the method is learned, the practitioner is free to experiment with the use of the intent. The size of the ball can be altered from very large to extremely small. It can be heavy or light and it can be thrown at different angles. As we improve, the throwing analogy is no even longer necessary as it is only an introductory concept. Ultimately, the goal is to have the mind race ahead of the body so that our frame can achieve separation and produce vector forces of our choice upon contact with an opponent. A traditional explanation of intent The classic explanation of intent is that “Intent and Energy is the Emperor, Bones and Flesh his Ministers”. A key to mastery in the internal arts is understanding Shen Yi Qi. Shen is the “spirit”, Yi is “intent” and Qi is the life energy.The spirit cannot be directly accessed and it represents our true values and sense of morality and righteousness. The Chi is also not directly accessible and can be best explained as an internal force that results in external vectors through extreme alignment of the body parts. It differs from brute strength in that it is an alignment type force which uses the body’s natural structural components (bones and ligaments) to create a short range force rather than the more common muscular force used in everyday life. This is not an esoteric force and is in fact used by many elite athletes. A clear example is that of weight lifters using proper structural alignment to carry a weight, whilst using little physical strength. The intent is directly accessible and is used to guide the Chi. As explained earlier, the visualisation of lifting a ball can produce certain structural alignments that will allow us to produce great force. This visualisation is the intent, and as we move and roll this ball, our chi will mobilise creating new structural alignments at new angles. by Javier Garcia 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

The converging of the feet in Wing Chun is often overdone, or practiced with little understanding of the reasons for it. The feet are not pointed in for the sake of pointing them in. This is only a side effect of spiralling of the legs. As is the case when performing Tan Sau, spiralling is essential in our stance. This is logical in a Martial Art that specialises in short range power. When big swings of the limbs are not possible because of space restrictions, the power must be stored in a more compact form – i.e. The Spiral. A good spiral will have a counter spiral, which means that the converging of the feet will be very subtle. At a higher level, it will be invisible. Too much converging of your feet means your counter spiral, and thus your storage of energy, is inefficient. JAVIER GARCIA 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

Most Wing Chun schools will teach the Siu Nim Tao form right from the beginning. It is universally accepted in Wing Chun circles, that this is where the foundation of the system is to be found. It’s like learning your ABCs, or your musical scales. However, it is also true that because forms provide no feedback mechanism, it is possible to do them incorrectly for years and not realise it. What do I mean by feedback Well, if I pick you up and throw you on the ground, your weight provides me with feedback. If I’m doing it incorrectly, I will know this right away by the pain I feel in my back, or my inability to pick you up at all. I will then refine my approach by doing it over and over again until I can throw you competently and with no pain. This feedback is essential in the early stages, because as already mentioned, without it, one can stray from correct technique without even knowing it. This is why in Judo, Kata is only taught once you are grading for your Blue Belt. By this stage, a Judoka has spent years practicing throws and sparring. The basic bio-mechanics are already there, and now, they can be perfected through Kata if need be. So there is a strong case to be made that forms should be taught only after the foundational bio-mechanics of the system have been understood and trained through drills and sparring. Only then are you sure not to stray too far away from proper technique. J Garcia 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

The Wing Chun Forms are great energetic movements that can improve your strength, relaxation and heart (i.e mind). With enough practice, the movements are stored in memory as reflex, so that we no longer have to think about them. It’s  just like riding a bicycle. If done incorrectly, however, you can destroy your Wing Chun structure, or even injure your body. One safe and healthy way to know if you are doing your forms correctly is through Chi Sau (Sticky Hands). As the name implies, the most important aspect of Chi Sau is to always stick to your opponent. This allows us to sense what the opponent’s intentions are, whether it is a punch, block, kick etc. With this early sensing ability, we can stay ahead of our opponent.  The arms act as an antenna of sorts, providing the feedback necessary to anticipate and control our opponent. The 3 Sections of Chi Sau are: Bridging/Entering Sticking Disengagement Bridging Chi Sau starts before you have contact, as you are entering your opponent’s range of attack. This is where Bridging comes into play. During bridging, it is important to use our “intent” to visualise geometric structures. These visualisations are an aid to achieving proper alignment. We want to use these to achieve optimal structural alignment a fraction of a second before making contact with our opponent, so as to destabilise him/her upon contact. ​This type of visualisation is used by many athletes. For example: a golfer visualising the effect of the wind on the ball, or a racing car driver visualising the racing line on the track. For beginners in Wing Chun, they can visualise the following: 7-Door grid Cone The 7-Door grid is used to filter unnecessary information. So each door can either be closed, open, or half open. The closed door is when the opponent is defending and cannot launch an attack. If it is open, we can go through that door to hit or lock the opponent’s defense. As for half-open, the opponent can defend or launch an attack from that door, which we need to watch out for. The Cone If an opponent throws a straight punch, we visualise a cone protruding towards the opponent, where the slope of the cone intersects the path of the punch. This will allow us to deliver a strike at our opponent, whilst simultaneously deflecting the punch. ​ One must remember that the bigger the base of the cone, the bigger the shield  created, however our striking range will be reduced. On the other hand, if we reduce the base of the cone, we will create a bigger gap, allowing our opponent to get through, but our striking range will be increased. ​When we are approaching the opponent, we need to remember to keep out of their power zone. This is roughly the space of the opponent’s cone. It is where the opponent is at his strongest. At the same time, we need to keep the opponent within our power zone to have a bio-mechanical advantage over them. In other words, we must flank them. Sticking At the moment of sticking, we should maintain the structure of the cone. This will help us deflect any incoming force. If the opponent’s force is too great and distorts the cone, we should step side ways out of the power zone. If we move backwards, this will not be as effective because the opponent has the momentum to drive his force into you. ​To step side-ways, we use the rule “right leg goes right, left leg goes left”. This means when we want to move to the right, our right leg leads the side step, and if we want to move left, our left leg leads the side step. Once we get out of the opponent’s power zone, they will have to stop the charge and change direction to launch another attack. During this change of direction, you can launch a counter-attack. When you launch an attack remember the quote ” A technique should finish in three.” This does not mean that you should finish the fight in 3 moves, but that you should have 3 strikes in 1 sequence or combination. This will make it harder for your opponent to defend and counter attack. ​ When you or your partner wants to disengage and finish the drill, don’t just drop your guard and walk away. Move out of his power range by moving to the side or back of him. Your mind should be on guard until you are out of range, in case he launches an unexpected last minute attack. Article by ​Sifu Anthony Chung.  Sifu Anthony has over 20 years experience in teaching Wing Chun, and is now based in Indonesia, where he runs the hugely successful Vikoga Wing Chun Academy, teaching adults and kids. ​​ 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

We all want to be exceptional and live exceptional lives. Yet so very few accomplish it. It is safe to say that for many of us, it is only wishful thinking. We dream about it but we never take the time to make a plan and find a path. In many ways, it is a skill that can be acquired through hard work. We all have the potential to be outstanding in a chosen field. How many of us take the time to study our profession the way a surgeon studies human anatomy? Do you know everything there is to know about your chosen profession? Are you an expert in your field? If not, why not? How long would it take? 1 year, 2 years, 5 years? If you devoted your heart and soul to mastering a skill or a chosen profession, could you become one of those rare individuals who are experts in their field? I bet you could. You would then become exceptional by definition. Too many of us cruise through life, uninterested in doing whatever it takes to become masters of our craft. And yet, with time and dedication, we could accomplish this and much more. There will only ever be one Bruce Lee. This is true. But we don’t have to be the “one in a million” individual to improve our lives beyond belief. We only need to be in the top 5 per cent. That is enough. That will do. And all it takes is time and hard work. What are you waiting for? www.wingchunorigins.org 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

Your lineage won’t save you in a fight. Your attacker does not care who you learned from, or how authentic your Wing Chun is. He wants to destroy you, and the only thing that will save you, is your skill. It is all that matters. It is all that will ever matter. Judge others, (if you must judge), by their skill and ability to use their art in real life situations. Do not quarrel over matters of lineage or small technical differences between your systems. It is wasted energy that could better be used for developing and refining your own skill set. ​ Make your Martial Arts…. and your life, results driven. Don’t get stuck in useless rituals which in the end, do nothing to further your true goal of becoming a better person and a better Martial Artist. By Javier Garcia 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

​The Siu Nim Tau form trains  the arms to  learn supination (outward spiraling)  and pronation (inward spiraling) as core  body structural movements. This involves the  ulnar and the radius, and conditioning the wrist and hand muscles involved. The legendary power that is often attributed to Siu Nim Tao and Tan Sau is derived from a “spring loading” of the bones and connective tissue of the forearms through the process of supination (outward spiraling)  and pronation (inward spiraling). This spring loading reduces the slackness of the structure greatly and allows the practitioner to control the opponent upon contact. This means that the Tan Sau movement should be one of spiralling – twisting and stretching -and not simply thrusting the arm forward with palm facing up, as commonly done. Such thrust can never generate the awesome power that is often attributed to Tan Sau. Because it is in effect, dynamic Yoga, the process of twisting and stretching should be cultivated over the years to improve the range of motion. As it improves, we will see the Tan Sau eventually pass the horizontal plane so it no longer faces up, but is in fact at an oblique angle. We can see Master Wan Kam Leung demonstrating this principle in the above photo. This is a clear indication that the practitioner has many years of training under their belt and that the forearms contain a large amount of stored Elastic Potential Energy – like a spring. This is the source of the power, and not some unknown mechanism that comes about after many years of repeating the form and meditating. Such esoteric and empty explanations cannot produce results as they fail to take into account a very real and down to earth physical mechanism that takes place. By Javier Garcia 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

It is said that the Baat Cham Dao (8 Slash Knives) or Butterfly Swords, originated in the Shaolin temple and were designed as a self defence weapon for the monasteries monks. These knives are not exclusive to Wing Chun, and can also be found in systems such as Hung Kuen, Choy Li Fut and White Crane. However, the forms and applications vary with each style. With Buddhist beliefs dictating the original use and structure of theseweapons, the Butterfly knives were designed with a single edge that was sharpened only on the front 1/3 of the blade. This design allowed the practitioner to deliver non-fatal strikes with surgical precision, to maim rather than kill the opponent. This also allowed the weapon to be used to parry and deflect other edged weapons and prevent the blades’ sharpened edges from getting caught together. With this style of edge, the weapon employs the same concepts and principles of wing chun’s emptyhand forms, such as not fighting force with force, simultaneous attack and defence and using the contact reflexes honed during chi sao practice to control and redirect the opponents oncoming attack. The Red Boat period in southern China saw a rise in rebellious activities, and the Baat Cham Dao was a weapon that was easily secreted on a person and could beutilised quickly and efficiently. With these rebellious activists, the maim rather than kill mentality likely disappeared, and individuals made knives to suit their own purposes, bringing about styles that favoured stabbing as well as slashing as well as full length sharpened edges. The Baat Cham Dao are said to be extensions of the hands, and while I feel this is true, you can see how they could also lead a practitioner into trouble if they do not fully understand the principles and concepts of empty hand Wing Chun. If you make a mistake with empty hands it can have serious consequences. Make that same mistake in a weapons altercation and the result could be fatal. All the training that has preceded to you picking up the swords for the first time should have perfected your hand techniques, footwork and timing. It should also have strengthened your limbs, and more importantly, perfected your mind set. If you doubt yourself and don’t engage with a strong mind, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Look at a person learning to walk a tightrope. If they slip and fall, they will die. So, do they start training 100ft in the air? No, they start a few inches off the ground and repeat the steps & sequences. They will encounter all types of variables (crosswinds etc) and will increase the height gradually to overcome their minds’ innate fear and self-preservation tendencies, until height is no longer an issue. The fear is always there, but they have conditioned the mind to control that fear and stay calm under pressure. This is what keeps them alive. We too, start a few inches off the ground by training first with empty hands. We then hone these skills while introducing multiple variables and we learn to control our fears and strengthen our mindset. When we can control this fear of being struck and keep a calm mind under extreme pressure, we can then raise the “height” by introducing the knives. So which sword is right for you? Buying generic blades can be fraught with danger and I strongly recommend you DO NOT get a live pair. It may seem cool to have a pair of sharp swords and brag to your mates about how you can disembowel someone or efficiently cut tendons, but the truth of the matter is, it’ll most likely be your own hands and arms that get cut. Get a blunt training pair and see how much it hurts first. Then move on to a live pair, if you feel you can’t live without them. When choosing your Baat Cham Dao, the blade length should be the equivalent of your forearm, measured from the knuckles of your clenched fist to the inside crook of your elbow. This will allow for free rotation on the inside gate and prevent you from slicing the aforementioned tendons and muscles. Modern laws prevent us from carrying around large knives, and today’s legal system should keep us safe from bandits, right? Why do we even need to train weapons at all? Because training with the knives will quickly point out what part of your empty hand game you need to work on (most likely it’ll be your footwork!). It will also provide a means to further build up the tendon and muscle strength that is inherent to good Wing Chun application and, like I said before, will give you a stronger mental game. It will also allow you to apply these same concepts to short sticks, knives or other improvised weapons you may happen to get your hands on. With a large percentage of practitioners training weekly for a fight that will most likely never happen, it can be said that the weapons forms are now primarily ceremonial in nature, rather than practical. However, they must be learned to preserve the art for future generations and to help you become a stronger more complete martial artist. Wing Chun has undoubtedly become one of the most widely practiced styles of southern Chinese martial arts. And, as we know, this can be attributed to GGM Ip Man having taught publicly in Hong Kong to students that spread this knowledge across the globe. Wing Chun’s history would be very different I think, had he stayed in Fatshan and not moved to Hong Kong. But fate saw him flee Fatshan, and necessity forced him to teach publicly to survive. We must be thankful that Wing Chun has been passed on to us, and not lost to the sands of time like so many other styles. Fate has also led you to pursue your interest in this beautiful art, just as it has led me along my

I grew up in Hong Kong in the 80’s, which was a great era for Hong Kong action movies. Every kid I knew wanted to be an action hero. There were no smart phones or social media back then. Our entertainment was movies on the big screen and Kungfu dramas on television. My neighbourhood and High School were not the best around. As a new kid travelling from a different suburb each day, I got picked on and bullied constantly by the local teenagers. This happened both inside and outside school, and often it ended up in fights. Sometimes I was lucky and won, but most of the time I lost. And even if I won the fight, I still had toface the aftermath. These high school gangs came back for revenge attacks. These little gangs at the school were made up of local kids who hadflunked their grade and so had to repeat their semester. This meant they were usually older, bigger in size and stronger. Now imagine you have to go against more than one of these kids! Even though they are only what I call “high school gangs”, they were connected to the local triads. There was always a big boss looking for revenge. Life can be tough when you are young. I wanted to be stronger than all of them. That was my goal when I joined my first official martialarts club. Now that I am older, my goals have changed. Fast forward 5 years. At that time I was training in Goju-Ryu Karate. I was pretty good in my weight category and club and competed in tournaments in Hong Kong. One of my best friends, Simon, had migrated to Australia and had started training Tong Long, (Preying Mantis), a southern style of kung fu. Whenever he came back to Hong Kong to visit, we would meet up and spar. I got beat up pretty bad by him! I was amazed at how effective kung fu was in the short distance trapping zone. I ended up searching for a Tong Long school in my neighbourhood and trained Jook Lum Tong Long for over 18 months, while still training karate. One day on my way back to school after lunch, I walked past the Ving Tsun Athletic Association. I decided to check it out. I still remember it was a Wednesday afternoon. Sifu Wan Kam Leung opened the door and greeted me. At that time he was a full-time minibus driver and teaching part- time at the Ving Tsun Association on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. I personally, thought it wasn’t the ideal time to teach, because most people have to work or study during those hours. But it was perfect for me because I went to night school! He showed me the differences between his Wing Chun and other Wing Chun styles. I was only a teenager, but he took time to explain his Wing Chun concepts to me in detail. That was very special for me as a young boy. After that, I started training under Sifu Wan. Fate had put us together. Why did you decide to devote yourself exclusively to Wing Chun? There are pros and cons in every well-established system. There is the art side and the combative side. I respect athletes who dedicate their time and training to Wu- shu forms at the Asian games. I love watching Japanese Karate when they perform their Kata in synchronized groups. I also enjoy training in Muay Thai. But I believe people should look at what suits them rather than focusing on which style is better. After all, It comes down to the individual rather than the style. For me, I devote myself to Wing Chun because I enjoy the concept of not pitting force against force. I’ve gone from an aggressive young man wanting to be the strongest and fastest, to a mellow father with a new born child. My goal now is to look after my family and spend as much time with them as possible. Longevity in training means choosing a system that helps me when I’m older. Wing Chun is that system. My Sifu, Wan Kam Leung, whom I greatly admire, is 73 years old and still fit, fast & capable of looking after himself with his Kungfu. Lately, I have been seeing a trend in instructors trying to look good by criticizing other clubs and styles in their marketing. To me this is negative energy. My recommendation is to do what you love and enjoy what you do. Ignore what others are doing, and people who have the same mindset will follow you. Bong Sau in Practical Wing Chun is performed with a lower elbow than in most lineages. Can you please explain why this is? Different lineages do things differently. I will just explain how we see it and my personal experience with the Bong Sau. At Practical Wing Chun, we do not perform the bong sau with elbow higher than wrist. In the past when I first started training, the bong sau was performed with elbow and wrist in a horizontal line. As the system evolved, my Sifu sank his elbow down to provide more structure for defence, while spinning and diverting energy. Another reason, for those who are familiar with locking systems like Akido, Jiujitsu, or even Chinese Chin-Na, is to avoid the “chicken wing lock”. Sinking the elbow down will help avoid giving your opponent these opportunities. Grandmaster Wan Kam Leung is known for practicing Qigong. Is this part of the Practical Wing Chun curriculum? Qigong is not part of the basic Practical Wing Chun curriculum. But those who are interested can further their training (after they finish the basic Wing Chun system) through private lessons with Sifu Wan Kam Leung. What are the benefits of practicing Qigong, from a Martial Arts perspective? There are 2 types of Qigong. One prolongs the well being. It is a practice of cultivating vital life forcethrough breathing techniques