Teaching Wing Tzun Punches and Exercises

Here I want to share my teachings in Wing Tzun. I will start with my 1st class structure when teaching new students that have no or little experience in Wing Tzun. In the first class I start with Wing Tzun's 'Chain Punches'.

To begin I explain about the shoulders having to be square so that both arms are the same distance to the target in front of them. This allows for faster punching as no rotation is required due to having a lead shoulder.

Next is to demonstrate the muscles used in the Wing Tzun punch compared to say a Karate or boxer punch.

In a karate or boxer punch the muscles mainly used are:

• Deltoids
• Triceps

The Tricep is used for extending the arm making it longer and the Deltoid is used for direction.

In the Wing Tzun punch the muscles used are:

• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Pectoral
• Latissimus

Triceps and Deltoids are used in the exact same way but as the elbow is pointing down towards the floor as opposed to outwards in a Karate or Boxer punch, this engages the Pectoral and Latissimus muscles for supporting the punch. In other words more muscles more power! You can feel this by lifting your arm up like a chicken wing (Almost in the position of the Karate or Boxer punch before extending) and place the palm of your other arm under the arm pit. Now lower the arm until the elbow is pointing to the floor. You will feel the Pectoral and Latissimus muscles engage naturally due to the angle.

In Wing Tzun a Vertical fist is used instead of a horizontal fist like in a Karate or Boxer punch. This is to allow for more movement in the wrist to reduced the risk of fractures caused by ricochet when impacting with a target.

I also use a formula of 1,3 Continuous. I start by getting the student to place the right fist in the punch position (extended) and the left fist in line with the right arms elbow. Now as the left arm is thrust forward crossing over the right arm wrist. Simultaneously the right arm is withdrawn and finishes at the in line with the left arm's elbow. Now repeat for a set count.

The most common mistakes I have come across here are:

• The arm that is punching, the student pushes the shoulder forward with the punch
• The withdrawing arm, drops to the hip or is pulled back to must to the chest

It is important to correct the student each time by repositioning their arm. This is creating muscle memory for the body so its repeats the correct finish position naturally.

The next stage of the formula is to add more punches making a total of 3 punches each count.

The most common mistakes I have come across here are:

• The extended are is chambered and thrust forward as the 1st punch
• Some of the punches are crossing the extended arm underneath

Again make these corrections for the exact same reasons as before.

The 3rd step in the formula is 'Continuous' punching. Here you are trying to stamp out all the same mistakes while the student is under stress by getting fatigued. I break this into 2 parts. The 1st part is a nice steady pace, and the 2nd part is mixing the speed and power they perform the chain punching with.

• Fast and little power
• Slower and power

Once I am happy with the students progress I perform the same punching exercises using Focus Pads. This allows the student to get used to hitting something but also to push their endurance. I my experience all those corrections made earlier go out the window as they want to just hit with power and not correct form. Again make the corrections.

The last part of the class is moving the student onto application of the Wing Tzun chain punches.

The Application is broken into 3 parts:

• Inside Block
• Outside Block
• Mix Inside & Outside Blocks

For this I get the student stand in front of a partner in the start position (place the right fist in the punch position (extended) and the left fist in line with the right arms elbow).

Inside Block

• Now their partner uses their left arm to perform an inside Karate block. As soon as the students feels he arm being pushed away they thrust forward the left arm and withdrawn the right arm to be in line with the left arm's elbow. Repeat the block with the right arm. Make corrections if necessary.

After a set amount of blocks try the student with 3 punches each block.

Outside Block

• Same start position except the partner starts blocking with the right arm so the block is on the outside of the students punch. Now what should happen is the students right arm is pushed across their body and upwards, this will cause the students punch to cross underneath the right arms wrist instead of over. This is because the students left arm is simply thrusting forwarding on it individual path. If the student tries to punch over the wrist then the block will catch both arms. Start with just 1 punch and when performing 3 punches the 2nd and 3rd punch with cross over the wrist of the extended arm NOT UNDER.

Mixing Blocks

• Everything is exactly the same in this exercise as the inside and outside exercises, but to mix the blocks get the partner to block with the same arm twice. E.g. Student in the start position and their partner blocks with an 'Inside' block using the left arm and the student punches. Now the student left arm is extended. If the partner repeats the left arm block it will be an 'Outside' block.

Make all an necessary corrections in every stage of the training. It is very important not to over load the student with lots of information about Wing Tzun like Centre Line Theory, History, Concepts and Principles at this stage. You just want to get them stuck into training, but nothing too difficult.