Wing Chun - Chinese Martial Art

Wing Chun (also known as Wing Tsun, Ving Chun or Ving Tsun) is one of the most popular types of Chinese martial arts. Though it’s basically an unarmed combat technique, Wing Chun may include weapons as part of its course. The origin of Wing Chun can be traced back to China, but the real history of its creation has long been a topic of much debate. The most credible suggestion regarding the origin of Wing Chun dates back to 1700 AD in the Henan Shaolin Monastery.

When the Qing forces raided and ravaged the Southern Shaolin temple, a nun named Ng Mui fled to the distant Daliang Mountains, the only survivor. Ng Mui already had knowledge of Kung Fu in the Shaolin temple, which she assimilated with a new form she had learnt while observing a battle between a snake and a crane. She taught this new combat style to her adopted daughter whom she named Yimm Wing Chun. The new system was refined and then passed on from generation to generation, and was eventually named Wing Chun, after Yimm.

The modernization of Wing Chun started in Hong Kong during the 1950s under a Grandmaster called Yip Man. The discipline began to gain real popularity in Asia and the West when actor Bruce Lee became one of the most famous Wing Chun practitioners.

The Concept of Wing Chun:

Wing Chun is based on three basic principles - Practicality, Efficiency and Economy of Movement.

1. Practicality: Techniques such as Palm-up Hand (tan sau), Wing Arm (bong sau), Slapping Hand (pak sau) are designed to maim the most sensitive or vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body such as throat, groin, eyes and lower torso. Many movements and techniques in Wing Chun are often meant to be fatal.

2. Efficiency: Wing Chun does not use force against force, in order to gain the most efficient manipulation of the body's energy. It believes in accurately timed and appropriately positioned little movements, and counter-attack is based on the opponent’s own force. This concept is also called Contact Reflexes.

3. Economy of Movement: This is a linear concept in which movements are based on an imaginary pole running vertically through the center of the body. The Center Line spreads out from this Mother Line, and since most of the vital points of the body are located along the Center Line, many offensive and defensive movements are based on this line. The Central Line, on the other hand, is the shortest path between the fighters where most of the combat exchanges take place.

Wing Chun Forms:

There are three basic forms in Wing Chun:

1. Empty Hand Form: This form has three more sub-forms - Siu Nim Tao - the foundation of the art, Chum Kiu - focus on advanced footwork and entry techniques, and Biu Jee - extreme short-range or long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and emergency techniques.

2. Weapon Forms: The Dragon Pole and Butterfly Swords are the two forms of weapons incorporated in Wing Chun, categorized under advanced training.

3. Wooden Dummy or the Muk Yan Jong Form: A dummy made from several wooden posts represents a human opponent. The contraption is used to perfect angle, position, and footwork.

Mixed Martial Arts - MMA Explosion

There is a lot of talk about what martial art is the toughest and which masters of the art could beat all the rest, but never has that question been tested so thoroughly as in the field of Mixed Martial Arts, more commonly known as MMA. This full combat, nearly no-holds-barred type of fighting pits one competitor against another and the results, while occasionally brutal, go further towards declaring a fighting supremacy than anything short of full-out warfare.

More and more, people are discovering that Mixed Martial Arts holds more appeal than simply going to the gym to pump iron. This raw and vital application of their strength, their speed and their stamina has become a rallying point for people around the world, and it cannot be denied that other segments of this rarefied society is taking note.

Mixed Martial Arts is turning into a real proving ground for the Holy Grail of the sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and while there are some clear favorites and some near-sure bets, there is still plenty of speculation who is really going to be entering the ring every year. If you are interested in Mixed Martial Arts, there is no better time to start than now, but keep in mind that being prepared is one of the most important factors when it comes to avoiding catastrophic injury.

The full contact nature of Mixed Martial Arts sets it far apart from the sterile and regimented stylings and posturing of other martial arts, and the high velocity and sheer strength that is behind the moves of this activity are legendary. Make sure you don't go into it unprepared and that goes for your protection as well as your mind and your body. Make sure that you find MMA gloves and shorts that fit you appropriately. Your MMA gloves and shorts are an integral part of helping you move and bend appropriately, so make sure you don't forget this very simple, but altogether vital factor.

Take some time and really learn about this sport. Mixed Martial Arts has quite a pedigree; it stretches back to ancient Greece and the Olympic games. In 2005, more than ten years after the activity's creation, the US Army began to allow Mixed Martial Arts when the first annual All Army Combatives Championship was held. While some continue to complain about the sport not being as raw or as real anymore, head to a tournament, and you'll soon see different!