training at home

Anyone know of any good online resources or books or DVD's that can help supplement Wing Chun training? I just want to be able to practice at home. Looking really for help with forms and flexibility. I've seen several out there, but just don't know what's good and what isn't.

 

Welcome to MAP!

Just out of interest, have you had any chance to actually study Wing Chun yet? Reading your bio it says that you would love to learn it. If you have no experience actually training in a style then it is difficult to use supplementary materials to improve since you don't know what you should be doing in the first place.

Have you considered training locally if you haven't already learnt WC? Can you let us know what your experience/training level is before recommendations are made?

Thanks!

LFD

 

Hey, thanks for the response. I haven't had the chance to study Wing Chun yet, but I've signed up for classes at a local dojo that offers it. My work schedule will be clear enough next week to allow me the chance to actually go. So, my experience level is complete beginner, but looking online I'm seeing videos of all of these different forms and exercises, so I was just wondering if there was some stuff that could maybe help me practice at home. I'm not under any kind of illusion that I can learn any of this stuff at home, alone, by watching videos, but I just thought maybe it might help supplement what I'll learn in class.

 

I'd say under these circumstances: *Don't* try anything at home yet.
You will do things wrong, no matter how hard you try and you and your instructor will have to get rid of these again - which will be extremly difficult and annoying.

Go to some classes, learn some of the stuff and after a while, once you really know what to look out for, you can start additional training.

Until then you could do some cardio or body weight exercises, even though it might not be as interesting.

 

Also the different lineages of wing chun, even the lineages within Ip Man wing chun, are often as different as training in different martial arts. So unless you can find material which specifically agree with what you're being instructed in you're likely to displease your instructor.

 

Thank you everyone, for the good advice. All of it makes sense. I appreciate it.

 

I'll suggest to just train "1 step 3 punches" until you can find yourself a teacher. Add in a kick before your punches if you want to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rG-KDTv46s&feature=youtu.be

 

Even that can leave annoying bad habits.

When I learned my first kicks (during training, under supervision!) I made the bad habit to make a tiny step forward before actually kicking.

Unfortunately the teachers there didn't pay attention to it.
The technique itself was okay for the moment, it was just this little unconscious step-like movement.

Now, nearly four years later, I still do that stupid step unless I pay total attention to not doing it - and even then I screw it up at times.

It's not that big of a deal, but annoying as hell.
My main teacher made me realize it and at times I have to repeat certain tasks over and over, due to that little step.

I still hope, I can un-learn that again!

 

IMO, "developing bad habit" is still better than "doing nothing". If someone has intention to train at home, he should be encouraged and not discouraged.

 

But, in my opinion, not for technical training, when there is no experience.

Did you ever have bad habits, because a technique was wrong and had to get rid of it?
Or had to train someone who needs to get rid of it.

For me(!) that's worse then doing different training, strength and condiotioning, with which you don't learn something wrong.

What is the worth in training at home, learning something wrong, in worst case injuring oneself due to it (like hitting wrong against a heavybag or whatever)?
You'd have not only to learn it again properly in the right way, you have -and that's worse- to forget and unlearn what you played before, no matter how honorable the intentions.

Lots of people don't even know how to make a proper fist.
I wouldn't want to see what they try at home, because chances are they wouldn't pay attention to the fist itself, because they think such things come normally.
I even thought the same, until I saw grown man making a fist in wrongest ways possible.

 

Even experienced MA persons can have bad habit too:

- Move foot back before step in.
- Pull punch back before punch out.
- Leg has stopped but arm is still moving.
- Only punch with arm without using the body.
- Expose elbow and ankle to your opponent.
- Cross legs.
- Drop guard.
- ...

 

Yeah, I'm aware of that, but that wasn't my question.

EDIT: Besides: "Only" bad habits are worse enough, but unlearning things you just taught yourself plain and simple wrong is even worse.