Ten principles for succeeding in Wing Chun training

Along with the many concepts and movements we learn, Wing Chun also imparts lessons on “how” to learn. These ten principles for success will assist your training and keep you on track.

1. Desire and willingness equals understanding.
2. You must develop a sense of purpose about why you are studying Wing Chun. Having a sense of purpose creates a passion for it, and having that passion will broaden your concept. Without passion, you will only get more of what you already have.
3. Do not have limiting beliefs. Do not preconceive a concept, theory or application. This preconception will limit your understanding. You reap what you sow, but you never reap in the same season that you sow. Slow down, explore, and learn.
4. Understand strategy. Understand the progressive path you are on. If you do not know where you are going, you will take any road to get there – even the wrong one.
5. Interest does not equal commitment.
6. Master the fundamentals. Without understanding of the rudimentary basics, comprehension will never be yours.
7. What gets practiced gets perfected. Half-hearted training yields half-hearted results.
8. Develop energy by mastering your communications. When you can correctly verbalize your thoughts, you are on the path to understanding them.
9. Take the adversities of life and reshape them to positively affect an outcome. If you never heard the word “can’t,” imagine what you could accomplish!
10. Wing Chun is an educated martial art. It is “concept in motion.” Apply the concept, not just the application.

It is not enough to learn only the movements of Wing Chun; instead, we need to learn and understand the principles “behind” what we are doing, to know how to make it as effective as possible.

These ten simple principles took me many years to fully appreciate. I hope you will take them to heart and use them to their fullest. Naturally you will discover more or even already incorporate your own. If they work for you, keep it up. If not, consider the above. They will go a long way to broadening your understanding.