AWCA Notebook

Today is the final day of our 3-day training camp. I want to thank all students who made the trip to Phoenix from all over the U.S., as well as the U.K.

This year’s West Coast camp consisted of the Chum-Kiu. Day 1 (Friday) worked section 1 and set the tone for the weekend by working Pie-jarn and various shoot defenses. Day 2 (Saturday) worked section 2 and introduced Wang-chang-gerk, or Side Thrusting-kick, which is the first of Wing Chun’s three primary kicks. There are eight kicks in the system, with the remaining five found in the Muk-Yan-Chong. Working the final five, however, requires competence in the three primary kicks, so yesterday was a great start to learning how kicks are training in the system.

Today (Sunday) culiminates the camp by working section 3. Here we find the remaining two of the three primary kicks: Ching-sun-gerk, or Front Thrusting-kick, and Che-chang-gerk, or Slant Thrusting-kick. Ching-sun-gerk is the more common of the kicks so we will work that one heavily with jams and chain-kicking, while Che-chang-gerk’s difficultly lies in how to turn properly in order to execute it (as well as help answer why there is only one Che-chang-gerk vs. two).

Section 3 also introduces Har-lo Bong-sau, or Lower-level Wing-arm. This concept addresses how to deal with kick defenses in a somewhat more efficient manner than solely Gwat-sau and Lau-sau (Wiping-arm and Scooping-arm, learned in section 3 of Siu-Nim-Tau). Once these concepts are learned, I guarantee that you will see a lot of smiles throughout the gym.

Admittedly, it is times like this weekend that reminds me how valuable a program like our DLP really is. It has brought training to a lot of people simply looking for real training in a real and effective manner. And it is very motivating to personally see what they are doing with the program and the progress they are making with it.

It is also great to hear the stories about “why” someone made the decision to join the program and how they are using it. There are a few programs out there that, to say the least, are iffy at best. The materials received, the guidance you get, etc., all seems to be based on forcing the participant to still be solely on their own and wade through a lot of media that is just so massive that you cannot realistically use it in a logical manner to progress through the system.

But it is apparant that our program is on the right track because I have had the opportunity of continuously seeing my student’s progress at the camps and seminars. I present the lesson plans in the same way you learn as if personally training here with us, and that is a definite benefit. In fact, it is the only way you can really use a program like this.

Naturally there are some who just watch the monthly DVD’s and flip through the eBooks at whim, taking things for face value and being content with it. Others, however, will make the effort of training the lessons and working through the drills as presented. They immerse themselves in their studies, and it most definitely shows when we get together at the camps. They take it step-by-step since that is how I teach, and they actually learn real Wing Chun.

Sure, there will always be those that say you cannot learn Wing Chun from a distance program, and based on many programs we have all seen, they are right. But at the AWCA? The reverse is true, and our students are proof of that. They walk into a setting such as the training camps and they definitely hold their own. They know what they are doing, they are competent in what they are doing, and they have gained a skill set that many can only dream of. They have realized their goals of wanting to be a part of something that makes a real difference in their lives, and I admire each and every one of them for taking the chance on us and seeing what it is all about.

This weekend’s training camp has been a true motivation for me personally, as well as my students here. Even my family has commented how impressed they are with everyone’s dedication and what they have been doing with the program. I would like to say that it is a testament to our program, but that would be a lie. It is really a testament to the members who are using the program and their dedication to just simply wanting to learn Wing Chun Kuen.

Thank you to all of my students. You continue to be a motivational force in my life, and one that pushes me to keep making the program even better.