Wooden Dummy Training for Everyone
One of the things I am frequently asked is how to get the most out of the wooden dummy, regardless of level. Many will hold the dummy to such esteem that they never allow their students to even touch it until they have completed the Biu-Tze, while others will use it for a variety of drills even during Siu-Nim-Tau training.
I am of the latter view, but there are caveats.
First, the dummy is a higher-level training tool in that one needs to have a clear command of themselves before embarking on the dummy curriculum itself. The curriculum requires a full competence of Siu-Nim-Tau, Chum-Kiu, and Biu-Tze since these are expanded concepts for the dummy to begin with. In that, however, it is also still nothing but a chunk of wood. It is meant to refine our principles vs. first learning about them, so it does hold a special place in the Wing Chun system.
That being said, can those who are not at this level still use it for learning at other levels? I believe they can.
Concept
The first thing to think about when approaching the dummy is to remember what the tool itself is for. It is meant to unite the upper and lower bodies, develop short-range power, and to hone and refine our skill set so that we explode fully into our attacker at any angle.
Regardless of what you are working on, using the dummy means to be smart about it. It has nothing to do with conditioning the arms, as some still think. Regular training will condition the arms to a point, but that is a side-effect, not the primary goal. So the concept of the dummy must always be first and foremost on your mind as the right way to approach any training.
For example, if you are wanting to work Tan-dar, then you should be paying attention to distance, wedging Tan-sau into the arm at an angle vs. slamming against the arm, and keeping proper adduction so that the rebound of the dummy does not throw you backwards.
Types of Dummies
This is a tough one. Not to put too fine a point on it, but there are a lot of stupid wooden dummy designs out there. Spinning ones, moving ones, some with wheels, some with spring-loaded arms, and even some with spring trunks so that they bounce back and forth.
They sound like good ideas, and they can develop qualities useful for fighting. But the “standard” wooden dummy is where you should start because it is designed to work the concepts of what we do. This is not to say that the standard dummy design cannot be improved on, because you can always “build a better mouse trap”. The trick, though, is should you? And what preempts the need that the current design does not afford?
If you want to learn real Wing Chun in the right way - the way it is meant to be learned for true effectiveness - then get a standard non-moving dummy without all the frills. Ensure that the arms are at the correct height for you (at shoulder height while you are in Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma) and that the entire structure is heavy wood. A PVC trunk is fine for many, as well as more affordable. However, it will be much lighter than wood, which translates to a less-than-optimal training experience.
By first starting out on a standard wooden dummy (all wood, no frills) and keeping mind of the concepts for what you are working on, there really is no reason why a student of any level cannot work the wooden dummy. It is nothing more than a tool to refine and hone various skills. It may not be the actual curriculum itself, but that will come in time. Instead, it is a superb experience to learn about rebound, uniting the body to become a complete unit, developing various power qualities, and also standing in as a partner when solo training.
