Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 389

Crooked Nail Part 2

When we are learning Wing Chun there are always three levels we need to go through. They deal with the basics, the detail, and the energy of the technique. The basic level we must do slowly, take our time and enjoy it. Then we come to the details and we need to learn the reason, meaning, philosophy and applications behind the technique and understanding makes skill is much better, but if we rush then we will make mistakes and then we will become a crooked nail. To use the skill again we have to make a new nail. The highest level is when everything comes together naturally without thinking. at this level you may even discover some new techniques. I have created some new Wing Chun hand and leg techniques, all is based on my doing Chi Sau with over a thousand people. During Chi Sau, I don’t think, I just let it happen. I have a lot of hand techniques, 200 to 300. I know them and practise them so that they will come out naturally without thinking. Beginners though, should concentrate on being soft, using less energy, being unafraid of being hit, and having no ego. The more energy you use, the bigger we let our ego become, the more afraid we are getting hit, then there more crooked nails we have. My Sifu Ip Chun said “ Everybody will get hit, then they will get better.”