From time to time I get the question from people why I’m missing an “s” in Martial Art or if it’s a grammar error. It’s actually on purpose. In my years of studying and research of Wing Chun and other martial arts style, I notice that every style consist the same foundation and principles. Whether it’s hard style, soft style, internal or external style ( which, I don’t believe there’s really a difference, but this will be discuss in another day) the principles and foundation such as proper body alignment with the spine, body should be upright, shoulders and elbows sinking applies to every martial art style.

These are the basic detail if one wants to generate power and most importantly the ability to apply one’s body unit power. As long as we all have two arms, two legs, we will be fighting and moving the same. There’s really a limited amount of movements and patterns you can really do with your body. In the end every style move in the similar shape – circles or straight-lines (triangle or zig zag). In my philosophy of martial arts is that every style is the same. We’re walking to the same finishing point but we just started from a different path. Therefore it is an Art rather than Arts, because everything is the same. There’s a popular martial art saying in Chinese “萬佛歸宗” literally translates to “Ten thousand Buddha returning as one”. Meaning no matter what source or style of martial art you’re training, every style at the end is the same.

Then you may ask why study Wing Chun or any style if everything is the same? You need to pick a style so you can learn how to defend yourself properly. Also, you need to know how to utilize your body more scientifically and systemically, so you can generate proper bodily force. It’s like choosing a car, there’s so many varies to choose from, but just need one that is able to take you from A to B. Of course personal preference is also important as well.

For myself, I chose Wing Chun (sometimes I think Wing Chun choose me instead) and continue to practice Wing Chun because it is a style that solely rely on skills. I don’t need to condition my limbs so that my bones will be more condense when clashing with another person, I don’t need to weight train to build up muscles. In Wing Chun, we already established that we are weaker and fragile and that there will always be someone bigger, stronger and faster. We can only rely on skill (body structure, timing, speed, sensitivity) to overcome a stronger adversary .

To end this blog, I’ll end with a quote by Wing Chun grandmaster Moy Yat – “The purpose of Wing Chun is to lead you to be free and relaxed. This can never be achieved if you are tied physically and emotionally to techniques. You must free yourself from dependence on mechanical expression and trust your body, your own Kung fu to protect yourself.”