| -An unexpected component of Wing Chun.-
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| | Chun. Our training methods are unique to
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| Most people today think of fighting
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| | our line and I believe it is the "Little
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| systems as Asian. Some also even think of
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| | Idea" that Wing Chun can and should be.
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| Brazil or Israel, but most don't think of
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| | But as a teacher I have come to
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| martial arts as being European or
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| | understand the importance of retaining
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| American. Some have heard of
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| | that early longer range Western
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| Bare-Knuckle Boxing but don't equate it
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| | Long-Bridge Boxing. My experience has
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| with other martial arts. They really
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| | been that without its influence, a three
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| don't know how effective and brutal a
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| | to eight year practitioner of Wing Chun
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| street-minded European boxer could be. In
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| | is predominantly a mid to short range
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| fact, Bare-Knuckle Boxing was once
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| | fighter who finds kickers and anyone who
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| considered one of the most effective
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| | fights at, or just outside of, boxing
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| empty hand systems in the Western world
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| | range to be problematic. I say this with
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| for self-defense.
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| | all due respect not wanting to ruffle
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| When we think of Bare-Knuckle Boxing we
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| | feathers, but I've touched hands with
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| envision the sport scene more than the
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| | many of the major lines' practitioners
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| self-defense aspect of the system. We
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| | only to find them wanting. They could not
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| think of the Queensberry rules and black
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| | deal with someone who kept them out of
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| & white visions of fighters who stood in
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| | their comfort zone. In other words, I
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| a strange looking, more upright, primary
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| | found that their interpretation of Wing
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| fighting stance. People today consider
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| | Chun was somehow limited by tradition. It
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| the system a rather antiquated form of
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| | lacked presence and innovation. There is
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| boxing which has grown to become a high
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| | something else that eludes many Wing Chun
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| level sport. That is exactly what it has
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| | practitioners and that's the
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| become; A SPORT.
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| | anti-grappling aspects of Wing Chun which
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| There is a large gap between sport and
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| | is an essential part of my system but
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| self-defense, however. As a self-defense,
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| | who's subject I will save for another
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| today's boxing has lost much of its
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| | article. I am by no means saying that
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| street effectiveness. The Bare knuckle
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| | Western Boxing in itself is an unabridged
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| fighter of the past could handle himself
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| | system. I am simply saying that the
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| quite well against any would-be attacker.
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| | ability to reason like our Western
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| Early in the sport, men still used
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| | fathers has greatly improved our Wing
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| illegal techniques that they learned from
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| | Chun.
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| their own fathers and brothers or from
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| | As a teacher I feel that the most
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| the street. These fighters knew how to
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| | important thing I can do is to look at my
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| hide illegal techniques within legal ones
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| | students as people I can help. I put
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| like the straight right hand that would
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| | their needs first, so teaching the
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| slice the opponents lips to ribbons or
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| | Long-Bridge aspects of Wing Chun is
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| the eye gouge hidden within a jab. These
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| | first. To me it's all Wing Chun but I
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| guys knew all the brutal, vicious,
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| | emphasize the Long-Bridge because of its
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| fight-terminating shots. In fact, before
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| | brutal effectiveness. Its emphasis is on
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| rules were in place and before today's
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| | destroying the attacker efficiently and
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| boxing methods were birthed in the ring,
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| | quickly at a longer range than is
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| men were studying boxing as a
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| | traditionally taught to 99% of Wing Chun
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| self-defense science. The practice of
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| | practitioners. This gives a less skilled
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| bare-knuckle boxing dates back to ancient
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| | student more time to respond with
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| times and was unparalleled during the
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| | adequacy by reason of distance created by
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| Renaissance where fencing science and
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| | larger footwork and additional arm
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| human biomechanics were meticulously
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| | extension. The footwork is not different
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| applied to the system.
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| | than Wing Chun, just larger. Much of the
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| European bare-knuckle boxing is an almost
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| | training is efficient interception,
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| forgotten, yet very effective street
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| | footwork and straight, leg-powered
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| self-defense system. It is the original
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| | punches with simultaneous deflection.
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| form of boxing, more closely related to
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| | Keeping your head away from the action
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| ancient combat systems. It involves
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| | and greater mobility is key. After they
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| sophisticated self-defense using fists,
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| | are proficient they go into what we call
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| fingers, elbows, knees, feet and even the
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| | mid-range (where most Wing Chun lives)
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| head.
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| | and then at higher levels to short-bridge
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| Bare-Knuckle Boxing or Western boxing or
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| | or very close quarters training.
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| what I call Long-Bridge Boxing at my
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| | Innovation is a concept that we value, so
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| school is our indigenous fighting system
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| | as a system we view Wing Chun as
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| and is every bit as effective as its
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| | complete. That means that it works
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| oriental counterparts. It also makes up
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| | against boxers, kickers and grapplers,
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| a large part of our martial heritage. The
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| | guns, edged weapons and blunt
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| western art of boxing has also had a huge
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| | instruments. I was not looking for
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| influence on most other martial arts. One
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| | Western Boxing when I found my teacher
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| system in particular, some believe, that
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| | but it was a pleasant surprise. One that
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| was greatly influenced by Western boxing
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| | I value greatly to this day. We possess
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| is Wing Chun. A look into China's past
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| | not only the skills of the fathers of
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| will tell you that Chinese practitioners
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| | Wing Chun but also that of our Western
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| had many encounters with Western boxers.
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| | fathers. To quote my Si-Gung, "The
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| They encountered a system of fighting
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| | principles of both arts combined, form
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| they hadn't seen before because they were
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| | the basis for a more scientific fighting
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| used to fighting people of their own
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| | method. The assimilation of Western
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| stature, not the taller Europeans.
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| | physics, philosophy, and other
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| These Europeans kept their heads back,
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| | disciplines into the already effective
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| with their weight on the rear leg. They
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| | Chinese Wing Chun creates the potential
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| punched straight and took small,
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| | to develop all of the physical and
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| shuffling steps, with a few low kicks or
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| | psychological attributes of an
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| none at all. This was totally different
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| | individual. This combination of East and
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| from the Chinese methods as they used low
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| | West would allow Yip Man to be joined by
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| horse stances, with wide, overreaching
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| | Da Vinci, Vesalius, and other great
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| punches. Needless to say the Europeans
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| | thinkers as the builders of the ultimate
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| beat many of the kung fu fighters. This
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| | pugilistic system." In other words, there
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| is a matter of great controversy so we
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| | is room for tradition but innovation
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| need not say that this is indisputable.
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| | should rule the day.
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| What I submit to you is that Wing Chun
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| | Although Bare-Knuckle Boxing is almost
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| would be greatly improved by
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| | gone in the United States, it is still a
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| incorporating certain key principles of
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| | vital part of our training. More
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| Bare-Knuckle Boxing.
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| | importantly, there is the idea of
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| Bare-Knuckle Boxing came to our line
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| | ownership of our fighting system. The
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| through my Si-Gung, Karl Godwin who with
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| | idea that Wing Chun serves us and not the
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| his own teacher went in-depth into the
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| | other way around. The tendency is to cry,
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| study of the roots of the world's martial
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| | "Heresy!", but the proof is there for all
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| arts. In particular those of Western
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| | to see. If you can't deal with various
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| fighting arts, their development and
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| | types of fighters and you get grappled
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| finally, their compatibility with Wing
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| | down and knocked out by a powerful right
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| Chun. As a result, my teacher, Bill
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| | hand, then your martial art is useless.
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| Graves, an early, senior student of Karl
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| | If your Wing Chun can't deal with all
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| Godwin, spent much time developing and
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| | comers then you should question it. I
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| refining his Western influenced Wing
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| | don't mean change it. I don't mean alter
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| Chun. He then passed it on to me where
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| | the sets in any way, although some of you
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| this innovative method has continued to
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| | have. I mean if you find a place of
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| blossom. The compatibility of Wing Chun
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| | deficiency in your system then alter your
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| and Western boxing is nothing new
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| | training methods and your manner of
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| however. It has been recognized before.
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| | interpretation of the sets. We have not
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| Bruce Lee, an early Wing Chun
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| | altered the sets passed on to us, but
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| practitioner, found that boxing could fit
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| | certainly the training methods are up to
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| the principles of Wing Chun better than
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| | date and answer ancient-to-modern martial
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| any of the Asian arts. However, he failed
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| | questions. This has created a seamless
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| to take note of the pure street aspects
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| | fighting system whether armed or
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| of the system and incorporated some sport
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| | empty-handed.
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| postures and methods.
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| | A renaissance of Bare-Knuckle Boxing has
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| So my early training in Wing Chun was a
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| | taken place in our school and I intend to
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| combination of undiluted Leung Sheung
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| | conserve and develop it. This vital
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| (Yip Man's most senior student) Wing Chun
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| | component of our Wing Chun has allowed us
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| as a skeleton with the Western boxing
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| | to better appreciate Bruce Lee's efforts
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| expression. I learned the sets without
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| | to incorporate fencing and Western Boxing
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| alteration but when it came to sparring
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| | into his system. Tradition is good but if
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| and ultimately fighting it was certainly
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| | it begins to make any part of the system
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| pre-sport Western boxing. The posture was
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| | ineffective then its got to take a back
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| tilted back with the arms extended upon
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| | seat to well thought-out training. I
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| interception keeping the head away from
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| | think that's what Bruce Lee meant more
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| the opponent's fists. All of Wing Chun's
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| | than anything in his pursuit of
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| concepts were in place but the emphasis
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| | expression in martial arts. Not the
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| was certainly a polished Long-Bridge
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| | technique of the minute or the
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| Boxing articulation. Back then drawing
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| | jack-of-all-trades mentality that is so
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| blood was common. Bloody lips and black
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| | prevalent in JKD today, but the concepts
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| eyes and cheekbones were expected. There
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| | of more effective training and the idea
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| wasn't a night that I wouldn't go home
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| | of a complete fighting system. This
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| without some injury. Of course the way I
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| | unexpected component within our line and
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| train now is much different. It's all
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| | the mentality behind it, has
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| advanced, short range centerline control.
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| | unequivocally paved the way to a Wing
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| It is the opposite spectrum of my early
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| | Chun that has come-of-age.
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| training and is considered advanced Wing
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