Wing Chun Ten Star Footwork – Pt6

Today felt like more than one seminar, we got through so much! We started with a slightly different format, warm up and Siu Lim Tao first before the lecture, which I thought worked very well as it meant the lecture coincided with a little rest time following the form.

The lecture was a Q&A session which even turned a bit into interviewing Sigong on Wing Chun. Many questions were asked, but for me a particularly interesting question came up about the Wing Chun fist shape which can be used to strike acupuncture points. Sigong mentioned that there are 36 dangerous acupuncture points which we may cover in the future! I had thought the acupuncture points side of Wing Chun was a lost skill which Ip Man Si Jo chose not to pass on, so that was very exciting to hear discussed.

After a tea break, we got back to the footwork. These seminars are quite theoretical and so recapping the previous stars each time is fun and useful. I think the three-point structure we are using to think about the footwork (Name & meaning of the name, Description of the position and technique, and application) is really clear and helpful. From the application perspective, making sure we understand that there are usually both attack and defence applications for each footwork is important too. We are building our knowledge all the time!

From a new content perspective, I had missed the last seminar so this one was a crash course in both Jun ma and Tui ma. Quite often in Wing Chun we train something a certain way, but use it differently, and so it was good to hear about the zig zag training in the Tui Ma stepping. We finished off by covering this week’s actual new part which was the thrusting step, Biu ma. It was interesting to talk about two ways to step, leading into how to carry on with a second thrusting step, and to talk about a defensive application as well. There was lots to think about and take in and it is good to have the chance to try to work things out together in the breakout rooms.

There are only three stars to go, and I don’t even know what one of those is! I’m looking forward to finding out. Thanks Sigong for keeping us stimulated and thinking about what we’re learning!

by Lee Baylis

Student Comments

Really enjoyed the 10 star footwork seminar today. Revising the previous stars helped to go deeper and clearer and it was good to work on this sessions star. Great to see everyone as always. Thanks sigong
Matt

I missed the last one so this has been a crash course in Jun ma, Tui ma and Biu ma! Lots to think about and take in and it is really useful to have the chance to work them out together in the breakout rooms. Only three stars to go, and I don’t even know what one of those is!
Lee B

Great to go through all the stepping in detail – it feels like the knowledge is starting to stick in my mind. Interesting with biu ma today – it is a more Yang or explosive technique compared to the others. So following on from the lecture on hard and soft we can see that Wing Chun has both.
Thank you Sigong.
Paul Hogg

I enjoyed the 10 Star foot work seminar a lot today! Always good to do a long Siu Lim Tao and a very interesting discussion in the Q&A session. Looking forward to learning the next star soon. Thanks, Sigong. Best, Tom Hogg.

Sifu, thank you for another exciting seminar. Really good to revisit what we have learnt previously and then to build on this. I love the deepening the knowledge. Looking forward to the next one! Thanks Peter W

Part six of the Wing Chun Ten Star Footwork series of seminars was interesting with the question and answer session before revising the first six steps in detail. The seventh step, Biu Ma or thrusting step, was introduced today. It’s great to have the opportunity to discuss the meaning, application and training method of each step together in the breakout rooms. Thanks very much Sigong. Peter Hogg

Really enjoyed the 10 star footwork seminar today. It was great to start with more general questions covering a range of topics. It was great to understand the application of Biu Ma and understand how to stabilise
Daniel

This Seminar, for me in particular, was great reminder that we also need to be flexible in our thinking and approach our learning from many different angles. So much more to work on, but enjoying going over and finding more clarity every time. Sam

After our warmup and Siu Lim Tao, Sifu started today’s seminar with a great question and answer session which delved deeper into the history, benefits, and what makes Wing Chun different from other arts. Polishing of the previous 6 stars was also great and learning more about the advanced footwork was enlightening. Looking for to the learning the rest of the stars. Thank you Sifu. Andrew O.

It was great to start 10 star footwork again and meet up with everyone online. This time we started with Sil Lim Tao and had a special lecture where anyone could ask questions, it was great to hear Tai Sigong talk about the history of Wing Chun and how it can change over time but the principle do not change. Next we went over the first 6 stars of footwork, and then looked at Biu Mah – this is a completely new step for me which I had only read about in the Qi magazine and Wing Chun notes, so it was great to see how it can work in use. Thankyou Tai Sigong, really enjoyed today and looking forward to next time! Thanks, Rod.

Thank you Sigong for another instalment of the Ten Star Footwork. Each time I learn something new but I also enjoy polishing the older material as well. I also want to thank Siba for leading us during Siu Lim Tao and the seniors (Peter W. and Rick) for sharing your knowledge in the breakout room. I am looking forward to the next seminar. Deborah Hart

Very good seminar. Great to do Siu Lim Tao first and then go through questions and footwork. Each time I am understanding more and enjoying going through the footwork questions as they stay better in the mind this way. Thank you Sifu!
-Radu