Somerset Wing Chun Kung Fu

read moreSomerset Wing Chun Kung Fu is a well-established Martial Arts provider to the West Country community that has built up an enviable reputation over the last 30 years. We are the longest running Wing Chun organisation in Somerset and a premier source of Wing Chun training across the West Country. The emphasis of the training is orientated towards providing you with a sensible, useable, self-protection system based on a traditional martial art which has stood the test of time for over 400 years rather than for sporting or competitive martial arts.

read moreSomerset Wing Chun maintains an open, friendly, politics free view of all styles and lineages of wing chun. We avoid politics by teaching the system from a standpoint of applied body mechanics as opposed to individual interpretation. Wing Chun is a concepts and principles art with many differing approaches, interpretations, viewpoints and variations. Even where a number of Sifu's are grouped together within the same lineage, association, academy or family name, there may still be considerable differences in the standard of the resulting students.

read moreIt promotes the exercise of relaxation, focus and concentration whilst building a strong structure from the ground up through the joints to the contact point. Biu Tse or Gau Gup Sao (first Aid Hand/Arm) gives methods of recovery of the centreline when it is lost due to poor execution og SLT and CK or the skill of the opponent. The other 6 would need to be drilled, Left and Right start, in order to fully cover the form (14 sections). The dummy is the never tiring training partner who stands there all day whilst you practice your techniques.

read moreSomerset Wing Chun Kung Fu operates a simple monthly training fees system at a level which makes training affordable. We operate FAMILY and GROUP Discounts. Monthly fees are agreed with the club when you join paid by Standing Order. This gives families and groups relatively low cost training compared to other local training options. Standing Order into the club bank account (details will be supplied) are on a day of the month that suits the person making the payment and agreed with the club. Reduction to payments will be made where students make prior notified periods of absence (holidays, working away etc).

read moreIn power and energy terms the Baat Cham Dao are the dumb bells of the Wing Chun system. They develop the specific muscles in the wrist, arms, upper body, back, waist and legs associated with delivering power / energy. By learning to deliver power beyond the physical extent of the hands this training expands and improves that which was developed in the previous boxing forms. The 8 cutting broad swords or butterfly knives are in fact arm length broadswords and the form consists of eight sections.

read moreSomerset Wing Chun often invites guest instructors to show students alternative approaches to the martial arts. These pictures are from an excellent workshop in Shepton Mallet, delivered by Sifu Neil Genge from Bristol Shaolin Temple Martial Arts.

read moreExisting students must renew the form at appropriate intervals or when their information changes. Application Forms are provided to new students and in the CLUB-SHARE Folder for existing students. The following Basic Concepts and Saying documents that students should be trying to incorporate into their Wing Chun training are in the CLUB SHARE Folder.

read moreI am often asked about the 'odd' Wing Chun straight punch and why it isn't seen in Boxing or MMA. The answer is that it exists in both environments, some currently and some historically, as I explain below. You only need to look at pictures of turn of the century bareknuckle boxers to see the Wing Chun stance, body alignment and hand positioning. He continued boxing until 1940, Dempsey fought 84 bouts, winning 62, 51 of which were by knockout and wrote his book before Wing Chun was ever heard of outside of Hong Kong, it describes the conclusions of a World Champion at the height of his boxing career.