Celebrating the New Year, we took a few minutes out of our Los Angeles Chinatown Wing Chun class to discuss the new Ip Man movie, starring Boston’s own Donnie Yen.

As a second generation student of Ip Man (also romanized as “Yip Man”), my students asked me about the authenticity of the movie and historical facts. Recently released on DVD in Chinese, I watched it and enjoyed it. Donnie plays my Sigung, Ip Man, in Foshan, China during the Japanese occupation in 1938. In my opinion, much of the movie is completely fictionalized, but lots of fun and entertaining.

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Combat Journal Interview with Robert Chu by Salim Badat, first published at Combat Journal Website June 2008

1. How did you get to train in wing chun?

I started training in WCK when I was 14, after starting other systems of martial arts since age 7. I also studied Okinawan Shorin Ryu and Judo since age 10 and had some hard core training in that, so when I learned WCK, it was rather easy. A friend from the Chinese restaurant I worked in had some basic training and taught me the Siu Nim Tao set and the basic exercises Pak Sao, Lop Sao, Dan Chi Sao and Cern Chi Sao, as well as shifting from the 2nd form. I also learned basic fighting tactics with WCK. Afterwards, I decided the system was good and sought out more competent instruction.

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The more boxing became a focal point of kung-fu, the more pole sets were ignored or dismissed entirely.

First published in Inside Kung Fu July 2007 Issue

By Robert Chu

Robert Chu is a well-respected Chinese martial artist, wing chun instructor and licensed acupuncturist/Chinese Medicine practitioner in Pasadena, Calif. He can be reached at chusaulei.com.
“Gwong’s pole set movements were as ‘graceful as a flying dragon, and as powerful as a tiger.’ ”

“With the fist, fear the young adept; with the staff, fear the old master.”

I first wrote about and published an article in the Spring of 1999 in Exotic Martial Arts of South East Asia Magazine on the Flying Dragon/Tiger Gate system, also known as the Fei Lung Fu Mun. This system was brought from China to the United States by my master, the late Lui Yon Sang (Lei Ren Sheng) of Guang Zhou, China. Lui was a native of Toishan and had lived in New York City as a Traditional Chinese Medical doctor and herbalist.

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Trapping is a core training method of Wing Chun Kuen, but it has been complicated to teach.

Over the years, I’ve searched for ways to teach the skills to my students.  I would explain, “After striking with the Tan Da, the right fist changes into a Lop Sao and traps the opponent, where you strike him with a Lop Da, then you can continue on to Jut Da!” 

I’d get puzzled looks – then the opportunity was lost…and it became a mess and a jammed up tangle and struggle for the students.

Recently, I’ve turned to core objectives when teaching and every training method has its skill set, tools and theme.

Perhaps its my having to read aloud to my two young ones, but a few pirate stories have inspired me.  In a good pirate story, theres always a map, then a big “X” on it to denote where the treasure is!

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Since I have written about WCK power and body structure for may years now, the term “body structure” has become a bit of a buzzword. Since I am now semi-retired and not often teaching WCK, I decided to part with some of the secrets that I have been holding close to the vest…

Many people think, “Because I have a body, and it is a structure, I must have body structure!”

Or they think, “Well sifu, put me in this pose, so this must be what Robert Chu and others are talking about…!”

But what is real body structure is not a form. It’s not even a body, or a structure!

What is it?

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Want to really master the pole?

All you have to do is master the 8 cardinal directions, horizontal/diagonal/vertical figure 8’s and thrusting.

Using the pole with the proper mechanics takes a lot of practice, but once you have that down, it’s just a matter of  drilling these three practices.

Firstly, imagine a big asterisk in front of you  and do all the pole motions with both hands while in a Ding Ji Ma.

Secondly, develop fluidity doing horizontal/diagonal/vertical figure 8’s - this will teach you to relax more.

Finally, set up multiple hanging targets or candles and thrust the pole at it.

Enjoy your training! 

Integrated Eskrima is the type of Filipino martial arts developed by Guro Mark Wiley on the basis of Kalis Ilustrisimo and years of study with other great masters of the arnis and escrima systems here and in the Phillipines .  Many WCK’ers actively crosstrain  in the Filipino Martial Arts, and I was introduced to Pekiti Tirsia back in my college days by Leo Gaje and Greg Alland.  Throughout the years, I have met some practitioners, but not with the level of skill and passion and willingness to teach like Mark Wiley.   Since meeting Mark in person over the publication of “Complete Wing Chun” of which he was editor, it was this art that he introduced to me.  Integrated Eskrima is also the system that Alan Orr and Dave McKinnon and my other students and grandstudents have actively trained in and I wholeheartedly recommend this training.

The core of Integrated Eskrima is footwork and the various methods of offense and defense.  The art is based on Antonio Ilustrismo’s Kalis (Sword) art and is different than most contemporary forms of Arnis or Escrima, in that the main focus is the sword.  We use the stick like a sword and not vice versa.  Uniquely, the art contains major strokes that are used for both defense and offense.  Methods like the lutang footwork keep one in range to strike at all times, and the methods in many ways are taught like Gu Lao WCK – that is point by point, until mastered.  Although there is a numbering system used, the core are the 27 major motions of attack and defense, and some have no equivalent to other arnis systems.  Freestyle sparring is encouraged in this art.

It is not to say that WCK weapons are not practical – they are, and can be readily applied in all situations if trained realistically.  But one of the best ways to to develop skill in weapons is to study various weapons systems.  The Wing Chun pole and knives I have practiced for decades is a great art, but I see the similarities and universalness of timing and positioning to make the the arts practical when you train in the various ranges with weapons. 

What methods do you employ for strength and conditioning and nutrition? Most people use the forms, drills, Jong, weapons for overall health and they’re fine for overall fitness. But what other drills do you do for yourself to improve your performance, shape and health? Also, dim sum is a great treat, and having late night dinners might be the norm after a work out – but may not the best of health for you… perhaps you are gaining unwanted pounds and need to move into a functional, wiry, athletic state. Perhaps your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are up…maybe you’re battling diabetes, or have cancer in your family, or even have injuries…

As a licensed practitioner, I do specialize in giving patients health advice, and I would like to see WCK people benefit to be optimal athletes.

For example, I suggest patients take a minimum 10,000 steps a day, do 10 pushups, squats and crunches for every hour they’re awake, and may put them on a detox diet with suppplements to overall help their health. Also avoid sugars and junk food snacks, and the pounds start shedding.

For my athletes, we do KB lifts, boot camp training, and all sorts of exercises to supplement WCK – but of course, WCK needs no supplement – the pole and knives can be good weight training in themselves, and Chi Sao can be good dynamic weight training…

We are more apt to run into health issues than ever use WCK for fighting – but if we use WCK as a vehicle to help people stay healthy and fight disease, we all win. I’d like to hear from you! We can have this as a great discussion for all WCK people, no lineage issues here.

Wing Chun Kuen uses 3 points in drawing the “X” (the crossed hands, which some may see a “”V” inverted or otherwise). We primarily use Dan Tian (Ren 6) located 1.5 cun below the center of the umbilicus (commonly referred to as the bellybutton) and Ren 17 (Tan Zhong) on the anatomical midline, level with the 4th intercostal space and Yin Tang (The point between the eyebrows). These 3 points of alignment are in Daoist alchemy or Dao Yin and ecognized as the 3 dantian in Chinese cosmological or metaphysical arts.

These points demark the 3 heights, referred to as Seung, Jung, Ha (Shang, Zhong, Xia) or San Cai (aka Sam Choy), commonly referred to as Tian, Yan, Dei (Heaven, Man and Earth), in Chinese metaphysics. Tian would be the height above Ren 17, Yan would be below Ren 17 and above Ren 6, and Dei would be below Ren 6. We cross our hands in WCK at Ren 6 and Ren 17.

The term Kiu Sao is refers to the distance from the fingers to the elbow, but can also relate to bridging the gap.

Yuen Kay Shan Wing Chun’s 12 major keywords (Daap, Jeet, Chum, Biu, etc.) and Gu Lao Wing Chun Kuen’s keywords (Kuen, Kiu, Jeung, Bong, Jee) are all Kiu Sao concepts. (As are my own conceptual keywords.)

Kiu Sao, however, is a term used in virtually all Southern fist like Hung Gar, Bak Mei, Lung Ying, Southern Mantis, Choy Lay Fut, etc. For example, Hung Gar has the 12 Kiu Sao: Gong, Yau, Bik, Jik, Fun, Ding, etc.Bak Mei has Mor Kiu, Shui Kiu, Lan Yiu… Choy Lay Fut has Poon Kiu, Chuen Kiu, Pak Kiu, etc. Mantis has various Gwaat Siu, Mor Siu, etc. They are all ways to link up and join in with your opponent.

We have a saying, “Have bridge, cross bridge; no bridge, build a bridge.”

Of course, various systems have their own definitions, but this is my understanding from Southern Fist and Wing Chun Kuen.