NaamKyun.com Discussion Forum

Hello all! In my efforts to improve as a student of Wing Chun, I've been training with a variety of people both within WC and other martial arts. I've had the opportunity to workshop with people outside of WC in order to see some other perspectives on fighting and training.

I recently encountered several practitioners of both Wing Chun and Brazillian Jiu Jitsu who are of the opinion that Wing Chun's usefulness ends at clinching range and is basically non-existent in ground fighting.

As long as I have practiced Wing Chun, I have understood it to be a 'complete martial art', meaning that its effectiveness is limited only by the creativity and application of the practitioner. Therefore, Wing Chun should have an answer to the "problem" of ground fighting and grappling.

I'm curious what you think. Within the confines of a traditional Chinese system, what training methods and strategies do you use to deal with grappling/ ground fighting?

A gun is an effective weapon...but you can't stab someone with a gun.
A knife is an effective weapon, but you can't shoot someone with a knife.
Now, they have mounted blades on pistols, bayonettes on rifles.
They have developed ballistic knives.
All systems have strengths and weaknesses. Cross training is a method creating overlap and evolving yourself as a fighter.

In order for any system to be prepared for something, they must train it.

I can't properly defend a RNC, if I've never dealt with one before. And, I can't properly defend against one that's only been applied by someone that doesn't know how to apply it properly.

Cross-training is the only way to know what you have in your arsenal to help you in these situations.

Believe me... It's not easy to just step on the mat with a bunch of wrestlers and humble yourself and learn from them after having years of training and fighting under your belt, but you'll be better for it in the long run.

I hope, by now, you've cross-trained.


I'd like to hear what your personal learning experience brought you.

My background is Yau Kung Mun, not Wing Chun. I also believe in the importance of crosstraining, working with others (rather than competing). To me, it helps me look at my art and find other, undiscovered aspects that are below the surface, connecting with the principles of movement that we all are studying.
Grappling also helps to re-teach us about fitness for fighting.

I am a student of Grandmaster Ip Ching. It is preferable not to get grappled onto the ground of course. So your Chi Sau/Gor Sau Skills need to come into play whilst you are standing up. Of course, you would need correct rooting in your stance and correct structures in your techniques. But if the inevitable happens, there are techniques from Biu Jee (the first aid form) which you could execute lying down if you were standing up where you use the ground for structure which works against BJJ. I have tried it with a couple of my friends who does BJJ and it seems to work. Not sure if that answers the question.

Well, it would seem to me that the most reliable way to know for sure, is by practicing both. That way, one is not complacent about their strengths/ in denial about their shortcomings, as there is no bias to one art or the other, lol.