This is a circuit workout I did that trains strength, fitness, endurance, as well as some martial arts specific movements. It can be done at home or at a gym or even outdoors at a playground. The only equipment needed is either a chinup bar or something you can hang onto. Even two chairs with a broomstick across can work. A ton of equipment is not needed to get a good workout. Effort is all that's needed! GIve this workout a try. And if you need to modify anything, just send me a message and I'll help you out!  

People are often fooled into believing that the basics are only for beginners. What they don't realize is that with almost every discipline, whether it's art, music, sports, martial arts, fitness, etc, you learn the most valuable skills right at the beginning. Consistent practice of the basics is THE key to mastering any discipline. For example, in the Wing Chun system of martial arts, the concepts of centreline and economy of motion are taught the first day you walk into class. And those are the guiding principles throughout your entire Wing Chun journey. That's exactly what this video is about.…

Many people in the West were first introduced to Inch Power when Bruce Lee demonstrated it at Ed Parker's Karate tournament in 1964. He famously punched a guy in the chest from only a couple of inches away and then he went flying back into chair. This is how the power could be applied in a real situation, but developing it is entirely different. To do that, you need to go through a full range of motion. Only then will you be able to feel every inch of the movement and ensure that you're using the entire body behind your…

One of the best ways to improve your punches is by using a wooden staff. Watch the video to learn more and see what it's all about!  

Wing Chun is a fantastic martial art and one which I've spent many years practicing. One of the best things about it is the fact that it's so simple. Really the concepts and principles of the system and techniques can be taught in less than an hour. Obviously that doesn't mean you'll have a deep understanding or the ability to actually pull it off, but you will know what it's all about. This is unlike some martial arts that will take forever just to learn what the techniques are. The first form which is called Sil Lim Tao (translating to "The Little…

One of the key concepts in the Chinese internal martial arts is the Three Harmonies. This refers to the connection of the upper body to the lower body whoch will in turn allow you to use the entire body as one unit. This actually apllies to all martial arts at the advanced levels, but they're specifically taught extensively in the internal arts. The best known internal Chinese martial arts are Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, and Tai Chi Chaun. The three harmonies are as follows   The Hand is connected to the Foot The Elbow is connected to the Knee The Shoulder is connected to the Hip Watch…

One of the most neglected aspects of martial arts training is body conditioning. This refers to the toughening up of the hands, arms, and body of the practitioner and not strength and fitness training. Both are needed and the majority of practitioners understand te need for cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance. But they don't always understand the need for the toughening up of the body. If you're going to do martial arts techniques such as punching, palm strikes, finger jabs, tiger claw strikes, etc. you must condition those parts of the body to actually be able to do these…

LET'S TRAIN THE HEAVY BAG! The heavy bag is one of the most recognizable pieces of equipment in Boxing and other martial arts. Indeed it's one of the first things that come to mind when you think of the martial arts. It can come in many shapes, sizes, and types. However there are two major categories. One is the hanging type which can hang from a ceiling hook or from a heavy bag stand and the other is freestanding with a water or sand filled base. Top me the best is the hanging type from a ceiling hook. You can of…

Out of the three best known Chinese Internal Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Bagua, and Xingyi), it is Xingyi which is by far the most applicable to Wing Chun, Boxing, and other striking arts. Xingyi (or Xingyiquan) translates to “Strength And Intent Boxing” and is based upon linear attacks from spear techniques. So the backbone of the system is aggressive linear attacks along the centreline. These are also known as The Five Element Fist, and the five elements are a fundamental part of Chinese medicine and martial arts. The system does have Twelve Animals as well, but those came later. The…

Bagua (or Baguazhang) is one of the key internal martial arts. The other two well known ones are Tai Chi Chuan and Xingyiquan. Internal martial arts are generally referred to as such because they don't use hard blocks or force against force. Instead they tend to use angles, positioning, and deflections. Rather than doing a hard block, we yield to the force and then counter attack from a different position. It also refers to cultivation of Chi or internal energy. This is done through Qigong breathing methods combined with movements. However, when you understand this, then many martial arts can…

One common problem people have when training with weights or even bodyweight exercises, is they tend to bounce the weight or somehow use momentum in the exercise. It may feel good for the ego to lift more weight, but you're not doing much to stimulate quality muscle growth. And on top of that, you're risking injury. One of the most important things I learned from Powerlifting was that you need to control the weight properly at all times. Judging is very strict at Powerlifting meets and any kind of bouncing or lack of control is grounds for a red light.…

Everything in the martial arts starts with the feet. It's your foundation. Whether it's movement to get you out of the way of a punch or to add power to your own strikes, it's essential. In the Wing Chun system, the Wooden Dummy trains all the key principles, techniques, and concepts of the system. So obviously, proper training of the footwork is essential. That's the whole point of the video today. Let's take a look at it!   

One of the most important things about learning a martial art is how valid it is. Does it actually work and is there a history? You certainly wouldn't want to learn from someone who just made it up themselves. In my case, my Ving Tsun family tree can be traced back to famous Grandmaster Ip Man. There have been many movies made about him, but of course the real man didn't do all those things on screen. He was however a great martial arts fighter and a great teacher.    So Ip Man taught Moy Yat. Moy Yat taught Sunny Tang. Sunny…

We see martial arts everywhere. In films, on TV, MMA, etc. Now especially, MMA or mixed martial arts is very popular and has to a large degree taken over a lot of the martial arts world. Even martial arts such as Western Boxing seem to have taken a backseat to MMA.   However, even though we may see MMA gyms popping up everywhere and traditional martial arts seem to be decreasing in popularity, it doesn't need to be that way and I also don't think it will be forever. Actually the way I see it, they're one and the same. Many may…

Wing Chun is a very unusual martial art. It's principle based rather than technique based. This causes a lot of confusion including ridiculous arguments about what is and isn't Wing Chun. So instead of looking at and memorizing an endless list of techniques, we're seeing techniques merely as expressions of the principles. If for example, my right hand is closer to my opponent than my left, I'll use my right hand since it's more efficient. If I can avoid a fight entirely, I will since I want to always save time, movement, and energy. In any case, I hope this video…

This is absolutely one of the best drills you can do to correct a number of issues including :   1. Not getting your hips and body into your strikes 2. Leaning into your strikes 3. Telegraphing 4. Poor balance   By removing the hands, all you have left is your body. Therefore you have no choice but to use it properly!  

The centreline is one of the most important concepts in the martial arts. People use it and are aware of it even if they don't realize. There are actually three separate centrelines and each one has its importance.    MIDDLE CENTRELINE - This line runs right down the front of your body and it's the line along which many of your vital organs are located   MOTHERLINE - This line runs right down the middle of your body and is responsible for your balance. Leaning too far forward, backward, or sideways will compromise this. You must always by balanced even if your weight is not…

The weapon is an extension of the person who wields it. This is an extremely important concept in the martial arts. After all, hand to hand fighting systems have their origins in weapons. You can take straight punches, hook punches, and uppercut punches, and you can see all of them in the staff. The key difference is that with weapons, everything is larger. Steps are larger, body rotation is larger, etc. But when we switch to hand to hand fighting, things become much tighter and closer. This is why we sometimes like to say "TRAIN BIG, FIGHT SMALL".   Take a look…

Personally I love smoothies. From a very young age, I've always associated smoothies and various shakes with vibrant health. You can mix it up in so many ways, there's just no limit to the possibilities. In fact, it's possible to replace some of your meals with smoothies. A good protein powder mixed in with plenty of fruits and vegetables is tasty, nutritious, and it will prevent you from giving in to hunger and going for junk food. There have been many times when I knew I wouldn't have time to sit down for a meal, so I just drank a good…

The centreline is one of the most important concepts in the martial arts. Particularly in the Wing Chun system, the centreline is the key to everything. Unfortunately there are so many people out there practicing these arts who have no clue about it. It may sound ridiculous, but it's true.    The stance from Wing Chun known as Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma (or Character Two Adduction Stance) is the primary method for training this. Every Wing Chun practitioner learns this on the first day of class and shifting follows soon after. As crucial as these things are, very few people actually…