Does Your Wing Chun Punch Stink?
When you first begin your training in Wing Chun, one of the first things you are instructed on is the correct method to throw a straight punch.
I can freely agree that at first glance, the punch does not appear to be that menacing. It’s possible that you’ll overhear some “hardcore” fighters making derogatory comments about the Wing Chun punch.
I believe that the disconnection occurs because the individual throwing the punch is either excessively tense or does not know how to connect the body correctly when they are throwing the punch. Both of these factors contribute to the disconnection.
Sifu Phu often likes to explain the effectiveness of a good Wing Chun punch by comparing it to stabbing someone with a needle or a knife. Ask anyone who has been on the receiving end of a proper straight punch, as they will confirm that it is rather excruciating.
In order to accurately evaluate your development, you must require a training partner. If you punch someone effectively, they will feel it for a long time afterward—possibly even hours.
Sifu Todd does a great job at explaining how the Wing Chun punch should feel as well as how it shouldn’t feel.
Related Wing Chun Punch Questions
Are Wing Chun punches effective?
This inquiry was posed at a forum that I visited online. It seems like a stupid question to me because when executed properly, every punch may be considered successful. Although we do make use of wing chun punch, we do not use it in the way that is customarily expected of it.
That is to say that our primary concentration is on driving the top two knuckles, followed by the bottom three knuckles. The reason for this is that we discovered that using our Ngo Dac Na Piston piston punch was more effective than using the method described above. In practice, we only drive the top two knuckles because the bottom three knuckles are more fragile.
Training Tip: When practicing punches it’s not about hitting harder it’s about it correctly
How powerful is a Wing Chun punch?
I have been on the receiving end of precisely linked Wing Chun blows more than once. Internal punches, rather than their external counterparts, are the primary focus of our Wing Chun training. If performed correctly, they can completely halt the progress of an adversary.
The idea that a hook punch is more powerful than a Wing Chun punch is one of the most common misconceptions I come across while I’m online. To respond to the person who claimed they have never been struck by a solid straight punch in the past, I will state the following.
Wing Chun Punches Suck!
Therefore, if there is one thing that has circulated on the internet, it is the notion that Wing Chun punches are utterly repulsive and should be avoided at all costs. This way of thinking, which is held by a large number of people, is, unfortunately, an incorrect way of thinking.
It’s attitudes like the one I discovered online, where the guy couldn’t stop ranting about how terrible Wing Chun is. And how many other types of martial arts have combat systems that are superior? Because of this, it might be challenging to locate qualified instructors of martial arts in general.
People tend to criticize things that are beyond their comprehension out of a sense of pride and vanity. Or, and this is much more probable, they are doing it because they are trying to earn money, and rather than attempting to impress a potential student with their expertise, they are attempting to convince them that what they are teaching is superior to what everyone else teaches.
Share this with at least 20 of your friends or else…
Martin L says
Thank you i’ll practice that.
Bobby says
Dear Sifu x 2,
It would be awesome if a video demonstration/workout/drills could be created of showing how you can hit a wall bag, I.E. Straight wing chun punches/chain punches, chops, etc… Also incorporating the kicks and footwork and movement of the hips to drive into the punch etc.
Also, I believe that you can tell if you are hitting/punching correctly and powerfully when you actually hear a certain sound upon impact. For instance, when punching a pad or a punchbag or wall bag, if hit correctly… You will hear a certain sound that is only created when that punch has been executed in a very relaxed state with zero or minimal tension.
Big Respect!
Todd W says
I plan to continue on expanding on hitting energy in future videos (as in different types of hits, incorporating the body etc). As for the wall bag, If your hitting the wooden dummy or a resistant surface with little or no feedback there is nothing you need to change when hitting a bag.
You are absolutely correct about the sound. Sifu will often correct students while he has his backed turned based on that alone:)
Thanks for the input, I hope this helped:)
Nathan Mangano says
Thanks to Sifu Phu and Todd I’ve been seeing and feeling progress with this punch, still practicing years later and still much room for improvement, thanks guys!
Danny L says
Great demo!
I’m practicing this on the wall, and I can really feel the difference between relaxing and forcing.
But this feels very different when hitting a punching bag…
And even more so on a person, different weight, mass, density…
Though I’m trying to keep in mind the key points of snapping along with sinking, but it will take more practice to get the coordinations right.
Todd W says
Sounds like you’re on point!
Erik says
The past few years I’ve been hitting walls with as little tension as possible and what I found out is that your knuckles almost don’t even hurt at all when your hand is relaxed. The more you practice this, the harder you will be able to punch without even slightly damaging your own body.
Alan says
great demo, but when you in a fight or just a confrontation I cant help but be tense. I dont even like people to get too close in my space. I suppose this is because I dont have a partner to train with and be able to pull all of this great stuff out instinctively. I would love you to make a demo on rattan ring form.
Bobby S says
Hi Alan,
I can definitely relate to the tension aspect that you mentioned and that is a brilliant suggestion about seeing demos of rattan ring training… Great idea…go for it entershaolin team!
Todd W says
A lot of that is developing muscle memory so you move correctly before you have time to think. Some of it is changing how you think so you look at an opponent as energy to be manipulated and not a bunch of punches or kicks to be afraid of. You want to learn to be comfortable at close quarters, it’s your opponent who should feel nervous when your close to him.
I haven’t trained with the rattan ring. I have to ask Sifu about it. Thanks.
Jim says
So, where does the power, or force of the punch originate really? Is it merely, and only, the elbow? Or does it start in the feet and legs? What I am assuming, is that the emphasis on relaxation, especially in the shoulder, is because it isn’t just a matter of providing a path for your energy to come back on you – it’s because it is keeping your arm connected to the rest of your structure, which should be grounded, and a structure that is properly aligned and grounded to the earth will support your energy going out to the target and not allow it back. Is there any initiation of a wave of force starting in the legs and transferring through the waist or is it really just elbows? Thanks very much, guys.
Sifu Phu Ngo says
Hi Jim, the power we develop is like a coordinated attack. We generate our power from our core. We drive our energy from the earth. We deliver our power by accelerating our strike from every point in our joints to the final point in our wrist. Our breath should be a small burst (not holding or hard exhale) to create a high pressure to help snap our strike out. We should always be rooted when striking. We should always hit with max acceleration when striking not max speed. Focus your strike to a single point so concentration of force will be greater. Hope this helps.
Gin Hao says
Sifu,
a few questions here , I’ve been practicing the straight punch for some time now but I realize that I have a few problems. Any help would be much appreciated.
1 . Inconsistencies when punching. My punches lands everywhere around the target. It is still around the same area , but not on an exact spot.
2. Weak left hand. My left hand always hurts when contact is made. Even though I did my best to relax , but the knuckles still hurt. No problem with my right hand though.
3. Collapsed fist when punching. On occasion, after contact is made , my fist will collapse into something like a Fook Sau … I know that if that happens outside of training , my wrist will probably be broken. I need to fix this asap.
Sifu Phu Ngo says
Hi Gin, 1. You can never hit the exact same spot on a consistent level. But you want the area to be small so you r doing fine if it’s a small area. 2. Without seeing what your doing, it could be a couple of things, when you land see where your contact point is and how your driving into that point. Make sure your p.r.o.o.f. is there. Some people have a slight swing with their elbow out. The other reason which is not too often, your hand is weaker than the other. My suggestion is to strike them both at the security time and your weak hand will comply with the strong. Do it slow and feel the energy and you should be able to correct it. 3. Make sure when you hit, you create a forward drive from your forearm to the top two knuckles. You have a slight swing in your arm and lack of proper torque from your wrist into your top two knuckles. Remember always practice slow and build up your speed after. Go as fast as you can, but within your techniques which means that if you’ve fast and your technique is suffering from it, slow down to where your technique is done right. Hope this helps. Let us know who that worked out for you.
walker says
Respect ! I have learned something …
Sije Jamie Pelaez says
Glad you are enjoying the lessons Walker! Blessings!
TEMPA W says
Hi Y’all, on Wing Chun punching & practice, I noticed an oval motion when dropping fist on target or an opponent, instead coming straight from the center like in boxing or other combat arts. Please explain. Thanks, Tempa
Sifu Larry Rivera says
Hey Tempa, Those type of punches are called cycle punches. The idea is one punch replaces another punch in very rapid cycle.
In this video sifu talks about how to do a cycle punch, however we haven’t filmed training cycle punches yet. So I’ll put that on the list of videos to film. https://entershaolin.com/module-1/core-training-cycle-punches-basic-pushups/