Wing Chun Regular Classes
Wing Chun Regular Classes at the Shan Wu Kung Fu School meet twice a week and follow a strict and comprehensive curriculum design to gage and monitor the students’ progress, address weaknesses in their skills, while developing systematic and accumulative techniques geared towards giving them a well-rounded knowledge of the style.
The curriculum and teaching schedule are both based on sash levels awarded through testing, understanding and proficiency.
All classes can be divided into two parts:
1) Basic Training (performed by all)
This includes: warm up, Forms, Drills & San sik, and Chi Sao, etc.
2) Individualized Training (based on sash level)
This includes: advanced techniques, Muk Yan Jong, Chi-Gerk, Blindfolded Chi Sao, Weapons.
** Instructor Training (for qualified students)
Although the curriculum and course of study have been divided into sash levels with an estimated length of time for each one, these serve mainly as land marks to gage the student’s progress. The actual promotion of a student will be solely based on his or her own merit and dedication. In other words sashes are not given simply because a certain amount of time has lapsed.
The guideline for rank promotion at the Shan Wu Kung Fu School is based on the skills and knowledge acquired by the students. This is solely dependent on the students’ regular attendance, seriousness in their training, dedication, progress, understanding, as well as their respect and conduct towards their sifu, classmates, school, and lineage in general.
A specific aspect of a Wing Chun class is the fact that all students regardless of rank or experience get a chance to practice with each other as well as experience Chi Sao with their sifu. This holds true too at the Shan Wu Kung Fu School.
Focus Classes
Due to time constraint and the variety of topics to be covered during Regular Classes, it is often difficult to delve in depth into one particular subject. To remedy this situation, Sifu Rémion created the Focus Classes where one class is dedicated entirely to one topic which is then explored in more details. They are considered intensive sessions, and as such not open to visitors, as they are by their nature more advanced, and do not afford a visitor the chance to experience what is normally covered in a regular class.
As of now four major Focus classes are being covered at the school, with an average of two per month.
Focus I: Forms
Although some styles and teachers have done away with forms, at the Shan Wu Kung Fu School we recognize the major importance Forms play both as a lexicon and technical tool to teach the system, and as a medium to cultivate your Qi, internal power, and train your mind.
Focus II: Fundamentals
Due to the seemingly distilled number of techniques in the Wing Chun system, it is crucial, more so here than in other styles that each one of these techniques be executed as perfectly as possible to guaranty their efficiency in terms of speed, accuracy and power. In this class students practice and analyze them in details as physical practice and intellectual understanding go hand in hand.
Focus III: Conditioning
Much like a great warrior always keeps his sword sharpens, so must the Wing Chun practitioner do with his physical body. Along with developing speed and power to strike, it is equally important to develop stamina and conditioning to withstand blows from an opponent and survive a lengthy fight. This class focusses on developing endurance.
Focus IV: Chi Sao
This class is entirely dedicated to practicing all forms of Chi Sao. Students explore both soft and hard styles, sticking hands, Chi Gerk, Blindfolded Chi Sao, as well as combinations and counters.