Perhaps the hardest part to any martial arts is beginning. Making the decision and walking into a kwoon (school) and taking action, to suit up and arrive to participate can be very intimidating. This can be more so intimidating for women, especially when confronted with a class full of guys who are bigger stronger and more experienced. This takes an even more daunting tone and is certainly one of the reasons why women may be a bit put off by beginning a martial art.
The beauty of wing chun training is that it does not rely on brute strength, or size to be effective. In fact to be honest that can be a hindrance, especially if your size tends to slow down your movements. Wing chun was designed by a woman for women.
Apart form this the training also comes with a whole swag of benefits. First of all continued practice has a great benefits to your health and fitness. As well as our flexibility. If you are looking to get fit alone this is more beneficial than joining a Gym and pounding away on a treadmill and heaving free weight causing all kinds of chronic injuries to your joints. This kung fu training looks to avoid this.
Personally I prefer to incorporate further learning in my fitness regime that’s why martial arts does it for me. Secondly and most obvious wing chun is one of the most dynamic marial arts and self defence systems in the world and is relatively easy to learn if you apply yourself. In today’s society for women to learn the arts of self defence is quite a handy thing to know. Not only are you able to protect yourself you will be amazed how high your self esteem will soar. I would like to also add that in my experience women make great martial artists. I wont go to say they are greater or better—but I have found that women have a greater tendency to apply themselves to tasks once they set their minds to things—especially more mature women. They are more meticulous and disciplined than most men. (Well- at least more so than this man).
The advantage of wing chun is that it relies on manipulation of strength rather than its brute application. It relies on executing proven concepts to put your opponents off their guard. The biggest mantra in wing chun is do not use force against force. This is a concept that men have difficulty coming to terms with early on in their training as we have it ingrained in us to push back once we are under attack. Women don’t have this natural reaction. Because of this they can adapt to different situations as they arise-because they have to. Wing chun teaches to strike specific “soft” point for devastating results so the wing chun practitioner doe not have to be very strong to be effective. These techniques can be further perfected on the wing chun dummy -so you can practice on you own to further refine your skills. However the biggest step is having the courage to take that first step. To make that decision to begin. Because once you decide you take away all other choices and excuses you make available and you focus on your end goal.
June 17th, 2010 at 9:21 am
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