Wing Chun is without doubt one of the best martial arts to study if you’re looking for reliable self-defense techniques that can be used in everyday situations. In fact, this traditional sub-style of kung fu can yield massive benefits for your physical health and fitness levels, as well as bring improvements to your mental health and emotional well-being.
What is Wing Chun good for?
Refined Reflexes, Focus and Coordination
As with any martial art, a commitment to Wing Chun training will considerably improve your focus. What’s more, your overall coordination will also improve. Although Wing Chun doesn’t necessarily hinge on the same kind of hand-eye coordination encountered with other forms of martial arts, you’ll still notice a considerable benefit to things like spatial perception as you undertake Wing Chun training. Wing Chun also brings considerable benefits to reflexes. One of the key areas of focus of Wing Chun training is repetitive physical movement. This helps develop muscle memory, allowing practitioners to respond with more instinctive movements when faced with an assailant.
Improving Health and Fitness Levels
Wing Chun also brings key fitness and health benefits to the practitioner. However, the extent of this will be determined by your commitment to training. If your Wing Chun learning incorporates high-intensity interval training, you’ll benefit from considerable improvements to cardiovascular health and overall endurance. Continued training can also lead to weight loss and moderate muscle growth.
Building Muscle and Stamina
Although Wing Chun doesn’t require considerable physical strength to be utilized effectively, in can help you build muscle and improve your overall strength levels. Focusing on developing your upper body strength is definitely something to consider if you’re looking to get the most out of Wing Chun. If you want to master the Wing Chun punch and put as much force as possible behind your strikes, consider exercises that will strength the muscles in your shoulders and arms. It also makes sense to build some muscle in your back and chest to improve overall upper body strength.
Although some practitioners may choose to undertake weight training to build muscle in these areas, it’s not really essential. Simply using wall bags and undertaking drill training of punches should be enough to boost muscle in all the areas you’ll need it most. Over time, your muscles will benefit from increased endurance, while your stamina levels will also improve.
Developing Sensorimotor Skills
Wing Chun isn’t simply about blocking attacks and responding in kind when facing off against an opponent. A key part of Wing Chun is developing sensory motor skills. Otherwise known as sensorimotor skills, this process essentially involves you utilizing various senses such as hearing, touch, vision and balance to produce physical responses. They’re particularly important when it comes to mastering things like Chi Sau, with touch being crucial in allowing you to respond instinctively to your opponent. Although we all develop sensorimotor skills in the early stages of life, most people let these fundamental skills lie idle and they’re rarely developed during later years. Wing Chun ensures sensory motor skills and ability continues to be fine-tuned and improved throughout life.
Reduced Stress and Mindfulness
Pretty much every aspect of Wing Chun can help you relieve high stress levels. Basic interval training and improving your fitness levels will help you keep on top of general stress in daily life. However, the more involved aspects of Wing Chun training looked upon as a more meditative exercise that encourages a state of mindfulness. Wing Chun training requires considerable focus, which will require you to focus on the moment, rather than let your mind wander off and worry about a multitude of minor issues that are causing you undue levels of stress.