Has anyone done Wing Tzun before?

Webmonkey

Hi There,

As a new years resolution, one of many, I've decided to take up a martial arts. I've always wanted to do one in college but never got the time. Now I think I have.

I done a bit of searching and came across http://www.kungfudublin.com/. They teach Wing Tzun which I think is also spelled Wing Tsun? - a form of Wing Chun that I believe was in the film IP Man.

It looks quite good.

Have any one done this martial art before? - is it good? - I'm not interested in fighting, but for self defense it looks good!

Also have anyone trained with those guys, kungfu Dublin? - are they good?

Thanks,

K.O.Kiki

One thing you'll likely find with Wing Chun/Tsun/Tzun/etc. is that there are a lot of different styles.
They share some common roots, but different teachers will emphasize different techniques over others.
Look for a teacher who isn't a bully, but will constantly check your form & show you the minute mistakes you are likely to make.

Webmonkey

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

One thing you'll likely find with Wing Chun/Tsun/Tzun/etc. is that there are a lot of different styles.
They share some common roots, but different teachers will emphasize different techniques over others.
Look for a teacher who isn't a bully, but will constantly check your form & show you the minute mistakes you are likely to make.

Thanks. I'm not sure what these guys do. I'm totally ignorant to this but want to give it a try.

As for the comment about finding a teacher that isn't a bully? - does this imply a lot are?!

yomchi

check your form & show you the minute mistakes you are likely to make.

What are these likely to be?

Michael O Leary

Hi guys,

I am not aware of any bullying in Irish Wing Tsun/Tzun/Chun schools.

The term "form" can describe both the body position and the optimal way to do a movement and can apply just as well to Golf as to Wing Tsun. Wing Tsun katas are called forms which I think is an apt description as the emphasis on the forms is not a string of techniques but rather hand/leg/body positions which can be combined to create countless techniques. That is why there are only three empty hand forms in Wing Tsun.

Webmonkey - I teach in Blanchardstown if you are interested in a free class and we also have schools in Finglas and Dublin City Centre.

Regards,

Michael

Webmonkey

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that. I've already been in contact with the other guys.

Are there many beginners in yours? - I not sure how intimidating it would be to start with a class that are fairly familiar with it?

What days do you train?

Michael O Leary

Webmonkey wrote: »

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that. I've already been in contact with the other guys.

Are there many beginners in yours? - I not sure how intimidating it would be to start with a class that are fairly familiar with it?

What days do you train?

We train on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Finglas school is Monday and Thursday and the City Centre school is Tuesday and Thursday.

I have beginners starting all the time but I know people feel strange starting if they are a beginner and they feel everyone else is advanced. That is why the classes on Tuesday and Saturday are split and there are specific beginners classes. You will find more details here.
www.wingtsun-blanchardstown.ie/BeginnersClass.html

Regards,

Michael

Webmonkey

Thanks for that. That's good idea about splitting them.

Are you expected to go twice a week? or are the classes on both week days and week days to help with those that can't make one of them?

arybvtcw0eolkf

OP a lad in work trains with Michael O Leary and has nothing but praise for the class, might be worth your while checking it out.

Michael O Leary

Webmonkey wrote: »

Thanks for that. That's good idea about splitting them.

Are you expected to go twice a week? or are the classes on both week days and week days to help with those that can't make one of them?

The beginners program is done over 6 months and consists of 4 cycles of 12 classes each. If training twice a week, this should take six weeks. However I realise not everyone can make it twice a week so at the end of a 12 class cycle I reverse the order of the classes so that what students did on Tuesdays in one cycle would be on Saturdays in the next cycle and vice versa. This means they can cover all 12 classes and not miss out on any material.

However training twice a week is more than twice as good as only training once a week. Some people train twice a week with me and also go to the Finglas or Dublin City Centre schools as well as train together outside class times. They are the ones who do well but there are other people who only train once a week and while their progress is slow, it is steady.
Regards,

Michael

Michael O Leary

Hallie Lively Self-reliance wrote: »

OP a lad in work trains with Michael O Leary and has nothing but praise for the class, might be worth your while checking it out.

Thanks for that Mairt. Someone rang me today to enquire about the class on the basis of your recommendation.

I know who you are talking about. He is a good guy. Anytime you are up in Coolmine and I am there, come over and say hello.

Regards,

Michael

Webmonkey

Thanks Michael.

I think I might go with yours

Saturdays could be tricky some weekends for me but I'll chance it anyways to see what it's like.

I'll begin either this coming Saturday or if not definitely tomorrow week assuming those the time's it on.

Looking forward to it!

Michael O Leary

Webmonkey wrote: »

Thanks Michael.

I think I might go with yours

Saturdays could be tricky some weekends for me but I'll chance it anyways to see what it's like.

I'll begin either this coming Saturday or if not definitely tomorrow week assuming those the time's it on.

Looking forward to it!

You are welcome to come down anytime. I suggest to everyone to give a few classes a go. If you like it then great. If not, there are plenty of other good schools/arts around. Feel free to ring me anytime on 086 3989345.

Regards,

Michael

K.O.Kiki

Webmonkey wrote: »

Thanks. I'm not sure what these guys do. I'm totally ignorant to this but want to give it a try.

As for the comment about finding a teacher that isn't a bully? - does this imply a lot are?!

I think that was bad phrasing on my part -- all my Wing Chun teachers have been grand
I meant that your teacher should be harsh, but not unfairly so.
If that makes any sense.

Michael O Leary

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

but will constantly check your form & show you the minute mistakes you are likely to make.

I agree with you on this. I trained as a fitness instructor and I was taught that a key part of teaching is observation and correction. Learning Wing Tsun forms will not of course make you good but I have never met someone who was good at Wing Tsun that was not also good at their forms.

As I wrote before, the forms are not sequences of techniques but for me are kind of like mind maps where simple movements are filled with information that are linked to other areas of Wing Tsun such as strategy, mottos, applications, chi-sau, etc.

Regards,

Michael

Zen Attitude

Webmonkey wrote: »

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that. I've already been in contact with the other guys.

Are there many beginners in yours? - I not sure how intimidating it would be to start with a class that are fairly familiar with it?

What days do you train?

Starting Wingtsun is definitely the best decision I could take J so I would say go for it!
I couldn’t say if this style is more about self-defence or fighting though as the concepts and exercises used seem to be effective in both. All I can say is that some concepts are identical to Tai Chi (practiced it for roughly 10 years ) and there is a real sense of deep strengthening at the end of each training session.
As for the classes, I started training in September with Massimo and so far am very happy with it. He keeps a good eye on each pair to ensure we stick to the instructions, advanced students train with us and are very helpful with no show-off. The “ vibe” is good.
I’ m training twice a week but you can go four days per week. You will find it all on http://wingtsun.webs.com/.
BTW which schools have you tried?

K.O.Kiki

I've trained with Massimo, glad to hear he's still running classes

Michael O Leary

Zen Attitude wrote: »

Starting Wingtsun is definitely the best decision I could take J so I would say go for it!
I couldn’t say if this style is more about self-defence or fighting though as the concepts and exercises used seem to be effective in both. All I can say is that some concepts are identical to Tai Chi (practiced it for roughly 10 years ) and there is a real sense of deep strengthening at the end of each training session.
As for the classes, I started training in September with Massimo and so far am very happy with it. He keeps a good eye on each pair to ensure we stick to the instructions, advanced students train with us and are very helpful with no show-off. The “ vibe” is good.
I’ m training twice a week but you can go four days per week. You will find it all on http://wingtsun.webs.com/.
BTW which schools have you tried?

Hi Z,

Glad you are enjoying your training with Massimo. I have been told he is pretty good at Wing Tsun.

Regards,

Michael