Black Belt Magazine 
Practice is the key to mastery in any martial art. Execution of thousands of strikes, kicks and blocks against a partner is the key to integrating the strategies and techniques in such a way that they become second nature. However, live partners are not always available. So the next best thing, of course, would be a stand-in — and that’s where the wooden dummy comes in for the practice necessary for mastering kung fu techniques when a human partner’s participation isn’t possible. Training devices such as the wooden dummy have been used by China’s Shaolin Temple fighting monks for more than 2,000 years. “There was a corridor that consisted of 108 wooden dummies representing 108 different attacking techniques,” says wing chun expert andBlack BeltHall of Fame member William Cheung. “The monks would move down the hall and practice their defenses and counterattacks on them.” In this kung fu techniques video, William Cheung demonstrates how kung fu practitioners can use a device such as the wooden dummy to practice their own defenses and counterattacks. William Cheung then demonstrates the practiced kung fu techniques on his training partner and senior disciple, Eric Oram
KUNG FU TECHNIQUES VIDEO Grandmaster William Cheung Demonstrates Wing Chun Kung Fu Training Techniques and Applications Using the Wooden Dummy
Download your FREE report on wing chun essentials:
10 Wing Chun Kung Fu Training Principles Any Martial Artist Can Use!
Construction and Functionality of the Wooden Dummy for Wing Chun Kung Fu Training
“The three arms on the dummy can represent strikes to the middle and upper gates and can be either punches or kicks,” explains Wiliam Cheung disciple and wing chun techniques expert Eric Oram. “The leg of the dummy teaches the wing chun practitioner to move from one side of the dummy to the other, keeping in mind where the opponent’s lead leg is at all times.”
The First Modern Wooden Dummy for Wing Chun Techniques Practice
“In 1951 my brother George Cheung … persuaded Hong Kong-based wing chun legend Yip Man to commission a carpenter to build the first wooden dummy outside of China,” William Cheung recalls. “It was built and installed on the rooftop of my family’s house on Argyle Street in Kowloon, Hong Kong. I’ve been training on the wooden dummy ever since.
“In 1956 [George] went to Sydney, Australia, to attend university. He brought that dummy to Sydney with him. When he moved in 1959, he placed it in the care of a friend who ran a gas station. One winter’s night when the temperature plummeted, [George’s] friend used the dummy as firewood to keep himself warm. It was a sudden and tragic end for the first modern wooden dummy.”
Safety First in Your Wing Chun Kung Fu Training
Because the wooden dummy is usually made of teak, it’s essential to practice all your offensive and defensive kung fu techniques slowly and softly at first to minimize the impacts your body is forced to absorb. As your accuracy and technique improve, you can put more energy and intention into it.
Related Martial Arts Books, E-Books, DVDs and Video Downloads
Grandmaster Cheung’sWing Chun Kung Fu
Modern Wing Chun Kung Fu: A Practical Guide to Combat and Self-Defense
For more detailed information on wing chun training using the wooden dummy, live partners and a variety of weapons, please refer to the William Cheung wing chun training DVD series Wing Chun Kung Fu (Volumes 1 – 5). You also can visit grandmaster William Cheung’s official website at cheungswingchun.com. For more information on Eric Oram, visit the website for his Wing Chun Kung Fu Chinese Boxing Academy & Mind/Body Center in West Los Angeles at lawingchun.com.
Kung fu technique, Martial arts style, Wing chun
Black Belt Magazine
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