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Grey Garden Wing Chun
Adam Abenante Send Message Brooklyn, New York 11214 Website http://www.greygarden.org/ggwc Martial arts style taught at this school - Wing Chun /Ving Tsun |
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| Can you tell us what your classes are like? My classes are pretty fresh each day, focusing on practicality rather than ritual. Each one however, begins with a comprehensive warm up with emphasis on specific body movements relative to the techniques that will be covered throughout the lesson. What is the school environment like? On every day of the week except Thursday, class is conducted in a local park. On Thursdays, class is from 7:30-9:30 at 60 West End Ave. on the 7th Floor. You will find that my students really want to train, and are enthusiastic about coming to learn. Those guys who commit to training outdoors in all weather are a rare breed. Their whole being is committed to training. They are eager to share their knowledge with new students and make them feel welcome. Everyone, regardless of their skill level, works together to achieve what they want out of training and ultimately, life. Showing off, bullying and the like is non-existent as it has no place in a serious class. How many students are typically in a class? The number of students varies greatly on any given day. The most I've had was 10; the least, 1. I also have a few private students that may pop in for a class. What is the training ratio of forms, drills, sparring, wooden man? "Traditional" students will learn some basics for the first month (Stance, Center-line, Sun Punch, shifting, etc.). Soon to follow, they will learn Siu Nim Tau and be given drills that emphasize it's key principals. By the time the first form has been committed to memory, Dan Chi Sao, and Poon Sao will have become standard practice in each class. Lat Sao (a hands-on, educational form of sparring) will begin as the student learns the skill set presented within the Chum Kiu form. This, along with focused exercises will already transmit the fundamental tools necessary to put Wing Chun into practice. While the Wooden Dummy may be used as a learning tool throughout the student's training, the form itself will be taught only after the second form has been completed. For those who qualify to learn the third form (Biu Tze), The Mook Yan Jong (wooden dummy form) shall be deferred until after that skill set has been acquired. I also teach the Luk Dim Boon Kwun (6.5 point pole) Form, and for those who are really dedicated, the Bart Cham Dao (Butterfly Swords) Form. Chi Sao will be practiced from the completion of the Siu Nim Tao skill set onward. So, in short, I offer a pretty well balanced ratio of all the components critical to developing practical, authentic, Yip family Wing Chun. Do you require uniform? belts? etc. That depends... You see my students pretty much fall into two main categories: those that want to learn the art, along with all of the tradition and ceremony that goes with it, and those that would like to generally improve their ability to cope with confrontation. Uniforms and belts (sashes) are worn by the former, who request to be taught in the exact same fashion as my Sifu teaches. They will be required to show up in black pants and shirts, comfortable sneakers and their sash. Such students should they prove themselves trustworthy, will learn the entire system and will be given the option to be tested for "Instructor of the Wing Chun System" Certification by Master Yip Pui upon completion. The latter who are more into the combative aspect of the art, and not necessarily training to learn the system as a whole, can show up as they wish. They are taught some major principles and given some practical exercises to discover how they work. These students are not given rank, nor can they become instructors. Keep in mind that Wing Chun historically does not employ the use of belts, sashes, or any other external indicators of rank. I personally prefer to work without belts or any other such "visual aids", as I feel that they give the false impression that you've essentially reached some perceived summit of enduring success... If achieving a Gold "Instructor's" Sash was the end-all be-all of training, the only way to go would be down wouldn't it? Somewhat like an atheist on his death bed. Therefore, I do not impose the sash system. I do however offer it as an option, just as my Sifu employs it in his class. Regardless of the training path one chooses, no student will learn anything too intense without proving themselves to be a sane and rational human being. I will evaluate a person who expresses interest in learning the deep aspects of the system over a period of at least 6 months of steady attendance. Only then will we discuss such matters further. A student will develop at their own pace depending on their level of commitment. What would you say is the hardest part to master in Wing Chun? In Wing Chun, the hardest part for most people is seeing the living system through the abstraction of stances and forms. Many out there get carried away with theory and dogma to the point of absurdity. In this state, it becomes quite easy, for example, to wax intellectual and pour over the excruciating minutiae, of whether shifting should be 45 degrees or 38 degrees in a postulated situation. In reality, however, it takes only seconds for a rabid gang member from the projects, to reign blows down upon you until you are no longer recognizable to your closest friends and family members -regardless of how many degrees you shifted, if you are preoccupied with such drivel. The theory is there to serve you, not the other way around. Bottom line, in a real situation, don't think, move as it makes sense in the moment (this is why we train!) -or something or someone will move you.(to your awful chagrin) as it or they see fit. What advice would you give to a beginner student? Don't rush things. Enjoy the process. Many people treat training as this thing that happens parenthetically, apart from daily living. This is an incorrect approach as separating anything from life will ultimately cause it to perish. Don't separate the two. Just live and breath, and find ways to train in the mundane. You pour tea, use Bong Sau; you open the refrigerator, pull with a shift, and so on. Of course you must practice forms and the like, but this, exclusively, will not equip you with the ability to make the techniques count under pressure. Only by living Wing Chun will you see this begin to happen. Do you do any of the traditional Chinese kung fu traditions such as bowing? Teacher/student hierarchy? I did at some point. After reflecting on the matter, however, I've come to realize that alot of people who go through such practices tend to limit themselves by regarding the Sifu as a higher being to some extent. This creates a psychological disconnect that in a way inhibits students from surpassing -or even rivaling their teacher's ability. On the other hand, I don't impose my way on a student -if they want to bow, I respond likewise, if they want to shake hands, so be it. Hierarchy, well, I am to be respected as a teacher, and order is expected to be kept, but other than that, I'm just another one of the guys there to train Are there any "Indoor closed door" students? I once had a private student who showed up just about every day for 3 years. We shared meals, played chess, discussed and practiced Wing Chun together. I suppose you could use the term "closed-door" in that instance. The fact of the matter is, however, that his own ego prevented me from teaching him past a certain point. So, closed or open door, it's still the individual you wind up working with. Therefore, I treat everyone who is committed to learning with equal respect. Being a "closed-door" student then, offers no advantages aside from being around more often and learning things at an accelerated pace. You won't learn any "secrets" that you wouldn't learn if you were any other stable, loyal student. The ones who will succeed are only those who regularly "empty their cup". Are there any Bi-Si ceremony? Although I am familiar with such practices as ancient traditions, I simply don't find them to hold as much weight here in our modern American society. You see, in years gone by, to break your word, was tantamount to suicide. Here in this country in 2010, it has become a matter of practice to be on fire for a particular person, place, or thing today, only to discard the very notion of it's existence tomorrow. Unfortunately, the same goes for a commitment to Wing Chun for the majority of people, regardless of a Bi-Si or any other ancient Chinese ceremony. If a student is unwaveringly passionate in their convictions about it, well, we'll see. Just keep in mind though that the eyes cannot be hidden, and in them lies a person's true intent. Bi-Si or not, I will read the eyes and know what I need to know. How long does it take to complete your training curriculum? It really depends how much time you put in. Generally, 3-4 years on a 2 class per week schedule. Add in private lessons and the ability and interest to retain, process, and practice the information given in class and you may just do it in considerably less time. Remember that getting pulled out on a rack doesn't make you grow, it just creates something that is disjointed and deformed -so don't rush! I don't impose timetables -as soon as a student is ready to be tested, they can be. For "traditional" students graded by Sifu Yip Pui, a rank of Instructor may be obtained after completion of the "Instructor's Training Course" to be taken at his school in Manhattan. I normally will observe students carefully with this in mind after they receive a Black Sash and let them know when I think they are ready to apply. New York City is a busy place and Kung Fu can only be a hobby for most people. Do you feel people these days make enough time to train? It's not my place to judge, but since you asked... Absolutely not. I think people seriously need to get off their i-Phones, shut the TV, and look at the world around them. I figure time will pass regardless of your activities, so it's best that those things you're invested in will yield results. There is just enough time to train once you get your priorities straight, and care enough to integrate training into every aspect of your life. How was is different compared to your old training days? Well, not everyone was plugged in, wired up, turned on, and tuned out. Vanity wasn't as much of a factor as it is these days. When I was 12 (I was studying Vadha at the time), I went to school, trained between periods at recess, and on the bus both ways, came home, trained, ate dinner, trained, showered, and went to bed. The next day, I started all over again. try taking a cell phone away from most 12 year olds now; you'll need a steroid injection to stop the convulsions. From what I've observed, quite a few people train these days so they'll have something to write about on Facebook, to give their friends the impression that their life has meaning. If you happen to be reading this and objecting, well, of course, I'm not talking about you. I mean those other guys. What is expected training time. eg. 4 hours a week? 3 hours a day? Well, it's about quality, not quantity. I am in no way stating that my training schedule at 12 wasn't excessive, but I mentioned it for contrast. How much time or how it is spent is to be determined by the individual. I just know what I see when a student shows up to class. If the results are there, they are training just the right amount. I would suggest practicing each form with care, at least twice daily -once at a moderate tempo upon rising, and once slowly before bed. There's alot of interest in MMA these days. How do you see Wing Chun dealing with a MMA fighter? eg. grappling or as a sport.. Do you think Wing Chun can be used in the MMA sports arena? Wing Chun -fine; the majority of Wing Chun Practitioners however -pretty hopeless. It will always be a human problem, not a style problem. Those that study to delude themselves into thinking that a confrontation -be it sport or combative, will have to fit into their preconceived guidelines and neat little subsets of arbitrary rules, will have their world shattered when they come face to face with reality. the real question is, which fighter is psychologically willing to adapt to the moment they are presented with -and in doing so, bring forward the execution of the concepts and principles they spent their time perfecting? Understand this: the Wing Chun system is devoid of grappling. Some Sifus may have integrated it as I have, but theoretically, a Wing Chun practitioner should not be brought down, especially in a one-on-one confrontation. I'm all for being prepared though -despite tradition. Wing Chun can be used in a sports arena if a person dedicates their time (as a professional would) to particularly work within the confines of the rules put forth by the tournament commission. Keep in mind that this type of Wing Chun would no longer qualify as legitimate self-defense. Does your school participate in other social networking websites? Facebook, mySpace page, Twitter, Blogs.. Well, aside from the website (greygarden.org/ggwc), and everythingwingchun.com (where I'm also featured on the Yip Man Lineage Sifu list), I have a page on MySpace and one on Facebook where the school is mentioned, but nothing else that promotes it exclusively. I feel that those who wish to find me, will, in their own time. The businessmen can have the business, I prefer to work with mellow, hand-selected, well-adjusted people, who are committed to training, self-improvement, and above all, living each day in peace. | |
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