Do not neglect your basics

 

Today at my school I gave a morning class and an afternoon grading, and as often happens, I found myself impressed by the basics of less experienced students and a little disappointed by the basics of some of the seniors.

 

Now it is fair to say that basics are important as a beginner and that as you grow you must allow some of these guidelines to be relaxed, because that’s all they really are, guidelines, and holding firm to basics and never changing them may sound like a good idea but can actually create a negative effect, making you slow, robotic, rigid or even predictable.

 

But understanding the basics makes it better for us to decipher and be productive with the advanced elements of Wing Chun, therefore you should never neglect your basics.

 

I see wonderful basics from the newer students because that is all they know and therefore they give it their full attention, whereas it is the easiest thing for an advanced practitioner to believe that basics do not apply to them or that they above such things.

If this is the case you may as well stop, because your ego has just given you a ceiling level and a point you will never develop beyond.

 

Look at it this way, a pool player may wish to consider shots with screw back, angles, running side, doubles and so on, but unless you can cleanly pot a long straight shot then forget it.

 

Advanced is not advanced, advanced is just better use of basics.

 

Sifu