Wing Chun Training Without a Partner

Learning Wing Chun and practicing Wing Chun are two different things! All I have to do to learn is go to class. But to practice, it’s hard for me to set up a time to train with my friends outside of Wing Chun class because everyone is busy, including myself. Most of the time, my only option is to practice by myself.

How to practice Wing Chun at home

I normally go through all my forms including the weapons form. Even though I don’t have the weapons at home, I still do the forms openhanded.

Wing Chun Butterfly Knives

Wing Chun Long Pole

I also practice my Wing Chun dummy form without a Wing Chun dummy by using my imagination and just doing it with my eyes closed. It’s funny because when I finish, I never end up where I started! I think training without a dummy has its benefits because it forces me to imagine a target and making sure my form is correct. It’s hard sometimes when going back to class and practicing on an actual mook jong just because it’s really there and I’m practicing on something physical.

Another important thing I try to keep my focus on during my Wing Chun training is shifting. After training in Wing Chun for over a year and a half, I have to say that shifting is still one of my weak points. It still hasn’t come naturally for me to shift when being pushed; I still take a step back. The only benefits that I have reaped from shifting training is shifting while keeping my hands in a Tan Sau and Bong Sau – this itself has strengthened my Tan Sau and Bong Sau and thanks to muscle memory, I have also been able to automatically shift when I do one or the other together.

Training Alone vs Learning Alone

I get asked often, “Which videos (or learning material) do you recommend to LEARN Wing Chun?”

My answer has always been, “Find a Wing Chun school first.” It’s more practical because you’re learning with proper instruction and you have a class full of people to practice with.

Books, videos, and other learning materials don’t provide that. You need someone to correct and teach you proper form or you end up with bad technique.

But! This doesn’t mean that books or videos are useless. I use both. I didn’t buy them to learn, I bought them to help with my training. I use them to review and build on top of what I already know.