Our most Senior KKF student, Isaac (11 yrs and Light Blue Sash at the time of writing), handed us the following article in March of 2020; How Wing Chun can help in my physical health and wellbeing.
He was chosen by Sifu Lawrence (Head Teacher of Mindful Wing Chun/Kids) to share his thoughts on how practicing Wing Chun has helped his life outside of the Kwoon (training hall).
I have been learning Wing Chun since four years ago. I started to learn Wing Chun because I wanted to learn how to defend myself. Also, regularly training in Wing Chun has so many benefits for me to enjoy from Siu Nim Tao to Chi Sau.
Wing Chun and Mindfulness
Training Wing Chun will not only teach you how to defend yourself but also train you mentally in life lessons. In the classes we have a philosophy section and as a class we talk about how we control our emotions. We also learn the (MWC) Wing Chun Code of Conduct, Wing Chun principles, defence awareness, anatomy and more. I enjoy the philosophy sessions because I am learning how to use what I learn in real life. For example learning how to control your anger through different ways like doing something you enjoy or asking yourself why you are angry.
Wing Chun can help
Wing Chun can help physically because I am learning about my own body and how to keep it healthy. For instance, keeping my spine straight and doing spine exercises so when I grow up my spine won’t be as stiff and not as flexible. This will mean I can’t move the spine as well because my vertebrae will be come closer together as I grow up. However since people have done the exercises and not keeping the habit to slouch the spine can extend.
There are other exercises to maintain a good body like hip mobility exercises and more in order to keep the hips flexible enough to kick and defend easily.
– Isaac Wong