Publications and Reviews

 

Press release

Internationally endorsed Wing Chun author set  to releases a limited edition collector’s book at the N.E.C. May 2010

Alan Gibson has announced a big, new, limited edition, hardback book, Wing Chun: the Works. This book is due to be released at the Martial Arts Show 2010, held at the NEC (22nd and 23rd May 2010). The Works is an updated collection of Alan’s existing books with an extra, previously unpublished 20,000 words and lots of new photography.

Alan said, “I keep writing because I want to be sure that the information available in my books is up-to-date; I like to think that I am still developing as a martial artist, as a coach and as a person. Writing has always helped me order my thoughts; it has made me a far better coach and helped me see Wing Chun in a clearer perspective.”

Alan will be selling and signing books and DVDs from his stand (A15) throughout the weekend . He will also be signing copies during a Q&A session after his free workshop on Sunday 23rd.

Publishing has changed massively over the last decade and technology has had a huge impact on the way that books are produced, sold and even read. Books, which were once held dear as venerable items, can now be downloaded or deleted at the click of a button. On the positive side books can now be printed as required, reducing the requirement for investment in large runs and high storage costs.

As soon as the first 200 limited edition hardbacks are sold, the book will go to a paperback format and be printed on demand. Alan is taking an unconventional route to publishing this time, by offering fans and collectors the opportunity to purchase the hardback books in advance, via his website www.wingchun.org.uk

Alan said, “I must admit, there is a certain amount of pride involved here too, I’ve always wanted to produce a hardback book, and I’m proud enough of my work so far, to think that other people might want this too. I hope I am not wrong and that people have enjoyed my past efforts enough to think that this volume is one that they really cannot do without.”

The book will also be available to those attending the Ultimate WSL VT Seminar weekend in Southampton during May. Anyone taking advantage of the pre-purchasing option will also receive a free copy of Alan’s Simple Thinking: Intelligent Fighters and his special Kuen Kuit keys booklet.

 

Press Release End

MAI - Book Round-up

 

I have four books in this month’s issue from two different publishing houses. Neither should be unfamiliar with regular readers of Martial Arts Illustrated. Off the back of Geoff Thompson’s breakthrough success in the early 1990s, Summersdale Publishers have recruited a very impressive stable of martial arts authors. They almost exclusively deal with the British “A list” of martial arts instructors, producing both books and DVDs for them. The topics in martial arts they covered began with modern self-defence, but have grown to encompass the traditional and sporting sides too. Their DVD division produced my “Cross Training in the Martial Arts” series.

 

HNL Publishing, headed by prolific Martial Arts Illustrated interviewer, Fiaz Rafiq, seem to be publishing mainly American work and have a particular penchant for Jeet Kune Do, as approved by the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, headed by Bruce Lee’s only certified Jeet Kune Do instructor, Dan Inosanto. HNL are also responsible for publishing Martial Art Illustrated’s editor, Bob Sykes’s first book on his martial arts reminiscences, “The Journey Man”. HNL’s output is small in comparison to Summersdale’s, but appears to be gaining momentum and has little trouble in recruiting some of the biggest names on the global stage to produce work for his business.

 

“Beginning Wing Chun: Why Wing Chun Works” (Revised Edition) by Alan Gibson – Summersdale Publishers

 

Alan Gibson could never be regarded as idle. Since his inaugural instructional book, “Why Wing Chun Works”, which was published in 1998, Gibson has produced two follow-up books, six DVDs and was also featured on two of my “Cross Training in the Martial Arts” DVDs. “Beginning Wing Chun” is a heavily revised edition of “Why Wing Chun Works” and is accompanied by a new DVD of the same name, forming part of Summerdale’s “Beginning” series. They are Gibson’s fourth book and seventh DVD respectively. This review only concerns the book.

 

The most obvious changes in the book are the far greater number of new photographs and diagrams as well as archival pictures of Wong Shun Leung, the founder of Alan Gibson’s particular line of Wing Chun. “Why Wing Chun Works” was a very text-heavy manual emphasizing principles and concepts over specific techniques. It was, perhaps, more geared towards the progressive student and as much an argument for Wing Chun’s effectiveness as it was an introduction to the martial art. The new edition is clearly aimed at the martial arts newcomer albeit with Gibson’s pragmatic, holistic and open-minded slant. He still argues that Wing Chun is a martial art based on concepts and principles rather than techniques, but there are far more examples of ways to apply these principles given throughout the work in a step-by-step format.

 

There are also more chapters and divisions within the chapters despite retaining the same number of pages, 159. Sadly “Wing Chun for Life” has been removed only to be replaced by a single paragraph discussing the spiritual side to Wing Chun called “Personal Development”. The original piece was a nice discussion of the translation of the principles guiding the martial art and how they relate to life. Such points are made in the new introduction, but it still stands out as the one area the original book clearly has over its successor and provides a good argument for the dedicated Wing Chun enthusiast to buy both while the first is still in print. 

 

Other notable additions to the revised work are chapters dealing with physical development or conditioning, impact work on focus pads, the pre-emptive strike from the “Fence”, fighting practice and reality drills. Although the book is very clearly directed towards the novice martial arts student it is interesting to note that this book includes more emphasis on pressure-testing and also praises the benefits of martial arts cross training. Another notable shift with the times is Alan Gibson’s preference for the term “coach” over “instructor” or “sifu”. This is in common with other martial arts teachers such as Russell Stutely, Tommy Thompson and me, who have generally disregarded the instructor title, as it tends to imply just giving orders rather than motivating and teaching a proactive mindset. Being a coach implies that you encourage your students to question, test and seek answers rather than blindly follow instructions based on tradition.

 

The objective of all good book revisions, if done by a still-living author, is to add new information, update, re-edit and, hopefully, improve upon the previous work. I am happy to report that Alan Gibson has fulfilled these particular criteria. It is far more than a beginner’s book on Wing Chun, but a very well-rounded foundation for the practice of this traditional martial art in modern times.

 

“Mind and Body Metamorphosis” by Dr. Matthew Mills – Summersdale Publishers

 

I have become very selective over what I review these days, as my time is tied up in other projects and the last book I wanted to read, so I thought, was another supposed exercise revolution based around martial arts movements. Ever since the martial art Tai Chi Chuan was marketed to the industrious west on its health benefit alone, many have seen the potentially lucrative returns that can be reaped through using martial arts to sell fitness. The cardiovascular fighting hybrid workouts really began with Boxercise, which was followed by B-movie star Billy Blanks’s pioneering Tae Bo that really put aerobic “kickboxing” on the world stage and was followed by a host of copycat programmes such as Thai-Box, Thai Bo, Body Combat, Yoga Boxing and so on. A decade on and I really felt like this ever more gimmick-laden topic had been exhausted. Nevertheless the author was someone that pragmatic Wing Chun specialist Alan Gibson had a close association with, enough for him to write the forward and serve as editor to the book, and having skimmed through the syllabus I have to say that, despite my initial reservations, I was intrigued.

 

In essence, Mind and Body Metamorphosis is a modern interpretation and simplification of the traditional Shaolin monk training model. Dr Mills has a strong academic background in modern physiological studies, including an honours degree, a Masters degree and a PhD from the Department of Medicine, University College in London, which served to help curb any scepticism that automatically arises in me whenever the subject of chi energy and other controversial alternative medicine-related phenomena crops up. Don’t get me wrong I keep an open mind and I trained in Shaolin martial arts and qigong (given one of its alternative spellings of Chi Kung in Mills’s work) off a disciple of the Song Shan Shaolin monastery for several years, but nevertheless I am very watchful over the quackery and charlatanism that unfortunately crops up all too frequently when the practice of traditional medicine is promoted. Mills does not try to convince anyone over the existence of chi energy. Instead he takes the middle ground and argues for the obvious benefits that can be seen through focusing a calm mind, breathing efficiently and progressive physical exercise.

 

The syllabus is set over a twelve week period. Each stage of the different yet firmly linked and overlapping areas of study, Calm Focus, Chi Kung, Stamina and Muscle Power, are divided up into different colours like a traditional martial arts belt scheme. This marketing idea is perhaps the greatest length Mills goes to link martial arts practices with his system. The book cover makes no connection with martial arts whatsoever and the whole concept is clearly not geared towards martial arts students as such. In deed, the weakest point of the whole book is the section regarding the history of Shaolin martial arts training. The origin of the martial arts is a matter of hot debate depending on one’s definition of what constitutes a martial art or whether it was the monks of the Shaolin temple who developed “Kung Fu” rather than a case of the soldiers and bandits who brought it to the temple in the first place, but few historians believe that Buddha himself, rather than the commonly accepted Bodhidharma, brought the yogic breathing exercises of India to the monks of China.  

 

One strong selling point of Mills’s syllabus is that it can be trained virtually anywhere and there are plenty of examples given where you can adapt exercises, also that you do not require anything but your own body in order to do it. This is not to say that weights are not touched upon as a way to progress some of the physical work. However, for me the most impressive feature of the whole programme is the emphasis on developing the mind first. Mills dedicates a good portion of his teaching towards creating a calm focus through meditation and positive thinking exercises. This is covered first in the book although it is intended to be executed at the same time as the Chi Kung exercises.

 

Mills should be applauded for his attention to detail on building a good foundation. There are no throwaway warm-up movements which seem to have plagued most workout videos and instruction manuals since their inception. Instead everything has a clear function and goal that naturally leads onto the next stage of development. Details of each area of training are given under the uniform headings of Explanation, Performance, Example, Variations and Benefits. This concise method makes it very easy to refer to and recall.

 

The physical training aspects progress on from Chi Kung through some basic Wing Chun stance-work and solo drills, and then onto some more dynamic Wu Shu exercises. Dynamic tension is often met with derision these days. It is often associated with the days of Charles Atlas and therefore considered outmoded or old hat. Furthermore many martial arts forms are sometimes incorrectly taught using dynamic tension – the opening movements of Wing Chun’s Siu Nim Tau form being a good example of this. Mills does not make this mistake. Instead he presents a refreshing perspective on dynamic tension, bringing his own experienced knowledge of its application in modern sports training and also making its much needed distinction from isometric training quite clear. The final stages build up to the very demanding Muscle Metamorphosis area, which brings the breathing and dynamic tension training together.

 

The physical training is, on the whole, very sound and easy for a non-martial artist to pick up. It also adds a good dimension to any martial arts training routine. This can be seen in particular in the chapter on adapting training for special situations, such as long plane journeys to fend off deep vein thrombosis. My only criticism would be regarding the aside on free weight usage. I am not a fan of using free weights to punch from a standing position. The weight in this instance creates the wrong resistance for a punch, unless you are training an upward punch. This is better achieved through doing the punching from your back or, if you are standing, from a cable machine, where the resistance is pulling in the correct direction.

 

Judging by the quote on the back of the book given by the Honda F1 Racing Team, “Mind and Body Metamorphosis” has already enjoyed some level of success on the corporate seminar scene. It already has its own website and with Mills’s pulling power both in the life coaching sector and through his twenty years experience in the martial arts, we should be hearing more about this method in the future with a DVD surely to be soon in the offing. It certainly knocks down the likes of Tae Bo and Body Combat on depth alone. Rather than just adding on a series of increasingly complex and superficial combinations, Mind and Body Metamorphosis sets itself apart from the majority of fitness orientated martial arts programmes by building on simple but effective concepts for all over development.

 

Combat Interview July 06

by Mark Page

 

Changing Lineage: Evolution Not Revolution

 

Wing Chun Kung Fu has a rich and diverse history with several distinct ‘styles’ evolving over the last 50 years.  The most popular styles can be traced back to the modern father of Wing Chun – Yip Man.  It is Yip Man who is widely accepted as bringing the art of Wing Chun to a world-wide audience when he moved from China to Hong Kong where he began teaching in the early 1950’s.

Two of Yip Man’s students – Ip Chun (his son) and Wong Shun Leung – provide the lineage for two of the most enduring systems taught in the UK.  Ip Chun’s system, probably the most widely taught and followed, is characterised by transferring weight to change the practitioners centre of gravity when pivoting.  In contrast, Wong Shun Leung’s system pivots on the centre of gravity with weight evenly distributed.

I’m sure most fighting enthusiasts have considered changing style or even martial art during the course of their training.  It takes guts to move away from a system where you have gained confidence and endure the steep learning curve of studying a new martial art.  It takes even more bottle to change style when you are a renowned and respected teacher of a system.

Alan Gibson – founder of the Wing Chun Federation, Wing Chun teacher of many years and author of the ‘Why Wing Chun Works’ series of books and DVDs - did just that.  I caught up with Alan to discuss why he now teaches the Wong Shun Leung system, the relative merits of this system compared to the Ip Chun variation, and the challenges he faced at the time, convincing his students to persevere with the new system.

 

Q:  Why do you think a single fighting system such as Wing Chun demonstrates several lineages with such different interpretations of the system?

OK, there are several reasons for this.  Firstly the teacher’s own style will evolve over time – an earlier student will be taught different things than a later student.  Secondly, a teacher is likely to instruct different students with different emphasis due to their individual needs.

Also, students interpret what they are taught differently.  For example, if two people learn to play guitar from the same teacher, they would learn notes and chords the same but the music they produce is completely different. One student may go off and play rock music, while the other one may play Jazz.

Finally, within a given strand of Wing Chun there will still be huge and obvious differences as there is with Yip Man’s students.  This is because Wing Chun is not a style – it is a set of ideas and principles.  Eventually, different lineages may become unrecognisable as coming from the same system.

Despite my dislike of Wing Chun politics, I think that the Wing Chun in-fighting is probably good for the progression of the system.  It keeps it keen and helps cut away the dead wood.  A bit like the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’.

Q:  That’s interesting because some martial artists are always talking about how there system has been ‘diluted’ over time, but you see it as natural progression.

Yes – Wing Chun is a progressive style because it is essentially about stripping away the unnecessary rather than collecting techniques.  It’s kind of like trying to distil the essence of the original idea.  This evolution also means Wing Chun remains relevant as a fighting art – you don’t have time to select a technique in the of heat battle.

A good analogy is to compare the World Cup winning team of 1966 with Beckham’s boys.  If the two teams played today it would be a total mismatch – the modern team would play them off the pitch because contemporary training techniques produce fitter, faster and far more skilled footballers.  I think it is our duty to continue this evolutionary thinking within the martial arts fraternity.

Q:  What do you see as the major differences between the two systems?

Bear in mind there are also many differences within each Wing Chun style.  This makes it difficult to pin down precisely the differences between say, the Ip Chun and Wong Shun Leung method.  I think the differences actually germinate from the differences in the way that you pivot - the contrast in pivots means the basic Wing Chun Shapes work in a fundamentally different way.

When fighting, the Wong Shun Leung system feels closer, more direct and with less emphasis on defending and more on attacking.  Also, the Ip Chun system’s power seems more in the wrist and arms, whereas the Wong Shun Leung system emphasises the elbow and body structure more.  The advantage of this connected structure is that it ‘feels’ more threatening and destabilising to the opponent’s stance.  This has an immediate, positive psychological effect over your opponent.  The downside (if you think of it in that way) of the Wong Shun Leung system is that it feels less ‘playful’ and looks less flamboyant than the Ip Chun system.

Also, the Wong Shun Leung system has this idea of Lat sau.  This relentless springy force comes from the structure, the arms are still very relaxed because the force is generated from the legs.

Q:  What provided you with the catalyst to search for alternative interpretation of the Wing Chun system?

I think Wing Chun practitioners tend to be inquisitive by nature.  I have always been interested in different interpretations and have always wanted to hone my personal skill and knowledge as far as I could.

When I was in Hong Kong, I visited Master Wan Kam Leung – a student of Wong’s - and was impressed by his interpretation of Wing Chun.  The Wing Chun Federation invited him to do a seminar in Southampton, which went really well.  Shortly after this seminar I linked up with David Peterson in Australia and other WSL contacts in the UK.

Q:  So was the transition to the Wong Shun Leung system instant or did you take a while to make the leap?

In my mind it was immediate.  To train my body and habits took considerably longer.  In fact, I’m still working at it!

Q:  How did your students react when you decided to teach the Wong Shun Leung system?

Some were reticent and didn’t want to go through a painful retraining process – I guess it’s hard to feel like a beginner again.  I could see the bigger picture and knew what I had to do.  You need to be honest and true to what you believe – changing lineage or martial art isn’t a political act – it’s about what suits you on a personal level.  Wing Chun is about self-development – not going through the motions just because someone tells you that you should.

Also, over time, a class will largely change anyway.  Some students stop coming and new people replace them.  It was quite frustrating at times though: my new students are learning the Wong Shun Leung way faster than I did myself, because I had so many habits to change whereas they were clean sheets.

Q:  How do you teach a more ‘aggressive’ system and still maintain a cooperative, relaxed class environment suitable for all ages and sexes as Wing Chun always advertises itself to be?

I wouldn’t necessarily call the Wong Shun Leung system aggressive.  Perhaps ‘very assertive’ would be better.  You can certainly feel the threat and intent but aggression implies emotion – this is not good because emotion causes tension, which is detrimental to applying the system effectively.

Any well-led class will follow the attitude of the teacher and in this respect you have a moral responsibility – you don’t want a bunch of clones but you should lead by example.  If a teacher is ignorant, or a bully, some weak people will follow that bad example.  You have to be strong minded enough to stop bad influences in their tracks if they creep in, and be open minded enough to be embrace new ideas which can help you and your class evolve and develop.

Q: So where are you now personally with your Wing Chun and what is the future for your own development and teaching?

Well, I’m currently trying to get a deeper understanding of Wong Shun Leung’s method to improve my own standards and teaching by training with 1st generation Wong Shun Leung students. For example, David Peterson (Wong Shun Leung’s representative in Melbourne) is coming over regularly to train and give seminars with my classes. David speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin fluently and is a teacher by trade so his knowledge (and delivery) is excellent.

In the future, we will be trying to arrange training and seminars with other Wong Shun Leung representatives such as Philip Bauer (Germany) and Gary Lam (Los Angeles), I also like what other progressive Wing Chun systems are doing, like Alan Orr’s team  fighting in the MMA arena.

Q: How does David’s understanding of the Chinese languages help him explain Wing Chun better?

Good question – basically, the underlying meaning of Wing Chun techniques are contained in their names (obviously)! What David’s understanding of the Chinese languages does is clear up any misinterpretations. For example, the Wing Chun technique ‘Bong Sau’ is usually translated as ‘Wing Arm’. This is wrong! ‘Bong’ is simply the name for the upper arm bone. This mistranslation has caused a fundamental error in the way some people apply the ‘Bong Sau’ technique – they position the arm with the elbow outside of the hip in a wing-like shape, thus losing the supporting strength of the Wing Chun body structure. If you understand that ‘Bong’ just describes the upper arm bone, this tells us that the technique should be applied with the elbow pointing towards the opponents centre of gravity (because the forearm can no longer dominate the centre line). This correct interpretation also means that ‘Bong Sau’ is fundamentally an assertive technique – not a defensive one.

 Q: And finally, what about the Wing Chun system in general – do you see greater crossover/cooperation between the various strands, or a continuation of the politics and in-fighting?

Both! The politics and in-fighting will continue because people are always pulling in different directions which is tearing various associations apart. On the flip-side of the coin, better global communications (like the internet) has enabled cooperation by allowing people to see more easily other people’s ideas about Wing Chun.

Q:…As well as get their own point of view across…

Absolutely – Martial Arts are no longer a closed shop; people are free to pick and change according to what they see and want. Wing Chun is no longer a closed family system – more a global phenomenon!

I think this has also led to more cross-training. For example, I’ve recently been invited to take seminars for other Wing Chun organisations and Martial Arts styles such as Karate, Kick Boxing and Jeet Kuen Do. In point of fact, I was recently privileged to contribute to Jamie Clubb’s ‘Cross training 2. The Anatomy of Hand Strikes’ (Summersdale Productions DVD). Working alongside luminaries such as Ian Abernethy, Chris Rowen, Matty Evans, Rick Young and Mo Teague is pure inspiration.

Q: Evolution not revolution!

Exactly!

 

The Wing Chun Workman: My Meeting with Sifu Alan Gibson

By Jamie Clubb

(Martial Arts Illustrated Oct 2005)

"Wing Chun itself does not need to change, it is just a bunch of ideas, what matters is how people interpret them" - Alan Gibson

"Alan's Wing Chun is excellent, his structure and mobility within the Wing Chun base are superb. His ability to change, flow and freely exchange is almost a skill in itself, and one that I seemed to be on the receiving end of a lot. Just when I thought I'd done not too bad, Alan changed up a gear or adjusted the angle and had me beat every time. I picked up plenty of tips though, aspects that I knew I needed to work on Alan guided my through." - Dave Fenton, MYS Wing Chun Academy

Alan Gibson always seems to demonstrate a point physically. That was my early impression of him, as Sifu Dave Fenton and I began our discussion with the man at his home in Southampton. One thing becomes immediately apparent; every time Alan makes contact with you can feel a coiled kinetic energy ready to spring forward. Like all good martial artists, his art is displayed in his every natural gesture. Using the raised pelvis pigeon-toed stance, he explains that the motion of attack must nearly always go forward, driving through using the legs to generate power rather than from the shoulders and upper body. This makes his attacks strong - rock solid strong - but never over committed.

This is not the first time I've heard these points. Steve Rowe, Russell Stutely and my Muay Thai Kru all emphasised the importance of driving through from the ground whilst keeping a good posture. It is all about taking control of your adversary and keeping control of yourself. Such comparisons are not rejected by Alan. His training is all about "Keeping it Real", which is also the title of one of his instructional DVDs, and if other reality-based instructors are using these same principles it only goes to show that the truth remains no matter what your experience or style. Martial art politics are not an issue with Alan; in fact he makes a point of avoiding them or cutting them off at the root. This ranges from handling Wing Chun friends with differing opinions on teaching methods to running an apolitical self-governing body. Alan founded "The Wing Chun Federation" in 1990 with the express purpose of concerning himself solely with the development of his chosen art and creating a relaxed training atmosphere for his students.

As I am sure many of us are aware, there is a lot of pedantic nonsense in the martial arts world and Wing Chun is no different. Alan - like all good reality-based instructors - adheres to the common sense principles of his art rather than arguing over the finer details of technique. However, he is quite philosophical about the whole academic melee.

"Different strands of Wing Chun (Wing Chun, Wing Tsun, Ving Tsun etc.) are already unrecognisable enough as the same system. This can create different problems when different groups try to train and end up fighting without exchanging ideas. But then is fighting such a bad thing? If we are training to fight - then we should not be surprised when fighting is result of comparison."

The encouragement of a free exchange of ideas can be seen in Alan's association with reality weapons expert, Steve Tappin, the founder of Escrima Concepts, who dropped in for a visit with two Wing Chun sifu colleagues from Holland, Benno Westra and Peter De Vries. Steve prides himself on running a non-interference politics-free European martial arts body that encompasses a wide range of different systems. Benno Westra enjoyed a tactile exchange of ideas with Alan and both seemed to be reflecting very similar ideas. Benno is also a big believer in common sense adaptation of Wing Chun. For example, he was not happy with the emphasis Leung Ting's form of Wing Chun placed on taking the majority of weight on the back leg. He found the explanation that it helped safeguard against sweeps to be inadequate and that it compromised weapons work.

According to Alan, such arguments over smaller details on stance work have led to unnecessarily emotional divisions amongst today's Wing Chun community. Alan's attitude seems to be that when it all comes down to it Wing Chun is about fighting for survival. He describes the art as "just a bunch of ideas" and such ideas have helped his cross-training students better understand their other martial methods. Looking at the shape of the forms rather than just getting stuck in set techniques has led to the application of "unconventional" Wing Chun methods such as guillotine chokes and hook punches. For example, I later mentioned to Alan I had observed Benno Westra gripping the back of the Mook Jong (wooden dummy) during his form like a wrestler snatches down an opponent's neck. Alan said that this was just one interpretation and another Sifu does this motion as if it were a palm strike.

Such free-minded applications of moves led Dave Fenton to ponder the time Alan considered it to be appropriate to look outside the proverbial box. "When someone puts you in one" was Alan's straight response. Such a philosophy is representative in Wing Chun's third form, Biu Tze (flying fingers). In his third book on Wing Chun, Alan explains: "The name is derived from characters meaning Moon Pointing Finger, and Wong Shun Leung believed it taught us to 'Look Beyond The Pointing Finger' (see Dave Petersons great book). This is a way of telling practitioners not to be trapped in the standard rules that they have been taught in basic training, and to think outside the box when training or fighting. Many readers will be familiar with the Bruce Lee quote at the beginning of Enter the Dragon telling the young lad 'Do not look at the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.' or words to this effect.

The mystery surrounding Biu Tze stems from the fact that it is often only taught to loyal students who have shown themselves to be capable of a high level of development, both through the system and on a personal level. Frequently Biu Tze is only taught on a one to one basis and a student must certainly have absorbed all the concepts from Siu Lim Tao and Chum Kiu, frequently the dummy form is also considered to apply before the Third Form. Many of the moves break the Wing Chun rules, coming up from under the bridge or from the 'wrong side' of the body. Biu Tze form contains many sophisticated ideas, including ways of minimising ones losses if you have been hit, injured or made a bad mistake during a fight. For this reason it is also sometimes known as the emergency or desperation form. This is one reason for the form not to be shown too early in a person's training, it is better to learn not to make mistakes, than to find ways of correcting them after they have been made. The form is also considered important as it may give clues to potential weaknesses of the Wing Chun system, although it also demonstrates how to overcome these problems." The need for adapting to an environment and progressive training is an inherent principle in any self-protection instructor's policy.

Alan embraces this completely and the results can be seen in his excellent series of DVDs produced by Summersdale Productions. Scenarios are set up in a variety of different circumstance and places, going from light to full-contact training very often with the assistance of his most senior student, Kevin Bell. Using the fence against aggression and unrehearsed attacks from multiple opponents are all part of the norm. "Keeping it Real" even goes as far as showing the failed responses to attacks as well as the successful ones. Alan is also very mindful of the deterioration of reality-based training into sports-based sparring:

"If people want to train for competition, sport or even for philosophical and religious reasons, then that's fine with me - just don't come and tell me that it teaches you to fight if you have never pressure tested. For me the bottom line is fighting, the personal development comes as a result of attempting to improve your skill and understanding of a fascinating and - I believe - greatly misunderstood art. If you try to turn Wing Chun into anything other than fighting (including competitive sport) then you blur the clarity of the original idea. Fighting has no rules or style."

He later went on to explain how best a student could work to improve Wing Chun under sparring conditions without compromising the fighting principle-based structure of the art

"The person doing Wing Chun should not wear boxing gloves or they will just end up boxing. You should fight the person - not the style, someone once said. The problem people encounter, when trying to achieve this end is that they tend to try to fight from the wrong range. Wing Chun will work and be immensely strong and relentless if you are close in (elbow to elbow). Some Wing Chun people seem to me to be fighting on the boxing trade range - this causes them to reach in to hit, thus compromising their structure and becoming very tense and weak in the process. Closing the range down will never be a problem in real life fighting, but can be more complicated in a competitive sparring situation. This is why I think that it's better to set up a controlled 'fight' as opposed to sparring."

A lot of this may seem paradoxical - keeping structure of an art but keeping your mind open to other styles - yet this is what commonsense training is all about. I asked Dave Fenton, speaking as an instructor of Wing Chun, for the final word on our meeting with Alan Gibson: "I am a big fan of Alan's no nonsense approach to Wing Chun and how he endeavors to make it a functional modern fighting style; one which when you see it done by Alan, makes perfect sense and works as it should." I would like to extend my thanks to all those present on the day of my meeting with Alan; Dave Fenton of MYS Wing Chun and Steve Tappin, Benno Westra and Peter de Vries of Escrima Concepts for their insight, Kevin Bell and all of Alan's students for providing some excellent examples of Alan's methods in practice and last but not to least to Alan's wonderfully supportive wife, Sarah and their charming daughter Tabitha for putting up with us lot. For information on Alan Gibson's lessons and seminars please contact www.wingchun.org.uk Alan Gibson has produced a number of books and a new series of DVDs for Summersdale publications and productions. Please click on www.summersdale.com

Black Belt Magazine

Brutally Honest Review

Improving Wing Chun: Forms dvd- Alan Gibson

By Matthew Sylvester

Yet again Summersdale come to the fore with their quality training DVDs. Wing Chun is an art that is everywhere and that everyone has heard of but which most people don't know much about. This DVD both helps expand this knowledge by a hundredfold whilst enabling the practitioner to add a valuable training tool to their library.

Assembly None needed. Yay

Appearance Good use of cameras with nice clean shots demonstrating the techniques well. Sound quality is good.

Build Quality Nice use of white space on the DVD cover. Good cover photo and well labelled spine. It's in a DVD case as well which means it's well protected from any accidental damage and won't look out of place amongst the rest of your collection.

Ease of use Take out of cover, insert into DVD. Yet again this is a product that is so well produced that you could take it to your place of training and use it for a lesson. Everything is nice and clear enabling you to learn as much as possible and, being on a DVD, ensures that you can see the same move time and time again until you get it right. As with all of Summersdale's media, the information is presented in bite sized chunks with clear definitions between subject matter. Good camera work and audio ensure that the viewer is able to get the most from the DVD without having to constantly back track. Being able to see the forms from the front, right and left at 45 degrees is also very helpful as it covers the movements of the forms very clearly.

Price Once again this is a good product and one that will be of great value to Wing Chun practitioners. At £14.99 it makes a great pressy.

Criteria Score Comments

Ease of assembly 20 None needed. Yay.

Appearance 16 Nice simple design with clean camerawork.

Build quality 20 Proper DVD case, not some shammy jewel case

Usability 17 If you've got a laptop you can take it anywhere. Easy watching.

Price 16 Good mid

Total 89 A valuable tool for Wing Chun practitioners.

Copies of the DVD can be bought from this site or www.summersdale.com.

Martial Arts Illustrated

Summersdale Productions: The Evolution of Instructional DVD Summersdale first came to the attention of the martial arts community when Geoff Thompson won critical and commercial acclaim with his hard-hitting autobiography, "Watch My Back." Since then the publishing company's name has become synonymous with respected martial artist authors. The scope of their catalogue encompasses not only a wide range of combat systems but also different types of book, from straightforward instructional manuals to stage plays and even novels. Now this versatility appears to have been carried over into the newly established Summersdale Productions DVD titles. Considering that this is already a well established market and with the recent huge increase in independent film-makers, many who specialise in martial arts instructional videos, could this be one bold step too far?

According to Summersdale Productions' manager Nick Atkinson, moving into the DVD market was "the next logical step for Summersdale." They started with twenty-six titles by Geoff Thompson (transferring his previously released VHS series), six by Iain Abernethy of Bunkai-Jutsu fame and two by Alan Gibson of the Wing Chun Federation. Forthcoming work includes the "Yin and Yang of Karate" series of seminars featuring Shihan Chris Rowen and Sensei Iain Abernethy, as well as nine titles by the renowned cross-training martial arts instructor, Rick Young, more pragmatic interpretations of traditional arts with Iain Abernethy's "Applied Karate" and Alan Gibson's "Improving Wing Chun" succession of DVDs, and Andy Hopwood's British Free Fighting Academy film, "Masterclass." Recently signed work includes a series of Goju Ryu Karate by Shihan Chris Rowen and a conversion of twenty of VMA's best-selling catalogue of videos.

Okay, so that's what the producers and featured martial artists want us to know, but what can we expect from a Summersdale DVD once our hard-earned cash has been spent. I was given four sample DVDs to view from the range. These included titles by Iain Abernethy, Alan Gibson and Andy Hopwood.

I am a big supporter of Iain Abernethy's work and his "Karate's Grappling Methods" is certainly a very enjoyable accompaniment to his seminars and books. Iain is a very engaging teacher and the substance of what he has to say comes across in a manner that is neither too drawn-out nor too flippant. Alan Gibson's two DVDs "Wing Chun: A Class of its Own" and "Improving Wing Chun: Forms" are an introduction to Gibson's interpretation of the art and a study of all the system's forms respectively. Alan Gibson embraces a no-nonsense attitude to self-defence and the principles at the heart of Wing Chun. I have never trained under Alan Gibson, but his philosophy seems very similar to Dave Fenton's of the MYS Wing Chun Academy, which I hugely respect and believe to be the correct step forward with this martial art. Dealing with modern self-defence at its raw essence, Andy Hopwood's "A Master Class" is an almost documentary-style filming of the British Free Fighting Academy's 2003 intensive weekend training course. Having attended one of these excellent courses, watching the whole weekend unfold again brought a smile to my face, not to mention a sense of guilty recognition, as I have noticed how much that weekend has influenced some of the self-defence drills I now teach in my regular class. So, judging from this little bunch, the instructors chosen and the base content of the DVDs are as sound as you can get. However, how well does Summersdale the respected martial arts publishing veteran transfer to Summerdale the rookie martial arts DVD production company?

For a start, there is certainly a keen desire to keep away from a set production formula. Each DVD is presented as a unique stand-alone work. Even Alan Gibson's two DVDs contrast a lot in execution. "Wing Chun: A Class of its Own" provides a variety of locations and narrative inserts, as Gibson gives a presentation of the way he teaches Wing Chun. The style is informal but informative. In comparison "Improving Wing Chun: Forms" is a shorter more formalized piece presented with strong graphics and effects.

Nevertheless I did notice a few small structural similarities between "Wing Chun: A Masterclass," "Karate's Grappling Methods" and "A Masterclass." The narrative inserts in Iain Abernethy and Alan Gibson's DVDs, for example, are often done outside on location in the UK taking full advantage of some beautiful scenery. There is also a tendency to edit in black and white side angle and close-up shots in a style made popular by MTV's documentaries. Finally the other routine idea I noticed was ending the DVDs with short interviews with students asking why they study their particular art.

The menu pages of the DVDs are imaginative and well-presented. Some of the disks are packed full of extras, including outtakes, trailers for other titles by the same instructor and interviews with the instructor. Overall there is really little I can fault with the DVDs. They are most definitely a mark above the usual fare, but given Summersdale's reputation in publishing, they need to be.

The longer films don't drag on and there is a conscious effort to keep sequences and scenes tight. That is not to say that detailed analysis is not featured. Iain Abernethy's commentary over slow-motion sequences of two grappling bouts is a particularly nice touch. Likewise, if I am to take "Improving Wing Chun: Forms" as an example, the shorter films don't leave you with the feeling that you've been cheated. There is no padding. They contain all the necessary meat without superfluous repetitions for those who haven't mastered their pause and rewind buttons, and awkward long silences whilst the forms are performed.

There has been a marked change in the presentation of instructional films over the past few years and it would appear that Summersdale could be taking the lead. Each DVD is professionally packaged and presented. The look of the actual films would not appear out of place on television, particularly with some of the dramatic movie-style opening credits and rolling end titles. This has to be the way forward for instructional DVD. I am happy to say that the days of runny colours, a maximum of three camera angles, elevator style musical accompaniment (if any) and emotionless instructors occupying a few square feet for the entirety of one series of titles have gone the way of the Beta Max video.

Sweat Magazine

Review

"Gibson - your writing looks like a drunken spider has crawled out of an ink pot and wandered over the page."

Not the most encouraging of statements to be received by a young lad, but when Alan Gibson was at school his English teacher was close to despair; his illegible handwriting, imaginative spelling and poor grammar did not seem to indicate that a literary career was on the cards.

Alan says, "I wasn't brilliant at PE either, although I put this down to the games teacher - he always reminded me of Brian Glover in the film Kes - as opposed to any lack of personal ability"

Twenty seven years later then, Alan's old school teachers might be a little surprised, to hear that he is now makes his living as an author and by teaching martial arts! He is now a professional kung fu teacher - has written three popular books on Wing Chun ( the style of Chinese kung fu studied by Bruce Lee), and is currently putting the finishing touches to a series of instructional DVDs.

The turn about came when Alan and some friends decided to try martial art classes as an interesting way to get fit. They went to Karate initially, and after a period of experimentation, ended up settling with Wing Chun kung fu, a very logical and well though-out system. He continued to practice and years later ended up teaching Wing Chun as a hobby. The huge success of his first book "Why Wing Chun Works" made Alan realise that it might be possible to turn his hobby into a career.

Five years from his first tentative forays as a martial art professional, Alan has settled comfortably into his niche and now regularly takes inspirational seminars on Wing Chun and Self Defence for a diverse array of clients including martial arts groups, schools, training organisations, county councils and private companies all over the country.

His new range of instructional DVDs is due to be unveiled in April, during the SENI martial arts fair, held at the NEC in Birmingham. Wing Chun is safe, fun to practice and you will learn all aspects of self-protection. The seminars and lessons are designed to develop assertiveness, awareness and self-confidence, as well as teaching effective martial skills.

Alan said of his art, "My objective is to teach kung fu in a relaxed and accessible manner, with an emphasis on skill and personal development, rather than aggression and violence. Effective Wing Chun can be simply learned by commitment and patience. With the added benefit of intelligence and sensitivity, a high level of proficiency can be obtained quickly and with ease."

Aside from the obvious fighting applications, Wing Chun also helps to maintain a healthy body and mind. Regular practice will loosen the joints, tone the musculature and improve posture. By the very nature of the practice a relaxed and focused mind is achieved. This reduces stress levels and allows the body's natural protection mechanisms to strengthen.

In March Alan will be recruiting new students to train in Wing Chun at the Millbank martial art gymnasium in Northam, Southampton.

Anyone interested in seminars, lessons or private tuition should contact Alan Gibson Telephone: 023 8057 2084 email: alan@wingchun.org.uk For more information on Wing Chun or Alan Gibson visit the Wing Chun Federation website www.wingchun.org.uk

Combat Magazine

Why Wing Chun Works Book Review 1.

Wing Chun is another art that has seen massive growth in popularity accompanied by a similar growth in the amount of books hitting the marketplace on the subject.

What immediately sets Alan Gibson's foray into the market apart from his contemporaries is the fact that it is prose, rather than picture based. As a result this book is possibly the most comprehensive Wing Chun reference currently available.

Running at just over 150 pages, "Why Wing Chun Works" is written in a straightforward prose style and professionally organised, the text backed up by regular and clear black and white photographs. It is this unfussy, no nonsense approach to the text that allows Gibson to cover so much ground with authority and as an introduction to the art it is well worth the cover price.

The book is divided into three main sections, the largest being the Fundamental Principles, with most copy being given to the centre line theory, basic shape, and stance and posture. The following sections cover the Wing Chun Drills and Solo Forms, and again, for an introductory volume, they offer a depth of coverage that prevents the book from being superficial.

The result is a functional and straightforward reference that gets to the heart of Wing Chun, just like the style itself, quickly, efficiently and directly. Alan Gibson has been teaching in Southampton for thirteen years and is currently working on a follow-up to Why Wing Chun Works.

Why Wing Chun Works Book Book Review 2.

'How this book differs from most of its kind, is in its format and presentation. It is almost impossible to resist the temptation to grab a partner and try out the exercises... Concepts of Wing Chun, as represented here, are very relevant to anyone practising martial arts, regardless of style, and "Why Wing Chun Works" should certainly not be restricted to Wing Chun students alone. Alan Gibson has produced a reference book that is informative, entertaining and original'

Martial Arts Illustrated magazine

Why Wing Chun Works Book Book Review.

This is one for all collectors of martial arts forms, whether you're from Karate or Kickboxing, learning about Wing Chun economy of defence couldn't be more enjoyable.

The Society of Martial Arts newsletter

'Why Wing Chun Works Book Book Review.

We congratulate him on his book that explains the movements with bio-mechanical theories giving a more scientific approach to this art' Dr. Eugene de Silva, founder and President,

Southern Daily Echo

Why Wing Chun Works book review.

Alan Gibson wrote the book on martial art Wing Chun Whilst studying for his degree at King Alfred's College in Winchester. And Gladiator Fox helped him launch the book which he published himself this month....

...Alan, 35, said "There are a few books on the market about wing chun, but I never found any of them useful... I decided to write the book I would have wanted when I was training."

Winchester Observer

Kung Fu Book is Big Hit

A Southampton martial arts teacher is set to spread the word of kung fu across the world after his revolutionary self-teach guide was snatched up by a leading publisher.

Alan Gibson, 38, has been teaching traditional Chinese martial art style Wing Chun kung fu - the version studied by late Martial Arts movie superstar Bruce Lee - in Southampton for the past 13 years. He wrote the guide 'Why Wing Chun Works' - his first ever book - in 1999, and published it himself last year under his own Peacenik press publishing. Since then, the book has gradually started to sell by word of mouth to martial arts fans across the UK, with interest from all over the world.

Alan, a black sash fourth degree, explains: 'It was my first venture in publishing so it has been a big learning curve. 'I initially approached specialist book stockists, but as word spread it was picked up by some of the major book chains such as Waterstones.' There has even been interest in the USA, and Alan flew to Cleveland earlier this year to sort out an American distribution deal.

'Why Wing Chun Works' has now been picked up in the UK by leading publishing house Summersdale Publishers, and the new edition of the book is now available from leading books stores nationwide.

Isle of Wight County press

Why Wing Chun Works book review.

An Island martial arts teacher has seen his book become an essential companion for those wishing to learn about the traditional Chinese art of Wing Chun kung fu. With a new edition now picked up by leading publishers Summersdale, Alan Gibson has even flown to Cleveland, USA, to arrange an American deal for Why Wing Chun Works...

Wing Chun was made famous by movie star Bruce Lee. It maintains a non-political stance and preaches the virtue of self defence. Age, sex, and physical size is of no consequence in gaining proficiency.

And Magazine

Learn How to Fight Like a Girl

Southampton martial arts expert Alan Gibson is looking to recruit new pupils, men and women of any age, to learn Wing Chun kung fu. There are five weekly classes at The Academy of Martial Arts in Southampton, including beginner's lessons on Wednesdays and Thursdays 7.00 - 8.15 p.m. Daytime one-to-one tuition is also available on request.

Alan formed The Wing Chun Federation in 1990. The Federation's objective is to teach kung fu in a relaxed and accessible manner, where emphasis is on good technique and personal development rather than violence and aggression. Effective Wing Chun can be simply learned by commitment and patience. Aside from the obvious self defence benefits, Wing Chun also maintains a healthy body and mind. Regular practice of Wing Chun will help loosen the joints, tone the musculature and improve posture and balance.

Wing Chun is a Chinese art originally devised by a Buddhist nun. The style was first taught to a young girl called Yim Wing Chun, who successfully used her newly learned skills to defend herself against a local bully who attempted to rape her. Because of this feminine influence Wing Chun does not pit strength against strength but employs sensitivity to force in order to overcome aggression. A smaller, older or physically weaker victim who is skilled in Wing Chun, can overcome an attack from a much stronger assailant.

The principles of Wing Chun are closely related to Chinese philosophy, and the principles are reflected in all the physical exercises. As the understandings of these theories deepen, a student will find that they are able to apply them to other aspects of life.

Alan Gibson is the author of the popular book Why Wing Chun Works, available from all good book stores. Alan, 38, said "We aim to train in a friendly atmosphere, one of co-operation as opposed to aggressive competition, this allows students to develop freely and at their own pace. It is possible for a complete novice to become competent within one year, although, as with any true art, practical ability is only the beginning, there is always room for deeper exploration and personal interpretation.

"Simon Hayes, 21, who teaches for the Federation in Romsey said: "We have lots of fun away from training as well, it's a bit like a social club. Last year we had a fantastic trip to Hong Kong and invited the famous master, Wan Kam Leung back for a seminar. Alan has also done fight choreography and acting in student films."

press Release for Why Wing Chun Works book

SOUTHAMPTON KUNG FU TEACHER SCORES HIT WITH FIRST BOOK

A Southampton kung fu teacher is set to spread the word of Wing Chun across the world after his revolutionary self-teach guide was snatched up by a leading publisher. Alan Gibson, 38, has been teaching traditional Chinese martial art style Wing Chun kung fu - the version studied by late Martial Arts movie superstar Bruce Lee - in Southampton for the past 13 years.

He wrote the guide 'Why Wing Chun Works' - his first ever book - in 1999, and published it himself last year under his own Peacenik press publishing. Since then, the book has gradually started to sell by word of mouth to martial arts fans across the UK, with interest from all over the world.

Alan, a black sash fourth degree, explains: 'It was my first venture in publishing so it has been a big learning curve. 'I initially approached specialist book stockists, but as word spread it was picked up by some of the major book chains such as Waterstones.' There has even been interest in the USA, and Alan flew to Cleveland last year to sort out an American distribution deal.

'Why Wing Chun Works' has now been picked up in the UK by leading publishing house Summersdale Publishers, and the new edition of the book is now available from leading books stores world-wide. Alan teaches at the Trimwise health club, Briton Street, Southampton, and is currently working on a second volume on Wing Chun, he has also recently published a book on the history of Southampton FC football shirts - 'Saints in Stripes.'

Copies of the current edition of 'Why Wing Chun Works are available from all bookstores, priced £12.00, or by sending a cheque for £12.00 made payable to Alan Gibson, to: Alan Gibson, 12 park Rd, Chandlersford, Eastleigh, SO53 2EU.

For more press info, pictures or a copy of book, contact Alan Gibson on 023 8057 2084 or email alan@wingchun.org.uk To find out more about Summersdale Publishers, visit www.summersdale.com.

118 Avenue Rd, Portswood, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 6BB

Tel: 023 80572084 Mobile: 0778 660 7776 Email:alan@wingchun.org.uk

press release for Wing Chun Classes in Southampton

LEARN HOW TO FIGHT LIKE A GIRL

Southampton martial arts expert Alan Gibson is looking to recruit new pupils, men and women of any age, to learn Wing Chun kung fu. Alan formed The Wing Chun Federation in 1990. The Federation's objective is to teach kung fu in a relaxed and accessible manner, where emphasis is on good technique and personal development rather than violence and aggression. Effective Wing Chun can be simply learned by commitment and patience. Aside from the obvious self defence benefits, Wing Chun also maintains a healthy body and mind.

Regular practice of Wing Chun will help loosen the joints, tone the musculature and improve posture and balance. Wing Chun is a Chinese art originally devised by a Buddhist nun. The style was first taught to a young girl called Yim Wing Chun, who successfully used her newly learned skills to defend herself against a local bully who attempted to rape her. Because of this feminine influence Wing Chun does not pit strength against strength but employs sensitivity to force in order to overcome aggression. A smaller, older or physically weaker victim who is skilled in Wing Chun, can overcome an attack from a much stronger assailant.

The principles of Wing Chun are closely related to Chinese philosophy, and the principles are reflected in all the physical exercises. As the understandings of these theories deepen, a student will find that they are able to apply them to other aspects of life. Alan Gibson is the author of the popular book Why Wing Chun Works, available from all good book stores.

Alan, 38, said "We aim to train in a friendly atmosphere, one of co-operation as opposed to aggressive competition, this allows students to develop freely and at their own pace. It is possible for a complete novice to become competent within one year, although, as with any true art, practical ability is only the beginning, there is always room for deeper exploration and personal interpretation."

Simon Hayes, 21, who also teaches for the Federation said: "We have lots of fun away from training as well, it's a bit like a social club. Last year we had a fantastic trip to Hong Kong and invited the famous master, Wan Kam Leung back for a seminar."

Alan has also done fight choreography and acting in student films." All classes are held at Trimwise health Club in Southampton, a fully equipped professional gymnasium, situated in Briton St. Anyone interested is welcome to drop-in to the centre, to watch or take part in a class. Alternatively you can telephone Alan on the number below or visit his web site for further information about classes and tuition.