Principles of Fighting

Wing Tzun is a compendium of many single techniques but a whole martial art system.  Wing Tzun follows the strategy of aggressive defense.

On the highest level of the systems hierarchy are the four principles:

1. Go forward!

As soon as the attacker moves close enough to potentially strike us, we immediately advance into him with our own attacks, putting him on defense, while keeping our vital targets protected. The goal is to strike and disable the attacker as quickly as possible or, failing that, to establish arm and leg contact with him so that we may react by fast tactile, rather than slow visual, sensitivity.

2. Stick to the opponent!

Should the attacker succeed in blocking or otherwise impeding the advance of our arms and/or leg, we do not withdraw our limbs, but maintain forward pressure towards the attacker's vertical axis and stick to him. We do not allow him space to renew his attack.

3. Give way to greater strength!

WT is a "soft-style" martial art. Should the opponent exert strong forces on our sticking limbs, we do not fight against his strength, but give way to it in a controlled fashion that allows us to harness his strength and use it against him. We use his own force to remove ourselves from its path and simultaneously counterattack.

4. Follow through and fill the gaps!

As a consequence of our constant forward pressure coupled with soft relaxation, our limbs automatically flow like water into the gaps in our opponent's defense, subjecting him to constant, overwhelming attacks.