Tsun Jo Wing Chun® Kung Fu
The following section explains what "Tsun Jo Wing Chun®" means, describes the guidelines and principles which create the basis for the fighting moves within the system, and how training for a sports style competition is different than training for self defense.
What is Tsun Jo Wing Chun®?
Tsun Jo Wing Chun® or Tsun Jo® for short, is a systematic method or system for developing skills for survival self defense fighting. It is a primarily an empty hand method of fighting although understanding the use of clubs, knives and firearms is also an important aspect of skill development.
Tsun Jo® means "Faithful Descendant," and the full translation for Tsun Jo Wing Chun® is, "The faithful descendant of Wing Chun Boxing". In other words Tsun Jo® is not Wing Chun but is descended from it.
The training is also designed to benefit practitioners as a method of physical conditioning.
Tsun Jo Wing Chun® developed as a fighting method for making the most of what each individual has, if and when they have to fight.
This art is not designed for sport although portions of it work just fine in sport fighting competition. It is a fighting method that uses rapid fire punching and low kicks. At close range contact is used to limit and control the opponent's balance, offense and defense. It is a method that works well for small or large people, male or female. The art incorporates joint locking, choking and ground fighting skills. It is designed for real life self defense needs.
In Tsun Jo® schools, students are courteous and train safely. Instructors treat students with respect and work to insure they are making progress and developing the skills intended. Proper interaction with training partners can serve as a model for positive participation within the larger human community.
Sport -vs- Fighting
Sport competition is designed to test various aspects of competitor abilities, skills, conditioning and stamina. Sport competitions can be very valuable for testing and refining self defense skills and strategies. Competitors in sporting events train for a spicific competition and try to reach a peak of physical and mental preparedness. Athletes of all physical sports, especially the fighting sports of martial arts competitions such as: mixed martial arts, boxing, grappling, judo, wrestling, pancration, kickboxing, etc. know that they have but a few years during which they can reach their physical competitive peak. After that they are no longer competitive at a winning level.
That's OK for sport, but self-defense skills are a continuing need.
Sport competitions are very different from confrontations or attacks. A martial artist that is interested in self defense should not train just for sport competition. A longer view will prove more valuable.
Competitions by their very nature eliminate many of the best possible "tools" a person can have for self defense, including:
- The element of surprise
- Crippling strikes to the eyes, joints, neck
- All out attack (no rules)
- Survival motivation
For most people, the level of commitment to their survival will be much different compared to their level of commitment in a sporting event. Even in The Ultimate Fighting Championship or Pride, competitors can tap out. In a survival fight, you cannot.
Sport competitions add many specific aspects that are very unlike attacks or violent confrontations. Some of these include:
- Rules
- Specific clothing designed for athletic activities
- Referees and medical personnel
- No weapons to fear
- Simplified and safer environment with padded surfaces
As people get a little older they have more responsibilities and less time to devote to training. They have to refine their training to those things that produce the most results. It's a process of elimination. Even a young martial artist will have greater success if they eliminate excess baggage. There are only so many hours in a day.
For self defense, it makes sense to eliminate moves that have a high physical difficulty level or require great flexibility, strength or stamina. Only moves that adapt in a fast moving, anything-goes fighting environment should be kept. This is contrary to what many people are being taught. Today the trend is: add, add, add. Be a jack of all trades and master of none. For most, this will be a path to failure. It is far better to get really good at a few moves and have the skill of adapting those moves to many situations.
The structure and most of the training methods of Tsun Jo Wing Chun® were developed by the founder of the system, John N. Beall.
Guidelines and Principles
Below is a partial list of the guidelines and principles of Tsun Jo®. Students employ and embody these principles to adapt to whatever situation is at hand. That is fundamentally different from training to learn many separate moves. A person that tries to remember the correct move to use as a fight begins or progresses is not likely to function anywhere near as well as the fighter who can respond instinctively using ingrained principles which adapt in the moment.
- Step by step training methods
- Simultaneous offense and defense
- Using Gravity as a compliment to technique
- Working against the opponent's balance
- Maintaining a squared up position so both arms have equal reach to the opponent.
- Using contact as the primary means of response, i.e. “sticking” or "sensing" at close range. Sight becomes a secondary method of response at this range. At outside ranges, sight response is the primary tool
- Simple, effective footwork is used to gain a positional advantage for counterattacking, closing the gap and sticking.
- Interrupting the opponents move before it reaches full speed and power is called "jamming" and is used extensively.
- The opponents force, energy or commitment is considered an asset to be taken advantage of whenever possible.
- Mental strategies that minimize delay causing decision processes are utilized.
- Understanding the positive and negative effects of fear.
- Understanding the emotional aspect of confrontation, self defense, etc.
- Moves are refined to eliminate wasted motion and to maximize speed, power and recovery.
Tsun Jo® Training methods and philosophy reflect real life needs. Moves are used that compliment or work with the natural structure and nervous system of the human body. Centerline mechanics or structure are used for offensive and defensive moves, which have a high degree of adaptability and can develop into backup moves if not immediately successful.
As a general rule, the legs defend against most kicking attacks, and the hands and arms defend against most striking attacks. The ready stance incorporates the elements of surprise, mobility, use of gravity and facing. The fighting posture and stance are designed to minimize openings and target areas. It provides a high level of mobility and is ideal for the integration of offensive and defensive moves. It is also ideal for striking, low kicking, sticking and standing grappling and is very effective for weapons use or defense against weapons.
