Nino bernardo

The side effects of Wing Chun

By Nino Bernardo

When you are prescribed medicine, you always get a small leaflet in the box containing the small print required by law. This information tells you about the side effects of the medicine and is usually in the smallest print possible. It includes warnings about any secondary effects, whether positive or negative, and any necessary precautions, such as not driving when under the influence.

I strongly believe that we need this kind of observation in martial arts. If I study a certain art what are the side effects, both positive and negative? What precautions should I take? What sort of person will I become if I devote myself to the art?

Over the last three decades of studying wing chun, I have noticed several side effects. One of the subtle effects is the way that the system develops the ability to think with both hemispheres of the brain in a coordinated way.

The brain is a complex organism, which is split into two. The right hemisphere controls the left-hand side of the body and is the site of much intuitive, creative thinking. The left hemisphere controls the right-hand side of the body and is home to most rational, analytical thought.

In the first form of the system, siu lim tao, the first section begins with a series of movements on the left-hand side and then repeats the moves on the right-hand side. The second section involves using both sides of the body together in a coordinated way. The third section involves alternating techniques, first on the left, then on the right.

As students progress in the system, they find this same symmetry. However, once they get to the pole form, they find that the right hand is used for strength, while the left hand is used for control. This makes me think that the martial artists who developed the syllabus wanted a balanced approach, but - if pushed for a preference – would maybe pick the right-hand (intuitive) hemisphere of the brain.

There are many other side effects which students of wing chun will notice. For example, practitioners develop an amazing knowledge and awareness of the body and its musculature. We become like architects and engineers of the human body. We also develop our muscular strength and our posture through doing the exercises.

One particularly interesting side effect of wing chun is the way that students of the art are able to develop their skills in other areas. For example, an actor who studies wing chun in any depth is able to improve their acting skills. The same is true of musicians, comedians and many others. Also, martial artists from other styles, boxers and sportsmen often return to their original field after a period of studying wing chun and find themselves at the top of their game.

Why is this? One reason is that wing chun is very difficult to learn. If students enjoy the training, they often find that their attitude to learning improves as they struggle with the system. Another reason is that chi sao (sticky hands), the combat-like game at the core of the system, teaches us to improvise under pressure, which is a vital skill in many trades, professions, arts and sports.

Chi sao can be developed as an exercise in fear. The punches exist in order to make the game a little bit frightening. By practising chi sao, we develop our ability to think rationally under pressure. Through listening to and refining our fear, we are able to develop our intelligence. The game becomes a way of finding intelligent answers (subtle, effective techniques) to stupid questions (punches).

Although chi sao should be a little bit frightening, the game is safer, more fun and students make more progress if it never spins out of control. It’s important to always bear in mind that it’s not a fight. We should try to develop sensitivity to our partner’s movements, rather than a desire to hurt them. This is much more sophisticated than just punching each other.

I often tell my students that chi sao is an exercise in not getting wound up. The first person to get angry or frustrated loses. It’s difficult, as the whole game is designed to make people mad.

The scary side of the art also makes one’s heart pump much faster. This makes us sweat, flushing out our systems and helping us let off steam.

Chi sao also develops a particular mentality, which I call ruthlessness with intelligence. This mindset is particularly useful in life, whatever path you chose. The trick is to be ruthless without ever resorting to the physical side. Obviously, those who get hooked on violence face a very real risk of ending up in prison.

So far, all the side effects I’ve mentioned have been positive. One side effect that students should try to avoid is becoming specialists in stupid questions. In order to practice intelligent answers to stupid questions, we need to practice stupid questions. You don’t want to be the person who graduates from the school of clever answers with the diploma in asking stupid questions!