Form training in WingTsun includes all solo exercises that a trainee will practice. It includes the formalized sets of Siu Nim Tau, Chum Kiu, Biu Tze and the wooden dummy techniques but also other solo drills and exercises. Forms serve as the most basic learning method for techniques – rote repetition. Through this repetition movements and structures are taught that are later practiced in fighting and in chi sau (arm clinging reflex training). The forms also have other benefits as well such as strength building, focus, coordination and relaxation. WingTsun also has many exercises for training techniques without a partner such as wall-bag training, step and punch training, and free-style training similar to shadow boxing to name a few.

Siu Nim Tau
Form training begins with the Siu Nim Tau or “little idea form”. The Siu Nim Tau schools the fundamental positions and structures of WingTsun kung fu. The Siu Nim Tau form has the added benefit of acting as a standing meditation which focuses on internal aspects such as breathing and focus in addition to its practical applications in fighting. Even when a trainee continues on to the more advanced sets of WingTsun kung fu, the Siu Nim Tau form is always a “work in progress”. As the saying goes, “if the Siu Nim Tau is bad, the WingTsun is bad!”

Chum Kiu
The second form in WingTsun is called Chum Kiu, or “searching for the bridge”. This form's focus is on footwork, kicks and techniques of the bridge* arm. This form is taught once the trainee has mastered certain fundamental applications of the Siu Nim Tau form. The Chum Kiu form serves as a fundamental step to begin double arm chi sau training. The Chum Kiu form introduces the three basic kicks, palm-strikes, special punches including the “jumping punch” and the “lifting punch”.

*”Bridge” in Chinese martial arts terminology refers to the point where the arms of two opponents make contact with each other, thus creating a “bridge” between the two fighters.

Biu Tze
The third form in WingTsun is called Biu Tze or “thrusting fingers”. It is the most advanced solo set and is taught to instructors who have mastered applying the Siu Nim Tau and Chum Kiu level material in both chi sau and in free-fight training. The techniques of the Biu Tze focus on the WingTsun's most aggressive and ingenious techniques of open hand strikes, elbows, throws and emergency maneuvers. The Biu Tze form was traditionally taught to only a few select students which have led to many incorrect and strange variations of this form being taught openly. Sifu Alex Richter has had the privilege to learn the Biu Tze form directly from Grandmaster Leung Ting, Sifu Cheng Chuen Fun and Sifu Carson Lau. City WingTsun instructors can learn the Biu Tze form and material directly unlike many who have had to learn this form during seminar instruction.

Muk Yan Chong Fat (Wooden Dummy Techniques)
After the Biu Tze curriculum, the advanced trainee will learn the 116 wooden dummy techniques. The wooden dummy techniques are considered advanced because they require a solid foundation in the basics, but are also advanced because their applications are for fighting a high level martial artist or a top WingTsun exponent. The wooden dummy techniques teach correct angling, structure and power transfer in addition to teaching some very ingenious martial arts tactics. The special eight kicks of WingTsun are all contained in the wooden dummy techniques and this includes their very specific applications as well. Sifu Alex Richter has been taught the wooden dummy techniques and applications directly from both Grandmaster Leung Ting and Sifu Carson Lau making City WingTsun the only place to in NYC to learn the authentic WingTsun wooden dummy techniques.

Students at City WingTsun do not have to wait until they are high level trainees to begin using the wooden dummy. At the intermediate levels students are taught special solo drills and single movements to improve positioning, ability to stick as well as to introduce certain practical movements used for fighting. These supplementary drills were always taught to students in the Hong Kong school and are also taught here at City WingTsun.

Traditionally the weapons training in WingTsun was regarded as the most advanced and final course of training for a WingTsun practitioner. The WingTsun system has two weapons – long pole techniques or “luk dim boon gwan” (six and a half point pole) and the double knives or Bart Cham Dao (the eight slashing broad swords). The WingTsun long pole is anywhere from 8.5-9.5 feet in length and the double knives used are shorter than the butterfly swords of traditional Shaolin styles. What makes weapons training in WingTsun unique from other kung fu styles is that the weapons are practiced in a combative fashion and not simply as a “form” or “two-man set” like other Chinese martial arts.

The Long Pole

WingTsun’s long pole is known as the “syu mei gwan” or rat-tailed pole. This is due to the fact that the pole tapers at the striking end much like an oversized pool cue. Due to the massive length and rigidity of the WingTsun pole, the training begins with a series of strength training drills. Some self-styled experts use a shorter or floppy pole to give the impression that there techniques are powerful (vibrating the pole at its end is a sign of power transfer), but the true WingTsun pole should be of fairly sturdy wood at the length of at least 8.5 feet. Due to the practicality of the long pole techniques in combat, a WingTsun pole fighter does not swing or spin the pole. These flashy movements have no place in real weapons fighting.

After the strength and footwork training is complete, the trainee will learn the WingTsun pole form. After mastering the form and it’s fundamentals, the trainee moves on to chi-gwan training. This is very much like chi-sau (arm clinging) exercise of the weaponless fighting, but with the poles instead. The training finalizes with practicing the fighting applications of the pole, not only against another long pole but against other Chinese weapons as well.

The Double Knives

Contrary to popular belief, WingTsun does not use butterfly swords (“wu dip dao”) but rather “eight cutting broadswords” (bart cham dao) or simply, double knives. The WingTsun double knives are of a different shape and design than the butterfly swords of other styles. First of all the handle is in one line with the tip, the blades are narrower and pointed more for stabbing actions. Additionally the guard and hooks have a different design as the function of the WingTsun double knives is quite different from the common butterfly swords. Also unlike the other knife styles, WingTsun does not flip the knives to the forearm during combat. This was a very serious admonition from great grandmaster Yip Man himself (as evidenced in Mo Do Magazine, 1971). It’s a pity that many so-called experts have knife flipping in their Wing Tsun (wing chun) knife techniques further duping the public as to the real nature of WingTsun’s rare knife techniques.

The double knives form is quite long as is it is made of up of eight sections that each focus on fighting a different type of weapon. Each section of the form has specific footwork that corresponds to fighting with short knives against weapons of different lengths and intentions. This also makes footwork the highest and most advanced attainment in WingTsun kung fu.