While my practical volume in the "Fightlogic" series is in the A4 format and describes the most important exercises and applications using hundreds of photos, the A5-size "Essence of WingTsun" goes well beyond techniques, forms and application-related thinking.

The purpose of this volume is to show how the techniques in the forms and ChiSao provide examples conducive to understanding the great WingTsun principle, which I formulate as follows for myself:

"If you come to me, I will welcome you;
if you return home, I will accompany you;
if I lose you, I will strike you!"

I show how the techniques, if carefully applied while not losing sight of the function, become "living" techniques and teach us the principle, so that the principle can teach us the "Inner WingTsun".

In the end it must be the "linkage" that allows unique "movements of the moment" to be effortlessly and spontaneously created, freeing us from time-consuming and arbitrary "decisions".

The book describes the evolution of our WingTsun (WT) in eight acts, explains how the concept and technique(s) of our "EWTO-WT" differ from those of its relatives, how Great Grandmaster Yip Man himself split his style into "Traditionalists" and "Reformers", and also that final positions are less important than the question whether the teacher gives instruction on a technique or principle-oriented basis.

I list the 21 main mistakes in traditional WingTsun and rather than learning "lifeless" techniques by rote, I urge reliance on "movements of the moment" and the "Big 7 capabilities" (attentiveness, flexibility, balance, physical coordination, the hierarchy of the senses, distance & timing and fighting spirit). Wherever the classic forms and drills do not develop these, or only inadequately, I seek to address them directly and specifically.

I explain the "attacking" and "countering" sides of the coin, and the fours ways in each of using one's strength against the opponent, how the opponent unintentionally helps us in the process and how we can nullify the opponent's strength.

I make a critical assessment of sparring, groundfight training, form training, fitness/stamina training, competition training etc.

It is fundamentally important to me that our WT training begins with the torso, which then directs the arms, so that not only those talented in torso movements achieve high skill in WT.

With this book on the essence of WT I describe a superior WingTsun that is not characterised by certain superficial movements, but by a special, imagination (Yi)-driven way of moving. The book therefore does not discuss WingTsun as something finished, but "WingTsun as a principle".

In line with Prof. Tiwald, it sees the tradition of WingTsun as a living process, i.e. as a flowing function with the scope to address current arguments arising at the time and renew itself continuously.

WT is therefore reinvented in every class and in all our publications.
I have set the course for this with this fragmentary book, so that it is also possible for future generations.
 

Your SiFu/SiGung
Keith R. Kernspecht