To be "soft" means that the entire body should be kept naturally relaxed but not slackened. The limbs should neither be straightened forcefully or bent sharply with stiffness. All limbs should be kept naturally relaxed at their joints. Even though you are delivering a straight forward blow toward the opponent, you can still be flexible.

In school if you were flexible you would know math as well as science. In fighting, if the left hand (math) won't get you then the left elbow (science) will. Now by being relaxed or soft, I don't mean to the point that you are a relaxed pile on the floor. Instead, what I mean is that what ever part is needed to make a movement, maintain a stance or posture, is the part that should be used to the right amount only. The rest of the body, the muscles, tendons and joints will be naturally relaxed.

The forms should be done either slow, normal or fast, mostly slow to normal and with good coordination. Always the waist should be loose and the diaphragm functioning just the right amount to permit it to perform, allowing you to gather your breath (chi). This vitalizes the entire body with internal power. In this way your centre of gravity will also be lowered and stabilized. During practice, the practitioner should always check his forms for signs of stiffness in any part of the body, if tension is found then loosen that particular part, this will enable you to teach yourself to be soft.

After a while a practitioner should carry himself in a soft way so that everything he does (not us fighting) is in keeping with this concept. Beginners will find that it is not so difficult to be soft during the Siu Lim Tau form, but to stay soft during the second form or paired exercises (moving) may be quite a different story. To help remedy this situation one should watch his movements with the concepts rather than the techniques of Wing Chun in mind. This will keep the practitioner in harmony with the natural physical condition of the human mechanism and will teach the Wing Chun way as it has been passed down for generations. If this is not followed then the practitioner will find himself moving a step too far or too little in any direction, or he may shift too quickly or not far enough and so on. These mistakes will undoubtedly cause awkwardness, making it impossible to be soft. Therefore, the student should be content in class to learn the forms and every other drill slowly, accurately and with concentration fixed upon the task at hand. The principal, "you learn faster while going slower" is sound advice one should follow whenever possible.

In summary, a person will never look like a Wing Chun practitioner or be a Wing Chun pugilist, unless he is able to be soft as required.

A soft body and a tranquil concentration in the mind are some the greatest principles of Wing Chun, and are definitely two of the keys that make Wing Chun one of the most intelligent and superior combat systems among the many martial arts available.

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All articles are © 1997 by Ip Ching Wing Chun Athletic Association & The Wing Chun Kung Fu Council - All rights reserved