3 Beats in Training
This concept of 3 beats in training, is IMO at the heart of all the bickering in the wing chun community. The younger, faster chunners see wing chun as “offense is the best defense”. but the older chunners see wing chun as “defense is the best offense”. because of these conflicting differences, they argue amongst themselves as to which is right.
what they don’t realize is that they are BOTH right. that’s why i am always saying “if it works for you, then keep doing it!”.
Today’s lesson is about how I as an instructor have a duty to show you “both sides of the coin” and for you to decide which you wish to pursue. It’s one of the most difficult challenges as an instructor, to set aside my own personal preferences, my likes and my dislikes, and to show you from an unbiased position, so that YOU can make your own decisions along YOUR journey.
hopefully, after seeing this video, you understand that training on a “half beat” or “full beat” or “one and a half beat” is all up to you and they are all right as long as it works for YOU, but just because it works for you, doesn’t mean that the same beat will work for someone else.
31 Responses to “3 Beats in Training”
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Damn Jin,
You forgot an important group of nowadays youth, like me :
young but slow and lasy !
:p
Cheers !
P.S. ok, i’ll buy a gun instead. lol
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Jin Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:14 am
lol..true true
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Great video, very insightful and well explained as always.
Cheers Jin!
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Jin Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:14 am
glad you enjoyed it, bro, peace!
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BEST VIDEO EVER !
Alan bows Jin
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Jin Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:14 am
thanks, Alan!
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More people should watch this video. I seem surrounded by those that live by Bruce Lee’s idiom “the best defense is a good offense”, but they still subscribe to this, when up against younger/stronger fighters. I NEVER saw that as smart.
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
true true
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HI Jin,
Very clever analogy!!
I am a n aspiring DJ in my spre time and i love 3 times of genre of music; RnB, House and DumnBass, each has a variation in the beats per second(BPS). At the moment i like to enjoy drum n bass(by the this was invented in the streets of south london, where i grw up!!) which is very quick tempo and fast beat, so hey i should translate that in my wing chun – genius!!!
obviously there are days when i enjoy classical music, that is the time to defend and walk away and chill……..
inspiring stuff as ususal
take care
Saj
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
all arts eventually all lead to the same thing…honest self expression! keep at it, bro
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Chuck Norris said when he sparred Bruce Lee, it was about each fighters particular speed and timing, like, fighter’s got to feel his own heartbeat and will be mistaken going too fast.
On the other hand, if you want to improve the speed… isn’t there a tricky difference between being wise or just lazy?
Time to hurry, so it is.
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
yes, if you don’t have a body structure behind your hands, your hand movements will be “lazy”.
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great video sifu jin:) and man, wing chun footwork is very contradictory to jkd footwork, but as you’ve said “if it works for you then keep doing it”
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
yes, they are completely different, one is geared for “half beat faster” and the other is for “half beat slower”.
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Kool.
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
thanks, Mark!
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Exellent
I like how you teach jin
Facundo
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
thanks, Facundo!
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Really great explanation Jin, thanks again.
It’s something I have a hard time remembering but I agree 100% with what you said at the very end: practice all three! If you’re using two beats (tan-da for example) when one would do for you, try to shorten it up if you can! Using fewer steps makes you more efficient. On the flip side, breaking up your rhythm can be helpful in confusing your opponent (and it’s something I have to work on myself).
Anyway, all good things.
Thanks again you guys.
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
glad you enjoyed the video, bro!
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great video and as a 43 year old fighter i fully understand what you mean. i didnt intentionally switch my beats it just kinda happened naturally. i use to attack now i counter lol the blinding speed just isnt there, however the skill remains. i appluad you , your so young and yet so wise , great job. also my arts are aikido, muay thai, and wing chun, weird mix but thats what life brought me. cyas
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
thanks for the wonderful compliment, peace!
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man, ur awesome id wish u could train me^^
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Jin Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
thanks, Nori..and in a way, i am! =D
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Sifu Jin,
Best explanation I have ever heard on distance & timing. No wonder I have been having trouble with my Wing Chun against other martial arts … I have 2 left feet and no rhythm. LOL.
I seem to be getting myself caught between the beats, then the rhythm is all screwed up after that point and its more about recovery than being under control.
Thanks Sifu
Paul.
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Jin Reply:
May 27th, 2010 at 1:40 am
hey Paul, i know what ya mean, once someone catches your rhythm it completely puts you on the defensive, but practice makes perfect! =D
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this video is very interesting and i would just like to add…i would just like to make an example of the Pacquiao vs Haton fight- in the first round, you will see Pacquiao beat Haton to the target by a HALF BEAT…Pacquiao manage to hit Haton with a solid right hook just before Haton was to throw a jab and manage to knock Haton down in the first round…imagine how fast is that…i would speculate that Pacquiao is about as fast as Bruce Lee in his prime…God bless his soul.
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Jin Reply:
May 27th, 2010 at 1:41 am
hey Ralph, Pacquiao is a very good example of a half beat fighter, and my favorite boxer!
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ralph sabayle Reply:
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:50 am
My favorite too, of course i am a Filipino, like him that’s why. you said that bruce lee was a cha-cha instructor and that’s how came up with coping with beats and using it with his martial arts…pacquiao too love beats, he can play the piano and the guitar and can sing, i think that’s why its natural for him doing half beats…i like tearing the beats in between too by the way…i play the bass guitar while singing, i have a band and i play judo too, i enjoy doing half-beats in my randori or sparring…works all the time…
in the game of death, bruce lee lectured dan inosanto with broken rythm…even drew an “x” on his fore head…poor dan…lol.
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sifu
When the opponent gets in and jab, or generally punch, a straight kick on the knee cap would be considered a half time attack or a first touch in order to attack? Does it have to do with my intention on making the kick destructive or not? Or it should be counted always as a half time attack? (Especially when training)
(bow)
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Hi everyone,
As I watch the videos, I try to understand both the details and the bigger picture in the message, so I’m going to post my notes for feedback as to whether I’m understanding it correctly or not!
3 Beats in Training:
The slower/weaker you are against an opponent, the more contact (using more of your body structure) is required.
If you are to step in, be in a certain position as your “goal” and punch, and:
1. You are faster than the opponent, then you’d already be in position, inside/beyond his punch already, and there is nothing to defend. Your pak is there but his body is not.
2. You are the same speed as your opponent, then you are halfway (per se) to your goal and still have a percentage of his punch to deflect. Your tan meets his shoulder area (for example) or is somewhere closer to his body.
3. You are slower than your opponent: As you get to your goal position, more of his body/punch is already around you. Instead of being past or at his shoulder, your tan is at his elbow (further away from his body). You have more of his punch to deflect, and must use more of your body structure to defend against that punch.
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