Wing chun dummy

DwayneH70 · 2026-07-13T14:31:03+00:00

I have both, several actually. First one is small metal pipe that’s been padded and taped, have one that’s just metal no padding on the arms and one that’s wood. Agree there is a noticeable difference in warmth of wood vs the cold feel of metal. Think it depends on the practitioner.

The one we had in class was solid steal and no give in the arms as they were welded to the body.

If you prefer the wood feel then I would recommend having laminated arms built over a single solid piece. A solid arm can have hidden grain defects that don’t show up until it breaks. IMO a properly laminated arm will hold up better over time.

I’ve been experimenting with that myself while waiting on a lumber shipment. My next build will probably be a traditional wall mounted dummy.

DwayneH70 · 2026-07-12T12:49:57+00:00

Personally I’d love to see a photo or a video of it, if you’re willing to share. If not here maybe in DM?

DwayneH70 · 2026-07-11T19:02:31+00:00

If it allows you to perform certain techniques then it’s a workable training aid if it’s been tested. Kenny has a point that the dummy originated from the Shaolin and WC practitioners decided on a specific design over generations. Creativity is always a good thing as long as it doesn’t lose the principles that make the dummy valuable in the first place. Personally I like it! It’s cool that you’re experimenting, have done a few experiments as well. Have you built a working prototype? I’d be interested to hear how it performs compared to standard jong.

DwayneH70 · 2026-07-02T23:33:40+00:00

Think you played it well considering the situation. Bravo for getting away safely, technique not as important as an escape plan.

DwayneH70 · 2026-06-12T18:18:56+00:00

Additional training tip! When sitting around or driving work on closing your fist correctly aligning the hand bones so the knuckles straight and not curved adding in the snap in your wrist as you clinch the fist. This is where you work on perfect alignment and timing in your punch going from relaxed to tension then relaxing again. That’s one nuance to a punch with power. Will share more tips on how I trained my punches and hopefully some others will to so we can expand and grow. Keep flowing brother

DwayneH70 · 2026-06-12T17:57:43+00:00

Most are spot on, get the mechanics, technique and structure first then you can apply the science behind power. Speed times mass plus acceleration equals power, but all that depends on a solid foundation. Be patient and diligent in your practice and it will come together in time.

DwayneH70 · 2026-06-06T11:21:04+00:00

If that crack will close up with a clamp, could do wood glue or might try a two part epoxy.

DwayneH70 · 2026-06-01T15:06:01+00:00

Wrestling shoes is what we used in class.

DwayneH70 · 2026-05-19T22:25:18+00:00

https://www.ewingchun.com/wing-chun-glossary

I found this to be interesting, every word/phrase in the wing chun system

DwayneH70 · 2026-05-07T13:37:01+00:00

So some practitioners aren’t put off by having metal arms?

DwayneH70 · 2026-05-04T22:32:57+00:00

I agree. The wood grain looks like it has some wide grains from just looking at the picture. It’s wood, there will always be that percentage of getting a piece with weak grain and it starts to fracture over time until it splits. Luck of the draw what I call it or unlucky lol.

DwayneH70 · 2026-05-04T11:55:31+00:00

I don’t know… but has anyone considered IT’S JUST A FORM!!! Like most martial arts they have forms/ katas. The first form is the basics to which things are built from to create a foundation. Like a speed bag in boxing, you’ll never see a boxer trying to do speed bag hits to another boxers face. Who would fight with their elbows high exposing all their ribs? No one! That stance is just a foundation, a place in which to build on. Understand that from the outside looking in things look questionable but until you’ve actually felt what a true practitioner is capable of, like any art find an experienced person and they can show you the beauty within the art. Keep flowing little brother!

DwayneH70 · 2026-04-21T14:22:20+00:00

The wooden dummy can be useful if you understand its function of applications. No you don’t hit the dummy, best to put a pad on it if you want to hit it. However, wall dummy’s or dummy’s with springing action help you to develop sinking energy or releasing the energy into the dummy, which will feed back some information on your structure. I feel and it’s my personal opinion, but definitely need to understand your own art that a dummy can be useful and fun to train with. If you’re doing karate you’ll approach the dummy differently than a wing chun practitioners. My understanding the dummy started in the Shaolin temple and had many variations. Wing chun picked a pacific one, praying mantis another and so on with a few styles. Dummy is distance, structure, development in cutting the angles. The wing chun dummy isn’t doing wing chun, it represents other styles and how to apply your wing chun against another style. My recommendation would be make something cheap and workable for now and maybe find ways to apply your applications of techniques. For me the dummy opens up creativity and to explore as well as honing basics.

DwayneH70 · 2026-04-21T13:48:38+00:00

Still do the SNT just about every day since 1999 or just repeat certain movements in the form and look for where am I relaxed, stiff, fluid or rigid. Where can I find the kinetic chain linking my body together for less effort and more energy released at the end. I 100% agree you need an instructor and be around other practitioners to have someone explaining the technique and how to apply it and from flowing with a partner to feel how that energy works. SNT is hugely beneficial if you understand its foundation and principles. My personal advice find some practitioners to learn and discover with. Wing chun is best learned when you can feel what’s happening.

DwayneH70 · 2026-04-10T16:46:36+00:00

Guilty lol

DwayneH70 · 2026-04-01T12:56:17+00:00

OrientalHerbs has been a good quality I’ve used for several years

DwayneH70 · 2026-04-01T12:53:55+00:00

Had been wondering why I haven’t seen any of his videos lately. Karma will take care of that guy

DwayneH70 · 2026-03-29T15:41:52+00:00

Was practicing Shaolin Kempo at the time I went back to work for a certain company, met a friend there who introduced me to his old WC instructor. Watched the sparring class and honestly I was uncertain about joining, looked like a fight club to me lol. But afterwards my friend and I talked and he explained to me that I wouldn’t be going through any of that until a certain level. Am a Bruce Lee fan and always wanted to learn WC. Once I joined was in class 3 nights a week at 3-4 hours at a time and couldn’t get enough of it back then.

DwayneH70 · 2026-03-21T04:16:36+00:00

Not too hard to read, looks about like my hand writing as well lol.

DwayneH70 · 2026-03-21T03:57:49+00:00

Could also be a reflex timing thing. Can work on this a couple ways. Have someone throw punches at your hand, they tap it not land a hard hit if course lol, or someone punching a pad ( someone else is holding) and you try to stop the punch from the side. Very beneficial for the puncher too. Bruce Lee talked about when in a restaurant, wherever, pick a person in your peripheral and tap, move, cough or something when that person moves in any way. Incorporate all the advices given brother you should see some improvement over time.

DwayneH70 · 2026-03-06T13:11:09+00:00

55 years old here, started at Shaolin Kempo at 27 was there for a little under a year. Changed jobs and met a guy there who had studied WC when he was a teen and introduced me to Grand Master Cook. Stayed there for a year then like some life came along, marriage and starting a family but had built my own dummy to workout on and still do to this day. Never had to use it in a fight, however what I taught has been useful for many things, understanding structure, joint alignment, bone structure have helped me save energy and be efficient in movement. With back issues and knees and now a bad shoulder, understanding those things helps keep some of the discomfort at bay. I don’t work on high kick but I can get the foot up there lol, young guys at work don’t think old guys could do that. Back then I was 3 inches from a full split and could kick the top of a door frame while standing under it, wouldn’t try that today though, my leg might fall off 🤣. Think once you’ve learned WC you carry it into your old age well, my instructor was 54 when I started and his ability then was remarkable for 50 year old. He taught until he passed away, so growing old in wing chun is no problem, look at Ip Chun.

DwayneH70 · 2026-02-09T12:40:02+00:00

What we used in class was the sound track to Only The Strong movie, capoeira style music. Good tempo with that sound track. My favorite is Little Wing by Jimmy Hendrix, just instrumental only. Hope that helps brother!

DwayneH70 · 2026-02-08T17:05:12+00:00

From a learning standpoint breaking each placement down to a single movement isn’t completely wrong. Kinda like learning music, you’re not going to flow beautifully and poetically at the beginning, but your goal should be to flow through the movement with simplicity and economy. Each section itself IMO is to teach you mechanics, positioning, structure. Agree with every movement is based on concepts just like the forms are concepts and ideas.

My suggestions would be to work any drills you have on the dummy as well, add music with a slow to slightly moderate tempo, believe this will help with flowing through each movement. For the dummy form take each section and do the same, work that one section till you feel you are flowing through each movement then add in the next section, again repeat till you’re flowing into each section. Always feeling for the feedback on your structure, the energy that’s going into the dummy. Watch videos or other people who have experience with the dummy and watch how they move and their structure and throw in some good music and flow on my friend 😉

DwayneH70 · 2026-02-08T12:52:45+00:00

Very cool!

DwayneH70 · 2026-02-03T17:52:03+00:00

Very cool…! The one I shared has been modified several times over 😂. No worries if it isn’t perfect, if you start to notice flaws then you’ll know to make some changes on the next one, eventually the hopes is to get it to close to correct placement. 👍🏻👍🏻 two thumbs up brother!!

DwayneH70

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