The Wing Chun Compendium, Volume One
by Wayne Belonoha
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Book Summary Information
Author: Wayne BelonohaEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-12-15
ISBN: 1583941290
Number of pages: 528
Publisher: Blue Snake Books
Book Reviews of The Wing Chun Compendium, Volume One
Book Review: As good as it gets.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been formally training in Wing Chun for about 8 years, and have been interested in it for 17 years. There might be better Wing Chun books out there, but I haven't seen them (and I've probably seen 'em all).
Keep in mind, you can't learn this stuff from a book. It doesn't matter who wrote it, how many pictures & diagrams it has, or what the cover says - you need to take real lessons from a real (qualified) instructor and practice with real people. That being said, this 2-volume set is as useful as a (martial arts) book can be.
The books detail all 6 forms of the Wing Chun system (3 empty hand forms, the wooden dummy, and the pole & knife forms) through photographs of each position of each movement in every form. And each movement/position is further described in terms of what the movement/position means - what the principle behind it is, and an example of application. Most books don't do that...at least not at the same level as Belonoha's, and that right there is worth the price of admission.
There's also extensive material in these volumes regarding the theory of Wing Chun; things like the centerline, simplicity, efficiency of movement, and so forth. And these aren't just glanced over - Belonoha explains exactly what he's talking about in concise language.
But wait, theres more! Belonoha also delivers a heaping helping of the cultural context and philosophy which so heavily influenced the development of Wing Chun's theory, principles, and techniques.
We also get a lot of good advice from the author on how to learn, how to practice, and the finer points of Wing Chun that aren't necessarily in the form - the sorts of little tips & tricks-of-the-trade I expect he tells his students. If he had just done a page or two on this sort of thing, that would've been good, but Belonoha seems to have virtually spilled his guts and tried to put as much of this kind of thing in his books as he could.
There are lots of Wing Chun books out there, and there's not many I would recommend. Now, I'm no master, I'm just a guy who goes to class for a few hours a week, but I have been doing this long enough that, even though I'm no master, I am able to discern good Wing Chun from bad Wing Chun, and this is good Wing Chun. Belonoha really does know his stuff, and he knows it well. There's no shortage of fraudulent, self-described "masters" and "sifus" out there writing books who aren't qualified to teach this material, & even if they were qualified, they couldn't write their way out of a paper bag. Belonoha is not one of those - he's one of the good guys and his books obviously reflect a deep level of understanding of Wing Chun, as well as many years of teaching and figuring out the best way to teach it.
So why buy these books? If you can't learn a martial art from a book, why buy them?
Here's why I got them: I already have the basic understanding, but it's an understanding of Wing Chun that I got from my instructors. Every school does things a little bit differently, and for me, getting these books was like spending some time at a different school. Most of the stuff in here I already knew, but there were a few things that I didn't know, and I enjoy learning how different schools do things - it's novel, & novelty is fun. And a good reference.
So these books are great for longtime practitioners, but what about newbies? Yes. Get them. If you're just starting out, reading these books will, if nothing else, help reinforce what you're learning in class. Yeah, you really do have to learn from a real person in order to learn how to do this stuff right, but if you do Wing Chun AND you read (good) books about Wing Chun, you're that much farther ahead, right?
What about people who've never taken a martial art, but are considering it, and are doing research? Yes. Belonoha's book is clear & concise enough you'll have a pretty clear idea as to what Wing Chun is, & what it is not.
What about those who'd like to learn Wing Chun, but don't have access to a school? Again, you need to feel this stuff to learn it correctly, so don't expect to get these books, play with your friends in the backyard, and learn Wing Chun correctly. That being said, there was a time when I didn't have access to a school, and didn't have any training in anything. I would've bought these books anyway, because it's interesting. There's so much information in these volumes, & it's presented so well that if I had seen these when I was a teenager, I would've been completely engrossed & pored over every page. They're just good books.
Summary of The Wing Chun Compendium, Volume One
The Wing Chun Compendium explains the theory of wing chun from a technical, lifestyle, and philosophical perspective. Written by Wayne Belonoha?a certified Ving Tsun Instructor and National Certified Coach, 7th Level, Master Degree?the compendium offers hundreds of tips and techniques specifically designed to help readers advance to the next stage. The Wing Chun Compendium is divided into eight sections, including Theory, Techniques, Drills, Chi Sau (Sticky Hands), Forms, Pressure Points, Health and Fitness, and Terminology.Students of all levels will find tips for improving technique and gaining benefits from the book's instruction in over 20 of the top skill-building drills and exercises, such as the Maai Sang Jong and Bong Guek (Sticky Legs) drills. Covering all three hand forms (Siu Nim Tau, Cham Kiu, and Biu Ji), it also provides a detailed examination of each movement and application and features an extensive terminology section that includes the Chinese characters and both Cantonese and Mandarin pronunciations for over 200 of the most common wing chun terms. The compendium concludes with Grandmaster Sunny Tang's special article, "Reflections of Siu Nim Tau After 30 Years."
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