There are many styles of Martial Arts, and many styles of Kung Fu,. Wing Chun is a style of Kung Fu, and can be compared similar to Tai Chi and Qi Gung. The learning of an internal style of martial art is different to what we would say is an external style.
An external style, think boxing or karate, will rely upon the physical strength of the person. In these styles, often physical fitness is built into the curriculum. The start of the class will involve push-ups, sit-up, and excersizes to increase strength.
An internal style will not rely upon your physical size, strength, flexibility, age, or sex. When you are learning an internal style, you are developing your own body "inside", learning a new way to move your arms that is surprisingly very powerful. It is the self discovery of your own body, to feel how it connects together to better utilise it, and using your mind's focus to direct it.
Wing Chun Kung Fu trains the internal workings of the body by training the forms, and chi sau. The start of a Wing Chun class should be doing the forms, a kind of standing mediation. The emphasis is on not using muscle, being relaxed and concentrating, therefore there is no fitness component. It is not neccessary for learning Wing Chun, and can be counter productive. Without spending half the class doing fitness and flexibility, it leaves a lot of time for the real learning of the art.
Wing Chun teaches you a skill that becomes second nature which connects your body and mind.
