Elbow Force.
The skill Grandmaster Ip Man always emphasised. The Elbow Force can be used with any technique in Wing Chun — difficult to describe, unmistakable when felt.
At the time when I followed Grandmaster Ip Man in learning Wing Chun, Ip always emphasised the importance of the Elbow Force. Those Wing Chun followers who were personally taught by Ip will have heard and seen his explanations and demonstrations of its purpose. Those who have not fully understood it only concentrate on its use with Tan Sau and Bong Sau, and neglect the fact that the Elbow Force can be used with any technique in Wing Chun.
During all the years of seminars I have given around the world, I always demonstrated the skill of the Elbow Force. The most remarkable was in 1986 in Adelaide, when I demonstrated the Wing Chun stance on one leg. At that time I was pushed by three westerners from the same direction while standing on one leg, and my stance was not affected by their pushing. Again, on the 5th of November 1999 at the 1st World Ving Tsun Conference, two heavy foreigners joined together to push towards me; this time I stood on a scale, and as I transferred their force it showed that I was about a hundred pounds heavier.
Another time, on the 12th of June 1994, I had a seminar in Holland. I used the Elbow Force in a Chum Kiu technique and overpowered a young man of huge physical build. This display obtained the shouts of triumph from everybody present.
Unfortunately, some followers of Wing Chun who do not understand the art deeply enough later criticised the Elbow Force I had demonstrated as acting. This is really laughable.
The skill of the Elbow Force can be described as 'difficult to understand but easy to work on', or 'easy to understand but difficult to work on'. For those who have inquired about it, I can correct them to get the right feeling and the power of the Elbow Force. As long as one can relax the muscle, one can comprehend its profoundness and be surprised by its strange ability. To reach the desired effect, one needs an instructor who understands the skill — and, most importantly, patient and constant training.
The Elbow Force is only one of the skills of this profound Wing Chun system. Each form has its own hidden, skilful techniques. I hope that practitioners will not concentrate only on the application of the movements, but study in depth the unique skills of Wing Chun Kung Fu. Through this, the advanced Wing Chun can be unleashed, and the essence of the art disclosed to the world.