Who Am I?

Hi my name’s Tim Halloran and I’ve been training in Wing Chun Kung Fu since 1993. I originally started training under Sifu Colin Ward, who is a student of Grandmaster Ip Chun. Much later,(over 20 years later), I found another Wing Chun teacher, Daniel Parr, who teaches from a different lineage – that of Shu Shong Tin.

This was to be a difficult journey because I already thought I knew Wing Chun pretty well. However, the depths of Wing Chun are vast and I was about to see another level of this fascinating martial art.

The picture below was from my original training days in Leeds, UK with Sifu Colin Ward (in the blue shirt). Next to him is Ip Ching and then Shu Shong Tin, and Samuel Kwok. I recall this meeting when we were visited by these top Sifu’s from Hong Kong. Chu Shong Tin was showing us some softer internal aspects of the system, but I only remember being confused by it at the time.

Internal Wing Chun – Hong Kong

It was during a visit to Hong Kong with the school that I discovered a deeper level to Wing Chun. Even though at the time I didn’t know what was going on. I linked arms with another student, who was overpowering me with soft force. This could have been said to be Internal Wing Chun, in fact. He wouldn’t roll with me in the usual way I was taught Chi Sau – a form of close quarters sparring.

Chi sau is a game where you learn how to use energy and position. You attempt to land a hit on your opponent, without conceding a hit yourself. Or, you unbalance your opponent by attacking their feet, in order to land a hit.

When I began training with Daniel Parr, this event in Hong Kong started to make more sense. I was being overpowered not by strength, but by internal force. This internal force is developed over time through slow (and mindful) practice of Siu Lim Tao.

Siu Lim Tao/ Siu Nim Tao

What is Siu Lim Tao? Siu Lim Tao is the first hand pattern of the Wing Chun system. It translates to “little idea form” or the way of the little idea. Siu Lim Tao can also be called Siu ‘Nim’ Tao too. “Nim” refers to the mind, or intent. The idea is practicing the form with intent, but with no thought – hence “little idea”.

Through regular practice of the first form, you can generate the ability to relax your muscles while moving. This also has the effect of connecting the bodies tissues and unifying the body.

Force Versus Relaxation

Unless you have experienced relaxed force, it would be easy to expect a relaxed arm to be fairly weak. Most people will tense their muscles when trying to move an object, for example. But through the repetition of Siu Nim Tao, you can learn to generate incredible force while relaxed.

This has a three-fold purpose in Wing Chun. For one, you can stay relaxed which means your arms are better at monitoring your opponent while they move. A tensed arm would be less sensitive. The moment you fired your muscles, you begin to lose sensitivity from the contact point with your opponent. So staying relaxed means greater sensitivity. You can also move faster when relaxed too, and generate more power.

While it may seem incredible that you can generate more power through relaxation, this is exactly what is required to generate internal power in Wing Chun.

Testing For Internal Power

One of the best ways to understand Internal Wing Chun power is through testing. During testing, your partner gives you some resistance to the movement. You move your arm against their resistance while maintaining a relaxed body (and mind). When you tense your muscles, or your body, you create a lever which can push you backwards against the resisting force of your partner. But once you master this exercise, you can see for yourself how powerful it is to relax.

Here’s a short video explaining how relaxation connects the mass together, and allows for greater power generation in a simulated punch.

Generating Internal Power With Siu Nim Tao

For years I practiced Siu Lim/Nim Tao but without really “getting” it. It was suggested that some mythical power would eventually come, but it never did! After starting training with a Chu Shong Tin school in Sheffield though, things became clearer. Siu Nim Tao should be practiced every day. Ip Man used to tell his student Chu Shong Tin to keep practicing and eventually he became known as king of Siu Lim Tao by Ip Man.

But it is the intent of the practice that is important, not just the movements. You can practice it over and over and still not get it if you’re in the wrong state of mind. Sifu Daniel Parr explained to me to relax the joints and soften them and release any tension in the body while practicing. “Think up” was also another instruction I hadn’t heard before too. The three commands became my mantras as I re-started my Siu Nim Tao journey: soften the joins, let go of tension, think up. Soften, release, up!

When you’re in a state of “trying”, during practice, you’re mentally tense. If you’re grasping, desperately trying to “get it”, you’re mentally tense. This is why many Sifu’s tell you to relax mentally, in order to understand what you’re trying to achieve with Siu Nim Tao – the first form.

Under duress, or even during testing exercises in classes, you’ll definitely tense your muscles. It takes quite a bit of practice to do the movements without tension. But once you can do it, you’ll see how powerful it can be. The reason Siu Nim Tao practice is so important is because you’re giving yourself the time and space to practice this relaxation of the muscles without any pressure.

In this video Shu Shong Tin explains the evolution of his teaching. Specifically his teaching changed to focus more on relaxation to generate greater force and stronger structure, without using muscular force.