SiFu Duncans Thoughts.

You must think, ponder, and analyze, this is a very good thing. I encourage all Wing Chun students not to just do things by rote or because someone tells them, but to genuinely consider what it is they are attempting to achieve. Whether or not you understand everything correctly at first is not so important. The intention is what counts, and what will carry you forward in the development of your martial art.
 
 Every Wing Chun student has an individual motivation for learning the system. There are Wing Chun practitioners whose interest is not necessarily the same as yours or mine, i.e., fighting. For example, some learn Wing Chun because they are interested in it as an art form or a cultural expression. These people may make good teachers, but are not necessarily good fighters. In any event, their emphasis will be different than someone who wants to concentrate on combat.
 
 Now let me address what I consider the heart of the analysis:
 
 I would say that the paramount element in any martial art, in the hierarchy of values, as you express it, are the principles and theories of the style, which in this case is Wing Chun kung fu. Next in importance would be the application of those principles and theories to the techniques.
 
 After this would come the application of the concept behind each individual technique. This encompasses the application of timing and distance; a technqiue will not function effectively if these are off.
 
 Power training could be defined as the ability to accomplish a fighting task or technique, to make something happen. This is partially physical strength and partially coordination. When I use the word "coordination" in this context, I am not speaking of mere reflexes or dexterity, such as the ability to juggle three balls in the air or hide an Ace up your sleave. I refer to the use of the principles of physics, including leverage. For example, I want to pull your arm in a certain direction. By using mere physical strength - the muscular strenth of one arm - to drag it, I may or may not be successful in accomplishing my purpose. But, if I use my entire body - arm, both shoulders, hips, the horse simultaneously - plus jerking your arm, this is much more powerful.
 
 The use of imagination is highly important. Wing Chun, in comparison with other martial arts, is very abstract and, in some ways, cerebral. Other systems might teach a student to execute a gross physical motion, such as a punch or a kick. In good Wing Chun training, we employ pre-visualization - imagining a situation in advance - so that the body reactions are already prepared. By training in your mind, you are pre-conditioning the reflexes. It is not an accident that the initial requirement of the First Form is named 'Little Imaginations'.
 
 Body-strengthening and weight-training do have value. The difference is that in Wing Chun we focus not on strengthening the short muscles, which - after cessation of training - rapidly run to fat as is obvious from observing Western bodybuilders and athletes. We train what in Chinese are called the long muscles, which may correspond in English to the tendons and ligaments. I, personally, have not trained since 1959, yet I still have very strong long muscles. Eventually, they do lose strength without training, but at a much slower rate than the so-called short muscles.
 
 I do not agree that good health habits are unimportant in terms of fighting ability. A healthy lifestyle and body will certainly augment one's combat effectiveness. Yes, technique and mental conditioning can enable one to overcome stronger, larger, faster opponents, depending upon what they know and have the ability to apply. However, all things being equal, health is an attribute. Individuals may choose to engage in habits not conducive to health, but this choice would affect their ability. Speaking for myself, I freely admit that I would be a better fighter today had I chosen, for example, to maintain my physical training or refrained from smoking. Just because this was not my priority does not mean that it has not had its effect.
 
 I will share a event that totally altered my attitude in martial arts. When I became Yip Man's private student, the first thing he asked me was whether or not I believed what he would teach me was true. Automatically, I replied "of course". He responded to the effect that "then you will not succeed". He proceeded to explain that it was vitally important for me to prove to myself that what he was teaching me was workable and effective. It was essential for me to thoroughly understand it and be able to use it. In martial arts as in life, most people are followers and need someone in authority to tell them what to do. They want the sifu to direct them without the requirement of independent thought on their part. Why? Simply because it's easier to have someone else think for you. On the other hand, this is not nearly as valuable, and not nearly as personally satisfying.
 
  
These days, the term "centerline" is much misused. In Wing Chun, the centerline constitutes the shortest distance between two points, between the opponents. Since the fighters are shifting their positions, the centerline is always evolving, constantly changing. It, therefore, follows that one cannot destroy a centerline because it's always a new centerline.
 
 Regarding strategy, I would suggest that there is much more to it. In attacking before the opponent makes his move, you are committing yourself. This invariably leaves parts of the body open to counter-attack. In doing so, you are walking into the opponent's set up instead of the other way around. The best Wing Chun strategy involves the use of your body language to entice him into reacting in a certain manner that serves your purpose. In Western boxing they employ feint and deception. In Wing Chun we, perhaps, intentionally leave an area of the body exposed because we want our opponent to attack that area. Or, I convince you that I am going to punch you in order to get you to react to that belief when, in reality, my intention is to kick you.
 
 I hope some of this is useful and stimulates further thinking on everyones part.