Repetition, even of innocent things MAY be dangerous

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:18 pm

I found a Gary Lam video on this dummy thing. I want one! How do you build it?

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:45 pm

Stryke wrote: Im planning on building a wooden Dummy , would be good for forearm conditioning I think , at practicing grabbing and striking when thers no meat puppets left

WCK is very big on position and entry - essentially fitting in with the opponent..AND aligning the body for power, both arms and legs. The dummy creates lines of immoveable force that the student trains to fit in with. You cannot actually trap the arms of the dummy in the sense of moving them out of the way since they only move a little, much like a very strong sensitive opponent so you have to adapt your body position depending on which line you attack the dummy on..

When I started chi sao I made a small portable flexible soloflex powered single arm mini dummy to train with at home.. Can't do the real Jong moves on it but it let me train alone.. Still have it and use it so many years later..

Conditioning as in most WCK is a by product of correct contact and energy used in all training of specific vectors of energy and position.. For example we would not arm bang in the same way Uechi-ka do because this would train chasing hands, lateral energy and force against force so "banging" is mainly a result of centerline attack obstruction (continuous contact in chi sao or dummy entries).

I am still learning about the dummy and is really what I need to be doing now.. That's why I decided to return to the old Chinatown school despite money problems and do just that..

So in the future perhaps I'll have deeper stuff to share.

BTW: For those who want to try to build one of these... The top arms need not be different heights, the reason they made them that way is because the ends of each of the top arms that fit in the trunk had to have their own holes to use for strength.. I was told that since woodworking has improved since then the original dummy offsetting of the top arms is no longer necessary.

Here's a dummy link:

http://www.wingchun.ca/wingchunwoodendummy.htm

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:41 am

hey Jim , have you come across a set of plans/dimensions for one in your travels ? , it`d be nice rather than trial and error

I`m deffinately making one .

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:04 am

Yup, I have some kind of plans on my puter somewhere..

Just email me:

ny_hawk@hotmail.com

And I will reply with the file attached. so long as I can find it..

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:47 am

Great stuff Jim

there goes my weekend

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:38 am

I'll post the pics later here.. They are pics of drawings with measurements etc..

Later on I'll see if I can find anything else.. There are newer designs etc.. If you can build one of these in a weekend then you must be a master carpenter on speed..

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:43 am

Heh , Been cabinetmaking for almost 15 years

Never a woodbutcher though , ahh to be a carpenter ....

Dunno about the speed though ... might have a few beers when i`m done though ... maybe a few weeks

thanks Jim !!

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:08 pm

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:11 pm

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:16 pm

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:28 pm

This is the older style design with the staggered top arms..

The leg in this drawing looks a little thin to me.. Most of the jong's I've used have had a thicker leg and normally the bend at the 'knee' in the leg is smooth not pointed..

Note that there should be some play in the joints of the arms and leg.. Not a lot though maybe like 1/4 - 3/8th inch of play at the ENDS of the arms and leg.. When in use it should make the familiar clunking sounds..

Also Note that the entire Jong is suspended from the supports by flexible cross beams so that the jong moves backward and forward when force is applied, but again not much like 3 inches max under load..

Rick Wilson · Post by **Rick Wilson** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:28 am

Marcus: Emailed some pics to you on the wooden dummy.

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:34 am

Thanks so much guys , This is going to be fun !!!

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:45 am

Yeah i think i`ll make that leg a bit stronger Jim and round it

Now I just got to source some wood hard and durable enough ....