After Chum Kiu Seminar

Later, after the seminar and on my way home (which takes about 2 hours), I had plenty of time to think. Some was about what I had learned in the seminar but most was how impressed I was with the use of the wooden dummy at the seminar. Although it wasn't necessarily a "wooden dummy" seminar, the dummy was used often to help explain things like certain principles in Wing Chun. Some in the seminar, including Don had indicated that people they knew built and sold dummies but most sold for over $1000. At that time (and even now), I just could not afford that so I started looking around and also check the martial art magazines and on-line. I came across a "dummy" that was being sold by P. Holder, who is considered a "Grand Master" by many and who also puts out a lot of Wing Chun videos. It was considered a "half dummy" because the body was not round but basically a 2 by 8" body with the arms and leg (or knee if you want) protruding out the front. The basic difference between it and a regular dummy was the round body. I purchased it for $300 and it was sent to me in about 3 weeks. The package was very heavy but I managed to move it and eventually put it together. I screwed it to a wall so it was stationary and began to practice. I really didnt know anything but I was learning and I enjoyed it anyway. Later, I came to find out that the half-dummy was not considered very good because it did not move the way an actual, full dummy should. The movement and sound it makes is very important to a Wing Chun person as I later found out and the "real" purpose of the dummy is to learn structure and positioning and not to toughen your hands, legs, and arms.