How long does it take to be able to effectively use Wing Chun for self defense?

I'm just starting to learn and will take 2 (1.5 hour) group classes a week and 1 (1-hour) private a week. I learn pretty quickly and study at home as well. I've trained in 7-animal style kung fu and tae kwon do, but Wing Chun is quite different so I'm not sure about the learning curve. Please, only Wing Chun practitioners. Thank you!

How long does it take to be able to effectively use Wing Chun for self defense?
Generally, you should be able to combat most anyone on the street within a few months -- though it may be faster. I've seen someone that had only been training for three months hold his own against someone else from another style that had much more training time put in.





Depending on who/what you'd be defending against, the time frame can shift but if you have a particular concern I'd advise speaking to your Sifu about it. Just as the answerer above me stated, Wing Chun has a lot to offer and I'm sure there's an answer for your situation if you have one.





I would imagine that since you've trained in 7 animal prior to Wing Chun, you should pick it up fairly quickly as Wing Chun was based off of the original 5 animal kung fu.





Good luck and practice your Sui Lim Tao every day!





I'd also be curious to know where you're training...I know the odds are slim, but maybe we'd see each other.
Reply:The people I knew who took Wing Chun were far more advanced already, so I'm not 100% sure. But, as they described it, it was a relatively quick form of Kung Fu to learn, due to the training style (wall bags and stuff bring about a level of effeciency pretty quickly) and short number of forms. 3.


If it's anything like Karate though, if you get into a fight in the next 5 or 6 months, I'd just go with how you'd normally fight, and not necessarily try to use the techniques. Techniques take repetition to become effective.
Reply:Hi,





This seems like a decent amount of time to dedicate to learning the style assuming that you have a good teacher.





It will depend on exactly what you mean by how long will it take to be able to use it to defend yourself, realistically if you want to get street ready fast concentrate on the basic techniques like pak, garn and bil, with these you can pretty much deal with any conceivable strike, then combine foot work with this and some decent punches and you're ready. Really everything from then on is just gravy.





Good luck with your training dude, and enjoy as Wing Chun has a hell of a lot to offer and you should never really get bored with it.





Where do you train if you don't mind me asking?
Reply:hi
Reply:Wing Chun is designed to be picked up quickly. With a proper teacher it should take about a year to LEARN the 3 forms and 108 wooden dummy drills (book smart). To master them naturally takes alot longer... Sensitivity is the core of Wing Chun and that must be given time to cultivate and to really become second nature. Overall Wing Chun's fundamentals are very simple- it is the sensitivity training that make it shine. This is where you get in the blindfolded Chi sao and the like- training with a partner is VERY beneficial in Wing Chun. The point of the style is to teach you to react before you think by feel and not sight. That takes a little time to master in totality. Good luck with your study.
Reply:I studied it, and several teachers said it can be learned in about a year. Yes, a good pupil can master Wing Chun in a year, but it takes 15 years to learn just the basics of Tibetian Pak Hak Pai. It is quite simple and efficient. Bruce Lee originally studied it and said it was the best style, but he wanted to add flowery moves for movies. It was invented by a woman-Ng Mui, a Shaolin nun. Now, I have a question for you. You mention 7 animal style. Shaolin martial arts have 5 orthodox animals. There are some unorthodox ones too. Which do you mean? There is an esoteric 5 Venoms style, but it is hard to find anyone to teach it. Wu Shu means martial arts in Chinese. Kung Fu means literally Work Master. It can be applied to any field. I studied Chinese and Japanese languages as well as martial arts of these lands plus Korea and Tibet.
Reply:You already seem to have a foundation in other arts.





Never give or ask a timeframe for something like this. Don't be in a hurry.





I have never heard of the 7 Animal Style. Who teaches this?





As for the person who mentioned 5 Venom? Hmmm... is this based on the movie? What sources do you have to back this? I'm just curious.
Reply:I believe it's common knowlege in the kung fu community that Wing Chun is a faster road to self defense than most, if not all other kung fu styles. Quite possibly all other martial arts as well. Ultimately though, it depends heavily on your personal training dilligence..of course. Very soon after i started learning WC (3 or 4 months) my sifu had me spar against a sihing in our class. He pretty much kicked my butt..but i left the kwoon feeling like i could mop the floor with an average guy on the street who didn't know WC. It's an art that just makes so much sense when thinking in terms of kinesiology and and the possible speed in application one could achieve with persistant study. So, to answer your question in brief terms.. I would dare to say that if you earnestly applied yourself to learning Wing Chun for as little as six months, you would be well prepared to take on the average "joe" on the street.