[...formless...]

These past few weeks I have been preparing to test my proficiency in one of the 12 techniques or San Sik of my lineage. This got me to wondering about what methods other schools and teachers use for testing a students ability? I know there aren't any belts in WC, but many larger schools have designated skill levels and I was just curious as to how one progresses through the art to the various levels.

At my first school, they had 3 levels (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) and each of these levels was broken down into various sessions. Once you demonstrated proficiency in the skills that made up a given session, you were advanced at the discretion of the head instructor or Sifu. At my current school things are quite different. For one, in this lineage there is no SLT for the beginning level students and everyone starts with the San Sik as I've mentioned. We get tested for each individual technique and the tests are broken down into 4 sections as follows...

a) High Reps - you must perform 1000 reps of the technique you are testing for. This demonstrates (and builds) muscle memory and an ability to perform the technique w/o expending too much energy. Unless you're soft and relaxed to a certain degree, pulling off 1000 reps of a technique CORRECTLY is going to be intensely difficult. I say correctly because if you reach 800 reps but start compromising your technique because you're already too tired it doesn't count. 800 good chain punches followed up with 200 shitty ones because you're too tired simply won't do.

b) Verbal explanation - Here you explain the technique along with at least 2 examples of different applications.

c) Sparring - The sparring test criteria varies somewhat for each technique but the general principle is the same for each: Apply your skills against a fellow student or instructor who is actually trying to hit/avoid you. For example, to pass the chain punching test you must be able to successfully land 6/10 attempts against your opponent who will actively try to block, avoid and counter you.

d) Fitness - Again, this varies depending on your current level but usually involves fingertip pushups and/or other high rep exercises such as rapid kicks, crab walk, one-legged squats etc. if I'm not mistaken. For me, I will have to do 10 fingertip pushups. Next time I'll probably have to do them with one arm and then start taking away fingers etc. In fact, since I can already do 10 fingertip pushups with relative ease I will probably be forced to attempt one-armed ones for my first test..hopefully I won't have to do that just yet. Fingertip pushups are a big part of the beginning level training for developing serious grip and forearm strength, a definate plus for any serious Wing Chunner. The final goal is one-armed, one-finger pushups which is currently something I can barely fathom!

So then, what methods if any does your school use to determine skill and advance you to new levels?

[zefff]

We have levels but they are informal amoungst students and only sifu is really aware of who is where. All students but especially the higher sihing are reluctant to tell what level they are because sidai will always look to clobber them in sparring! Its most funny when chum kiu students move onto bil jee - they dont say a word!...and its only after some sparring where you notice a difference in a persons demeanor and technique that it clicks and you realise they have been learning some new shit behind your back!

I finally had a grading for level 1 not so long ago. It went like this: I was never told it would be coming up. I just turned up one day and was taken off away from the class after warmup. 1st form. Perform technique. Answer the why's of technique etc. Then I had to fight 4 armoured students, one at a time then two at a time over 3 min rounds incorporating technique from the form.

I past my first ever grading, Hurray!!!! but I never told anyone who wasnt there that day In our school it seems that sifu thinks the student is ready when he notices the student continually wanting to punchup his senior students and getting somewhere!