Wing Chun or Muay Thai

[Frustrated]

I have been looking for a new school for awhile now and have narrowed done the field to a TBA Muay Thai school and Wing Chun school. What do you guys suggest I take. One thing that I love to do is spar. The Thai school has an applications class every thurs. where they spar. However the Wing Chun school spars "all the time" according to the school owner(over the phone) they also have a fight night once a month and invite other chinese MA Schools to come.
I am interested in learning aspects of the clinch. I know Thai does a lot of clinching, does Wing Chun? I have attended a trial class in the Muay Thai and am planning to attend a Wing Chun trial class next week. I want to find a home for my training. Which style is better for longeivity?

[c0bra]

well wing chun and muay thai have nothing alike. muay thai is for competitions/kickboxing, takes tons of conditioning and is generally hard on the body. muay thai is what you want to do if your interested in being a kickboxer.

wing chun on the other hand is a traditional martial art, not really one youd see in kickboxing. and i dont think theres any clinching in wing chun.

if i was wrong on anything just correct me

[Tjang]

Dear Frustrated,

I have an idea, but perhaps not everybody agrees to my idea. It is better you study both of them, but take them one by one (not two at the same time). Why? If you know more styles, you are richer in knowledge and experience. You will be more complete.

The problem is which one do you study first? I am not sure. If your Wing Chun teacher is very strict and will be disappointed to see that you have learned something else in advance, you had better start with Wing Chun, and vice versa.

Just imagine, after you study Wing Chun style for some time (3 years, perhaps) then you study Muay Thai, you have the advantage of having W.C. style that may scarcely be used against your Muay Thai sparring partner (especially when you are cornered). He will be somewhat surprised as he is not accustomed to this particular trick. And, once again, vice versa.

What do you think?

[swagman]

Learning

from a number of different sources is important. WC and Muay Thai, operate differently, and generally are effective at different ranges. However they do compliment each other extremely well. The club I train with trains with JKD principles in mind and we train in Muay Thai, WC, and kali weapons systems. In the same hall we also have a BJJ club and we cross train there also.

When I become experienced enough to spot the flaws in what we do, then I will look for a system that will fill those gaps in my training.

IMHO you should interview the instructors and watch some classes, then pick the club and instructor that you are most comfortable with. Its very important that you can communicate well with your instructor, and that you respect them enough to listen to them. Then train hard and often, learn your craft well, when you feel that you want to fill in the gaps in your knowledge and technique, then go and learn the other style. You can learn a lot from either WC or Muay Thay.

So basically, Im saying that its your choice! (I didnt really answer the question then did I ? )

[Thai Bri]

Originally posted by Tjang
Dear Frustrated,

I have an idea, but perhaps not everybody agrees to my idea. It is better you study both of them, but take them one by one (not two at the same time). Why? If you know more styles, you are richer in knowledge and experience. You will be more complete.

The problem is which one do you study first? I am not sure. If your Wing Chun teacher is very strict and will be disappointed to see that you have learned something else in advance, you had better start with Wing Chun, and vice versa.

Just imagine, after you study Wing Chun style for some time (3 years, perhaps) then you study Muay Thai, you have the advantage of having W.C. style that may scarcely be used against your Muay Thai sparring partner (especially when you are cornered). He will be somewhat surprised as he is not accustomed to this particular trick. And, once again, vice versa.

What do you think?

I think that he will have wasted three years.

Learn Thai and combine it with a Grappling style, like Judo or Brazillian Jiu Jitsu. Both are sports, but they have a very real overlap with reality for the streets.

If you want to develop some Wing Chun skills you can always play patta-cake with te kids at the local infants school.

[Frustrated]

Thanks Guys. I have gone and checked out the thai school and really liked what I saw. I am going to try a WC class next week.
When I spoke with WC instructor we talked about previous training he is familiar with the styles that I have trained in and a couple of the instructors he knows personally. He was a former boxer turned WC stylus. So he seems open to other styles. He said that the WC knees and elbows can be superior to MT and that some of the lower leg kicks can be eqaul or as powerfull. Through all of my research I did not think this to be true however I have never trained in WC( except for what we touched on in JKD)
My other concern is that I might have to have hernia surgery next year. My Doctor has released me to resume any training but I have to watch the hernia. With what I have seen in the MT class the training is pretty all out kicking ....etc... and I feel this may aggravate my condition. I do not want to have to stop training for another extended time. If I trained in WC I feel that I could still learn and take classes while recovering by doing dummy drills etc..I do not Know for sure. If this were to happen and I had to take it easy for awhile . Which style would I be able to pursue with a moderate workout regimen?

[Thai Bri]

Thats hard re the hernia. Perhaps the Thai class will let you work upper body only until your health is better?

As for WC elbows and knees being better than Thai? I really do NOT think so. One of the main reasons that That stands above the rest of the striking arts out there IS their elbow and knee techniques.

[sercuerdas]

wc elbows are very effective and maybe equal to mt, but i don't beleive wc knees compare with mt.

[Kakarot71]

I think muay thai sucks.
the only thing muay thai fighters have ever proved to me is that they are all mouth. Knee this, elbow that, blah blah blah! In my experience, muay thai is only effective against muay thai and boxing. (no offence). Trust me, Fustrated, Stick with wing chun.
Study muay thai if you want to learn to dance with the Rockets on broadway.

[Thai Bri]

Thats one of the biggest loads of horse shit ever posted on the entire net.

[Frustrated]

Why do you say that Thai sucks? What in your opinion does Wing Chun have that is superior?

[millie]

reply

take up tai chi or qigung or yoga and balance the hard systems

[krys]

take up tai chi or qigung or yoga and balance the hard systems

Wing Chun isn't really a hard system, I rather see it as an internal system.
The first form is good a qiqung exercise.

[Maxetai]

Frustrated,
Because of you recent Hernia operation, perhaps Wing Chun is more appropriate for you at this time, unless you are allowed to "simply Box"use elbows and some knees at the ThaiBoxing Club as as Thai Bri mainly suggested.
There is no way that Wing Chun's elbows are superior to ThaiBoxings or the Knees and kicks for that matter. Granted that in Wing Chun you deliver the kicks from different angles and it's good to learn both in the long run. But in no way are the Wing Chun strikes more powerful.

[Frustrated]

Thanks guys! I am still doing my homework until Jan. I will make my decision then if I can train(shin injury)