Gerk Jong

Gerk-Jong is the kicking dummy. It is a three poled dummy whose poles stick out at 30 degree angles to each other, embedded in the ground. The Jong is used to train multidirectional attacks and blocks, as well as hip and leg strength and leg toughness in both the attacking and pole leg. The Jong was originally 6 poles in the shape of a plum blossom flower (Mei Hoa Jong). First level Jong training involves the basic kick pattern (this is the most important part of the training on the Jong). It trains the arch (sweep kick), the foot edge (knee kick), and the bottom of the foot (side kick). Level two training involves leg toughening (you should be using Dit Da Jow at this point in the training). One or all of the Jong posts may be used. There is no set sequence for the leg toughening – you're hitting your leg into hard wood with every position that you know using Tan Gerk, Bong Gerk, Jeet Gerk, Waang Gerk, Fook Gerk, Huen Bo, Kau Bo.

Another high-level training level in Wing-Chun is to practice footwork and Chi-Sao while mobilizing on the top of a five-post dummy (bricks or rice bowls are just as good, because it doesn’t hurt to fall off). This trains balancing and attacking into the center, as well as proper placement of the feet. Once this is mastered, a nine-post dummy is used and random Chi-Sao is done on top of the nine so the practitioners have the ability to move around.

Traditionally, the posts were buried in the ground and stabilized with rocks so that when they were kicked there was at first something solid. It would move like the leg of a real opponent. The poles can range from 3-6 feet apart depending on preference. About one third to one half was buried in the ground before rocks were added to the holes. The importance of post training is that it controls where the practitioner puts the leg down. They must remain soft and non-committal with their energy and they must lift the legs when they move continuously.

Most of Wing-Chun training up to this period, the practitioner is encouraged to keep the legs close to the ground level. This is to ensure that the horse, legs, and hips are trained to sink and stay low to avoid being swept, intercepted, disrupted, or uprooted while mobilizing and executing the Wing-Chun techniques.