There’s a traditional Wing Chun saying that doesn’t get nearly enough attention:
“When using the fist, don’t stand on ceremony.”
It’s short.
It’s sharp.
And it might be one of the most important truths in all of martial arts.
Let’s break it down.
At first glance, it sounds like something poetic passed down through the generations—one of those old martial proverbs you hear but don’t always fully digest.
But look
closer, and it hits harder than most modern advice:
It means exactly what it says.
When it’s time to fight, cut the nonsense.
Stop playing the role.
Stop clinging to tradition for comfort.
Stop performing.
The fight doesn’t care about your rituals, titles, or who your teacher’s teacher’s teacher was. It doesn’t pause to acknowledge your stance or the depth of your bow. It only asks one question:
Can you function under pressure?
Respect Still Matters—Just Not More Than Survival
Let’s be clear. I teach my students to respect tradition. I run a school with lineage, structure, and order.
But we never confuse respect with reverence for empty gestures.
We bow because we value the space and each other.
We train hard because we’re preparing for something real.
But when it’s time to strike—we strike.
This is why that saying hits home:
“When using the fist, don’t stand on ceremony.”
It’s not a rejection of discipline—it’s a rejection of distraction.
It’s not anti-tradition—it’s anti-illusion.
The Problem with Pretend Kung Fu
Let’s be honest—too many martial arts schools have become temples of pretend.
Instructors who care more about looking the part than living the role.
Students who recite forms but can’t function under pressure.
Lineages that praise their history but fear a little resistance.
They cling to rigid formality because it makes them feel safe.
But tradition without pressure testing is just a costume party.
And a punch doesn’t care how long your lineage is—it only cares how well you can deliver force to a target.
How We Approach It at Academy of Ving Tsun Kung Fu
We bow, but we also train.
We respect our past, but we don’t worship it.
And when it’s time to throw hands, we throw them without hesitation.
Because Ving Tsun isn’t about posturing.
It’s about function.
It’s about control under chaos.
It’s about pressure-tested clarity.
And the moment you fall back on ceremony when you should be moving, striking, or controlling—you’ve already lost.
Tradition Should Sharpen You—Not Slow You Down
I’ll say this bluntly:
Tradition is valuable—but only when it enhances your ability to act.
The second it becomes a crutch or an excuse, it stops serving you.
And if you train in a system where questions are met with riddles, or pressure is avoided in the name of purity—you’re not training for reality.
You’re training to be in a club.
Not a fight.
Final Thoughts
So when I say, “When using the fist, don’t stand on ceremony,” I mean:
When it’s time to be decisive, don’t perform—produce.
When it’s time to defend yourself or someone you love, don’t bow—act.
The fist doesn’t need a title.
The elbow doesn’t need permission.
The knee doesn’t need a ceremony.
It just needs to know what it’s there to do.
And so do you.
Train for truth. Not tradition.
About the Author
Dale Steigerwald is a lifelong martial artist, coach, and founder of the Academy of Ving Tsun Kung Fu in New Brighton, PA. With over two decades of experience teaching real-world self-defense and helping students unlock both physical and personal growth, Dale blends traditional martial arts wisdom with modern science and leadership principles. His mission is simple: Build strong people—inside and out.