原著：狄仁傑 / 整理：潘釔天
以下整理狄仁傑老師在臉書上的發文，有關他詠春拳的歷程。英文和中文都是狄仁傑老師寫下的，經過老師同意全文貼在我的部落格。中文的部分我僅有稍微修飾。
我花了很多時間戴上手套和高手對打
很多人認為學習木人樁就是詠春拳的目的。
Learning the wooden dummy is often seen as an end point to Wing Chun training.
我在 1988 年已經學了 8 種不同的武術。我學習一招半式有關空手道、少林南和北拳（蔡李彿）、柔術、太極、詠春、散打、跆拳道。最後兩三年在加拿大，我花了很多時間戴上手套和不同的門派、黑帶等級的人對打。
When I came to Taiwan in 1988, I had already studied eight arts: Karate, applied ITF Tao kwon do, Northern , Southern Shaolin , Eagle Claw, Taichi and Wing Chun, and jujitsu. The last two to three years in Canada I had learned the second form of Wing Chun and spent most of my time gloved sparring with Karate, Tao Kwon Do, Shaolin, Phillipino Martial Arts, and Kickboxing, black and colored belts.
我一定要學完木人樁才會離開臺灣
到了台灣，我和師傅從頭開始學詠春拳。我把我的目標貼在牆壁上。我一定要學完木人樁才會離開臺灣。結果發現學完我必須每一個禮拜，花 15 到 20 個小時，超過 3 年才學完包含木人樁的整套詠春拳。
Arriving in Taiwan, I started training under Master Lo and as a goal I put a written plan to finish the wooden dummy on the wall of my small apartment. This ended up taking me more a little over 3 years to complete training 15 to 20 hours a week averaging 6 training times a week.
師傅在 1994 年教我八斬刀
其實學完木人樁，和得到第一、第二甚至第三段黑帶，就算好的開始。一個人在這個時候必須繼續學更多，才會掌握詠春拳的基本功。反正我那個時候就加油（功到自然成）。後來師傅在 1994 年春天教我八斬刀。
In reality finishing the wooden dummy and getting a first or second or even third degree black belt is like learning the basics of a style. At this point in December 1991, I could say it was a good beginning! I kept training and master Lo finally taught me the last double sword movement in the spring of 1994.
學完木人樁僅僅只是一個開始
在 1995 年我開始教學生時，我發現很多學生大部分會一個禮拜來兩次。後來就變成超過一半的學生就是一個禮拜一次。所以很多人學習 6-8 年才會開始學木人樁。
As I began teaching in Spring 1995 I noticed that the average student generally trained two times a week and rarely three times a week. Over the years this changed to over half my students coming one time a week. This lengthened the time it took people to get to the wooden dummy to as long as 6, 7 and even 8 years.
重點是學完木人樁僅僅只是一個開始。他需要 5 到 10 年，才會使用基本功和靈活應用，實際了解怎麼利用小念頭、 尋橋、鏢指、木人樁。
The point is getting there is a good beginning. After finishing the form you still would need 5 to 10 years of of consistent weekly practice to really apply the first 3 forms and the wooden dummy.
很多人到了木人樁就開始減少學習時間
難怪我的師傅有很多學生，花了 13 年才開始學八斬刀。他和我一樣有很多學生都沒有學到這個終點。因為很多人到了木人樁就開始減少學習時間。他們會質疑，為什麼他們的師傅沒有早一點教他們使用武器。
其實好的開始是成功一半。 師傅會看他的徒弟是不是用功，如果基礎不錯才會開始教他六點半棍。徒弟必須更勤勞，才能換來更多。師傅才會開始教徒弟八斬刀，高級戰術和戰略。
Perhaps this is why my master ends up teaching the double knives to people after as long as 13 years or even never because some people stop training hard once they reach the wooden dummy and the long pole and double knives were taught in the old days as the advanced attacking methods and strategy of the system only taught to someone who truly mastered the basics.
一個好師傅必須有像這樣勤奮練習的好徒弟。
A good master must have good disciples!
