The majority of the more commercialised martial arts rely on strength & brute force to overpower an opponent. However the disadvantage of this is that when strength and strength meet, the stronger always wins. Strength also is dependant on size, muscular build, weight etc.
Lifting weights develops and builds strength. So why then is this a disadvantage if surely it is still good to have? It is because Wing Chun does not rely on large muscles, on the contrary, large muscles in fact inhibit speed, a vital component in power. When most people show off the size of their biceps they think that people will fear them because they will have a hard punch. In fact this is totally wrong, the bicep contracts and when you punch you extend your arm, so you are actually using your tricep. When you lift heavy objects slowly you are training the muscle to be able to move slowly with a lot of tension, which is good for lifting heavy objects. So to train the muscle correctly for Wing Chun the best thing you can do is to practise the forms (especially Siu Lim Tao), the Dummy and of course the weapons.
Another misconception is that someone who is heavier will have a harder punch. This is partly true, but only if they know how to correctly use their body weight. If we analyse the formula F=MA (force=mass X acceleration) we see that to create a large force we need to combine mass with acceleration. So when an untrained fighter who weighs say 90 kilos takes a drunken swing, they will more than likely use only the force of their arm and so only a small portion of their body weight. However a small, skinny fighter who can punch properly will know how to use their body weight and speed correctly and so will be able to generate more force. Also if you are using your opponents force against them (for instance by using a Lap Sau to pull them into your fist) you are using all your force and all theirs and this is basically how the little old men in kung fu films defeat people much bigger and younger than themselves.
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Do you think it is okay to exercise with bodyweight exercises?
There are some exercises such as handstands, pullups and pistol squats which can build muscle but probably won't turn a person into Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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