Commonly there is a perception that the Mook Yan Jong (wooden dummy) training in wing chun kung fu is purposeful in physically conditioning the practitioner via interaction with the hard wood. This is but a minor benefit and improperly prioritised, this objective will diminish the true benefits of the wooden dummy training.

The nature of wooden dummy training in wing chun kung fu (see Grandmaster Cheung's traditional system) is artistic. It is an artistic discipline, a tool in training the artist in somewhat finer details of the art.

Firstly, the Mook Yan Jong wooden dummy form in wing chun kung fu is training range. The decision between a palm strike and punch with a closed fist, for example, is primarily regarding range. The fine differences produced by one's footwork, the root of all movements, must be drilled many times to produce functional decisions at real-time speed.

The real knowledge in the wooden dummy training is regarding the composition of sequences. The groups of movements (such as kan sao, pak, tsun, larp and palm strike) are model excercises in composing functional sequences of movements that are faithful to the principles of wing chun and are therefore optimised for success.

We see, in the footwork of the kan sao example, focus being given to redirection of energy and pursuit of adantageous position. The application of the BOEC tactical system in this example re-inforces the use of sound decision criteria in real time tactical analysis.

When applied to a two-person drill, one sees that the footwork might recover a disadvantaged position. In an alternate scenario the same footwork might press home an existing advantage of position.

Optimising the sequences of movements in wing chun kung fu is a matter of serving the principle that "defense is no defense". Grandmaster Cheung explains that no matter how good one's defensive capability is, if one offers only defense one creates a statistical disadvantage. Each time one makes a defensive movement there is a chance of being unsuccessful. If all one offered was sequential defensive movements one must eventually fail and be defeated. One can (and must) mitigate this probabilistic imbalance by throwing an offensive movement simultaneously (examples include a strike, position change, attack on balance). This uses inherent opportunities in the opponents' movement and creates further opportunity by disrupting the opponent's energy.

The model reactive tactical strucure is one defensive movement and one simultaneous offensive movement resulting in a win. Two movements.

Westerns science and business disciplines have systems for continuous improvement (quality assurance). These are similar to wing chun training in their focus on optimising the efficiency and appropriateness (strategic relevance) of the process at hand.

We find analogies in arts including music and literature. The packetised sequences of movements in the Mook Yan Jong form perform the same function as excercise drills for a musician or author learning the skill of improvisation. The student must develop instant capabilities in phrasing (antecedant/consequent), structure (tension/resolution) and context (steps to destination, functions of steps).

In progressing through the levels of wing chun training one will assimilate the components of the previous level into a new singularity. A new capability that is a skill in its own right, even though it was comprised of the individual elements of the preceding levels' training techniques. Generally these evolutionary improvements are decision-making skills underpinned by the co-ordination of various physical skill sets.

Wing chun training can often be translated into everyday life by offering examples of ways to improve oneself and one's capabilities.