Traditional Wing Chun training consists of forms, combat drills (attacking/counter-attacking ), contact reflex exercises (chi sao), and sparring.
(Proper safety precautions are taken for sparring)

Combat drills are practiced in the air, and with a partner. Drills can be predetermined as well as random in nature.

Contact reflexes can be obtained from sparring and/or contact reflex exercises such as Chi Sao.

Traditional Wing Chun's Chi Sao exercises include a single armed Chi Sao, a double armed Chi Sao, a cross armed Chi Sao, and a parallel-armed Chi Sao. These drills are for the training and development of the practicioner's reflexes , close distance focusing with the eyes, as well as an ability to manoeuvre one's arms and legs in a contact stage. Chi Sao excercises also improve timing and accuracy which is of utmost importance to any exponent of martial arts.

The principle behind the training of contact reflexes is that the exponent firstly directs his force with his arms towards his chosen target, then, by the point of contact, he will try to interpret the opponent's attacking force and predict his next move.

At the point of contact, the immediate message is the movement of the contacted arm or leg. The force exerted by that limb can also be detected at the point of contact, ensuring timing and accuracy and enabling a simultaneous counter.

Further more, through the point of contact, the movement of the opponent's other limb is transmitted as a vibration, and can be detected easily by a well trained Traditional Wing Chun practicioner. This enables him to interrupt his present movement and counter his opponent.

Chi Sao exercises can be predetermined or random in nature. At the senior level, these exercises are also practiced blind-folded.