closing sequence of chum kiu, exaggerated moves to gain access to muscles and joints.
http://learnwingtsun.blogspot.com/
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wing tsun Lesson 52 training section 3 of chum kiu, front kicks
Front kick section. exaggerated movements to access muscles and joints in the legs.
wing tsun Lesson 51 training section 2 of chum kiu, side kicks
Side kick section used to open hips, and to work shifting.
Lesson 50 training section one of chum kiu, turning stance
Exaggerated movements to access muscles and joints in the hips, legs, and ankles. This section works mostly on turning muscles.
Lesson 49 chum kiu - section 4, gum sow section
Final sequence of Chu kiu form. Thsi section also really stretches/opens the hips, as well as starts emphasising a side to side mobility. Think of it as sidesteps for now.
Lesson 48 Chum Kiu - section 3, front kicks
Front kick are actually used a fair amount in Wt, if the opponent uses a kick against you before you can enter to arm range. The kicks of course, have both an offensive and defensive structure built into them, and are mainly used when trying to close with someone who favours kicks, and has the skill and physical ability to enforce the range somewhat.
Lesson 47 Chum kiu - Section two, side kicks
This section works the side kicks. This kick is not an often used movement, but has the benefit of opening the hips to increase shifting and mobility.
Lesson 46 Chum Kiu form - section 1, turning stances
section 1 of chum kiu
This form is about accessing movement/control of legs, specifically the hips, knees, and ankle joints. We add this to the knowledge/skill developed in the first form, Siu nim tao, which focusses upon the arms- shoulder, elbow and wrist.
This form is about accessing movement/control of legs, specifically the hips, knees, and ankle joints. We add this to the knowledge/skill developed in the first form, Siu nim tao, which focusses upon the arms- shoulder, elbow and wrist.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Lesson 45 Student level 3, 7 entries, application theory
In the school in which I train, the previous video demonstrates how the level 3 is usually taught initially. The idea is that this exposes the students to the typical attacks used by a lot of different arts, such as jeet kune do, karate, and so on. It is easier to learn these arm movements that bypass your opponents arms, by practising staying around your critical distance, ie that range where you can just reach your opponent with your arms extended.
But we feel this leaves the student too exposed to a multitude of counter attacks and defensive movements. So the next step is to have the student start closing the gap just after they enter to strike. The hands go first by a small bit, but the body follows. This takes a lot of trust in your abilities at first, but you begin to feel very commfortable getting in really close. Opponents usually feel relatively uncomfortable with this, and often overreact. This allows us to read the pressures etc, and use it to our advantage.
Of course we need to be mobile enough to adjust as necessary, and to yield to greater force if it is there. Sometimes part of your body will be actually moving away or around your opponents strengths, but in general, most of your body should be attacking. You will start to find a lot of openings, if you wrist, elbow, shoulder etc work both independently and yet inter dependant upon each other. There will be times where things feel strange at first, as for example your elbow might be yielding slightly, while your fist and shoulder continue advancing. If you do this type of training religiously, your training partner begins to feel as if he is beig overwhelmed by numbers of attackers, almost like you have multiple arms. In this case the idea is more like stopping a few links of a chain, but it still rotates, revolves, slips, crashes, bumps etc and ends up striking you.
The main point of all this at this level is that you should constantly be trying to enter and take control of your opponents area. In WT we aim to move right in close, using the 'magnetic zone' theory where we try to move in so much that our torso displaces our opponent from where he is standing.
But we feel this leaves the student too exposed to a multitude of counter attacks and defensive movements. So the next step is to have the student start closing the gap just after they enter to strike. The hands go first by a small bit, but the body follows. This takes a lot of trust in your abilities at first, but you begin to feel very commfortable getting in really close. Opponents usually feel relatively uncomfortable with this, and often overreact. This allows us to read the pressures etc, and use it to our advantage.
Of course we need to be mobile enough to adjust as necessary, and to yield to greater force if it is there. Sometimes part of your body will be actually moving away or around your opponents strengths, but in general, most of your body should be attacking. You will start to find a lot of openings, if you wrist, elbow, shoulder etc work both independently and yet inter dependant upon each other. There will be times where things feel strange at first, as for example your elbow might be yielding slightly, while your fist and shoulder continue advancing. If you do this type of training religiously, your training partner begins to feel as if he is beig overwhelmed by numbers of attackers, almost like you have multiple arms. In this case the idea is more like stopping a few links of a chain, but it still rotates, revolves, slips, crashes, bumps etc and ends up striking you.
The main point of all this at this level is that you should constantly be trying to enter and take control of your opponents area. In WT we aim to move right in close, using the 'magnetic zone' theory where we try to move in so much that our torso displaces our opponent from where he is standing.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Lesson 44 SNT for muscle accessing
This is a method of doing the first form as a method of accessing and developing more muscle movement and power into the techniques. Students should continue practising the form mostly in the basic manner, but can add this as a variation.
Video part one
Section 1 of form and most of section 2
Video part two
i just noticed that part 2 doesnt seem to be viewable by most.. try this link if that is the case..
http://youtu.be/T8wAA1hhPvk
End of section 2, section 3, followed by section 5 (out of order), and half of section 4
Video part 3
second half of section 4 to section 8
Video part one
Section 1 of form and most of section 2
Video part two
i just noticed that part 2 doesnt seem to be viewable by most.. try this link if that is the case..
http://youtu.be/T8wAA1hhPvk
End of section 2, section 3, followed by section 5 (out of order), and half of section 4
Video part 3
second half of section 4 to section 8
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Lesson 43, entries 1-7 inclusive
Seven is an arbitrary number to show most common extreme hand/arm reactions of the average person.These reactions are normally triggered even in professionals, but only if the initial attack is strong and aggressive and very close in. The demos are actually shown mostly at a much longer distance than WT tries to use, since it makes it more easy to see clearly what is taking place.
Each of these reactions by our training partner or opponent tell us which way to go and what to do, so that we are not clashing with them. Rather we are attempting to agree and move with their response.
There are unlimited entry patterns in reality. Often called the 'bridges of wing chun' and numbering up to the hundreds or even more, they usualy are variations of a few common patterns.
How much 'force' one uses, and/or how much 'slickness'(mobility,positioning,timing, angles, etc) one uses is simply a reflection of personal skill and style.
Each of these reactions by our training partner or opponent tell us which way to go and what to do, so that we are not clashing with them. Rather we are attempting to agree and move with their response.
There are unlimited entry patterns in reality. Often called the 'bridges of wing chun' and numbering up to the hundreds or even more, they usualy are variations of a few common patterns.
How much 'force' one uses, and/or how much 'slickness'(mobility,positioning,timing, angles, etc) one uses is simply a reflection of personal skill and style.
Lesson 42, 7th entry
This drill mainly makes use of the initial right arm attack to become a controlling movement. The left arm now attacks on a variety of levels. Movement to your own left front can be added to help control the traning partner, and to move towards his 'blind spot'.
Lesson 41, entries 5 and 6
The fifth entry is to the inside of defenders right block( he is pushing to his right side.
Number 6 entry is to go under a block that lifts too high, ie higher than our throat level.
unfortunatly there is lots of airplane noise on this video, as usual.. we are on the main flight path for local commercial aviation instruction.
Number 6 entry is to go under a block that lifts too high, ie higher than our throat level.
unfortunatly there is lots of airplane noise on this video, as usual.. we are on the main flight path for local commercial aviation instruction.
Lesson 40, pak sow entry (#4)
This drill starts with the usual attempted outside entry. In this case the defenders guard hand is very strong, and/or rigidly held in place. We use a pak sow aimed through the forearm at our partners center. As this defensive arm may well be too strong to move, we may need to use the third fighting principle,( yield to greater force) and let the pak sow motion move us around slightly to a new trajectory. In essence you will feel your left pak sow hand move a bit to your right side, as your left elbow and body move around a bit to the left. This allows entry in a direct line for your right punch, which has kept pressure up continuously.
Also if you have good structre, and keep your pak sow quick and snappy, this makes up for most any difference in strength, and will move almost all arms in your way. Because the duration of contact is so short, it is very difficult for anyone, no matter how strong relative to you, to keep their arm in place.
Also if you have good structre, and keep your pak sow quick and snappy, this makes up for most any difference in strength, and will move almost all arms in your way. Because the duration of contact is so short, it is very difficult for anyone, no matter how strong relative to you, to keep their arm in place.
Lesson 39, outside entry, right trap, left hit #3
After using the attempted outside entry, your attacking arm( right arm in video) is stopped by training partners right arm. You keep pressing in with your attack, and use the forearm angle to press his defensive arm down and towards him. This allows you to slide your left arm attack along the trapped arm, and into the throat area.
This particular follow up works well against a defending arm that is either not strong, not having any real forwards pressure, or not well out from the defender. If there is forwards pressure, our goal is not to match it, but to press downwards on it so as to avoid direct force on force. Normally a movement of the arm of only an inch or two creates a big enough open area to hit to the throat, while still keeping our own elbow low enough to guard us. Reaching over is to be avoided as this creates space that our opponent could strike up and under our arms to our throat or head area.
This particular follow up works well against a defending arm that is either not strong, not having any real forwards pressure, or not well out from the defender. If there is forwards pressure, our goal is not to match it, but to press downwards on it so as to avoid direct force on force. Normally a movement of the arm of only an inch or two creates a big enough open area to hit to the throat, while still keeping our own elbow low enough to guard us. Reaching over is to be avoided as this creates space that our opponent could strike up and under our arms to our throat or head area.
Lesson 37 student level 3, inside entry, #1
This level introduces the famous 'entry' drills. There will be 7 basic drills shown for students to practise. There is one 'inside' entry, and one outside, that has about 5 or 6 basic followups to it. These entry drills simulate the most common responses to a basic fist attack. Attempts are usually made to jam the punch, or to push it up, down, away, to the side etc. These responses are mostly instinctive in the majority of people, so the entries allow one to practise controlling the situation to our own benefit. Bruce Lee made these drills famous, and Keith Kernspect refined them over about 8 years, by having hundreds of instructors work on them with tens of thousands of students throughout Europe.
This video introduces the entry through the 'inside' path. All punches and entries start with this attempted punch. The idea shown in the video is to show the two extremes of using either power or mobility to bypass your opponents arms and land your strike. Each person uses their own personal combination of the two. This personal area of strength/movement will have some variety depending upon the situation and the opponent's skills.
This video introduces the entry through the 'inside' path. All punches and entries start with this attempted punch. The idea shown in the video is to show the two extremes of using either power or mobility to bypass your opponents arms and land your strike. Each person uses their own personal combination of the two. This personal area of strength/movement will have some variety depending upon the situation and the opponent's skills.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Lesson 38, student level 3, outside entry
We force a reaction, or hopefully, an 'over' reaction by driving our right punch to our opponents center. As they push the attacking arm across to our left, their blocking arm is not attacking us, so we flow elour right elbow over their arm, take over on the outside with our left, and enter and strike with our right punch or fax sow(cutting arm).
Occasionally our training partner will press more to our center with his blocking arm, ie he will attack us rather than just block. The closer they are to aiming at our center, the more we have the option to adjust slightly and enter either by the inside, or by the outside entry shown in this video. For learning purposes the training partner should initially press noticeably across as in a blocking motion to the side.
Occasionally our training partner will press more to our center with his blocking arm, ie he will attack us rather than just block. The closer they are to aiming at our center, the more we have the option to adjust slightly and enter either by the inside, or by the outside entry shown in this video. For learning purposes the training partner should initially press noticeably across as in a blocking motion to the side.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Lesson 36 SNT form, sections 5-8
Here are the sections from 5 to 8 of the form.. Typically student level 2 level should know the entire form. Future videos will show you how to train the form with slightly different emphasis to develop differnt skills. All partner drills and strategy, tactics etc, will always refer back to the form, so this form is called the form of the beginner, but also the form of the master. Of course there are many ways to practise, but it all starts with a standard set of movements. These moves focus mainly on developing awareness and use of the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints for power, distance, angles, positions etc that are used in basic offensive/defensive movements.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Lesson 35 Forearm/elbow attacks
Continuing in the vein of the knee lifts in the last session, we often use the forearms to 'cut' through the torso of our training partner. This movement is very powerful and usually causes the training partner to turn away from us, giving us easy entry from the side or rear positions. Also being closer to our own body, most people can more easily feel the ability to deliver their full weight into this kind of strike. Using knees and elbows, along with grabs, pushes, and pulls, starts to give us the ability to 'maul' our opponent. Basically it boils down to controlling their core, balance, and positons. Part of the controlling comes from being able to access our power in the form of body weight, physical strength, angle and position of delivery, and similar skills.
Lesson 34 WT knee lifts
Main point is to 'walk through' the opponent. Also use of the wedge effect of the angle of the thigh muscle to 'cut through is shown on video. With proper knee pressure( which we refer to as one of our anchors), we are constancly loading the legs for shifts into our opponent. These shifts can be used as strikes, in this case, kneeing the opponent.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Lesson 33 Power and rooting in lat sow
Sinking the body and elbow to align the left pak sow. Step in to check and see if you can lift the partner.
Using the right punch with a bit of up and in pressure against a tense arm, to make sure good structure is present.
Using the right punch with a bit of up and in pressure against a tense arm, to make sure good structure is present.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Lesson 31 Turning step
This is usually used in conjunction with rising and falling step applications.
Lesson 30 Rising step
Somewhat like tai chi's uprooting movement the rising step allows you to get the full force of your legs and body into a strike. But unlike the way most tai chi people apply this, we can also neutralise on the forwards movement. No need to move back first to neutralise, then reverse direction to apply the force.
Lesson 29 Falling step
Jack Dempsey, champion boxer, was also a researcher, writer, and student of the 'manly art of fist fighting'. This was his take on boxing for self defense. His book starts with the scenario of a world champion heavyweight boxer walking down the street. A 20 pound baby falls out a window above him and drops on his head. ( yeah, not a politically correct opening nowadays). He answers his own question as to what happens to the boxer, with he will probably be knocked out, and certainly injured in some way. Point is such a small person has the potential to deliver huge force.
Bruce Lee picked up on this and had students who were smaller and didnt believe they had enough power, to jump off a high stair or ledge, down onto a person with a hitting pad. Students found with the aid of gravity and clamping down as they dropped, they could generate huge amounts of force.
WT has this method of training( minus the stairs), as well as rising step, and turning step as main ways of generating power. There is some truth in saying Wt has only 3 punches. A rising punch, a falling punch, and a turning punch.
In actual useage we access at least 2 of the methods for power. Shown in the video is the way to use 'falling step' as method for generating enough power to knock out an opponent. Think of this as 'body english' on your punches. Use the image of a great movement boxer like Manny Pacquano to get the idea. Or Jack Dempsey.
Bruce Lee picked up on this and had students who were smaller and didnt believe they had enough power, to jump off a high stair or ledge, down onto a person with a hitting pad. Students found with the aid of gravity and clamping down as they dropped, they could generate huge amounts of force.
WT has this method of training( minus the stairs), as well as rising step, and turning step as main ways of generating power. There is some truth in saying Wt has only 3 punches. A rising punch, a falling punch, and a turning punch.
In actual useage we access at least 2 of the methods for power. Shown in the video is the way to use 'falling step' as method for generating enough power to knock out an opponent. Think of this as 'body english' on your punches. Use the image of a great movement boxer like Manny Pacquano to get the idea. Or Jack Dempsey.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Lesson 26 headlock defense
This is practised in lat sow. Attacker starts from his pack sow to reach either over or under your left arm pak sow in an attempt to place you in the headlock. Usually he turns his torso to his left while attempting to move in.
Basic defense is to simply punch to the neck around his arm. Keep him at a distance. If he closes in past your borders, he will have a lot more chance of success. The trick to repelling him involves using your distance, keeping your head back, wedging in with your stance and lower torso. The attacker will feel like if he went just a bit harder, or faster, or further in, he could be sucessful. This is a typical wing tsun trap of using just the right combination of skills in your defense.
If he is sucessful in getting your head, use the left fax sow to push up and across the area below his nose. Pressure on the side of his head makes it hard for him to bite your arm. For this move to be sucessful, there must be some access to power of your stance, arm movements etc. Plus a feel for controlling his head, keeping it away from your own is a large part of the sucessful method used here.
Sometimes with correct angles, use of raising the shoulders, moving at just the correct time, and such, you can slip out of the encircling arm similar to 'ducking' or rather rolling off a hook punch.
If you get locked up, the next phase is, as usual, to attack. If being bent over, then there is usually a close target of your opponents groin area.
Basic defense is to simply punch to the neck around his arm. Keep him at a distance. If he closes in past your borders, he will have a lot more chance of success. The trick to repelling him involves using your distance, keeping your head back, wedging in with your stance and lower torso. The attacker will feel like if he went just a bit harder, or faster, or further in, he could be sucessful. This is a typical wing tsun trap of using just the right combination of skills in your defense.
If he is sucessful in getting your head, use the left fax sow to push up and across the area below his nose. Pressure on the side of his head makes it hard for him to bite your arm. For this move to be sucessful, there must be some access to power of your stance, arm movements etc. Plus a feel for controlling his head, keeping it away from your own is a large part of the sucessful method used here.
Sometimes with correct angles, use of raising the shoulders, moving at just the correct time, and such, you can slip out of the encircling arm similar to 'ducking' or rather rolling off a hook punch.
If you get locked up, the next phase is, as usual, to attack. If being bent over, then there is usually a close target of your opponents groin area.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Lesson 23, defense against double arm grab
Essentially this can be looked at as the first 3 wedges of the form.
As your training partner grabs your arms, make sure your three anchors are working. Also make sure you have 'heavy' elbows. This is done by keeping the arm muscles relaxed, but using the shoulders and lats to keep the arms from being lifted. Your arms should be out in front of you and you make contact before the opponent enters past your 'borders'.
This first contact is the first upwards wedge of the form. Now use your right arm to elbow over towards his body. Keep your right hand forwards and let it travel along the border towards the left side. Dont let it collapse towards your torso. The wrist area should also sink and the forearm should force his hand/arm down somewhat.
At the same time, your left hand will attempt to go over and onto the top of his wrist. If he is strong this is accomplished by letting your elbow and shoulder rise slightly. Make sure that even though they go up, it doesnt make your bodies center of balance rise much, if at all. The left shoulder can retreat lightly to help this action, but dont turn too much.
Next you use the low wedge. You bring the arms down so that your arms are in the top position.
From here you use the quan sow, the circling arms back up to wedge in high, controlling the opponents arms and striking.
As your training partner grabs your arms, make sure your three anchors are working. Also make sure you have 'heavy' elbows. This is done by keeping the arm muscles relaxed, but using the shoulders and lats to keep the arms from being lifted. Your arms should be out in front of you and you make contact before the opponent enters past your 'borders'.
This first contact is the first upwards wedge of the form. Now use your right arm to elbow over towards his body. Keep your right hand forwards and let it travel along the border towards the left side. Dont let it collapse towards your torso. The wrist area should also sink and the forearm should force his hand/arm down somewhat.
At the same time, your left hand will attempt to go over and onto the top of his wrist. If he is strong this is accomplished by letting your elbow and shoulder rise slightly. Make sure that even though they go up, it doesnt make your bodies center of balance rise much, if at all. The left shoulder can retreat lightly to help this action, but dont turn too much.
Next you use the low wedge. You bring the arms down so that your arms are in the top position.
From here you use the quan sow, the circling arms back up to wedge in high, controlling the opponents arms and striking.
Lesson 22 tan and punch, pak and punch
While going through the lat sow routine, deliver a right punch. Then leave it out at about the same distance, pick up his incoming right punch. Let your right arm get forced into a tan sow as you simultaneously deliver a left punch. Both of your arms will be coming from your partners outside gate area.
The pak sow is performed in the same basic manner. Following your left pak sow, just deliver a right pak to the outside of your partners follow up left arm movement. Let your previous left pak sow slide around a bit so you can deliver a simultaneous left punch, over the arms.
There are a variety of moves like this, that basically just need a bit of work on timming, co ordination, angles and such. Moves can be delivered inside or outside at random, but it is usually easier to learn by going to outside with both hands at first.
The pak sow is performed in the same basic manner. Following your left pak sow, just deliver a right pak to the outside of your partners follow up left arm movement. Let your previous left pak sow slide around a bit so you can deliver a simultaneous left punch, over the arms.
There are a variety of moves like this, that basically just need a bit of work on timming, co ordination, angles and such. Moves can be delivered inside or outside at random, but it is usually easier to learn by going to outside with both hands at first.
Lesson 24, tan sow, long range
For the first time we will have the attacker start from outside of kicking range. His job is to step in with a long, slightly arching type punch that goes to your center of your chest. At this point in the training, he shouldnt adjust to your responses so that you can learn proper form. The idea here is one question, one answer. He has to deliver the same punch over and over until you have thoroughly learned a correct response. This particular punch cant be thrown in too wide an arc, that is something we wil deal with more and more in future sessions.
Defender moves in, making sure to lead with arm movements in a wedge that meets his arm before he gets past your perimeter reach. In THIS case, we want our right forearm to make contact with the outside of his right forearm. Assuming he is too strong to stop, we feel our arm, that is still trying to go forwards, be pushed back into a tan sow position. As our forwards movement and his jamming pressure continue, we are loading our torso to rotate slightly, and deliver a left straight punch from the outside gate of our opponent.
Check the finished postion of the tan sow. It should be on the same angles that are used in the form. If this snapshot of movement was to continue, the tan sow forearm should start to point at the opponent in a straight line, in other words, its angle has been changed back to that of a straight punch
Defender moves in, making sure to lead with arm movements in a wedge that meets his arm before he gets past your perimeter reach. In THIS case, we want our right forearm to make contact with the outside of his right forearm. Assuming he is too strong to stop, we feel our arm, that is still trying to go forwards, be pushed back into a tan sow position. As our forwards movement and his jamming pressure continue, we are loading our torso to rotate slightly, and deliver a left straight punch from the outside gate of our opponent.
Check the finished postion of the tan sow. It should be on the same angles that are used in the form. If this snapshot of movement was to continue, the tan sow forearm should start to point at the opponent in a straight line, in other words, its angle has been changed back to that of a straight punch
Lesson 21, defense vs push
This will be shown on the video being practised in lat sow. There are two versions shown, but they represent the two extremes of practising responses. The short version is the preferred response, though even it is a 'response' to an opponents movement, rather than our preferred, preemptive responsive.
As your training partner pushes on your arms, make sure your three anchors are working. Also make sure you have 'heavy' elbows. This is done by keeping the arm muscles relaxed, but using the shoulders and lats to keep the arms from being lifted.
For this drill make contact on the forearm closer to the elbow. If the incoming force is above the elbow, we usually use a bong sow type deflection movement to avoid his force affecting our body. What we want in this drill is a force that gets tranferred through the arms to the torso, so that we can learn to deal with it.
Attacker: During lat sow, deliver your right punch, then as you deliver your left pak sow, perform a right hune sow ( circling hand) rather than retreat.Move your right plam onto the forearm area. Now both hands are placed upon your training partners forearms area. For this drill just lean, or move in, and deliver a push.
Find out from your partner whether he wants this performed slowly or quickly,and with how much force. This will depend upon what he is working on, learning, testing, checking, re-inforcing instincts, etc. For learning, it is up to the defender re speed, amount of pressure etc.
Defender: Let the first few pushes off balance you. Try to notice at which stage you lose your balance, and what is causing it. Is it tense shoulders and arms, that allow the partner to use them as a lever? Is it poor tehnique in one of the three anchors? Are your arms just collapsing instead of being relaxed yet strong?
Let the next pushes move you back a few feet. Again notice if you are going back as in tipping over, or being shoved as an upright unit. Start to feel the push transfer to moving your back leg, and then use it like a big spring. It should precede your torso in that direction, then anchor, then compress, then drive you forwards, delivering chain punches.
Gradually work up to the push simply being redirected to load the entire body without any backward movement. Do this first slowly and use strength to get the feel of it. Use less and less stepping back, and more and more sinking/compressing. Body weight can be held on the front leg until you get the idea of transferring the load tothe rear leg for compression. Then try doing the drill from the rear leg weighted position.
Eventually you should keep heavy elbows that redirect your partners pressure into the body. As he hune sows his right punching arm to the underside of your forearm, try to slip in a punch and pre-empt his attempt.
Eventually you want to develop a springy 'feel' to any pressure towards you. You shouldnt be stepping back consciously to the amount of pressure, but letting your structure, connections, and anchors work for you. At this stage you let yourself get moved, and even with light pressure, for practise reasons. You should eventually start testing your limit on pushes to 'know' just how much it takes to move you. Also this testing will make your enthusiastic and knowledgable to increase these limits.
As your training partner pushes on your arms, make sure your three anchors are working. Also make sure you have 'heavy' elbows. This is done by keeping the arm muscles relaxed, but using the shoulders and lats to keep the arms from being lifted.
For this drill make contact on the forearm closer to the elbow. If the incoming force is above the elbow, we usually use a bong sow type deflection movement to avoid his force affecting our body. What we want in this drill is a force that gets tranferred through the arms to the torso, so that we can learn to deal with it.
Attacker: During lat sow, deliver your right punch, then as you deliver your left pak sow, perform a right hune sow ( circling hand) rather than retreat.Move your right plam onto the forearm area. Now both hands are placed upon your training partners forearms area. For this drill just lean, or move in, and deliver a push.
Find out from your partner whether he wants this performed slowly or quickly,and with how much force. This will depend upon what he is working on, learning, testing, checking, re-inforcing instincts, etc. For learning, it is up to the defender re speed, amount of pressure etc.
Defender: Let the first few pushes off balance you. Try to notice at which stage you lose your balance, and what is causing it. Is it tense shoulders and arms, that allow the partner to use them as a lever? Is it poor tehnique in one of the three anchors? Are your arms just collapsing instead of being relaxed yet strong?
Let the next pushes move you back a few feet. Again notice if you are going back as in tipping over, or being shoved as an upright unit. Start to feel the push transfer to moving your back leg, and then use it like a big spring. It should precede your torso in that direction, then anchor, then compress, then drive you forwards, delivering chain punches.
Gradually work up to the push simply being redirected to load the entire body without any backward movement. Do this first slowly and use strength to get the feel of it. Use less and less stepping back, and more and more sinking/compressing. Body weight can be held on the front leg until you get the idea of transferring the load tothe rear leg for compression. Then try doing the drill from the rear leg weighted position.
Eventually you should keep heavy elbows that redirect your partners pressure into the body. As he hune sows his right punching arm to the underside of your forearm, try to slip in a punch and pre-empt his attempt.
Eventually you want to develop a springy 'feel' to any pressure towards you. You shouldnt be stepping back consciously to the amount of pressure, but letting your structure, connections, and anchors work for you. At this stage you let yourself get moved, and even with light pressure, for practise reasons. You should eventually start testing your limit on pushes to 'know' just how much it takes to move you. Also this testing will make your enthusiastic and knowledgable to increase these limits.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Lesson 25 mistakes in lat sow
1. arms easily lifted ( heavy elbows)
2. collasped elbows( inner tube)
3. length, width, height, and time of interception of arms
4. dropping of lead arm on retreat
5. guard hands too close in, or too far out
6. stance weak (anchors)
7. body position, ie square on
8. forgetting that lat sow is a drill to train one arm at a time to work properly
9. working at border to gain entry, while keeping the head back out of range
10. head forward
11. intercepting arm too far up towards elbow of opponent
12. turning of body so there is not equal forward pressure of arms
13. withdraw of lead arm early
14. focus on 'winning' instead of training
15. using too much strength or speed
2. collasped elbows( inner tube)
3. length, width, height, and time of interception of arms
4. dropping of lead arm on retreat
5. guard hands too close in, or too far out
6. stance weak (anchors)
7. body position, ie square on
8. forgetting that lat sow is a drill to train one arm at a time to work properly
9. working at border to gain entry, while keeping the head back out of range
10. head forward
11. intercepting arm too far up towards elbow of opponent
12. turning of body so there is not equal forward pressure of arms
13. withdraw of lead arm early
14. focus on 'winning' instead of training
15. using too much strength or speed
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Lesson 19 Fourth section of form, shoulder flexibility
Some basic strikes are involved in this section. Main point is to access some shoulder movement and flexibility. In the sequence, your shoulders will be moving in all directions, with the exception of circling. This is a great way to start getting some shoulder flexibility and can be used as a warmup set of moves.
1. Left gum sow to side of hip, pressing hand
follow with right gum sow.
shoulders move down as low as possible
rest hands in lower back, relax the chest and open the back
2 double palm strikes to rear
shoulders move to rear and down, shoulder blades squeese and chest opens.
arms back to rest position, then circle to front of torso
3. double palms strike low to front
moving from rear strike to this one, the shoulders move forwards, then down. The back now opens ( shoulder blades wide apart, while the chest contracts inwards)
4. double lan sow,left arm on top, fence arm
shoulders move forwards
5. double side fax sow, poke to sides
shoulders move out, away from torso
6 Return to double lan sow, right arm on top
shoulders move in and forwards
7.Double Chum sow sinking arm( elbow)
shoulders forwards and down
8 Double Tot sow, lifting palms
shoulders push forwards and down, while forearms are lifting up
9. double jut sow, jerking arm
forwards and slightly down shoulder movement
10 Double bil jee, spearing arm
shoulders move forwards as much as possible
11. Double downward press
use only shoulder muscles, plus the 3 anchors here
12. Double lifting bent wrist
use only shoulders to lift
13. turn palms up, withdraw arms to sides
pull shoulders as far back as possible.
1. Left gum sow to side of hip, pressing hand
follow with right gum sow.
shoulders move down as low as possible
rest hands in lower back, relax the chest and open the back
2 double palm strikes to rear
shoulders move to rear and down, shoulder blades squeese and chest opens.
arms back to rest position, then circle to front of torso
3. double palms strike low to front
moving from rear strike to this one, the shoulders move forwards, then down. The back now opens ( shoulder blades wide apart, while the chest contracts inwards)
4. double lan sow,left arm on top, fence arm
shoulders move forwards
5. double side fax sow, poke to sides
shoulders move out, away from torso
6 Return to double lan sow, right arm on top
shoulders move in and forwards
7.Double Chum sow sinking arm( elbow)
shoulders forwards and down
8 Double Tot sow, lifting palms
shoulders push forwards and down, while forearms are lifting up
9. double jut sow, jerking arm
forwards and slightly down shoulder movement
10 Double bil jee, spearing arm
shoulders move forwards as much as possible
11. Double downward press
use only shoulder muscles, plus the 3 anchors here
12. Double lifting bent wrist
use only shoulders to lift
13. turn palms up, withdraw arms to sides
pull shoulders as far back as possible.
Lesson 15 'Arms like knives', a concept lesson
This write up is from a previous blog I wrote on tai chi and wing tsun. As we progress in the tutorial, it becomes more and more important, that your WT training
is built around concept training, instead of techniques. Hopefully this article will start you thinking a bit about how to use the arms conceptually, instead of specific 'moves'.
Arms Like Knives
CONCEPT IN HISTORY
One version of WT's history is that the art evolved from the battlefield "double knives". These famous knives add to the legend of Wing Tsuns 'real practicality". Life and death struggles against other well trained opponents, armed with weaponry that was longer, heavier, and more powerful (broadswords, staff/spears, ball and chain, and other similar paraphenalia) developed the skills now used in modern WT. WT's butterfly swords, as they are sometimes called, had some specific advantages.
ADVANTAGES
One is in the variety of types of usages. Being able to quickly switch from hacking and chopping type movements, to slicing, slippery moves, as well as the ability to stick, control, or yield with one while attacking with the other makes you much harder to defend against. This versatility of switching from strength to speed, from jamming to slipping, as well as twice the attacks at once all made the double knives a weapon that was hard to stop. After all most weapons have very specific strengths. And being so specific also limits their application and make them relatively easy to defend against, at least in theory. Someone who can change tactics in the blink of an eye, is much harder to set up a specific defense against. Think of having a long rifle that is accurate at 1000 yards, and how limited it is when your opponent is in grappling range with a knife. Then think of the WT knife ( or fighter it represents) as a transformer type weapon. It can slice or stab, club or bind, deflect or slam. There can be double levels, double angles, or fakes and actual strikes. ( WT fighters actually try to attack with 3 limbs, since they use both arms PLUS the hip/knee shin to strike/offblance etc.) Whether or not the history and stories are correct is not so important. What we modern WT practitioners are interested in is the concept of multiple skills used in an aggressive defense.
THE 'FEEL'(USE) OF THE WEAPON
The mental pictures obtained by even relating to this weaponry can definitely help a trainee to visualise specific objectives towards achieving skills. Following are five basic examples. 1. Picturing a 'sword hand' strike to the neck implies the cutting/penetrating feeling that is often lacking in a beginners hand strikes. 2. Thinking of bypassing your opponents arms to get to the body is seemingly easier achieved by by thinking of your own limbs as knives, and then hacking, chopping and slicing as necessary when you meet your opponents arms (weapons). Most of us have problems in getting to our opponent, because on contact with their arms we tend to tighten up and try to use force. Seeing your arms as blades can help you slip through with a cutting motion. 3. Getting in close as fast as possible makes more sense when you think of double 14 inch knives going against a 7 foot long spear, or a 3 foot broadsword. If your opponent has good power and reach, you can often nullify this by getting to a range where traditional 'muscle power' doesnt seem to work well. Not many people can generate 'short power'consistently without training specifically for it. Also you will find that most people are very uncomfortable with the close range hits that WT tends to use most, ie. the range between trapping and elbow/knee range. 4. Using one arm to control whilst stabbing/slicing with the other is something that makes sense, if your opponent had only 'one' weapon. Most people, including professional fighters and strong athletes tend to use one upper limb at a time. Two against one makes better sense. 5. Lots of fighters have the most difficulty when it comes to transition movements. A basic example is two guys staying at kicking range and then one suddenly entering closer in with a hand strike. Often this seems to get through not because it is particularly hard to defend against per se, but because the mind seems to have trouble switching quiclkly enough. Another example can be seen when grapplers dive from hand striking range to grappling range. WT knives are prime examples of what I like to call 'misdirection weapons'. Like watching a skilled sleight of hand artist, you seem to keep getting caught watching the wrong limb, or expectiing it to go elsewhere. This skill of the knives is of course the same with WT's ways of entering, or bypassing the guards (i.e. limbs) to get to the 'director of operations'.
WEDGE
There are many more concepts that easily translate from the methods of knife or short sword to striking with your arms. Both offensive and defensive at the same time, WT knives (arms) are used in a number of methods that is the same whether you are with or without an actual weapon. The main concepts of a wedge attack is demonstrated in principle by simply putting the two knife tips (or interlacing the fingers of both hands into one big fist) and then meeting your opponents hand strikes with an actual wedge shaped defence/attack. I usually teach this as a snowplow defence, that guides snow(attacking arms) to the side while staying upon the actual road leading to the opponent.
Since this wedge actually covers more than a vertical left and right side, it is actually a cone shape rather than a plow shaped wedge. The following animation illustrating the idea is found on my teacher Ralph Haenels site, www.wingtsunkungfu.com It was designed by Gary Hughes of Vancouver, BC.
http://www.realisticselfdefense.net/img/wing_tsun_shield.gif
SPIRIT
When marital artists talk about swords, you often hear references to spirit of the weapon. This shows up when trainees pick up a sword and tend to try harder, lunge further, and train longer. This of course can result eventually in more skill development. The playing with weapons is similar in concept to that of young animals 'play fighting". Theoretically it is regarded as play, but it actually is practise for the real thing. Playing like this tends to develop a 'warrior spirit' as well. All fighters know that 'heart' is a major factor in battle. And practising with weapons is a way of connecting with this spirit.
MUSCLE MEMORY
My instructor, Ralph, told me that knife training can serve many purposes. The weight of the knives is sort of a weight lifting for martial arts in that it works the specific muscles needed. I was told that at the 'castle' they were hitting solid walls with the knives. If your grip of the knife was too loose, you would drop it on contact. If you held it too tightly, you would feel like your fingers/hand was broken and tend to also drop the weapon. The correct grip tension of course helps control the weapon. My interpretation is that for handwork, that the right tension gives one the unique WT ability to penetrate with your hits. We are not necessarily trying to slam, or to lightly jab, but more of a 'stab' with our punches. This type of 'hitting with a weapon' would help develop this type of penetration power..
TACTICS
The military effectiveness of wedge attacks to 'cut through' larger, stronger, and more concentrated forces has been documented throughout history. Surely there is much of value in this on a personal combat level. One is the macro version/one the micro. Many similarities will surface. Besides the wedge attack, military history teaches us some other tactics that we also see and borrow from the double knives. One is that the best defense is a good offense. Another might be the ability to attack on two sides at once, or to use the feint,draw, and attack from a different angle. Flanking, encircling, and just overruning the enemy with multiple attacks is classic double knife work. And of course there is the direct stab (i.e. the idea of getting to the leader to end it quickly). Cutting the head off so to speak, resonates with the way double knives are used. And having multiple weapons or more than one limb to be used like different squadrons/individuals gives one the ability to disguise the main intent.
CONTROL
WT's multiple skills, ranges, and the ability to switch rapidly as they read the situation, increases the effectiveness of your entire army by overwhelming the opponents usual mental process. Getting them to react because of the close range and extremely quick numerous attacks is a prime knives concept. You are forcing them to react, which means you are essentially leading them. In WT's method the idea is to force them to fight 'our way', which they are usually not so familiar with. This increases our chances of success greatly.
FUN
Last, but not least.....playing with the knives is fun!!! There is a reason why all those old Hollywood pirate type movies, right up to Johnny Depps 'Pirates of the Carribean' are so popular. Skills come from enthusiastic regular training, and this type of training is a blast!!! After all, children pick up swords and fight for fun. .....
Enjoy your training...work with the double knives and extend the concepts to your open hand training!!!!!
is built around concept training, instead of techniques. Hopefully this article will start you thinking a bit about how to use the arms conceptually, instead of specific 'moves'.
Arms Like Knives
CONCEPT IN HISTORY
One version of WT's history is that the art evolved from the battlefield "double knives". These famous knives add to the legend of Wing Tsuns 'real practicality". Life and death struggles against other well trained opponents, armed with weaponry that was longer, heavier, and more powerful (broadswords, staff/spears, ball and chain, and other similar paraphenalia) developed the skills now used in modern WT. WT's butterfly swords, as they are sometimes called, had some specific advantages.
ADVANTAGES
One is in the variety of types of usages. Being able to quickly switch from hacking and chopping type movements, to slicing, slippery moves, as well as the ability to stick, control, or yield with one while attacking with the other makes you much harder to defend against. This versatility of switching from strength to speed, from jamming to slipping, as well as twice the attacks at once all made the double knives a weapon that was hard to stop. After all most weapons have very specific strengths. And being so specific also limits their application and make them relatively easy to defend against, at least in theory. Someone who can change tactics in the blink of an eye, is much harder to set up a specific defense against. Think of having a long rifle that is accurate at 1000 yards, and how limited it is when your opponent is in grappling range with a knife. Then think of the WT knife ( or fighter it represents) as a transformer type weapon. It can slice or stab, club or bind, deflect or slam. There can be double levels, double angles, or fakes and actual strikes. ( WT fighters actually try to attack with 3 limbs, since they use both arms PLUS the hip/knee shin to strike/offblance etc.) Whether or not the history and stories are correct is not so important. What we modern WT practitioners are interested in is the concept of multiple skills used in an aggressive defense.
THE 'FEEL'(USE) OF THE WEAPON
The mental pictures obtained by even relating to this weaponry can definitely help a trainee to visualise specific objectives towards achieving skills. Following are five basic examples. 1. Picturing a 'sword hand' strike to the neck implies the cutting/penetrating feeling that is often lacking in a beginners hand strikes. 2. Thinking of bypassing your opponents arms to get to the body is seemingly easier achieved by by thinking of your own limbs as knives, and then hacking, chopping and slicing as necessary when you meet your opponents arms (weapons). Most of us have problems in getting to our opponent, because on contact with their arms we tend to tighten up and try to use force. Seeing your arms as blades can help you slip through with a cutting motion. 3. Getting in close as fast as possible makes more sense when you think of double 14 inch knives going against a 7 foot long spear, or a 3 foot broadsword. If your opponent has good power and reach, you can often nullify this by getting to a range where traditional 'muscle power' doesnt seem to work well. Not many people can generate 'short power'consistently without training specifically for it. Also you will find that most people are very uncomfortable with the close range hits that WT tends to use most, ie. the range between trapping and elbow/knee range. 4. Using one arm to control whilst stabbing/slicing with the other is something that makes sense, if your opponent had only 'one' weapon. Most people, including professional fighters and strong athletes tend to use one upper limb at a time. Two against one makes better sense. 5. Lots of fighters have the most difficulty when it comes to transition movements. A basic example is two guys staying at kicking range and then one suddenly entering closer in with a hand strike. Often this seems to get through not because it is particularly hard to defend against per se, but because the mind seems to have trouble switching quiclkly enough. Another example can be seen when grapplers dive from hand striking range to grappling range. WT knives are prime examples of what I like to call 'misdirection weapons'. Like watching a skilled sleight of hand artist, you seem to keep getting caught watching the wrong limb, or expectiing it to go elsewhere. This skill of the knives is of course the same with WT's ways of entering, or bypassing the guards (i.e. limbs) to get to the 'director of operations'.
WEDGE
There are many more concepts that easily translate from the methods of knife or short sword to striking with your arms. Both offensive and defensive at the same time, WT knives (arms) are used in a number of methods that is the same whether you are with or without an actual weapon. The main concepts of a wedge attack is demonstrated in principle by simply putting the two knife tips (or interlacing the fingers of both hands into one big fist) and then meeting your opponents hand strikes with an actual wedge shaped defence/attack. I usually teach this as a snowplow defence, that guides snow(attacking arms) to the side while staying upon the actual road leading to the opponent.
Since this wedge actually covers more than a vertical left and right side, it is actually a cone shape rather than a plow shaped wedge. The following animation illustrating the idea is found on my teacher Ralph Haenels site, www.wingtsunkungfu.com It was designed by Gary Hughes of Vancouver, BC.
http://www.realisticselfdefense.net/img/wing_tsun_shield.gif
SPIRIT
When marital artists talk about swords, you often hear references to spirit of the weapon. This shows up when trainees pick up a sword and tend to try harder, lunge further, and train longer. This of course can result eventually in more skill development. The playing with weapons is similar in concept to that of young animals 'play fighting". Theoretically it is regarded as play, but it actually is practise for the real thing. Playing like this tends to develop a 'warrior spirit' as well. All fighters know that 'heart' is a major factor in battle. And practising with weapons is a way of connecting with this spirit.
MUSCLE MEMORY
My instructor, Ralph, told me that knife training can serve many purposes. The weight of the knives is sort of a weight lifting for martial arts in that it works the specific muscles needed. I was told that at the 'castle' they were hitting solid walls with the knives. If your grip of the knife was too loose, you would drop it on contact. If you held it too tightly, you would feel like your fingers/hand was broken and tend to also drop the weapon. The correct grip tension of course helps control the weapon. My interpretation is that for handwork, that the right tension gives one the unique WT ability to penetrate with your hits. We are not necessarily trying to slam, or to lightly jab, but more of a 'stab' with our punches. This type of 'hitting with a weapon' would help develop this type of penetration power..
TACTICS
The military effectiveness of wedge attacks to 'cut through' larger, stronger, and more concentrated forces has been documented throughout history. Surely there is much of value in this on a personal combat level. One is the macro version/one the micro. Many similarities will surface. Besides the wedge attack, military history teaches us some other tactics that we also see and borrow from the double knives. One is that the best defense is a good offense. Another might be the ability to attack on two sides at once, or to use the feint,draw, and attack from a different angle. Flanking, encircling, and just overruning the enemy with multiple attacks is classic double knife work. And of course there is the direct stab (i.e. the idea of getting to the leader to end it quickly). Cutting the head off so to speak, resonates with the way double knives are used. And having multiple weapons or more than one limb to be used like different squadrons/individuals gives one the ability to disguise the main intent.
CONTROL
WT's multiple skills, ranges, and the ability to switch rapidly as they read the situation, increases the effectiveness of your entire army by overwhelming the opponents usual mental process. Getting them to react because of the close range and extremely quick numerous attacks is a prime knives concept. You are forcing them to react, which means you are essentially leading them. In WT's method the idea is to force them to fight 'our way', which they are usually not so familiar with. This increases our chances of success greatly.
FUN
Last, but not least.....playing with the knives is fun!!! There is a reason why all those old Hollywood pirate type movies, right up to Johnny Depps 'Pirates of the Carribean' are so popular. Skills come from enthusiastic regular training, and this type of training is a blast!!! After all, children pick up swords and fight for fun. .....
Enjoy your training...work with the double knives and extend the concepts to your open hand training!!!!!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Lesson 10 names for various arm positions
Pak sow, bong sow, tan sow are shown here out of the lat sow application drill.
Keep in mind that these are not blocks per se, but momentarily interrupted punches.Therefore each postures start point is as a punch, and their finish point is as an extended punch, hopefully making contact with the partner.
Often the short term move is only shown, not the completed move. So people start to think of the particular move as a static position, rather than a process.
Pak sow is a slapping palm 'block'.
Tan sow is a palm up arm position.
Bong sow is a bent arm position.
Many wing chun people are looking to see the 'perfect' bong or tan sow etc..Their definition is usually the fully extended verion, held somewhat stationary for a relatively long period of time. Our belief in WT is that eventually you wont see the postures themselves in most cases, but rather the function will be there working to allow your punch easy and quick entry to the opponent.
wu sow - guard hand
man sow seeking hand
pak sow - slap hand
tan sow - palm up hand
bong sow- wing arm
huen sow - circling hand
fook sow - sensing hand, sometimes called short bridge
fax sow -
gan sow - axe hand , cutting hand
jip sow -
chum ( or jum)sow - sinking hand ( elbow)
bil sow, or bil jee - poking or darting hand
tot sow - lifting hand
quon sow - circling arms
gum sow - pressing hand
lan sow- fence arm
jut sow - jerking hand
gwak sow - sweeping arm
Keep in mind that these are not blocks per se, but momentarily interrupted punches.Therefore each postures start point is as a punch, and their finish point is as an extended punch, hopefully making contact with the partner.
Often the short term move is only shown, not the completed move. So people start to think of the particular move as a static position, rather than a process.
Pak sow is a slapping palm 'block'.
Tan sow is a palm up arm position.
Bong sow is a bent arm position.
Many wing chun people are looking to see the 'perfect' bong or tan sow etc..Their definition is usually the fully extended verion, held somewhat stationary for a relatively long period of time. Our belief in WT is that eventually you wont see the postures themselves in most cases, but rather the function will be there working to allow your punch easy and quick entry to the opponent.
wu sow - guard hand
man sow seeking hand
pak sow - slap hand
tan sow - palm up hand
bong sow- wing arm
huen sow - circling hand
fook sow - sensing hand, sometimes called short bridge
fax sow -
gan sow - axe hand , cutting hand
jip sow -
chum ( or jum)sow - sinking hand ( elbow)
bil sow, or bil jee - poking or darting hand
tot sow - lifting hand
quon sow - circling arms
gum sow - pressing hand
lan sow- fence arm
jut sow - jerking hand
gwak sow - sweeping arm
Lesson 17 lat sow mid/ upper torso punch
This punch we are going to call punch 'number 4'. The attacker attempts to slip his right punch past your outside pak sow defense by either using more power to smash through, or by moving a bit to your right to sneak through, or by dropping slightly, so he can bypass your slightly flared elbow position.
At this point we will only show the attack with this punch on the video. This punch is actually a extremely important move in WT since it is the beginning of a lot of the adjustments needed for realistic application. Most people looking at it just see the superficial idea of a punch to the chest that they think will be easy to defend against. But it is a building block for power, mobility, angular movement, and quite a bit more.
The defense against this punch will be added to this particular post very soon.
At this point we will only show the attack with this punch on the video. This punch is actually a extremely important move in WT since it is the beginning of a lot of the adjustments needed for realistic application. Most people looking at it just see the superficial idea of a punch to the chest that they think will be easy to defend against. But it is a building block for power, mobility, angular movement, and quite a bit more.
The defense against this punch will be added to this particular post very soon.
Lesson 16 Lat sow defenses against 3 punches
Your basic lat sow hand pattern gives you the basic idea. When doing the drill co-operativly your attacking left palm strike should repeatedly be running into, then sticking to your partners right 'inside' punch. Call this punch defense "number 1". During this move from your partners point of view he is doing the next defense.
In this particular definition, inside and outside is referring to your partners two arms being extended straight forwards. The area between his arms, we refer to as inside, and of course the area outside as just that. There are other ways to refer to inside /outside depending on which frame of reference one uses, so that is why we are being specific here.
Defense against punch number two is when your right hand punch intercepts and sticks to his left palm strike attack. This "number 2" for your so called 'block' is an inside defense from your poinnt of view. It is not a block per se, but a
(momentarily ) interrupted attack that just happens to stop the partners attack.
Defense 3 is against a right punch aimed upwards to your face level. Essentially you will be repeating an inside defense though, as it has gone slightly over your left pak sow. Think of your wedge as a snowplow blade in front of you. As this happens, imagine you are now going uphill, So just tilt the arm wedge upwards. For now it is a good idea to pull the head and upper body ever so slightly backwards to keep his attack well away from you.
In this particular definition, inside and outside is referring to your partners two arms being extended straight forwards. The area between his arms, we refer to as inside, and of course the area outside as just that. There are other ways to refer to inside /outside depending on which frame of reference one uses, so that is why we are being specific here.
Defense against punch number two is when your right hand punch intercepts and sticks to his left palm strike attack. This "number 2" for your so called 'block' is an inside defense from your poinnt of view. It is not a block per se, but a
(momentarily ) interrupted attack that just happens to stop the partners attack.
Defense 3 is against a right punch aimed upwards to your face level. Essentially you will be repeating an inside defense though, as it has gone slightly over your left pak sow. Think of your wedge as a snowplow blade in front of you. As this happens, imagine you are now going uphill, So just tilt the arm wedge upwards. For now it is a good idea to pull the head and upper body ever so slightly backwards to keep his attack well away from you.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Lesson 20 kick defenses, bong gerk/tan gerk
The first defense is always just to attack, with a kick or shift in and strike.
When someone is going to strike us, their intial step towards us will place them at kicking range. If we time our response properly, we will be attacking the kicking range point, just as they arrive there, but before they launch their kick. Think of this as a 'pre-emptive strike'. It is as if an attacking army arrives to invade our country, and as they mass at one point outside of our borders, to get organised, we bomb that particular spot before they actually attack.
Of course, being human, we often dont launch in time. We may just not realise the situation, we may be hesitant whether the attacker really has bad intentions, or we may just be slow in responding. In these cases we need a method to deal with the kicking attack itself.
We can kick their torso if their kick is not directly towards us, as in a round kick.
Or we can kick the incoming leg, preferably before it gets some speed and momentum.
In any case, the next, late option is that we are stepping or kicking our way in towards a closer range, when our leg makes contact with theirs. If we are stronger, or well past their borders, then we may still just kick them. But if we meet more to our own defensive area, we need to deflect the kick. If this kick is to the waist down area, we use our leg for defense, and usually make contact with our foot or shin area.
In the videos below, we show some of this methods.
pre-empt the kick
pre cursers for kick defenses ( leg sweep defenses)
yap gerk
bong gerk
When someone is going to strike us, their intial step towards us will place them at kicking range. If we time our response properly, we will be attacking the kicking range point, just as they arrive there, but before they launch their kick. Think of this as a 'pre-emptive strike'. It is as if an attacking army arrives to invade our country, and as they mass at one point outside of our borders, to get organised, we bomb that particular spot before they actually attack.
Of course, being human, we often dont launch in time. We may just not realise the situation, we may be hesitant whether the attacker really has bad intentions, or we may just be slow in responding. In these cases we need a method to deal with the kicking attack itself.
We can kick their torso if their kick is not directly towards us, as in a round kick.
Or we can kick the incoming leg, preferably before it gets some speed and momentum.
In any case, the next, late option is that we are stepping or kicking our way in towards a closer range, when our leg makes contact with theirs. If we are stronger, or well past their borders, then we may still just kick them. But if we meet more to our own defensive area, we need to deflect the kick. If this kick is to the waist down area, we use our leg for defense, and usually make contact with our foot or shin area.
In the videos below, we show some of this methods.
pre-empt the kick
pre cursers for kick defenses ( leg sweep defenses)
yap gerk
bong gerk
Lesson 18 Student level two material
Basic focus in this section of training, is to start thinking of the body and limbs as coiled springs. When your training partner gives you pressure on the body, it should 'load' you. This is like bending a straight piece of steel, and then when it releases, it springs back to the original shape. This is a method of 'borrowing your opponents power'.
four strength prinicples
tan sow applied as an energy drill
pak sow as an energy drill
bong sow as an energy drill
Defense vs push,, long response, short response
Bong gerk vs kick
Tan gerk vs kick
defense vs wrist grab, inside/outside
Lat sow defense vs headlock, over arm, under arm
Defense vs choke, rising wedge punch; dropping lan sow
Universal defense vs inside,outside,kick etc
Tan dar, bong dar, pak dar, etc
Section four of form
four strength prinicples
tan sow applied as an energy drill
pak sow as an energy drill
bong sow as an energy drill
Defense vs push,, long response, short response
Bong gerk vs kick
Tan gerk vs kick
defense vs wrist grab, inside/outside
Lat sow defense vs headlock, over arm, under arm
Defense vs choke, rising wedge punch; dropping lan sow
Universal defense vs inside,outside,kick etc
Tan dar, bong dar, pak dar, etc
Section four of form
Lesson 14, foot circle vs outside leg sweep
this leg sweep is performed with both having their right leg forwards.
opponent attacks by moving in and then hooking his right leg behind yours, and attempting to sweep your leg to your left.
As he increases the pressure on your lower shin, you stick with the knee and increase the pressure there, while relaxing the lower area by the foot.
While keeping contact in the knee area, slide your foot slightly back towards you, circle it around to the inside area of his shin, and then move forwards.
opponent attacks by moving in and then hooking his right leg behind yours, and attempting to sweep your leg to your left.
As he increases the pressure on your lower shin, you stick with the knee and increase the pressure there, while relaxing the lower area by the foot.
While keeping contact in the knee area, slide your foot slightly back towards you, circle it around to the inside area of his shin, and then move forwards.
Lesson 13 foot circle vs inside foot sweep
As opponent uses his right leg to kick or sweep your right foot out from under you,stick at the knee.
Relax the foot, circle it slightly back towards yourself, and circle it to the outside of his shin.
Move forwards. If you step on his rear foot and push, it is possible to injure his ankle, so avoid that in practise and just offbalance or turn your traning parter.
Relax the foot, circle it slightly back towards yourself, and circle it to the outside of his shin.
Move forwards. If you step on his rear foot and push, it is possible to injure his ankle, so avoid that in practise and just offbalance or turn your traning parter.
Lesson 12 - some applications of the form
elbow withdraw as attack
knees sinking for power. or wedge vs kick
feet turning to break stance
wedge punch hi or low punch
3 wedges against arm grab
3 wedge as backfist entry
single arm wedge vs punch - deflect out and up
punch in center vs punch - deflect in and down
huen sow as change from out to in, or vice versa
knees sinking for power. or wedge vs kick
feet turning to break stance
wedge punch hi or low punch
3 wedges against arm grab
3 wedge as backfist entry
single arm wedge vs punch - deflect out and up
punch in center vs punch - deflect in and down
huen sow as change from out to in, or vice versa
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Lesson 11 The four fight principles
In wing tsun, rather than teach a plethoria of techniques, as in 'if he does this, then you do this move' ad infinitm, we have four principles that guide our actions.
The four are as follows:
1. go forwards
2. stick to what comes
3. yield to greater strength
4. close the gap
We try to immedately close range upon the attacker. Usually when we are moving in, the first thing that reaches the opponent is our arms and legs. If we strike and throw them away, there is no need to go any further in the principles.
If we cross arms with our opponent, then we need to get the information as to the direction, pressure, speed etc of these limbs. So we stick to the limb just long enough to sense where it is headed and how much force is there. After a lot of practise, this amount of time is faster than conscious thought. If we have greater strength in our movement, we can continue going forwards.
But if the opponents force is greater, then we yield, still sticking, until we have slightly deflected the attack. This sticking loads our arms, our torso, and our legs, to allow us to find a way past this greater force, without allowing it to strike us.
At this point we move closer to the opponent, closing the gap.
The four are as follows:
1. go forwards
2. stick to what comes
3. yield to greater strength
4. close the gap
We try to immedately close range upon the attacker. Usually when we are moving in, the first thing that reaches the opponent is our arms and legs. If we strike and throw them away, there is no need to go any further in the principles.
If we cross arms with our opponent, then we need to get the information as to the direction, pressure, speed etc of these limbs. So we stick to the limb just long enough to sense where it is headed and how much force is there. After a lot of practise, this amount of time is faster than conscious thought. If we have greater strength in our movement, we can continue going forwards.
But if the opponents force is greater, then we yield, still sticking, until we have slightly deflected the attack. This sticking loads our arms, our torso, and our legs, to allow us to find a way past this greater force, without allowing it to strike us.
At this point we move closer to the opponent, closing the gap.
Lesson 7 Introduction to lat sow
For most of these first videos, we will be working on 4 methods of training. There is the form itself, which is a catalogue of movements, and our way of buidling the specific strengths needed to apply WT sucessfully. More on that in a follow up post.
The other main methods train similar concepts, but at different ranges. We will have an attacker coming in from outside of kicking range in one method. This gives you lots of time and space to be able to respond and practise. The second method is Lat Sow. In this method, you start just out of arm striking range. For the initial training you will stay at this range for safety, and to learn how to engage at the border between you and the opponent when neither can quite touch one anothers torso,head etc.. Essentially only the hands/wrist/forearms can make contact. In this method there is a continual practise of making contact, breaking contact, and then re-establishing it. In later lessons we will be adding the forwards movement of the body, and the 'entires' to your opponent starting from lat sow. A demo of the important skills to pratise at the start of lat sow co-operative practise follows below.
The third method involves a much closer range and continuous contact in the early and middle stage training. This is the famous chi sow or sticking hands/clinging arms practise that WT is famous for. It will be introduced about lesson 20.
As for the following videos that introduce lat sow,, we will be going into a lot more detail and a lot more close ups in future videos. For now, you can follow the lat sow basics video and the mistakes in lat sow to avoid.
Lat sow basics
Lat sow mistakes
The other main methods train similar concepts, but at different ranges. We will have an attacker coming in from outside of kicking range in one method. This gives you lots of time and space to be able to respond and practise. The second method is Lat Sow. In this method, you start just out of arm striking range. For the initial training you will stay at this range for safety, and to learn how to engage at the border between you and the opponent when neither can quite touch one anothers torso,head etc.. Essentially only the hands/wrist/forearms can make contact. In this method there is a continual practise of making contact, breaking contact, and then re-establishing it. In later lessons we will be adding the forwards movement of the body, and the 'entires' to your opponent starting from lat sow. A demo of the important skills to pratise at the start of lat sow co-operative practise follows below.
The third method involves a much closer range and continuous contact in the early and middle stage training. This is the famous chi sow or sticking hands/clinging arms practise that WT is famous for. It will be introduced about lesson 20.
As for the following videos that introduce lat sow,, we will be going into a lot more detail and a lot more close ups in future videos. For now, you can follow the lat sow basics video and the mistakes in lat sow to avoid.
Lat sow basics
Lat sow mistakes
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