Month: August 2017
Jow Sau Jip Sau: Running and Catching Hands
In both Poon Sau and Luk Sau you have been maintaining constant contact with your partner’s arms. The four drills in this section prepares you for true Chi Sau by introducing concepts relating to breaking contact and re-establishing contact. While still maintaining a perfect Luk Sau cycle, you’re going to learn how to use Jow Sau or Running Hands to break away, and Jip Sau or Catching Hands to re-connect with your partner after he runs. This section also introduces the concepts of attack and defense in Chi Sau. At the Dan Chi Sau (Single Sticking Hands) level we introduced…
Luk Sau Rolling Hands Drill
I recently had the unforgettable experience of teaching my teenage daughter how to drive. In the very beginning, I just let her sit in the driver’s seat and learn where everything is: the gas pedal, the brake, the ignition, lights, etc. We adjusted seats and mirrors and got her fully comfortable with the position of driving before we ever cranked the car. Finally, on a straight, empty street, she got her first taste of driving. She had all the power of my truck’s engine completely under her control, and learned how to gently pull forward and easily brake to a…
Centerline Theory
The centerline is sacred to the Wing Chun warrior. In an assault, it becomes your sole focus of attention to both attack and defend the centerline. Everything you practice in the Forms and Drills relates back to the centerline. As a whole, Centerline Theory is both elegantly simple and fascinatingly complex. As a beginning student, you will learn about the most basic concepts. As you advance into the Chum Kiu form and begin to move with structure, you will learn intermediate concepts such as Facing and Cutting Angles. As you move into the Biu Jee level and beyond, the advanced…
Lap Sau Grasp and Punch Drill: Second Change
Now that you’re comfortable with the basic mechanics of Lap Sau we’re going to add another dimension of flow. While you’re changing back-and-forth between partners, now you’re also going to seamlessly change between left and right sides. Portions of this variation will also move a bit quicker, because as you will see, you will be able to take some unconventional shortcuts. The remainder of this chapter is restricted to registered students at Level Two status and above. If you are a currently enrolled student, please click the Student Login button below to continue. Otherwise, please click here to return to…
Five Star Conditioning Drill
The next drill is an optional exercise to condition all of the potential impact surfaces of the forearm. We’ll take a look at two partner variations and one solo drill that can be trained with the wooden dummy. Each drill begins at a slow, even tempo and very light contact. As the forearms are toughened over time, both the tempo and volume of force can increase. Do not rush this drill. It is marked optional because of the higher potential for injury if done incorrectly. If you try it, remember the meaning of Kung Fu: “skill gained over time.” Doing…
Tan Da: Palm-Up Block and Partner Drill
The Tan Dan Drill builds off the foundation created with the Pak Da Drill and follows the same basic pattern. One partner punches and the other responds with Pak Sau followed by Tan Da: Punch One: Pak Sau Block Punch Two: Pak Sau Block Punch Three: Extended Pak turns over into Tan Sau, back fist punches along centerline. Tan = “spreading or dispersing” Sau = “hand” Da = “hit or strike” The remainder of this chapter is restricted to registered students at Level One status and above. If you are a currently enrolled student, please click the Student Login button…
Wing Chun Concepts Level Two
Wing Chun Kung Fu is an interesting blend of what are called Hard Skills and Soft Skills. Hard Skills are high-precision actions that should be peformed accurately and reliably every time. When you practice the forms and the drills, you are focusing on movements that follow an ideal model of economy and efficiency. Doing them over and over, you are building repeatable precision. Soft Skills cultivate intuition. Soft Skills develop the ability to quickly recognize patterns and opportunities, and to flow around any presented obstacles. The Keng Jing (“Listening Energy”) aspects of the two previous drills gave us a glimpse…
Lap Sau Grasp and Punch Drill: Third Change
The flow is about to get faster, more complex, and require greater sensitivity. The third variation of the Lap Sau Drill involves a counter-attack on the half-beat, or what we call, “Lap the Lap.” This exercise will also introduce new principles of Wing Chun combat that form the concept of Attack the Attack. The remainder of this chapter is restricted to registered students at Level Two status and above. If you are a currently enrolled student, please click the Student Login button below to continue. Otherwise, please click here to return to the Table of Contents page.
Siu Lim Tau: Opening the Form
The Siu Lim Tau form is divided into three sections and an opening sequence to make it easy to learn. In this lesson we will learn the details of the opening sequence separately from the rest of the form. Siu Lim Tau translates to mean “Little Idea Form” or “Small Idea Form.” As with many of the concepts, there are layers of meaning to this name. At our foundation layer, “little ideas” can be thought of as “seed ideas.” In this form, the Wing Chun grandmasters have planted the seed of ideas and concepts that we will cultivate throughout our…
Lap Sau Grasp and Punch Drill: Fourth Change
So far, every variation of this drill has been build around flow, and the ability to adapt reflexively to any obstacle in the path. In this fourth and final change, we recognize that our attacker has significant fighting skill. Instead of allowing him to flow and counter, you’re going to use compound techniques to simply shut him down. Such a devastating counter is not easy, however. Be prepared to ramp up your sensitivity and timing, and be ready to move on the quarter-beat. The remainder of this chapter is restricted to registered students at Level Two status and above.…