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Archive for the ‘Chum-Kiu’ Category

Chum-Kiu

23 Apr

Seeking vs Sinking

One of the easiest things to do after training Wing Chun for a while is to misunderstand the purpose of Chum-Kiu. Even with the excitement of learning kicks, elbow attacks, angling, and creating a great deal of power when turning, let’s face it: any intermediate training is sometimes a bit mundane.

So what is the Chum-Kiu? What is its purpose? What can you get out of this curriculum that you cannot find anywhere else? Let’s take a look and see.

Chum-Kiu, or Arm-Seeking form, is the second form in Wing Chun Kuen. There are two main categories of thought amongst the lineages in regards to arm seeking vs arm sinking.

With sinking, this line of thought dictates that when your arms meet the arms of the opponent, you sink or leak through the holes, just like rain leaking through a roof. In this way, no matter what the opponent does, you are sinking yourself through those holes in order to defeat him.

Seeking is a bit different. This line of thought dictates first a strategy vs an action. Rather than waiting for the opponent to come to us, a practitioner will drive into the opponent and make contact, seeking out his bridge arms. As contact is made, it is then that sinking or leaking takes place.

When the latter view is worked, the Chum-Kiu takes on a brand new meaning. It is readily seen that this intermediate curriculum is the true bridge between Siu-Nim-Tau and Biu-Tze, for Biu-Tze requires competence in both in order to be effective.

Section 1

Section 1 teaches all about turning, torquing, and slicing through an attack with a whole-body defense. Youth can see a lot of positive actions, but as we get older it becomes apparent that what we used to do and how we did it will definitely change.

Therefore, section 1 shows us that rather than relying on our physical strength, we can use the entire body to respond with. This whole-body concept then becomes a mainstay of our entire Wing Chun approach.

Section 2

Section 2 of the Chum-Kiu is a practitioner’s first formal engagement with kicks. I say formal because many schools – including the AWCA – also teach Jeet-gerk, or Jamming-kick/Stop-kick, at an earlier stage in order to give our students a leg defense.

Beginning with Wang-chang-gerk, or Side Thrusting-kick,  a practitioner learns how to thrust the foot vs snapping it like other martial arts. We approach kicking as we approach punching: rather than arcing or snapping out with an attack, we thrust it in order to get the entire body behind it. We thrust the punch/palm via the elbow, so we thrust the foot via the knee.

A practitioner also works the concept of “Every step is a kick, every kick is a step” at this stage. This means that as we step, our weight should be such that we can always immediately respond with a kick if needed vs moving weight to the other leg. It also means that after each kick, we do not fall forward; instead, we step directly downward so that our momentum is not carried forward and taking us off balance.

You will hear many lines of thought regarding weight distribution. You will also see some very convincing demonstrations as to why weight on the lead leg is paramount (as a rebuttal against those that train with 100% on the rear leg).

The interesting thing is that when you apply weight on the lead leg with someone who is fighting for real? You see a different outcome than what was demonstrated in class. And in real life, you need every edge you can get.

At the AWCA, we train 100% on the rear leg and 0% weight on the lead leg. At any given moment, the lead leg can jam, kick and step in any direction without the body moving. No weight needs to move because no weight is on the lead leg.

When someone drives forward? The leg will respond by either jamming the leg, kicking the opponent, wedging into his structure, or side-stepping to borrow the force. With weight on the leg, there is a brief encounter of force-vs-force regardless of the amount. And when that happens, the stronger of the two forces has the edge. We remove this altogether by having 0% on the lead leg and 100% on the rear.

Section 3

Section 3 sees us working the last two of Wing Chun’s three primary kicks: Ching-sun-gerk and Che-chong-gerk. Ching-sun-gerk, or Front Thrusting-kick, is generally the more commonly-used of the three kicks, while Che-chong-gerk, or Slant Thrusting-kick, is a combination of the side kick and front kick.

Conclusion

In addition to the myriad of movements, the concepts of Chum-Kiu also teaches the various ranges of fighting such as punching/palming, elbows/knees, kicking, and grappling/takedowns. Ground fighting, which is the fifth range, is a supplemental curriculum vs found in a form. These various ranges explore the tactical and strategic nature of fighting with a competent, well-trained attacker, so the Chum-Kiu cycle is generally a bit longer than most other curriculums of Wing Chun.

Its training, however, is of paramount importance in understanding and learning real fighting in today’s world. Without it, the Biu-Tze will never amount to anything. Without it, an attacker will easily knock you off balance. Without it, you will have limited footwork, limited power output, and limited angling when engaged with multiple opponents.

As a well-known master told us in a seminar once: “Whenever you are bored, that means you haven’t learned. Why? Because when you have learned it, you are always intrigued by what it means and what it does.”

Still think the Chum-Kiu is mundane? Me, either.

 

 
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Chasing the Opponent

11 Sep

Explosive Juen-bo

One of the more confusing elements in Wing Chun is how a predominantly upper-body art can breach distances so explosively, regardless of what that distance is. The most advanced footwork is found in the Bart-Cham-Dao, but we take some of these lessons and bring them down a bit to the more basic and intermediate levels by introducing an explosive Juen-bo.

The first step to creating an explosive footwork skill set is to examine the mechanics involved. From Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma, or the Character “Two” Adduction stance, our options for movement include moving forward, moving to either side, or moving backwards. The angles can change so you can include a diagonal trajectory for any of these options, but these are variations of the three primary directions. Since we are working Juen-bo in this exercise, we will be moving forward.

Juen-bo, or Advancing-step, can be enacted from any stance and it is merely the act of stepping forward. The method of getting there, however, is what is confusing.

From Yee-chi-kim-yeung, one leg pivots slightly to the middle and then explodes directly forward. This action is called Huen-bo, or Forward Circling-step, and resembles the letter J. When the foot lands on the ground, the lead leg literally pulls the entire body forward like an engine pulling a train. This happens as a result of adduction of the knees. Without this adduction, momentum is required for movement but this momentum opens the door for fast counter-attacks by even a mediocre opponent.

Pivoting the leg slightly inward and then forward allows us to wedge our lower body into the legs of the opponent, which sees the effect of protecting us against kicks to the groin while advancing.

This action of initial stepping is extremely difficult and will feel quite unwieldy at first because it is a completely different way than what the body is used to. To literally pull the body requires a great deal of strength in the adductor muscles, and the only way to work these muscles in the manner we require is through stepping.

There are two stages to Huen-bo. The first is when learning the actual mechanics and sees a bit of weight transferring to the other leg while the leg that is stepping circles inward slightly while reaching forward. Once the foot plants, the body is pulled forward.

The second stage occurs after a bit of training and sees a faster step, resulting in no weight being transferred while the step is enacted. The speed of the steps is almost like the body is suspended in air, and if the stepping leg does not step quickly enough, the body would fall to the opposite side.

Machines in the gym will strengthen the adductor muscles, but not in the same way we use them. Strengthening the adductor muscles for effective Wing Chun training can only come from the stepping action itself, so do not cheat yourself by spending an inordinate amount of time in the gym on an adductor machine. It will not yield the same results. Therefore, do not take adduction lightly.

The tactic of fast, repetitive stepping takes into account the nature of chasing the opponent. It is slow at first (stage 1) but as your adductor muscles get stronger, you become more comfortable. As you become more comfortable, then your legs get more relaxed and explosive, resulting in an explosive forward step (stage 2). As one element improves, the other will also improve. The key, however, is to train the legs to chase a fast-moving opponent.

Once Huen-bo is very explosive in nature, we progress to fast, repetitive Juen-bo movements. Rather than a full step, Juen-bo is shortened a bit so that if you reached out with the leg during a step, no body weight would be transferred to the lead leg. In fact, if you stepped with Juen-bo, you should be able to immediately raise your leg after the step without having to lean backwards or transfer weight to the rear leg. This is very good self-test to see if you are, in fact, transferring weight.

Keeping the back straight, lift the lead leg upward. If you have to move weight backwards onto the rear leg, this tells you that weight did, in fact, move foward while you stepped. When that happens, your opponent’s simultaneous attack will see a decrease in your response if body movement is needed because the weight now has to go somewhere in order to dissipate the incoming force.

When Juen-bo’s shortened step is competent, we then combine these two actions to go from a stationary Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma to an explosive Huen-bo, followed by short, explosive Juen-bo actions. In tightly confined areas where timing and instant response is needed, this tactic has shown extremely valuable in turning the tables on someone who has jumped us or who attacks and then quickly withdraws.

Remember that the Wing Chun concept of fighting involves immediate response and staying with what comes. We do not withdraw via hit-and-run actions like most; instead, we go on the offensive in order to keep the attacker on the defensive. The longer we stay on the attack, the less we have to defend.

It is this tactic that in many cases will allow for immediate protection solely because the attacker is blinded with a flurry of punches and elbows that do not let up. It is also a tactic that all Wing Chun practitioners should have mastered by the time they completed the Chum-Kiu.

 

 
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Posted in Biu-Tze, Chum-Kiu, Siu-Nim-Tau, Tactics/ Concepts

 

Using the Wrist As Your Guide

10 Sep

Wrist, Elbow and Shoulder Connection

With every hand action, the wrist is used as the guide. But what does that mean, and how does that play a role in the movement itself?

Since Wing Chun is a linear method, actions are faster and more efficient on a straight path vs. a circular path (which is why the art has very few circular-based movements). To make this work, the arm must be trained to move into the target on the straightest line possible. And for that to happen, it needs a set point or guide in order to know how to work that action.

The reason for this is because the guide itself does not facilitate the only action. It also requires power, which is driven from the elbow. The elbow’s position is indicative of where the wrist is guiding it, so both must work in tandem in order to create a solid defense or attack. One without the other is slower, less efficient, and incapable of producing the power we require at very short distances.

We envision the wrist as being the starting point for envisioning how the arm will work the mechanics of efficiency.

For example, let’s consider Tan-sau. Tan-sau is adept at defending against straight punches, as well as medium-power punches from a slightly outward-to-inward angle. The wrist is driven towards the shoulder of the attacking limb and the elbow’s power is driving directly behind it.

Should the wrist go in any direction other than the shoulder of the attacking limb, the angle of the arm is such that it will be either prone to collapse or not be in the correct angle to provide a barrier in the first place. This gives the first clue as to why the wrist is the guide for this movement.

Should the elbow not be driving directly behind it – say, to the outside or too far towards the centerline – then the angle will change (again not providing the correct barrier) or the arm will not have sufficient power to meet the attack and provide a defense. This gives the second clue as to how the wrist is the guide, but now including the use of the elbow as a driving force to ensure that the wrist continues into the shoulder.

With these two elements in place, we can explore other actions such as Fook-sau (which will have a slightly different elbow force and line of attack) and Bong-sau (again which will have a slightly different elbow force and line of attack). These three elements – Tan-sau, Fook-sau and Bong-sau – make up the “three seeds” or basic actions from which all other Wing Chun arm movements originate.

As you can see, the wrist as the guide is more than a simple saying. It is literally directs the angle of the arm for whatever position it needs to take. Some will get very deep or complicated with this particular mechanical concept, but it is actually very simple. As simple as it is, though, it is also the most important and why the Siu-Nim-Tau is a stationary form.

The mechanics of the upper body are so essential to our method of self-defense that the entire first form is completely stationary. Some might add steps to the form or create additions to the Siu-Nim-Tau that lead one away from this basic use, but they do themselves and their students an injustice by doing so. The Siu-Nim-Tau should always remain stationary so that you can focus solely on the mechanics of the upper body. You will be strengthening the lower body by remaining in Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma, too, so you do, in fact, receive unbelievable strength training for the legs.

But the Siu-Nim-Tau’s purpose should never be forgotten. Learning to guide your arm to the proper line by focusing on the wrist as that guide and the elbow as power for that line is essential to all-things Wing Chun.

Once the wrist-to-elbow connection is realized, you will then begin to see how the shoulder comes into play.

In this example, consider Bong-sau. In this position, some will place their elbow below the level of the shoulder, some will place their elbow on the same horizontal plane of the shoulder, and some will raise their elbow above the shoulder. All three have their reasons but each position can easily see what a different angle Bong-sau makes.

If the wrist is on your centerline but the elbow is below your shoulder, this allows for a severely decreased angle in which to meet an attack. Anyone who has had real fights or sparred with someone bent on caving in your chest will tell you that this particular angle will in no way hold up to a real punch.

If the wrist is on your centerline but the elbow is above the shoulder, the angle of the forearm is so inclined downward that any real force will collapse it. After all, the arm is already in a collapsed angle to start with, so the incoming punch has little to contend with.

However, if the wrist is on your centerline and the elbow is on the same horizontal plane as the shoulder, the shoulder 1.) provides reinforcement for the entire arm and acts like a shock absorber, and 2.) the elbow’s position allows for a much less angle of the forearm, which in turn provides a stronger barrier in which to meet the attack.

Many of today’s practitioners have taken the notion that they can combine Wing Chun with some other concept, but then feel that Wing Chun is deficient because it does not work like they think it will or should. Well of course not. Wing Chun requires a specific process of concepts for all of it, not just some of it. Bits and pieces will never work like the entire system because the system itself is a concept. Keep it together and it will work, but remove or change even a small portion of it, and it will come crashing down around you.

The wrist-to-elbow-to-shoulder connection is a perfect example of how each element directly impacts the other, as well as how this most basic but important concept directly relates to the rest of our training throughout the system. If even one is misunderstood or not given its full due, it will have a severely negative effect in your entire understanding of Wing Chun Kuen.

 
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Posted in Biu-Tze, Chi-sau, Chum-Kiu, Siu-Nim-Tau

 
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