Some interesting points from Klaus Brand

[Juany118]

I think is was an exaggeration for marketing purposes. However, as noted before Dan T and I agree that these points were fairly accurate for far too many WIng Chun people:

-guard hands too low
-too much weight on back leg
-too many punches per second
-punching always from the centre
-not using power (or just being weak in general)

I highlighted the three that I found off. (already agreed that while the first 2 aren't issues in TWC, they are in others). I have seen the highlighted ones as things that often happen in the beginning but are "corrected" later if you have a good Sifu. Now there are bad Sifu's that do the above no doubt, just trying to point out I don't think it's quite as universal as the criticism linked in the OP is universal.

From my experience, and those of acquaintances, some WC instructors teach the first two almost exclusively in order to ingrain the principles early on, not to train for actual fighting. The last I highlighted, when it happens, can be a consequence of the first. Some don't teach power, at first, because they are afraid (and I have actually seen it happen) that someone may focus too much on power and lose the ideas of relaxation and speed of a single punch, so they miss out on training some basic principles.

Let me explain in a bit more detail what I mean. I was taught chain punching and punching from the center the following reasons.
1. to punch in a manner that maintains a degree of relaxation at certain points (don't tense up in the shoulder so it doesn't rise, telegraphing the punch. Also to relax once your force is transferred so you can reposition that limb as needed more rapidly.)
2. to ensure you simply execute a straight punch properly. Maybe it's just my instructor but we will actually use an adjustable reflex bag like this for some chain punching drills because the bag shows you if your straight punch is striking as it should. Not simply the orientation of the arm but also the wrist/fist. It's adjustability lets you refine where it flexes and how much to really get the technique down. Not traditional training with this device but it works in my experience.

While the specific training methods may be different this is my experience in terms of purpose and it's shared by others who train in schools of different lineages in my area. Yes the "brand new" student may be taught these two things before using power and that punching along the centerline isn't your only option, for the reason I noted above (above others). That doesn't mean that they are never taught the use of power. Some teachers may indeed make the student wait a bit, but the time does come with many teachers.

That is why I proposed he may be also trying to take advantage of the "new" student to WC who doesn't quite understand the real purpose. The idea of crawl>walk>run that many TMA's tend to use in training isn't necessarily something all students get these days. I was just spitballing earlier that some of the criticisms we see here might be designed for the new and impatient student of WC. Just spitballing though and obviously my experience is limited to my own training and that of those I am personally acquainted with. /shrug

 

[wckf92]

Trying to follow this thread...
Why do some here think that "guard hands too low" is an issue?
Perhaps the WC'er is simply baiting his opponent(?)

 

[KPM]

Trying to follow this thread...
Why do some here think that "guard hands too low" is an issue?
Perhaps the WC'er is simply baiting his opponent(?)

Well, there is a reason that boxers in training are quite frequently reminded to "keep your hands up!" Holding guard hands too low is essentially the same as having no guard at all in this age where most fighters are "head hunters." Baiting is one thing, but we are talking about a default or standard guard position.

 

[Juany118]

Trying to follow this thread...
Why do some here think that "guard hands too low" is an issue?
Perhaps the WC'er is simply baiting his opponent(?)

It's fine to bait an opponent at the "right moment" however in a real fight you can't have your "default" stance as a bait stance. Not every opponent is easy to bait or "set up". Some can't be at all.

It's actually why I shake my head in some debates. I have said that when you fight you have to understand that your opponent is his/her own person, that they will make their own decisions so you have to be able to not just fight your own game (baiting, setting them up etc) but flow with that opponent and their game. Let them show you when and where to strike when you can't, for whatever reason, impose your will on them. Some think WC can somehow miraculously do something no other martial art can do, win solely by baiting and imposing your will upon the opponent. This simply isn't possible as a universal concept in a real fight. Thus if your primary "ready stance" is based on this concept, you are going to have issues when your opponent has enough skill, talent and/or experience to not be baited.

 

[Juany118]

Well, there is a reason that boxers in training are quite frequently reminded to "keep your hands up!" Holding guard hands too low is essentially the same as having no guard at all in this age where most fighters are "head hunters." Baiting is one thing, but we are talking about a default or standard guard position.

Exactly. You can actually see this in practice in MMA, I like to use the Rousey fights as an example. She has an awesome ground game and used to dominate with it. She would attempt to "bait" and impose her will on her opponent's to get to that ground game. The two times she got destroyed by better strikers you see the strikers 1. Not taking the bait and 2. Flowing with her.

She tries to bait them and move in for a take down? They flowed with her, maintaining their striking range while staying outside her takedown range, all along raining blows where she left herself open to them because she had opened her guard as she moved for the takedown she couldn't get. They closed and let her tell them where to hit.

The same things happens on the street and it doesn't even take a trained fighter. An experienced brawler has learned the concepts the "hard way."

 

[anerlich]

If that arm is holding a weapon, I definitely want to keep contact with / a hold of it.

 

[Juany118]

If that arm is holding a weapon, I definitely want to keep contact with / a hold of it.

Yes indeed, there are times when both are unarmed that this is important as well. The main point about the idea of flow I mentioned is that you can't try to "force" it. If, for whatever reason, you can't connect on your terms and you try to force it to happen anyway, you'll get clocked in a fist fight, stabbed in a knife fight etc. Sometimes we can't even get control of that limb with the knife when we want to so you need to use distance and timing to avoid it until you can get that blade on your terms.

Now "your terms" doesn't mean unscathed. You can't be afraid of getting "just cut" or taking a punch, but like in the Rousey fights you can't just keep hanging your head against the wall.