DeLamar.J
3rd Black Belt
Its long, but if your a Wing Chun info junkinkie like me, then you will enjoy it.
A young child sits in front of a television set, captivated by the events on the screen. The setting is the ancient Shaolin Temple, source of many of the Chinese fighting arts. A kungfu master is fighting five men at once with relative ease; every move seems poised and relaxed, as if the stnkes and defenses were second nature to the master. No matter how the men attack, they are dealt with quickly and with little wasted motion "So this is what kung-fu is all about," the child thinks to himself. "Fighting skills such as power and speed may erode with age, but knowledge and sensitivity may grow throughout one's lifetime."
The journey of a martial artist toward the unification of mind and body is difficult. In "infancy," a martial artist trains his body using repetitious, mechanical motions. This training is necessary, for the human body must develop the physical structure to support motions that may not be used in everyday life. Then, with the proper structural foundation, the martial artist may begin to refine the motions and understand intricate details associated with them.
To develop into "adulthood," a martial artist cannot be limited to mechanical training. The body must be subordinated to the mind, responding immediately to events that the mind can recognize and identify. A skilled martial artist, like the kung-fu master in the Shaolin Temple, can note the salient aspects of an attacker's position and respond accordingly. This requires a highly developed state of awareness, or sensitivity. A dictionary definition of sensitivity is the state of being "very keenly susceptible to stimuli." In a martial arts context it refers to a practitioner sensing and responding appropriately to a variety of attacks. The more developed the degree of sensitivity, the more subtle the form of "attack" that can be detected.
Perhaps the most famous of martial arts sensitivity exercises is found within the style of wing chun, called chi sao or "sticky hands." In this exercise, practitioners remain in constant contact, and engage in a series of "attacks" and "counterattacks." The purpose of chi sao is not to hit your partner, but to develop sensitivity to a variety of positions and to feel weaknesses and strengths in the positions. The energy used by the practitioners should be supple and flowing, without abrupt stoppages and mechanical motions. A number of highly regarded martial artists from a variety of fighting arts have expressed their admiration for the benefits of chi sao.
Noted wing chun instructor Francis Fong explains this widespread esteem: "Fighting skills such as power and speed erode with age, but knowledge and sensitivity may grow throughout one's lifetime."
To understand sensitivity, and in turn chi sao, the human system must be examined to fully appreciate the skills that must be developed.
The human being may be considered an "information processing" system, similar to the way a computer operates. There are inputs sights, sounds, textures, for example. This information is then processed, with the possibility of generating a response. For the martial artist, the inputs consist of various attacks by an opponent, whether they be punches, kicks, elbows, or some other body positions. The processing involves noting the important characteristics of the attack, and selecting the proper response. Finally, the "output" of the martial artist's system consists of the execution of a response.
Like a computer, processing can be made more efficient by examining and refining each stage. This model implies many skills that a martial artist should develop. One such skill is the recognition and identification of attacks. In chi sao, the practitioner develops such skills while in contact with a partner. One who has reached a high level of proficiency in chi sao has learned to recognize many subtle details of a partner's position. For example, a chi sao practitioner can recognize forearm tension, shoulder tension, and overall body stability just by coming into contact with a partner. Since chi sao promotes high recognition ability, practitioners strive to have a relaxed but strong position so as not to "telegraph" their intentions.
The selection of an appropriate response to a partner's position is closely tied to the recognition and identification stages. The greater the number of responses available the more difficult it becomes to select one. One importance of recognition and identification, then, is to limit the number of responses, with subtle characteristics of a partner's position determining the appropriateness of a particular response. Since chi sao is a close-range exercise, sometimes a difference of position of less than one-half inch drastically changes the leverage and nature of the position. Such subtleties make the perfection of chi sao a lifelong endeavor and provide the true benefits of the exercise.
Having selected an appropriate response, the practitioner must physically execute it. Muscle groups must be trained individually to provide the correct leverage. Then, to correctly execute the response, the muscle groups must be trained to act as a unit. This often means seemingly endless hours of practice with a variety of partners to remove all weaknesses in a particular position. Placement of the hips and elbows play crucial roles in determining the effectiveness of a position and the overall response.
The chi sao practitioner must execute the response in a strong yet relaxed position, still sensitive to the changing nature of his partner's position. How should one begin to develop these skills in chi sao?
There are three basic hand positions, termed the major hands of wing chun. These are the tahn sao (showing hand), the fook sao (sensing hand), and the bong sao (tying-up hand). Each position has a certain leverage associated with it that can maximize its' effectiveness. The strength of each position comes not from applying brute strength, but from an understanding of body mechanics. The following exercises are examples of what a practitioner must do to develop position and leverage of the major hands.
The major hands are all found within wing chun's first form, called sil nim tao. The first of the major hands is the tahn sao. One of its primary purposes is to redirect attacks aimed toward the upper chest area. In this position, the arm is extended forward, with the fingers pointed toward a partner. The elbow should be positioned at the distance of a loose fist from the body. If the elbow is too close to the body, there will not be sufficient leverage to redirect an attack. The "A practitioner who does not fully understand the purpose and leverage of the major hands willnot go far in chi sao."
-The Author
forearm and fingers should be relaxed. The strength of this position is from natural body leverage, not from exertion of physical strength.
The second major hand is the fook sao. As implied by its meaning, the importance of a fook sao is in sensing a partner's position. The hand rests on the forearm of the partner, near the wrist area. Leverage is important once again; even though someone can sense a position, he may be unable to respond if his position is weak. Once again, the elbow is a loose fist away from the body. The large muscles (the flexor muscles) of the inner forearm may be used to redirect attacks aimed to the center of the body. It is important the fook sao remain in contact with a partner's wrist as much as possible, with no "holes" for the partner to exploit.
The final major hand is the bong sao, and is usually the most difficult for neophyte chi sao practitioners to grasp. In this position the elbow is extended at a 90-degree angle from the body, with the elbow and shoulder in a straight line. The forearm is not flat there is a twist causing the fingers to be aligned in approximately a vertical plane in front of the body. Once again the forearm is relaxed, with a springlike rather than muscular tension.
In testing the leverage of these positions, the overall body leverage is tested, not just that of the hands and forearms. The stance, yeejee keem yeung ma (character two goat pinning stance), is important for stability. The feet are pigeon-toed, with a distance of approximately two fists between the knees. The hips are forward so the body's centerline will be straight. There is muscular tension pulling the knees inward, as if trying to hold a goat between the knees. This stance is extremely stable if correctly executed. Then, if the hand positions are also correctly executed, the leverage comes from the wide muscles of the back rather than the relatively small muscles of the arm and shoulder. The overall effect is to draw energy from the ground: the hand is connected to the back, which is connected to the stance which is connected to the ground. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link; any disruption in these connections will result in a loss of overall leverage.
Leverage is an important component of chi sao, and practitioners constantly test each other's positions for imbalances. Exercises accompanying this article illustrate some of the ways each of the basic hand positions may be tested.
Exercises are necessary to train the body to understand leverage and position. Once the three major hands are understood, they may be combined into the more complex positions associated with chi sao. A practitioner who does not fully understand the purpose and leverage of the major hands will not go far in chi sao, regardless of the number of techniques he may know, because he will have no foundation for his techniques.
Understanding the body mechanics of position and leverage is necessary, but is not enough to get a firm grasp on sensitivity. The practitioner must put in long hours of chi sao, constantly being exposed to new situations, developing recognition skills, and furthering the development of associated responses.
Developing sensitivity is not easy. Training the body is a must, but is actually the easiest part of the training. According to Atlanta, Ga., wing chun sifu Francis Fong, "Anything that you do in the martial arts is 90 percent mental, and ten percent physical." Not only are the majority of processing stages involved in sensitivity of a mental nature, but the practitioner must have the proper mental attitude, a composite of focus and desire. Only by developing both the physical and mental skills associated with the exercise can the mind and body eventually act as a unit.
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A young child sits in front of a television set, captivated by the events on the screen. The setting is the ancient Shaolin Temple, source of many of the Chinese fighting arts. A kungfu master is fighting five men at once with relative ease; every move seems poised and relaxed, as if the stnkes and defenses were second nature to the master. No matter how the men attack, they are dealt with quickly and with little wasted motion "So this is what kung-fu is all about," the child thinks to himself. "Fighting skills such as power and speed may erode with age, but knowledge and sensitivity may grow throughout one's lifetime."
The journey of a martial artist toward the unification of mind and body is difficult. In "infancy," a martial artist trains his body using repetitious, mechanical motions. This training is necessary, for the human body must develop the physical structure to support motions that may not be used in everyday life. Then, with the proper structural foundation, the martial artist may begin to refine the motions and understand intricate details associated with them.
To develop into "adulthood," a martial artist cannot be limited to mechanical training. The body must be subordinated to the mind, responding immediately to events that the mind can recognize and identify. A skilled martial artist, like the kung-fu master in the Shaolin Temple, can note the salient aspects of an attacker's position and respond accordingly. This requires a highly developed state of awareness, or sensitivity. A dictionary definition of sensitivity is the state of being "very keenly susceptible to stimuli." In a martial arts context it refers to a practitioner sensing and responding appropriately to a variety of attacks. The more developed the degree of sensitivity, the more subtle the form of "attack" that can be detected.
Perhaps the most famous of martial arts sensitivity exercises is found within the style of wing chun, called chi sao or "sticky hands." In this exercise, practitioners remain in constant contact, and engage in a series of "attacks" and "counterattacks." The purpose of chi sao is not to hit your partner, but to develop sensitivity to a variety of positions and to feel weaknesses and strengths in the positions. The energy used by the practitioners should be supple and flowing, without abrupt stoppages and mechanical motions. A number of highly regarded martial artists from a variety of fighting arts have expressed their admiration for the benefits of chi sao.
Noted wing chun instructor Francis Fong explains this widespread esteem: "Fighting skills such as power and speed erode with age, but knowledge and sensitivity may grow throughout one's lifetime."
To understand sensitivity, and in turn chi sao, the human system must be examined to fully appreciate the skills that must be developed.
The human being may be considered an "information processing" system, similar to the way a computer operates. There are inputs sights, sounds, textures, for example. This information is then processed, with the possibility of generating a response. For the martial artist, the inputs consist of various attacks by an opponent, whether they be punches, kicks, elbows, or some other body positions. The processing involves noting the important characteristics of the attack, and selecting the proper response. Finally, the "output" of the martial artist's system consists of the execution of a response.
Like a computer, processing can be made more efficient by examining and refining each stage. This model implies many skills that a martial artist should develop. One such skill is the recognition and identification of attacks. In chi sao, the practitioner develops such skills while in contact with a partner. One who has reached a high level of proficiency in chi sao has learned to recognize many subtle details of a partner's position. For example, a chi sao practitioner can recognize forearm tension, shoulder tension, and overall body stability just by coming into contact with a partner. Since chi sao promotes high recognition ability, practitioners strive to have a relaxed but strong position so as not to "telegraph" their intentions.
The selection of an appropriate response to a partner's position is closely tied to the recognition and identification stages. The greater the number of responses available the more difficult it becomes to select one. One importance of recognition and identification, then, is to limit the number of responses, with subtle characteristics of a partner's position determining the appropriateness of a particular response. Since chi sao is a close-range exercise, sometimes a difference of position of less than one-half inch drastically changes the leverage and nature of the position. Such subtleties make the perfection of chi sao a lifelong endeavor and provide the true benefits of the exercise.
Having selected an appropriate response, the practitioner must physically execute it. Muscle groups must be trained individually to provide the correct leverage. Then, to correctly execute the response, the muscle groups must be trained to act as a unit. This often means seemingly endless hours of practice with a variety of partners to remove all weaknesses in a particular position. Placement of the hips and elbows play crucial roles in determining the effectiveness of a position and the overall response.
The chi sao practitioner must execute the response in a strong yet relaxed position, still sensitive to the changing nature of his partner's position. How should one begin to develop these skills in chi sao?
There are three basic hand positions, termed the major hands of wing chun. These are the tahn sao (showing hand), the fook sao (sensing hand), and the bong sao (tying-up hand). Each position has a certain leverage associated with it that can maximize its' effectiveness. The strength of each position comes not from applying brute strength, but from an understanding of body mechanics. The following exercises are examples of what a practitioner must do to develop position and leverage of the major hands.
The major hands are all found within wing chun's first form, called sil nim tao. The first of the major hands is the tahn sao. One of its primary purposes is to redirect attacks aimed toward the upper chest area. In this position, the arm is extended forward, with the fingers pointed toward a partner. The elbow should be positioned at the distance of a loose fist from the body. If the elbow is too close to the body, there will not be sufficient leverage to redirect an attack. The "A practitioner who does not fully understand the purpose and leverage of the major hands willnot go far in chi sao."
-The Author
forearm and fingers should be relaxed. The strength of this position is from natural body leverage, not from exertion of physical strength.
The second major hand is the fook sao. As implied by its meaning, the importance of a fook sao is in sensing a partner's position. The hand rests on the forearm of the partner, near the wrist area. Leverage is important once again; even though someone can sense a position, he may be unable to respond if his position is weak. Once again, the elbow is a loose fist away from the body. The large muscles (the flexor muscles) of the inner forearm may be used to redirect attacks aimed to the center of the body. It is important the fook sao remain in contact with a partner's wrist as much as possible, with no "holes" for the partner to exploit.
The final major hand is the bong sao, and is usually the most difficult for neophyte chi sao practitioners to grasp. In this position the elbow is extended at a 90-degree angle from the body, with the elbow and shoulder in a straight line. The forearm is not flat there is a twist causing the fingers to be aligned in approximately a vertical plane in front of the body. Once again the forearm is relaxed, with a springlike rather than muscular tension.
In testing the leverage of these positions, the overall body leverage is tested, not just that of the hands and forearms. The stance, yeejee keem yeung ma (character two goat pinning stance), is important for stability. The feet are pigeon-toed, with a distance of approximately two fists between the knees. The hips are forward so the body's centerline will be straight. There is muscular tension pulling the knees inward, as if trying to hold a goat between the knees. This stance is extremely stable if correctly executed. Then, if the hand positions are also correctly executed, the leverage comes from the wide muscles of the back rather than the relatively small muscles of the arm and shoulder. The overall effect is to draw energy from the ground: the hand is connected to the back, which is connected to the stance which is connected to the ground. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link; any disruption in these connections will result in a loss of overall leverage.
Leverage is an important component of chi sao, and practitioners constantly test each other's positions for imbalances. Exercises accompanying this article illustrate some of the ways each of the basic hand positions may be tested.
Exercises are necessary to train the body to understand leverage and position. Once the three major hands are understood, they may be combined into the more complex positions associated with chi sao. A practitioner who does not fully understand the purpose and leverage of the major hands will not go far in chi sao, regardless of the number of techniques he may know, because he will have no foundation for his techniques.
Understanding the body mechanics of position and leverage is necessary, but is not enough to get a firm grasp on sensitivity. The practitioner must put in long hours of chi sao, constantly being exposed to new situations, developing recognition skills, and furthering the development of associated responses.
Developing sensitivity is not easy. Training the body is a must, but is actually the easiest part of the training. According to Atlanta, Ga., wing chun sifu Francis Fong, "Anything that you do in the martial arts is 90 percent mental, and ten percent physical." Not only are the majority of processing stages involved in sensitivity of a mental nature, but the practitioner must have the proper mental attitude, a composite of focus and desire. Only by developing both the physical and mental skills associated with the exercise can the mind and body eventually act as a unit.
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