How sticky is your Wing Tsun Wooden Dummy?

Si-Fu Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver blew us away in 2014 with multiple seminars.  In addition to reviewing Chi Sau sections, we had various firsts:  Long Pole and Bart Cham Dao.

If that was not enough, in 2015 Sifu Ralph started teaching us Wooden Dummy Chi Sau sections.  Certainly, we have had classes before about applications from various parts of the Wooden Dummy form.  Also, one could also argue that sections are just created and not needed.  But everything we do is fabricated.  There must be a reason?  The more obvious reason is that the sections again allow a catalogue/reference point, just as the other forms and Chi-Sau sections do.  It is also how amazing that all the training programs link together very well.

More importantly, as with everything we do in training or learning, there must be some translation to applications or improvements to our Wing Tsun (or whatever you are training for).

So, over the last month I have been trying to formulate how the Wooden Dummy Chi Sau sections help us improve.  I think this will take some time though, to digest and analyze (probably a lifetime).

One of the key ideas I’ve had is:  Cross-referencing.

Emphasis of certain ideas from other sections

Time and time again we work on forward pressure.  I found that this section helped once again emphasize the importance of forward pressure that deflects yet redirects at the right moment.  That right moment was more prolonged in the other sections.  With the Wooden Dummy Chi-Sau that time period for deflecting/redirecting seems much shorter.  With the goal of being more direct and effective.

Are we able to translate this concept and improve other WT skills?

Extension of further concepts from other sections or programs

Many of the movements in the Wooden Dummy Chi-Sau sections are already shown in various other training, including the 3 forms, different programs (e.g. BlitzDefense), various exercises (e.g. Student level 3 Pak-Sau), or Chi-Sau sections (e.g.  Section 1 Fook Sau cycle).  But, just as how training Biu-Dje Chi-Sau should change the way we move or function, shouldn’t training Wooden Dummy Chi-Sau also do the same?

I think it will change the way we move.  So much that, in a sense, it isn’t necessarily a visible change but one that the opposing partner/opponent feels.  At least when we get through the visible growing pains.  So, in the end, it won’t necessarily be a “Wooden Dummy technique” that is used, but so-called “Basic” ones that are done with that structure, form, and added shocking-power all gained from training on the Wooden Dummy, the Chi-Sau sections, and applications.

Work on footwork and stance

The theory I’ve heard before is that the Bart Cham Dao and Wooden Dummy has “advanced footwork.”  Yet, in the early student programs, we work on:  forward step, turning stance, 90/180 degree turns, zig-zag step, crossing step, etc.  They are all there.  Why should we be excited to learn Wooden Dummy Chi-Sau then?  Because it is awesome and higher-level and we are now all close to being masters, isn’t it?  Well, if we can’t drive an old VW Beetle, we can’t necessarily drive a Ferrari well.  So, I guess the lesson is don’t forget the basics. 

Yes, that pair of Bart Cham Dao is sitting on the couch and very accessible to pick up and practice the form.  But what about those footwork drills, or those “basic” exercises from the 21-Steps Seminar?

Disconnecting and reconnecting, turning in tighter quarters, all need an even better stance than before.  Stay tuned for future posts about how I’ve been working on stance and balance, outside of regular WT training…

Different kind of bridging, sort of…

In Chum Kiu training we learn to seek the bridge or building one.  Hopefully only a 1-way bridge, for us.  In Wooden Dummy training it appears that there can be often a (physical) disconnection, followed by a re-connection via another bridge.  Hopefully again a 1-way bridge, for us.

I think it would be useful to go back to the foundations of Chum Kiu and understand what makes a good bridge.  Then revisit the Wooden Dummy applications again.

Finally, the fear and the risk of learning new Chi-Sau sections

Practicing the dance but not the applications.

Do you remember first feeling awkward with Chi-Sau?  Then it becomes easier, and then you start learning the sections?

I can still remember testing for student level ?6/7 with the first WT Chi-Sau section.  Did it so smoothly, just like a well-oiled machine.  Of course!  Because I tested with one of the same training partners I trained with day-in and day-out.  Practicing choreography is no different.  Did I know how to apply all the parts?  Perhaps partly, but of course, years later on looking back, not as effective as I could have been.

An obvious tip that can help?  Train with different partners, of different sizes and strengths/weaknesses.  It’ll open up new “mistakes” and prevent us from practicing choreography.

 

Happy training!

If you build it...

Chi Sau Sections

I recently had a question about some parts of the Wing Tsun Chi Sau Section 1.  I realized that how I learned the sequence of this section in IWTA was different from the "original" EWTO version.  The reason I was wondering about this, was because there were certain parts of the IWTA version that I had not practiced in a while.  Such as the low palm entry and gan dar response, or another pak dar entry with jum sau then gwat dar, or the gwat vs. bong sau cycle.

This is not about whether or not the IWTA or EWTO version is correct or not.  They both are!  I have learned that each of the Chi Sau sections are a skeleton.  I interpret that as meaning a framework that can be used to dissect out different variations and scenarios.  So, the sections (like the forms) can be considered as a catalogue of techniques to teach us motions and sequences that we might not have trained otherwise.  Additionally, I think the so-called different variations within Section 1 could be considered as sub-sections, or mini-drills that practice certain motions that we might not have thought about as possibilities.

If we don't know that we don't know, how do we practice potentially useful skills we don't know?  Just like the initial phases of learning, moving from unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent (and then aiming for consciously competent, and finally the ultimate goal of being unconsciously competent, unless you are a teacher).

When we train WT, we can try to be creative with each Chi Sau section, to find out certain trajectories leading to different scenarios and responses from the core skeleton/framework.  But sometimes, being creative may not be enough for learners, and some further guidance may be needed.  And thus, I think that practicing all the different "variations" of the sections may be useful, treating it all as part of a catalogue.  The different scenarios do not necessarily have to be put into each of the sections as the core skeleton/framework, unless that scenario is perhaps particularly challenging to do for many, or commonly encountered, or fairly useful, or not easily realized by learners, for example.

What may help this creativity of practicing each section is having built the right body structure.  The basics!
 

Build what?

"The purpose of firmness is to keep one from getting too lax, while the purpose of gentleness is to keep one from getting too hard. Nothing can survive long by going to extremes."
-Bruce Lee in The Tao of Gung Fu, edited by John Little

If we are too firm or too gentle, we will have a difficult time reproducing any Chi Sau Section frame-by-frame with ease and flow.

In a world without any defined Chi Sau Sections, I believe that if we train our structure such that it is the right balance of firmness and gentleness, and in combination with all other key principles of timing, coordination, etc., that all the motions from Chi Sau Sections would just happen.  The attacks/responses would just happen.  Because everything including forward pressure, footwork, stance, weight-shifting, angles, etc., would all be just enough.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge about the history of Wing Tsun would be able to tell me that this is how the sections developed?  And then categorized, re-shuffled slightly, adapted to new scenarios if needed, all for the goal of recording a skeleton/framework for future learners?

Practicing the Chi Sau Sections is not enough
Just as the fact that only doing all the WT forms everyday does not make us a kung fu genius... doing all the WT Chi Sau sections in sequence does not make us a kung fu master.  The hardest part is dissecting out each part, branching out into variations through creativity, and actually applying them outside of chi sau, from guo sau and lat sau to defense against single random attacks.

We tend to try and "learn" techniques, and may think we know something but not actually how to apply it.  Similarily, we tend to think that because we can do a Chi Sau Section we can apply those responses in an actual self-defense/fighting scenario.

Knowledge does not mean Wisdom.  Motion does not mean Movement.
 

In conclusion
Being able to do the sequences of a Chi Sau section with a partner does not matter.  But really learning and training what is contained in each section may be helpful.  If we don't have the correct body structure and forward pressure to begin with, then everything else doesn't matter either.

If you build it...

Happy training!

Commitment in Wing Tsun

3 blog posts in one month?  Finally...

I started a post like this in 2011 with the same title, but never finished it.  Again in September 2014, also another one, but never finished it.  The irony... I am finally committing to finishing this post.  A recent exercise with a student reminded me about it.

The theme is committing to Wing Tsun but not committing in Wing Tsun.

Huh?!

When anyone talks about WC/WT, they talk about how there aren't any techniques, and that the opponent creates the techniques.  About how one answer does not fit all.  About no defense B for attack A.  About how with the same single punch, there can be a multitude of responses depending on the opponent's (or your) build, speed, pressure, etc.  But, this is hard to achieve in absolutely every situation encountered! 

The one constant in a WT defense is the attacking defense.  "When the path is clear..." The variable that changes is what happens after your attacking defense is blocked or deflected.  I think we are not too shabby at changing once.  But when a second change is needed, we fall apart.  Our attack/defense can't just change once - it must be variable until the path is certainly clear and we are ready to release power.  This is the problem that I hope to convey to you, and welcome any ideas on how to train this even further.

One of Si-Fu Ralph Haenel's CoreConcepts is "Release Power".  One aspect of it, is being able to know when to release it.  If by defending, we release our power too soon, i.e. commit to a defensive/attacking action, then we have the potential to already lose.  Since that power has not yet reached it's end target, it can still be deflected.  It is in this moment that our body might become tense with that release of power, and then we are thrown off course by a stronger opponent.  Because we weren't ready to change a second or third time... because we have committed already.  There are many other factors including reaching with the arms, or balance being off, etc., but I'm trying to keep this blog post simple.

Not committing is so difficult!

The other day, a fellow student and I were trying to fake each other out, when being the initial attacker: 
1) Going for a punch
2) Recognizing the WT guy about to respond
3) Watching when the WT guy commits slightly to the visual feedback, or chasing hands
4) Switching the punching angle, or punching with other hand, finding the hole

Of course, at slower speeds this is easier.  Our mind unfortunately is not fast enough to perform this at higher speeds consciously.

In this feinting exercise, the attacker is actually behaving like a WT guy as well, by not committing to the first attack and changing when to release power.  Of course, the defender can also act in the same manner, ad nauseum...  but that would be a competing exercise vs. cooperative one.  One partner has to choose when to commit and let the WT guy find the timing and gap to release power.

I think this is one of the hardest WT ideas I've tried to put into writing. 

The idea of ever-changing requires all the CoreConcepts including fluidity and mobility, as well as elasticity.  But also relies on not committing and realizing when it is time and safe enough to release power.

How else do you think we should train this idea of "Release Power"?

Happy training!

Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver 20th Anniversary Seminar 1 of 3

This year, Si-Fu Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver celebrates 20 years of teaching in Vancouver, BC!

And thus the 1st seminar of 3 (yes 3 in this special series!) was held at Si-Hing Philip of Golden Monkey Martial Arts Club.

So, what did we learn in this amazing seminar?  The first of three special seminar series?  For the 20th Anniversary year?

1.  Chi Sau warm-up to start
2.  Pak sau
3.  Tan sau
4.  Bong sau
5.  Kau sau
6.  Jum sau
7.  Dan chi sau
8.  Chi sau to finish

What?!

The devil is in the details.  It's not necessarily what we trained, but how we trained.

And what are the details?  Whole Body Movements.  This concept is also nothing new.  You have heard it before already in an old blog post about Sticky Body.  But knowing a concept of training is different than actually practicing and training.  We were taught how to practice and train these movements.

A tan sau can look and feel like a tan sau, but not function correctly...

When I first trained WT, I had to emulate a tan sau.  Eventually though, I thought my tan sau looked and felt like how it should.  To a cooperative partner, it also looked and felt like a tan sau.  My tan dar (tan sau + punch) was "working".  It felt great.

Then I met Sifu Ralph.  To the uncooperative partner or an aggressive attacker not familiar with WT, the tan sau as I knew it did not work.

Why?  My biomechanics of producing the tan sau/dar were not correct or not optimal. 
The problem?  It came only from my forearm, you could say.  To put it simply, all the movements should originate from the whole body via different connections.  One important connection is via the shoulder girdle, and all the upper back muscles.

It's not about how a tan sau looks or feels, but most importantly about how it functions.  The same could be said about the bong sau, jum sau, gwat sau, kau sau, etc. 

Try an exercise.  Stand up.  Envision a punch coming towards your chest, let's say.  Now, do a tan dar.  (Already, this is supposedly wrong, because theoretically the tan dar should happen on its own rather than you creating it.  But if you are good enough, again theoretically you can create the opportunity to do a tan dar).

1.  Did you do a strike or a man sau first?
2.  When you moved your arm forward, where did the movement start?
3.  Are your forearms tense or relaxed?
4.  When does the tan sau action start to happen?
5.  Why does it happen?
6.  Do you feel like you are pushing outwards?
7.  What are you absorbing a greater incoming force with?
8.  What is the wedge you are creating?
9.  Are you instead relying on your own brute strength to block/wedge/parry/get through?
10.  Is the balance of the opponent perturbed?
11.  How is your breathing?
12.  Are your shoulders up or down?
13.  What are all of your other joints doing?
etc.

Just some questions to think about.

How to create El FluMo
Through Si-Fu Ralph's teachings, I have now been training something that doesn't necessarily really look like "traditional" Wing Tsun Kung Fu, with high amplitude movements in all axes and directions using the whole body.  For outsiders looking in, these exercises do not fit with the WT principle of "economy of motion".  But these are exercises only, drills only, not how we would apply them.  The ultimate goal is to produce maximum effect with minimal movement, the best bang for the buck.  It's a long journey, I think a lifelong one...

It didn't take much, but a day after the seminar of "basic techniques" my rhomboids, lats, and abdominal obliques are feeling it.  And it wasn't just due to all the laughing at Anton's Pasta.

Happy training!

P.S.  Training basic skills reminds me of yet another previous blog post about Fear of Failure.

The Wing Chun/Tsun Straight Punch

In Wing Tsun Kung Fu, you could identify 3-4 (maybe 5-6) different punches to train.  One of which is the Straight Punch, or Straight Blast.  It's simple to start learning, but difficult to master.  Kung Fu!

Documentary:  Wing Chun Reforged - The Wing Chun Straight Punch
While visiting Boston, I recently had the opportunity to meet Adrian Li, a martial artist who teaches Wing Chun at Boston University.  We chatted a bit, and also did some brief training together.  He is an enthusiastic individual, who at a young age, is quite skilled and has a very open and positive attitude.  I can see why his students would like his style of teaching.

During our meeting, he mentioned that he was doing a documentary about the Wing Chun Straight Punch, and asked me to answer a question on video.

Below you can see the full documentary.  Be sure to check out the other 2 parts on his youtube channel.

If the embedded video doesn't work, try:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbTIjkHALy4

Expanding on the video...
As mentioned by Danny Horgan of Wing Chun Blast, the flurry and speed of chain punches, and the deep power in a well-laid punch are both important.  In a self-defense situation, we are already behind and out-egoed by the aggressor.  The air is thin, your arms/legs may be trembling, fine motor control is all lost.  If it becomes physical, we may need to counteract the attacker by surprise, with efficient and unexpected power.  Only then can we buy some time to gives us a chance to escape.

I think we need to train everything to do with the punch, be it speed and timing, distance, mobility/fluidity, power, etc.  All part of the Wing-Tsun CoreConcepts by Sifu Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver.  And do so with good footwork, connection of upper/lower body, and whole body motion.

Now, let's be philosophical... but practical
If we want to be philosophical about the Wing Chun punch though, then there are no absolute categories of different wing chun punches.  We should be able to punch from any angle, at any body position, at any time, and make it count.  I didn't say it was easy to do.  In practicality though, in a self-defense scenario, this may be our only choice, and only chance. 

Let's be even more philosophical...
All of the major "techniques" in Wing Tsun are simply a temporarily inhibited punch (or chan/fak sau, etc.).  Think about it.  Do you do a bong sau, or does bong sau just happen?  Did you then stop and admire your bong sau, or did your follow-up attack already happen?

The "techniques" could be thought of transition zones before the next temporarily inhibited punch.  And the next.  Until it hits.

Remember... "I do not hit, it hits by itself" -Bruce Lee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhvBTy28VJM

Happy training!

Soft pliable effective power, 4 years later

Sifu Ralph Haenel recently asked me whether or not I had any new ideas about this previous blog entry:  http://kyklosphaira.blogspot.ca/2010/12/journey-to-soft-pliable-effective-power.html

What are my new thoughts about getting to this point?

When strong to start
When we are strong, during Wing Tsun training, we are still confident, because we are successful in gaining entry through brute strength.  As most of our partners are weaker than us, we can be falsely successful.  If neither of us is aware that the "success" was obtained through direct force rather than economy of motion, then our Wing Tsun training becomes stagnant.

The problems occur when our training partner happens to be stronger than us.  Problems can also occur, if the partner is simply better in Wing Tsun, and diffuses our strength by letting us pass, or using our stiff strength against us.

When we finally realize this, we then train to become softer, and then we are surprised when we can enter the partner's space effortlessly.  And now we apply our usual strength, which again works against most partners.  But, as before, our Wing Tsun training is at risk of becoming stagnant, if we don't realize that this usual strength doesn't work on everyone.  We might be relying upon strength that is not as powerful as we originally convinced ourselves to believe.

This combination of (somewhat) softness and strength works until we encounter someone who:  a) is more powerful who can take the punch, or b) evades the entry because they are effectively softer in a Wing Tsun way.

Our next goal then becomes:  soft, pliable, effective power

When weak to start
When we are weak, during Wing Tsun training, we can fail and lose confidence earlier.  We can't gain entry by brute strength.  We try to be soft, and we collapse and lose balance altogether.  But, through more training, if we apply some of the Wing Tsun strength and force principles, we are surprised when we can enter effortlessly.  Now, when we do finally gain access past the partner's arms, we have no power behind the strike, and are merely playing tag, brushing some lint.

The problems are there from the beginning, as most partners happen to be stronger than us.  As we slowly improve through, we can enter their space.  However, the problems worsen, because we can't affect the opponent's balance nor move them, as we have not trained the appropriate strength/power.  Consequently, we train our strength by basic weight-lifting.  Upon returning to Wing Tsun, we gain entry, we can hit, it feels stronger than before, but yet... it is not powerful.

Our next goal then becomes:  soft, pliable, effective power

Summary
I now think that there is no ideal starting point, in terms of being strong or weak to start.  But, if we don't have a good attitude and strive to improve upon our faults, it doesn't matter where we begin.  I believe that we need to train softness and power at the same time.

"Your attitude determines your altitude." - Zig Ziglar

We are all good in some ways, and have deficits in other areas.  What we should do is to maintain or improve upon our strong points, and simultaneously push ourselves to work further on our weaker areas.

There will always be someone who is better than us.  Our limits are set by ourselves.

"having no limitation as limitation" - Bruce Lee

Happy training!

P.S.  4 years later, I have not yet achieved the soft pliable effective power.  The journey continues...

Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver Bart Cham Dao Seminar

What a year.  First the WT long pole exercises and form, and then...

Sifu Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver held the first Canadian seminar on the WT Bart Cham Dao (八斬刀, or Baat Jam Do I suppose), and boy oh boy, what can I say... well, nuthin'.  Still scratching my head, but that was expected.  Can't become a Master overnight.

Some believe that weapons training changes one's empty-hand methods, whereas others believe that it is a weapon form only and nothing else.  I think it does change how we move our body and limbs, both physically and mentally.  You have no choice in the matter.  If you believe in choice, then believe that with any new skill/knowledge you obtain (in WT or anything else in life), try to compare and contrast it to things you already know.

Knives in one's hands

Not everyone knows how to punch or chop with the fist or hand, parry or wedge with the forearms, etc.  When given a knife though, most people basically know what to do with it.  From fileting a fish to chopping a watermelon, I think you get the idea.  Granted, some do it more smoothly than others, of course.

Remember how even a fish can be a weapon with soft, sardine strikes?

Get to the "point" you say?

WT partner exercises with small knives/dowels

Enter the Bart Cham Dao (八斬刀).  Well, at least one idea I have about it, from training briefly with it.

We've all done other training with some type of hand-held weapon, with it or against it.
1) If you can't quite get the movement of a strike e.g. fak-sau, try doing the same motion with a small plastic knife or wooden dowel in YOUR hand.  Suddenly, the body and limb movements start to make sense; 

OR

2) If you find your legs stiffening up and not moving enough, give your PARTNER a small plastic knife.  Suddenly, you are moving much more (perhaps too much), trying to evade any strike.  Important Note:  this is different training against an actual knife, which is actually very dangerous against anyone who truly knows how to use a small knife with short cuts/slashes.  It's not that simple, and they don't attack like this.

Sorry, am I keeping you on the "edge" of your seat?  Well, it's not really that exciting.

From swords to empty hands

Going back to Bart Cham Dao, we now have one sword in each hand.  Ready to face other weapons.  There is an intensity that is different while holding that sword.  You feel more powerful.  You are going forward more.  You are holding your hands out further, rather than collapsing them putting you at risk of cutting yourself.  You are moving your 7 WT joints.  Links are made.  Neurons are firing.  Muscle memory develops.

Virtually all the movements from SNT, CK, and BT are all in the form.

Here's a thought:  try doing the Bart Cham Dao form with the swords, and then with empty-hands.  Do it as often as you do your long-pole exercises/form (cough, every day...).

Now, do your SNT, CK, and BT forms.  Also, go back to your regular training.  Are you now feeling more powerful, going forward more, with more intensity?  Do your fists/hands/forearms actually feel as though they were the swords themselves?

Did it improve your overall performance?
Whatever you are learning in life, are you improving yourself?

Are you going to be a "cut" above the rest?

Happy training!