Had one other nice Wing Chun lesson from Bear this week. This time we appeared to take a look at an increasing number of rules that I’d name “inner”, which once more calls into query if these phrases are actually helpful for describing martial arts…
I discussed final time that he calls the Wing Chun straight punch a “solar punch” as a result of the fist appears to be like just like the character Ri for Solar. At the moment we checked out two workouts for serving to with chaining punches collectively. For the primary one you employ a towel. Maintain each ends, and punch so it makes a form of cracking sound. I’ve seen movies of “belt cracking” earlier than, often related to Chinese language Wrestling, however I’ve additionally seen movies of it utilized in Wing Chun earlier than as nicely. The emphasis is on being relaxed and getting a pleasant sharp, crisp motion. And right here’s the important thing – the pull again of the opposite hand is the essential bit, not the punching hand.
Within the second train you maintain a rope round one thing vertical and stable, (we used a wood drumstick from the drum equipment within the lockup) and also you punch holding the ends of the rope. The important thing to this one is that your rope mustn’t pull on the item it’s round, so that you’re conserving the whole lot inside a really fastened area. Once more, the pull again hand is the initiator of the motion, and if you happen to concentrate on that you just get a extra relaxed, quicker, punch.
Whereas the primary train was all in entrance of you, this one includes a muscle/tendon chain going up your arm and round your again and into the opposite arm. I’ve seen this described earlier than as “tongbei” or “although the again” energy. I’m positive I heard Bear say “Bu Bei” which implies again or rear, so I’m going to imagine we’re speaking about the identical factor.
He does these punches very, very quick and explosively. Sooner than the attention can see. He factors out that it’s all about being relaxed, so the facility will be “all although the arm” not simply within the fist, which it’s in case you are tense. And the initiator of the punch is the non-punching hand transferring backwards.
At one level he says “arrow punch”, and appears at me. I say “Beng Chuan?” And he says “sure!”. He appears to be saying that this is similar as Xing Yi’s Beng Chuan, simply with out the footwork. That’s one thing to consider.
When he punches he appears to additionally emphasise the foundation within the foot, so the facility is developing from the bottom (sound acquainted?) and he makes use of all of the joints of the physique, in a sequence, ending within the fist.
I requested him why, when he punches, he makes use of his entire physique in a really expressive manner, with this ‘by the again’ form of energy and dynamic footwork, the “Little thought” type is totally different? After we practice “Little thought” the necessities are very strict – the physique stays nonetheless and the arm simply punches by itself. I believe (by translation) the reply was that you’re studying to launch pressure in “Little thought” and never expressing energy, so consider it as a conditioning train to provide the kind of physique that can be utilized later for extra expressive Wing Chun punches and kicks.
So, it seems that when you look past the surface-level issues about Wing Chun, I’m discovering rules that match proper in with Tai Chi and Xing Yi. I look ahead to no matter we study subsequent.