With the competition just days away now, training sessions have gotten a little lighter - in theory at least! Obviously we don’t want to be twisting knees, bruising ribs or concussing ourselves beforehand so the contact has lessened considerably. This has given us the chance to focus on our fitness and technique, rather than our aggression, for a couple of weeks. It also gives us space to see what we need to improve upon in the run up to the competition.
I’ve taken the opportunity to do a little more cardio and fitness work. Often the knowledge that I’ll need to spar hard afterwards has discouraged me from exhausting myself in fitness and conditioning sessions; but more recently I’ve made sure I include a session of either weights or cardio before my wing chun and san shou. This has also meant I’ve increased my weight by a few kgs, and it’s far more reassuring to be at the top of your weight category than the middle! Most of the kwoon’s numerous weekly fitness sessions includes light sparring with gloves at the end, so my hand skills have improved nicely.
From Sifu’s advice I’ve also upped my wall-bag training with the reasoning that a hard, ‘heavy’ punch needs to be worked on even more when using 4oz gloves. Since most of our opponents will be grapplers and wrestlers, this seems to make sense. To this end we’ve been discourage from using hand wraps underneath as a tight fist is vital to good punch in MMA-style gloves. I’ve also been working on my core strength, both to allow faster movement from the hips and waist, and hopefully to absorb any abdominal strikes I receive. I’m always working on my leg flexibility as, especially in the winter, it disappears pretty quickly if it’s not maintained.
Technically, it’s been good to have the chance to slow down and work the basic mechanics behind of my strikes and throws. My biggest weakness is and has always been my stance. When I’m distracted or complacent my stance rises and narrows and my posture goes – making me vulnerable moth to strikes and takedowns, not to mention harming my basics in wing chun.
Now that things have slowed down a little I’m taking my time to keep checking my stance and keep it low and stable and to make sure I’m not too ‘sideways’-on, leading too much with the front foot: a throwback to my old taekwondo days. It makes my jab faster and longer, but means that the follow-up off the back hand has further to travel. Making sure I can punch in an ambidextrous manner is very important and it also helps my defence if my stance is more even. I just hope I don’t revert to bad habits when I’m ‘on the spot’ and the adrenalin’s flowing.
The mats were down again for the first time in a while this week and Sifu gave us the opportunity to practice our basic throws in some depth. We practise the set-ups for each throw 10 times, taking down on the 10th attempt. 10 each side of the body for each of our throws equals a lot of good technical practice. As with the striking, the first thing to go wrong in the throw in the heat of battle is the setup footwork so it’s critical to drill, even when you think you know it.
True to form, I still managed to injure myself, even in a light session. I managed painful clash of knees during the warm-down sparring at the end of the session, and it still has me limping a week later. It’s always the way, however careful you are!
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Friday 30 October 2009
Thursday 22 October 2009
Adaptation
San-shou, san-da, kuo-shu… It all gets a bit confusing sometimes! All these technical terms and labels denote slightly different playing styles and rule-sets, but they’re all basically derivations of the same thing: Chinese kickboxing, with takedowns on a raised platform.
Perhaps I shouldn’t dwell too much on the nuances between them – a punch is a punch; a kick is a kick; a throw is a throw. However, in the past year we’ve trained for two different styles of competition. We started off with ‘full-size’ 10-12oz boxing gloves making for a rather thai boxing-styled approach and a number of difficulties to overcome learning how to throw someone whilst wearing boxing gloves! In a couple of weeks time we’re entering a tournament where we wear 4oz MMA-style gloves, are allowed the use of knees and elbows and get to wear an all encompassing head/face protector that makes us look like a cross between Robocop and Hannibal Lecter… Food for thought.
Relevant to this week’s session is the rule that we are not allowed to place our knees or hands down whilst performing a throw or takedown in the forthcoming competition. This has meant we have had to remove or adapt many of the wrestling and ju-jitsu style techniques we were practising, including, double- and single-leg takedowns, kata-guruma, san-shou scissors takedowns etc.
To this end we were focusing in on one particular technique where we grab the arm, ‘clothesline’ the shoulders and neck and then tap away the heavy leg, dropping our opponent on their back. This technique has all sorts of derivations and changes should our opponent try to counter by switching his heavy leg away from the tap/sweep. Much of the lesson was spent, not on the technique itself, which is fairly straightforward and required less than a half hour to get a reasonable handle on, but on adapting it: what to do if it goes wrong or if the situation changes.
Training with the premise that our opponent will be skilled and intelligent and not just stand there while we inflict all manner of complicated moves on them is vital to training. Yes of course we need to learn the basics of a technique in order to become proficient at it, but then we also need to know how to change it and ‘make it work’ in unpredictable situations. We soon found out that performing the new takedown which had seemed so simple before became far more complex in a sparring environment. An obvious point perhaps, but always worth remembering.
At the end of training today, Sifu showed a few of us a new takedown. It was for use once we have taken our opponents back and, again, answered some of the issues of the new rule-set where a suplex or rear dump-tackle may result in us falling with our opponent and not receiving the points for the throw. It looked like it would never work, but when attempted was in fact very simple; flipping the opponent over backwards, whilst keeping a stable base yourself. With this in mind, I feel more confident facing the challenges of the new style of competition. The solution seems to lie in finding specific answers to specific situations, but also knowing how to be flexible and adapt to general situations - finding our own answers during the fight itself.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/sanshou.html
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Perhaps I shouldn’t dwell too much on the nuances between them – a punch is a punch; a kick is a kick; a throw is a throw. However, in the past year we’ve trained for two different styles of competition. We started off with ‘full-size’ 10-12oz boxing gloves making for a rather thai boxing-styled approach and a number of difficulties to overcome learning how to throw someone whilst wearing boxing gloves! In a couple of weeks time we’re entering a tournament where we wear 4oz MMA-style gloves, are allowed the use of knees and elbows and get to wear an all encompassing head/face protector that makes us look like a cross between Robocop and Hannibal Lecter… Food for thought.
Relevant to this week’s session is the rule that we are not allowed to place our knees or hands down whilst performing a throw or takedown in the forthcoming competition. This has meant we have had to remove or adapt many of the wrestling and ju-jitsu style techniques we were practising, including, double- and single-leg takedowns, kata-guruma, san-shou scissors takedowns etc.
To this end we were focusing in on one particular technique where we grab the arm, ‘clothesline’ the shoulders and neck and then tap away the heavy leg, dropping our opponent on their back. This technique has all sorts of derivations and changes should our opponent try to counter by switching his heavy leg away from the tap/sweep. Much of the lesson was spent, not on the technique itself, which is fairly straightforward and required less than a half hour to get a reasonable handle on, but on adapting it: what to do if it goes wrong or if the situation changes.
Training with the premise that our opponent will be skilled and intelligent and not just stand there while we inflict all manner of complicated moves on them is vital to training. Yes of course we need to learn the basics of a technique in order to become proficient at it, but then we also need to know how to change it and ‘make it work’ in unpredictable situations. We soon found out that performing the new takedown which had seemed so simple before became far more complex in a sparring environment. An obvious point perhaps, but always worth remembering.
At the end of training today, Sifu showed a few of us a new takedown. It was for use once we have taken our opponents back and, again, answered some of the issues of the new rule-set where a suplex or rear dump-tackle may result in us falling with our opponent and not receiving the points for the throw. It looked like it would never work, but when attempted was in fact very simple; flipping the opponent over backwards, whilst keeping a stable base yourself. With this in mind, I feel more confident facing the challenges of the new style of competition. The solution seems to lie in finding specific answers to specific situations, but also knowing how to be flexible and adapt to general situations - finding our own answers during the fight itself.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/sanshou.html
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Friday 16 October 2009
Ti, Da, Shuai, Na
This week we have been looking at the three fighting ranges and the transitions between them. As most of us are predominantly Wing Chun practitioners, we function best in the middle, hand-striking/boxing range. This leaves the challenge of how to close in through the range of an opponent’s kick whilst avoiding being grappled and thrown. Obviously we have kicking and grappling techniques of our own, and Sifu helps us train hard to incorporate techniques from judo, ju-jitsu, muay-thai and others into our repertoire, but we must also recognise how our strengths compare to those of other Martial Arts stylists.
With this in mind, after the usual warm up, we started a circular drill incorporating the 3 distances. With a marker in the middle we plotted 3 imaginary circles around the centre, each one wider than the last – resembling a giant bullseye!. We then moved constantly around each circle, employing techniques practical to that distance from the target: kicks when far away, punches at middle distance and knees, elbows, body-blows and grappling footwork for the closest. At the instruction from Sifu we would then transition from one circle to the next, making our attacks flow. A kick would close into a jab; a flurry of body-blows and elbows would expand out into a long-arm boxing combo and so on.
We went on from this to boxing drills, concentrating on weaving and slipping the punches thrown by our partners. This started with a ‘hands-down’ exercise where we weren’t allowed to use our hands to block or parry attacks, but had to rely on our ability to move our heads out of the way and our bodies out of range. Thankfully our partners (at least most of them) were obliging enough to throw slower jabs than usual! It was a definite relief to progress to the next stage where Sifu allowed us to actually put our arms in the way of people trying to hit us in the face and, just like removing training weights from your ankles or putting on lighter sparring gloves, we found our overall technique had improved by temporarily handicapping ourselves. Such exercises are useful to Wing Chun practitioners as, unlike western boxers, we keep our heads still during traditional training.
The session closed with the usual sparring. We didn’t have the mats down today so it was only kickboxing, with a little grappling ending before the throw. It’s always interesting to see how the technical focus of a session can change our fighting style in a short space of time. I found myself thinking about the different methods of moving from distance to distance – holding ground or giving ground; making space or closing it down – and what the response of my opponent would be to this. It’s always going to be difficult because everyone fights differently, even if they’re rooted in the same style. I would be picked off very quickly if I didn’t change according to whether I was being attacked by Toby’s quick punches, Pan’s surprise knee-strikes or Paul’s devastating low shin kicks
Being somewhat of a kicking enthusiast (and in the minority in a class of Wing Chun fighters!) I often find myself being closed down more than I feel comfortable. The best way around this is to recognise the kick as part of a distance transition: closing space down and punching my opponent as my kicking foot returns to the floor, or creating space with hand flurries and punishing that retreat with a kick. In the end, I always find the most difficult thing is not that I don’t move fast enough, but my mind does not recognise the distance change in time. I’m so focused on one technique that I forget to link it to the next one. Something to work on for next time.
With this in mind, after the usual warm up, we started a circular drill incorporating the 3 distances. With a marker in the middle we plotted 3 imaginary circles around the centre, each one wider than the last – resembling a giant bullseye!. We then moved constantly around each circle, employing techniques practical to that distance from the target: kicks when far away, punches at middle distance and knees, elbows, body-blows and grappling footwork for the closest. At the instruction from Sifu we would then transition from one circle to the next, making our attacks flow. A kick would close into a jab; a flurry of body-blows and elbows would expand out into a long-arm boxing combo and so on.
We went on from this to boxing drills, concentrating on weaving and slipping the punches thrown by our partners. This started with a ‘hands-down’ exercise where we weren’t allowed to use our hands to block or parry attacks, but had to rely on our ability to move our heads out of the way and our bodies out of range. Thankfully our partners (at least most of them) were obliging enough to throw slower jabs than usual! It was a definite relief to progress to the next stage where Sifu allowed us to actually put our arms in the way of people trying to hit us in the face and, just like removing training weights from your ankles or putting on lighter sparring gloves, we found our overall technique had improved by temporarily handicapping ourselves. Such exercises are useful to Wing Chun practitioners as, unlike western boxers, we keep our heads still during traditional training.
The session closed with the usual sparring. We didn’t have the mats down today so it was only kickboxing, with a little grappling ending before the throw. It’s always interesting to see how the technical focus of a session can change our fighting style in a short space of time. I found myself thinking about the different methods of moving from distance to distance – holding ground or giving ground; making space or closing it down – and what the response of my opponent would be to this. It’s always going to be difficult because everyone fights differently, even if they’re rooted in the same style. I would be picked off very quickly if I didn’t change according to whether I was being attacked by Toby’s quick punches, Pan’s surprise knee-strikes or Paul’s devastating low shin kicks
Being somewhat of a kicking enthusiast (and in the minority in a class of Wing Chun fighters!) I often find myself being closed down more than I feel comfortable. The best way around this is to recognise the kick as part of a distance transition: closing space down and punching my opponent as my kicking foot returns to the floor, or creating space with hand flurries and punishing that retreat with a kick. In the end, I always find the most difficult thing is not that I don’t move fast enough, but my mind does not recognise the distance change in time. I’m so focused on one technique that I forget to link it to the next one. Something to work on for next time.
Sunday 4 October 2009
I was on the bench again this week
As much as I’m getting fed up keep talking about my injuries, I was on the bench again this week, due to my over enthusiastic sparring last week (if only I was 10 years younger).
Don’t get me wrong it’s not like we completely batter each other every week (ok maybe sometimes!) its normally very controlled and we respect each other a lot.
Although the few of us who are entering the tournaments are very excited about the prospect of representing the London Wing Chun Academy, we all want to do well and consequently have upped the training somewhat and basically trying out San Shou Kickboxing moves on each other in combat situations, maybe sometimes a little too well, we’re quite a close knit group and bounce off each other quite well so it’s all good.
I’ve noticed people evolving as fighters and it’s good to see, without a doubt the students who practice at home will start to excel at the London Wing Chun Academy.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the time but it’s time to find it (if you know what I mean) to be at the level I need to be, just need to put the hours (and heal).
Everyone looked good this week and did 80% of the San Shou/Da class with smiles on their faces, that’s what I call good sportsmanship.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Don’t get me wrong it’s not like we completely batter each other every week (ok maybe sometimes!) its normally very controlled and we respect each other a lot.
Although the few of us who are entering the tournaments are very excited about the prospect of representing the London Wing Chun Academy, we all want to do well and consequently have upped the training somewhat and basically trying out San Shou Kickboxing moves on each other in combat situations, maybe sometimes a little too well, we’re quite a close knit group and bounce off each other quite well so it’s all good.
I’ve noticed people evolving as fighters and it’s good to see, without a doubt the students who practice at home will start to excel at the London Wing Chun Academy.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the time but it’s time to find it (if you know what I mean) to be at the level I need to be, just need to put the hours (and heal).
Everyone looked good this week and did 80% of the San Shou/Da class with smiles on their faces, that’s what I call good sportsmanship.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Friday 2 October 2009
San Shou/Da Kickboxing: Countering the Sprawl
We started this week practising to fall properly, it doesn’t sound like much but believe me, when you start to throw each other about you need to know how to break your fall or your going to get hurt.
From the squatting position we first fell back, hitting the floor with both hands just as your body hits the floor thus ‘breaking ‘ your fall.
We then went to the side, from the same squatting position stretching one leg out to the opposite side, falling and breaking it with the hand nearest the floor. We then enhanced on this by stretching the leg out but instead of falling, placing it on the floor and pushing the hips forward, whilst making an almost crab like shape with your body. I was unsure to the meaning of this exercise, then Sifu Mark enlightened us all by demonstrating a nice looking defence to combat being caught in a sprawl, using this movement. This predicament would usually occur when you shoot for the double leg and your opponent reads this and reacts with a sprawl.
Basically you then find yourself on your hands and knees with your opponents weight on your back and their arms wrapped around your waist, you then stretch your leg out to the opposite side, push your hips forward and arc your body out (pushing with the back of your head), you are then free to take your opponents back and strike at will.
I found this an impressive looking defence and yet another fine example of Sifu Marks ability to string together endless attacks and counter attacks and yet more options if those San Da moves don’t quite work out.
It is essential to have this ability rather than one fixed attack, because as we all know in real life things rarely go exactly as planned.
Unfortunately I aggravated an injury I picked up on Sunday's Kickboxing San Da session and bust my rib so I had to sit out the rest of the San Shou class.
In Wing Chun you react a lot by what you feel, Sifu Mark explained when you are in the clinch you also have to feel for weak areas to attack, you can pull your opponent one way when he resists, pull him back the other way, constantly searching for the moment they are off balance and vulnerable for the takedown.
Our Wing Chun students went on to spar, firstly, 1 person boxing the other wrestling (I feel its good to do this type of sparring so you are forced to learn other skills rather than becoming complacent with one type of style you are used too) then sparring with just kicks, some are more comfortable kicking than others but it is essential to have this skill to some degree if your fighting the San Shou way.
It was a good San Shou Kickboxing lesson but I’m gutted I’m injured again (must be getting old) I just cant wait to be fighting fit and back in the game, especially with two San Shou/Da tournaments on the horizon (gulp!), I’m a quick healer, just hope I’m quick enough.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
From the squatting position we first fell back, hitting the floor with both hands just as your body hits the floor thus ‘breaking ‘ your fall.
We then went to the side, from the same squatting position stretching one leg out to the opposite side, falling and breaking it with the hand nearest the floor. We then enhanced on this by stretching the leg out but instead of falling, placing it on the floor and pushing the hips forward, whilst making an almost crab like shape with your body. I was unsure to the meaning of this exercise, then Sifu Mark enlightened us all by demonstrating a nice looking defence to combat being caught in a sprawl, using this movement. This predicament would usually occur when you shoot for the double leg and your opponent reads this and reacts with a sprawl.
Basically you then find yourself on your hands and knees with your opponents weight on your back and their arms wrapped around your waist, you then stretch your leg out to the opposite side, push your hips forward and arc your body out (pushing with the back of your head), you are then free to take your opponents back and strike at will.
I found this an impressive looking defence and yet another fine example of Sifu Marks ability to string together endless attacks and counter attacks and yet more options if those San Da moves don’t quite work out.
It is essential to have this ability rather than one fixed attack, because as we all know in real life things rarely go exactly as planned.
Unfortunately I aggravated an injury I picked up on Sunday's Kickboxing San Da session and bust my rib so I had to sit out the rest of the San Shou class.
In Wing Chun you react a lot by what you feel, Sifu Mark explained when you are in the clinch you also have to feel for weak areas to attack, you can pull your opponent one way when he resists, pull him back the other way, constantly searching for the moment they are off balance and vulnerable for the takedown.
Our Wing Chun students went on to spar, firstly, 1 person boxing the other wrestling (I feel its good to do this type of sparring so you are forced to learn other skills rather than becoming complacent with one type of style you are used too) then sparring with just kicks, some are more comfortable kicking than others but it is essential to have this skill to some degree if your fighting the San Shou way.
It was a good San Shou Kickboxing lesson but I’m gutted I’m injured again (must be getting old) I just cant wait to be fighting fit and back in the game, especially with two San Shou/Da tournaments on the horizon (gulp!), I’m a quick healer, just hope I’m quick enough.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Sunday 27 September 2009
This Week we Focused on Wrestling and Throws
This week we focused on wrestling and throws. We went through the hip throw, Uchi Mata, and Tai Otoshi first.Then Sifu Mark demonstrated a simple San Da takedown, Basically when your going in for the clinch you aim to wrap your arm around your opponents arm, grab the back of the neck with your other hand, twist, pull your opponent towards you, then sweep the leg as your opponent is pulled forward.
Another take down involves going for the Wrestling double leg (this is usually best off a jab or a hand in the face) lifting your opponent up over your shoulder, then swivel your opponent and slam them to the ground.
The next takedown Sifu Mark demonstrated is good when your in close but not quite in the clinch. You, for instance grab your opponents right wrist with your left hand, then stepping in so your right foot goes in-between theirs, whilst thrusting your right arm (at a 45 degree angle) under your opponents right armpit. You then bring your feet together so you are standing in front of your opponent with a hold on his right arm, then drop to your knees and turn to the left pulling your opponent over your shoulder and on to the floor.
You have to be quick because, lets face it who wants to be standing with your back to your opponent for more than half a second. It is however a good and unexpected move also a way to throw an opponent too heavy to lift.
We ended with some light sparring and I managed to get this move off, it felt good, an enjoyable lesson its always good to learn something new.
Thursday 3 September 2009
Wow!! This week's San Shou Kickboxing was intense...
Wow!! This week's San Shou Kickboxing was intense, I'll try to be brief on each subject to fit it all into a couple of hundred words, so here goes.
Sifu has definitely upped the pace in preparation for the tournament and taught us some nifty moves in this San Shou class.
We enhanced on a couple of throws, these are both effective from the clinch. The hip throw is a good move (I went into detail a couple of weeks ago) but if you can't get the hips right in there it can be done over a straight leg. The other throw again involves coming to the side of your opponent with one arm around his back, (obviously under the arm) the other monitoring his free arm, You then step in front and hook his/her leg with your leg and raise it p in the air.
When we were practising this a few weeks ago we weren't completing the throw just finding the right body mechanics and I found myself off balanced (probably more so in fact than I felt I was inflicting on my opponent) I queried Sifu Mark about this and he explained that with a slight bounce around when in this position exposes your opponents other leg for the take down.
It all made sense then, I felt like I'd only read half the book and just been told the surprise
ending.
One thing I enjoy about Sifu Mark's style of fighting is there is always another move ready if things don't quite go to plan and it all flows together like it was meant to be.
Its real as well because things rarely go to plan when two experienced fighters face off so I would like as many options as possible in my arsenal.
Sifu Mark then demonstrated one of the coolest moves I've seen for a long while, it doesn't sound like much but the options off of it are plenty.
Basically its a very quick switch of he legs (think of the Muhammed Ali shuffle) but then stepping forward with it and into an offensive, this can be a punch, kick, or take down .
The coolest of all has to be the superman punch, its basically a punch timed with the above footwork, (yes of course I'm gonna be practising it!).
The coolest of all has to be the superman punch, its basically a punch timed with the above footwork, (yes of course I'm gonna be practising it!).
It also helped me with the sanshou close quarter kick which involves finding the right angle and bending the leg so the whole length if the shin makes contact with the abdomen. Another thing which helped with this kick was when Sifu Mark explained the similarity of this to when throwing a hook as far as thrusting the hips are concerned.
From this seemingly irrelevant step there is a nice take down which puts you in a position to dip down slightly to the side of the fighter grabbing or hitting the leg with one hand and basically clotheslining him/her in the neck with the other arm. Hitting these two points simultaneously gives you a pretty good chance of flattening your opponent.
We ended with light kickboxing sparring with high kicks , I got some nice ones off, it felt good , everyone is raring to go.
Monday 31 August 2009
Another Packed San Sou Kickboxing Class
Another packed San Sou (Kickboxing) class, tonight there were all shapes and sizes, like I say 'the more the merrier' Sifu put us through our paces and after we were warmed up and a bit of knee boxing we practised the two throws we were introduced to last week. I haven't been practising them but I felt alot more efficient doing them,I upped the pace a bit and they were coming off nice.
We then went on to a combo that involved a couple of elbows, those who read last weeks blog would of noticed that I mentioned we are discouraged from the use of elbows in Wing Chun, I feel i should explain myself here elbows are discouraged in the beginner and intermediate class because of lack of experience means more chance of misjudging it, but in the advance stage of training elbows are very much a factor of Wing Chun, in fact an elbow strike is the Wing Chun equivalent of a hook, so i apologise for not explaining myself in more detail before. Anyway the combo starts with a jab, as soon as the jab connects you thrust the elbow forward and strike to side of the head (bang! Two strikes in one go!) Then the other elbow comes over the top and preferably strikes the bridge of the nose, but lets face it if it connects anywhere its going to do serious damage.
One important thing to remember when throwing that second elbow is to pivot on the ball of your back foot and achieve the right posture, like i said its the same body mechanics as throwing a hook.
I need to practise this at home its a good close contact strike and the potential impact, I have no doubt in my mind would stop a fighter in their tracks.
We ended the class with some sparring.
Friday 28 August 2009
Standing Clinch
We started this week with the usual warm up, some knee boxing, running and sprawling on the oncoming whizz ball (big bouncy work out ball was just too much of a mouthful) and pummelling. Pummelling basically sees two opponents in a standing clinch. Both going for simultaneous under hook, one after the other at reasonable speed.
After that we practised a hip throw. To execute you need to get to the side of your opponent with one arm round his lower back and the other monitoring his arm. From this position you step in front of him so your hips are aligned with his, then you just lean forward with a straight back and turn away slightly. This will elevate your opponents feet off the ground into the throw and ultimately on to his back. Although a good basic throw from the clinch you have to be aware of the headlock when you go in for this throw. If your opponent goes for this move when you are at his side, you can slip out the back and commence your attack from his rear.
After this we did some light sparring, I tried to work on my footwork and defence.
To round off the lesson Sifu set out two benches and we stood on them however we chose and basically had to push the opponent off, winner stays on. This is good balance practise for the tournament seeing as it’s held on a three foot raised platform and you can push your opponent off.
I really enjoyed this exercise even though I didn’t do as well as I expected. I thought about my mistakes afterwards and am keen to have another go (I think ill take my socks off next time).
Tuesday 18 August 2009
Sprawl & Brawal
At training tonight after the usual warm up we practised sprawling. This involved a student rolling the big bouncy work out ball (yes! That’s the official name), you run towards it and sprawl on it. This is harder than it seems (good fun though) if you miss your timing it can have quite comical results.
We went on to a routine where you slip two haymakers by ducking low, (from the knees) returning a body blow (or two) if you so desire, then upon rising, ram a straight knee to the solar plexus.
Sifu explained the need to thrust the hips forward for optimum impact and height, whilst maintaining a flat footing (this helps with stability and structure) and keeping your guard up, unless you choose to clinch the neck which is equally effective.
I enjoy using knees and elbows and before learning Wing Chun I used to use them a lot at close quarters, but I have got out of the habit, it is often discouraged in class understandably because of the high risk of injury. Although, they are permitted in the tournament so I think I need to get back into the habit.
I feel comfortable throwing knees from the outside gate, but I feel I need to work on my posture with this high straight knee it looks very effective and I can imagine it really taking the wind out of an opponent.
We ended the class with some light continuous sparring; I felt sharp and got off some nice combos.
I’m beginning to realise how important it is to be mentally balanced when fighting or sparring. If I am in the zone and in the moment with a good mental attitude, the improvement is unquestionable. This needs to be utilised.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/
We went on to a routine where you slip two haymakers by ducking low, (from the knees) returning a body blow (or two) if you so desire, then upon rising, ram a straight knee to the solar plexus.
Sifu explained the need to thrust the hips forward for optimum impact and height, whilst maintaining a flat footing (this helps with stability and structure) and keeping your guard up, unless you choose to clinch the neck which is equally effective.
I enjoy using knees and elbows and before learning Wing Chun I used to use them a lot at close quarters, but I have got out of the habit, it is often discouraged in class understandably because of the high risk of injury. Although, they are permitted in the tournament so I think I need to get back into the habit.
I feel comfortable throwing knees from the outside gate, but I feel I need to work on my posture with this high straight knee it looks very effective and I can imagine it really taking the wind out of an opponent.
We ended the class with some light continuous sparring; I felt sharp and got off some nice combos.
I’m beginning to realise how important it is to be mentally balanced when fighting or sparring. If I am in the zone and in the moment with a good mental attitude, the improvement is unquestionable. This needs to be utilised.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/
Thursday 6 August 2009
Finally... we get to test our Skills
We started off this weeks lesson with another combo drill, It starts blocking a low hook by dropping the elbow, whilst synchronising a counter cross at your opponents face. Synchronisation is imperative for the element of surprise. You can then raise your elbow and release an uppercut, followed by a haymaker.
I felt comfortable with this combo and liked the way it chopped and changed the different angles to get around your opponents guard.
We then went on to pummelling the heavy bag with roundhouse kicks, this was good practise and helps build lower body and core strength (in other words an absolute killer).
We then moved on to light sparring with a twist, only one of us was allowed to use our hands. This was excellent for training upper body movement, reflex actions and footwork.
As I noted in a previous blog, I found it really helps if you tune into the bobbing, weaving and general rhythm of San Shou fighting (as far as the boxing element is concerned anyway).
As the lesson ended Sifu Mark rounded us up and informed us of a San Shou (San Da) Kickboxing tournament coming up. My initial reaction was excitement as he explained lots of different clubs are entering and that it will be held in a Shoalin temple on a three foot raised platform. I haven’t got much experience but relish the fact of being involved in this.
It’s hard to really test Wing Chun fighting unless your in a real situation and feel under threat, just for the pure fact that a lot of the strikes are very dangerous. San Shou on the other hand, although in its own right a lethal style of fighting, it can be fought in competition and this to me has to be the ultimate test and I’m well up for it (i'd be a fool not to be a bit nervous though).
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/
I felt comfortable with this combo and liked the way it chopped and changed the different angles to get around your opponents guard.
We then went on to pummelling the heavy bag with roundhouse kicks, this was good practise and helps build lower body and core strength (in other words an absolute killer).
We then moved on to light sparring with a twist, only one of us was allowed to use our hands. This was excellent for training upper body movement, reflex actions and footwork.
As I noted in a previous blog, I found it really helps if you tune into the bobbing, weaving and general rhythm of San Shou fighting (as far as the boxing element is concerned anyway).
As the lesson ended Sifu Mark rounded us up and informed us of a San Shou (San Da) Kickboxing tournament coming up. My initial reaction was excitement as he explained lots of different clubs are entering and that it will be held in a Shoalin temple on a three foot raised platform. I haven’t got much experience but relish the fact of being involved in this.
It’s hard to really test Wing Chun fighting unless your in a real situation and feel under threat, just for the pure fact that a lot of the strikes are very dangerous. San Shou on the other hand, although in its own right a lethal style of fighting, it can be fought in competition and this to me has to be the ultimate test and I’m well up for it (i'd be a fool not to be a bit nervous though).
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk/
Sunday 26 July 2009
There wasn’t many people at tonight’s Kickboxing Session...
There wasn’t many people at tonight’s session (I think Arsenal were at home) which is ok with me because we get more time to focus on one thing.
We went through the usual warm up which included pummelling the heavy bag with continuous kicks for 30 seconds per rep. that was hard work.
We went on to a boxing combination where you defend a low blow by dropping the elbow, then uppercut with the same hand and off the lead leg through the gap your opponent just exposed, followed with a cross, then you have the option to deliver a roundhouse kick to the mid riff, making sure you step into it. I found this a very neat combination with nice direct attacks.
We then went on to sparring with one hand at a time. I found this excellent for practising basic defence especially the parry, I had to concentrate on timing and movement. It’s amazing how much more active the guard hand becomes when that’s all that’s in-between my face and the oncoming punch and I can’t use attack as a defence.
Sifu Mark also explained getting the right body mechanics for the two most basic kicks, front kick and roundhouse kick. You really have to thrust your hips into the front kick and lunge forward, this kick can also be used in place of a jab, or to set up a jab by using it as a fake to get your opponent to drop their guard. The roundhouse kick requires a slight step just before executing, with a twist in the hips for maximum power and optimum angle. This kick can be used in place of a hook or cross and is generally at the end of a combo.
Another enjoyable San Shou Kickboxing lesson, food for thought, say no more.
By Toby Hawkins
Friday 17 July 2009
Well tonight was hard work again...
Well tonight was hard work again, I’ve been neglecting my Wing Chun and my fitness is suffering.
There were a few new people who came along which is great, the more the merrier as far as I’m concerned. I love sparring with lots of different people. I feel everyone brings something different to the table therefore potentially there is more for me to learn.
We went through the one two high low counter I explained last week, so the newer students could see, but mainly to see if we could be fluid with it. I found that instead of just ducking, punching then standing up with the hook, as the opponents haymaker came in and I ducked, I slightly moved away from the punch then as I rise I follow an ark type shape, if there was an image of a clock around me, I would go from 4o’clock to 12o’clock, the body counter down low with the right and the hook up high with the left (or visa versa).
Wing Chun explodes with strikes but San Shou seems to be a lot more rhythmical, it helps to channel into the bobbing, weaving and countering.
I was working on the speedball before the class and I started finding my rhythm, it felt good, I was actually hitting it (an achievement for me) another fine example of the benefits of commitment, if your struggling with something just stick with it and one day it will just come to you (put your mind to it you can achieve anything).
We did some light sparring, but one punches high while the other punches low, I found this good practise, in one set of shoes it is quite difficult to just hit your opponent low when they are hitting you high, timing, speed and bending at the knees are helpful (if not imperative) I wasn’t getting many through and I was getting hit a lot, I need to work on that. I noticed while high sparring with one particular student that he was getting me a lot on the counter, I feel that may be the more effective option rather than just going for it.
In the other set of shoes it is good practise hitting your opponent in the head when he does strike low and expose a target. Some people are quick and it is important to capitalize on that split second opportunity, I would be willing to take a shot in the mid-riff if it means I can get a couple to the head, (I remember Sifu Mark saying that a while back) it could end a fight. Timing again is imperative I think you need a one two possibly even a three hit combo (I always like to throw punches in bunches) to get the desired effect.
We ended the class with some light sparring, again splitting into two groups because of the amount of people, plus to keep it controlled, everyone was knackered I could see it in their faces. To wrap it up an enjoyable lesson everyone is improving, I just need to get fit...again, sigh (commitment Toby commitment lol).
By Toby Hawkins
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
There were a few new people who came along which is great, the more the merrier as far as I’m concerned. I love sparring with lots of different people. I feel everyone brings something different to the table therefore potentially there is more for me to learn.
We went through the one two high low counter I explained last week, so the newer students could see, but mainly to see if we could be fluid with it. I found that instead of just ducking, punching then standing up with the hook, as the opponents haymaker came in and I ducked, I slightly moved away from the punch then as I rise I follow an ark type shape, if there was an image of a clock around me, I would go from 4o’clock to 12o’clock, the body counter down low with the right and the hook up high with the left (or visa versa).
Wing Chun explodes with strikes but San Shou seems to be a lot more rhythmical, it helps to channel into the bobbing, weaving and countering.
I was working on the speedball before the class and I started finding my rhythm, it felt good, I was actually hitting it (an achievement for me) another fine example of the benefits of commitment, if your struggling with something just stick with it and one day it will just come to you (put your mind to it you can achieve anything).
We did some light sparring, but one punches high while the other punches low, I found this good practise, in one set of shoes it is quite difficult to just hit your opponent low when they are hitting you high, timing, speed and bending at the knees are helpful (if not imperative) I wasn’t getting many through and I was getting hit a lot, I need to work on that. I noticed while high sparring with one particular student that he was getting me a lot on the counter, I feel that may be the more effective option rather than just going for it.
In the other set of shoes it is good practise hitting your opponent in the head when he does strike low and expose a target. Some people are quick and it is important to capitalize on that split second opportunity, I would be willing to take a shot in the mid-riff if it means I can get a couple to the head, (I remember Sifu Mark saying that a while back) it could end a fight. Timing again is imperative I think you need a one two possibly even a three hit combo (I always like to throw punches in bunches) to get the desired effect.
We ended the class with some light sparring, again splitting into two groups because of the amount of people, plus to keep it controlled, everyone was knackered I could see it in their faces. To wrap it up an enjoyable lesson everyone is improving, I just need to get fit...again, sigh (commitment Toby commitment lol).
By Toby Hawkins
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
Friday 10 July 2009
Week One of Project San Shou: Basic Boxing Training
This is the first instalment of my weekly san shou blog; I’ve never written a diary before so this is new too me, what the heck here goes.
I haven’t been training much the last two weeks due too injuries resulting from a bit of over enthusiastic sparring with a good friend of mine, so tonight was hard work.
This week we covered counter punching, the counter is in my opinion one of the most effective ways of breaking through your opponents guard, not only does it have one of the highest KO rates of any punch (because its unexpected) but psychologically it destroys their will, think about it, if every time you attack your opponent you miss and get hit what are you going to do?
You will cease your attack, mentally at this point you have lost the fight.
The drills we practised included a 1-2 one low one high defending against a haymaker, this is done by bending at the knees to duck the incoming punch whilst hooking to the body with the opposite fist (making sure its coming off the back leg) then upon rising using a straight with the other fist(or a hook) to the side of the head, this can be followed up with a swift roundhouse kick to the front of the legs, midriff or groin, bending at the knee if distance is an issue.
The second defends against a jab, this is done by stepping back when the jab is thrown thus avoiding it ( this can be accompanied with a slight parry) then as it is retracted quickly step back in sticking to the wrist then snap out a jab of your own, this works best on the outside gate.
After practising these drills we split into two groups then one at a time tried to apply them into free sparring, I felt this worked well because not only could we watch each other, there was a lot more room too (plus a well appreciated breather for those of us who have been neglecting our fitness)
After practising these drills we split into two groups then one at a time tried to apply them into free sparring, I felt this worked well because not only could we watch each other, there was a lot more room too (plus a well appreciated breather for those of us who have been neglecting our fitness)
It was a good lesson and these techniques if applied correctly are very effective bread and butter moves.
An Introduction to Student A by Student A
I’ve been doing Wing Chun for over a year and it has become an integral part of my life now, I find the fighting style absolutely unique and very effective in real combat situations.
I started San Shou a month or so ago because of my love for kick boxing as a sport, I thought the training would be relatively simple compared to my Wing Chun drills but what I found is another very effective complex fighting system. Although it breaks practically every rule of Wing Chun you are literally only a step away from switching styles which can only add to confuse your opponent, add to your capabilities and self confidence.
Put it this way Wing Chun teaches close contact fighting and that puts your average opponent out of his comfort zone because most people like to be just within punching or kicking range so they have time to react ( or get out of the way) when a strike comes in their direction, But for a Wing Chun fighter who wants to be close is slightly vulnerable when trying to close that distance to effectively use his skills at close quarters, This is why I started San Shou so I am in no rush to get to Wing Chun range and am comfortable fighting from a distance if need be.
If you think San Shou is just punching and kicking you are mistaken, it is much more than that, the strikes are very effective (I know I have felt them first hand) but we practise take downs, bluffs, manipulations plus cover many different angles and options for attack and defence, a good all round defence is imperative in any confrontation, you can throw a strike at any time if you have a good defence.
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk./sanshou.html
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk
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