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
Day One of Project San Shou
In my humble opinion Wing Chun is a very special martial art that focuses on fighting for a self defence context. Being tired of the criticism levelled against the style of fighting that I hold true to my heart, I started an experiment to prove that the skills of Wing Chun can be transferred to any other environment of fighting.
Of course, we’ve had to make adaptations to our training and approach to fighting, but to fight in the ring you have to utilise universal fighting methods. Effectively, I’ve taken ordinary Wing Chun students and instructed them in a range of skills that require timing, distance judgement and true fighting spirit. Over a period of time they’ve learnt to kick, punch and wrestle like any other fighter, but with one difference they’ve kept the concepts of Wing Chun in the forefront of their minds.
The concept of this experiment is simple: all martial arts must have a common variable to function effectively. If we train and prepare these variables, then any Martial Art is comparable to each other.
I hope over the period of time that you’ll find this Blog informative enough to follow our progression to the final destination. We’ll share our highs and lows, good techniques, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and more importantly our eventual success in competition format.
You’ll follow the progress of Student A in his own words, and I will drop in from time to time to share my experiences on coaching Wing Chun fighters for a whole new world of combat.
So here goes the journey of a Wing Chun Fighter…
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk./sanshou.html
Of course, we’ve had to make adaptations to our training and approach to fighting, but to fight in the ring you have to utilise universal fighting methods. Effectively, I’ve taken ordinary Wing Chun students and instructed them in a range of skills that require timing, distance judgement and true fighting spirit. Over a period of time they’ve learnt to kick, punch and wrestle like any other fighter, but with one difference they’ve kept the concepts of Wing Chun in the forefront of their minds.
The concept of this experiment is simple: all martial arts must have a common variable to function effectively. If we train and prepare these variables, then any Martial Art is comparable to each other.
I hope over the period of time that you’ll find this Blog informative enough to follow our progression to the final destination. We’ll share our highs and lows, good techniques, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and more importantly our eventual success in competition format.
You’ll follow the progress of Student A in his own words, and I will drop in from time to time to share my experiences on coaching Wing Chun fighters for a whole new world of combat.
So here goes the journey of a Wing Chun Fighter…
http://www.londonwingchun.co.uk./sanshou.html
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