My current opinions on wing chun

**waapwoop** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 8:47am

why can't tan sau be a strike? it should be travelling towards the opponent... make afist upon contact.

**Preacher Man** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 8:50am

I get what your saying both of you but it does'nt make a Tan sau a strike, it makes the strike you do AFTER the tan sau a strike. Same as any other wc block.

Oh and as for making a fist when you make contact with a tan sau, great way to stop your tan sau working (remember why you bend your fingers down when using a tan sau?).

**waapwoop** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 8:54am

you must perform tan sau different to us.... we strike to deflect (we don't call it blocking) if someone is punching straight, we shear it with our tan sau/strike.... if he fakes, he still gets hit.. as its aimed at him... if he does strike, then my tan sau should bump his off course, past my head or wherever....

**Preacher Man** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 9:01am

Originally Posted by waapwoop

you must perform tan sau different to us.... we strike to deflect (we don't call it blocking) if someone is punching straight, we shear it with our tan sau/strike.... if he fakes, he still gets hit.. as its aimed at him... if he does strike, then my tan sau should bump his off course, past my head or wherever....

We strike to deflect as well, but i would'nt use a tan sau straight down the centre line for that, its much more effective to use a jum sau surely as that can easily change to a punch (or even start as a punch). We use Tan sau to defend against hooks and blows from the side, it is after all a rigid block, using a punch/chop etc with the other hand as the strike.

**waapwoop** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 9:06am

its not a rigid block for us....

if it was a rigid block, as you perform it... then if someoen was really big and strong and hit your block, wouldn't it buckle under.. ie, a battle of strength? how could you possibly hold your arm up against a powerful punch?

and you didn't get what i said...... ours is down the centre... if it doesn't deflect the strike, it hits the person in the face... how could yours be a strike if it turns into something midway?

**Mouthfire** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 9:30am

Originally Posted by Preacher Man

So because Wing Chun has more techniques than MT it is useless? I think thats just a bit silly.

The biggest problem with WC is not its techniques or methods, its the way its being taught. A lot more Sifu's need to get out there and start teaching it with realistic sparring and the like.

Naw... that wasn't my point. My point was that if WC guys would stop pontificating on this and that, and spend more time actually FIGHTING, they'd be so much better. I think you'd agree with this.

**Preacher Man** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 9:31am

Originally Posted by waapwoop

its not a rigid block for us....

if it was a rigid block, as you perform it... then if someoen was really big and strong and hit your block, wouldn't it buckle under.. ie, a battle of strength? how could you possibly hold your arm up against a powerful punch?

and you didn't get what i said...... ours is down the centre... if it doesn't deflect the strike, it hits the person in the face... how could yours be a strike if it turns into something midway?

Tan sau works by bending the fingers down to lock the arm, its not strength based, and ive been hit by guys with very strong punches and my tan sau has worked just fine. Go out and try it against a hook with your fingers bent downwards, if you get hit you're doing something wrong.

And i got what you said perfectly, you just arent listening. So i'll repeat myself:

We dont use tan sau as a deflection, we use it to stop hooks and strikes from the side. To deflect incoming strikes we use jum sau or biu ji in much the way you describe because its a lot easier to turn a jum sau into a punch or a lap sau than it is to turn a Tan sau into a punch. Also the Tan sau's nature as one of the only rigid block in wing chun means it has more use as a block in conjunction with a punch from the other arm than it does as a deflection technique (which is what jum sau is really there for).

**Preacher Man** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 9:37am

Originally Posted by Mouthfire

Naw... that wasn't my point. My point was that if WC guys would stop pontificating on this and that, and spend more time actually FIGHTING, they'd be so much better. I think you'd agree with this.

I do indeed agree.

**5FingazofDeath** · Posted On: 1/08/2005 10:42am

"wing chun was made to fight bigger stonger poeple effectively...bla bla bla"

All arts are "supposed to" that doesnt mean they do. A good fighter will make lots of things work, but that isnt saying as much for the system as it does for the person.

"wing chun is the street fighting kung fu..bla bla bla"

If everyone around you is hopping around like a crane, wing chun is teh deadly. It is a more simplier, effective KUNG FU. Kung fu (as a very broad system) needs more realistic training methods to be more effiecient IMO.

"why is wing chun so popular?"

Probably a combination of the song, Bruce Lee, the wooden dummy, and the uniform.

"chain punching doesnt work/is bullshit"

Its pretty good, it just needs to be modified to be more agressive and as a MEANS to a END. Watch Vitor Belfort fight where he runs at the guy throwing punches down centerline. His shoulders are like a boxers but his method of delivery looks more like wing chun (in these circumstances). What is important is the formard momentum. Its the pressure you put on the person, and the follow up after. Sure you might knock the guy out with your blast, but you might not so have a backup.

"chi sao is the bomb/sucks balls"

Chi sao is self perfection. You learn it for the art, and because it does help to read peoples intentions in clinch range. However if your concentrating or even doing it reguraly I think that your training time could be better spent. Ive done chi sao and it used to be a higher priority in the JKDC curriculem, but the fact is - there is better things to do. Your clinch has to be a combination of MT, judo, and maybe some wing chun for keeping centerline.

"the TRUE wing chun was the bomb back in the day... bla bla bla"

Back in the day EVERYONE took kung fu. Everybody fought the same way, so it was just who was better at the system. Every region fought in similar methods - koreans used TKD, Chinese used kung fu, etc. Its easy to fight people if you know what they do. But now, people dont fight under martial art systems. Your average fighter will most likely use methods that wing chun never has trained before.