Full-contact arm blocking: realistic?

**Mr. Mantis** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 10:34am

Originally Posted by Ming Loyalist

for instance i was hit by a car a few years back. the only thing that saved my life was a bong sau block, since i covered my head with my elbow BEFORE my head went through the bastard's windshield. i didn't have a lot of time to prepare, just a flash of movement from my peripheral vision and i reacted with bong sau. so it might work against a suckerpunch as well if you get my drift.

I once had a tree fall at me and I did a "rising block" and stopped it from hitting my head. The tree broke though and it hit my leg, but didn't hurt. It was the very top of the tree.

Originally Posted by Cullion

I don't know much about the styles you've studied, but rather than knocking an incoming limb to the side, WC chi sau trains you to use the hand/arm positions like bong sau, tan sau and fook sau to stick to your opponents bridge(s) to manipulate and trap their arms whilst you advance and attack targets on the opponent's centreline.

I would consider that more trapping - grappling than blocking - striking.

Trapping and grappling isn't as favorable to me as blocking and striking. Too many undetermined variables to make **** go wrong.

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 10:35am

WC also has blocks that knock incoming arms or punches to the side...i.e. pak sao.

Also...a boxer that draws his hands back shouldn't pose a problem for a good WC fighter...since that fighter should fill that empty space with his/her hands and body.

If the bridge retracts...follow it.

**Cullion** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 10:40am

Originally Posted by Amp

WC also has blocks that knock incoming arms or punches to the side...i.e. pak sao.

Yeah, but as IAP is discovering, they aren't much use to him against somebody delivering a combination.

Also...a boxer that draws his hands back shouldn't pose a problem for a good WC fighter...since that fighter should fill that empty space with his/her hands and body.

If the bridge retracts...follow it.

The thing is, the 'bridge' of a 'generic kickboxer' is retreating at high speed into a guard position which protects them from your WC follow up whilst their other hand is likely smashing you in the side of the face with a hook.

**saturnjunkie** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 11:32am

I look at blocking as a form of passive offense. You're basically either trying to setup some kind of standing grapple (which is next to impossible on a jab or fast punch) or you're trying to strike their arms with your forearms in an attempt to hurt their ability to attack you with said arms.

The only real defense is to not be there, IMO :)

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 11:56am

Originally Posted by Cullion

Yeah, but as IAP is discovering, they aren't much use to him against somebody delivering a combination.

I have found that they can work against combos...but it does take serious practice. WC hands are all about combos...we have a whole form dedicated to them...i.e. the dummy form. Unfortunately most WC teaches the dummy form, but never teaches how to "deconstruct" the dummy.

The thing is, the 'bridge' of a 'generic kickboxer' is retreating at high speed into a guard position which protects them from your WC follow up whilst their other hand is likely smashing you in the side of the face with a hook.

That could be true...but some of us realize that our opponent has two arms before we blindly crash in on them. :icon_smil

More likely, I would crash in knowing that the other hand is coming...and prepare for it.

**Cullion** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 12:20pm

Well, when you say 'I would' do you mean 'I have' ?

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 1:20pm

I have found that my boxing defense (parrying/elbow blocking) has has translated very well into my Bareknuckle Medium/Hard contact sparring in Enshin.

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 1:20pm

I have crashed in knowing that another punch is coming many times. Also...you can crash at an angle that makes it difficult for the other punch to land and do damage.

I have never fought a 'generic kickboxer' so I said 'I would' instead of 'I have' on the above example.

**Cullion** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 1:36pm

Ok, well try it out some time. I am not trolling Wing Chun, and I have come across a few genuinely capable WC people in my time. I studied it for two and a half years. When I tried to use it at against somebody with full contact competition experience, it just seemed like a fundamentally flawed strategy. I simply ate hooks. I admit that the WC school I was at didn't spar much, and perhaps yours does (that's part of why I left).

I managed to do a bit better after a couple more sparring sessions by keeping a guard up and focussing on moving my head and my feet more, rather than trying to intercept incoming punches by blocking them.

I do still like to just eat hits and charge in punching at the face occasionally though, but the only advantage I have over most of my much more experienced partners is weight.

**Southpaw** · Posted On: 12/29/2005 1:45pm

I appreciate your perspective.

And I think you and I have a lot in common.

I do still like to just eat hits and charge in punching at the face occasionally though, but the only advantage I have over most of my much more experienced partners is weight.

Me too! :) I'm 230 lbs. Sometimes I actually enjoy getting hit. Kind of invigorates me!

In fairness...I wouldn't call the way I fight "pure Wing Chun." I come from a healthy fighting background before I ever started WC (6+ years ago) and find that I still utilize many of my old habits that I picked up from boxing and brawling.

However...I have found the use of the bridge to be an effective tool to work off of.