What is Chi Sao Training?

Discussion in 'Kung Fu' started by SWC Sifu Ben, Jan 24, 2015.

  1. SWC Sifu Ben

    SWC Sifu Ben I am the law

    Wing chun emphasizes the concept of sticking, not only sitcking in terms of maintaining contact with the limbs but also sticking close to the opponent. During the process of either attacking or defending there are moments where the limbs of combatants make contact. Wing chun generally refers to this as a “bridge” in english but this term refers to a bridge between the two bodies. This bridge can be limb to limb or limb to body/head and happens with either party striking or with the opponent attempting to grab or “hook” onto us. Actively trying to trap an opponent is a great way to get hit and should never be the goal. We chase the body, not the hands.

    Chum Kiu most often translated as “building the bridge” contains striking, blocking, linear footwork, and some other movements and concepts. Nowhere in the form is there anything which would teach the student to seek limb to limb contact. Bridging limbs is a byproduct of actively attacking and a defensive focus on simultaneous defensive and offensive maneuvers for counter-striking. We chase the body, not the hands.

    So limb to limb contact is incidental and trapping isn’t the goal; hitting the opponent is. Whether we contact the opponent or the opponent contacts us the goal is to maneuver into a position where we can hit the opponent and the opponent is unable to retaliate during the strike. Because we are training against an actively resisting opponent any initial trap and strike will be brief as the opponent attempts to regain better position either through counter trapping, simple repositioning, or an attempt at withdrawal. Because of this reality the wing chun practitioner must be able to take the techniques they have learned and begin to apply and transition between them by feeling changes in the opponent’s positioning of body and limbs through the point(s) of contact. This shares similarities with the training of many grappling arts and many of the characteristics developed are similar. Sensitivity, refelxive responses, posture, and technical focus are a few. Chi sao gives a platform to isolate the contact portion of fighting, explore techniques, and practice implementation of concepts in a resistive environment.

    What’s Wrong With Chi Sao

    While chi sao can be a great training platform it does have some drawbacks which can be rather serious if not attended to. These are not faults inherent to chi sao but rather misapplication by practitioners and while this is not a complete list of all the errors people pake in chi sao hopefulyl it can help fix a few very common training mistakes.

    Let’s get one thing out of the way to start: Chi sao is not sparring, and it is not a substitute for sparring. Chi sao is a training drill which accounts for the contact portion of fighting. There are other drills and training which need equal attention. All the chi sao in the world won’t save you if you can’t manage space and make contact properly because you don’t practice entry drills and actually spar.

    Another common fault in chi sao training is the misapplication of competitive urges. While chi sao is a live and resistant training platform it is not a competitive platform. People still have the urge to win and to dominate yet while this is good for sparring it detracts from chi sao training. People try to weigh on their partner’s arms to try and reduce their reaction time through fatigue. People look to make contact at the expense of body position, structure, and without any regard for their ability to power or follow up that strike. Treating chi sao as a competition only helps you waste your own time.

    The last issue I would hope to see rectified in many people’s chi sao is prolonged contact. You don’t have time to feel out your partner from contact when they’re trying to decapitate you with hooks and haymakers. You can’t push and pull them around for five minutes while you learn to predict their reactions and set them up for a perfect technique. Chi sao is about learning to apply from contact and that contact is incredibly brief most often. Roll once or twice and try to execute a technique.



    Chi sao can be a great tool in training but it is up to every student and Sifu to make sure that it is being used as such. Preventing bad habits from entering training is important as is remembering chi sao’s place in that training.

    Source: http://soaringwingchun.com/blog/
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2015
  2. ned

    ned Valued Member

    Nice article.
    For me,I think seeking the bridge is the more accurate translation;
    referring to the linear footwork added to the bong sau and rotation of the waist seen with the larn sau.
    Both these bridges established from a defensive position enable contact and a way to be found through an opponents defence,via the space created by evasive movement.

    In practical terms,chum kui is addressing the issue of closing the distance so that you get into the close range needed to make WC effective.
     
  3. MuaythaiGeorge

    MuaythaiGeorge New Member

    Very intereting stuff! Thank you for sharing! :)


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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 25, 2017
  4. BrendanCassidy

    BrendanCassidy Valued Member

    Well XCi sou..is always in GHreat disguise...or do we not mention something like this./.

    To trap is to usually..put under the pressure of someone or something..

    So the rate of return is always a known object..>Which could be hands..or someones face getting punched in./. Thus The curious art of a formidable attack on the saint of the day..
    or the idea of coming to terms with something or someone...indeed it is a ratio of trust and operation..which is like a crane..or mechanics..always save you in the end,..so the proper application of mechanics..will yield the fruit..but what that proper application is can be seen to be debatable; so the work through of the wing chun stance..has to work immediately.. otherwise the form is said to be lacking..and it is up to us..to choose to fulfil that form..or give it up immediately because it didn't prove into fruition..or otherwise a statement about fruit itself..which can be tasted..but only if you pull it from the tree...making it one less fruit bearing...indeed that is the show of committing any action at all..you cant really take it back..but must move into the condition of the flow..that was created by that very act...indeed as a missle is coming..you only have a few seconds to counter target it..in a way that would defeat the missle from a death or potentially doom type hit..which would spell uncountenance..and doom in general through the very archetype..and signal of the target being hit itself..

    the concept gets interesting when studying the use of terminal pointing..which is a certain type of category of fighting or boxing in a way that a point can counter act or reduce an option from the enemy or attacker..

    your inner drama..will always be broadcasted...and so it is up to you..to maintain a certain amount of vigor about yourself..so you can reflex and adapt..to the oncoming situations..to fulfill the mean and the norm..in a way that makes sense to either defend your life..or attack an individual for either sport or safety(2 points)..indeed it is the categories of existence..that have the freedom of object notation and knowledge..which comes as quick as it goes..but it is unified in this instant./.

    In this present moment..is everything in you to be able to defend your life..or attack an opponent..! Enemies may come and go..but with proper stance and footing..you could always find a person to attack..or otherwise spar with..for ever..even if it is a creation in your mind..But what you do to others has to be lawful..to be really proper and relevant..otherwise you would end up being a criminal...and that's the basic concept of relating to the different belts...and that being said is indeed a given grade of white! and that's worth dying for!

    To the death is a common notation in fighting and dueling..but we have standard laws..should we ultimately allow choice based death style fighting..without the gloves or potentially to initiate the common delusion or otherwise by partisan conceptus unity..in allow weapons and fighting to the death in the senate..and congress in general?

    Shouldn't(x,y, 4,5 unit based operancy) people be allowed to do what they want..as long as it is a consenting bargain?

    Ultimately..if we could raise the dead...then that would show true grounds to approve this type of fighting!!?

    So we could call it a dependence..on the rules of the social majority..which mostly wants safe avenues to continue things...and then the laws of nature..like killing animals for their meat and hides etc...but with in a certain amount of realism..or simulation..that is for the purpose of eating so we create stations where we raise meat to be eaten
     
  5. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Brendan this literally makes no sense....try it again in smaller pieces mate
     
  6. JeniferLoby

    JeniferLoby Banned Banned

    Chi Sao roughly translates as 'Sticking Hands'. This two person exercise is a form of Wing Chun training that enhances your ability to stop a person from hitting you by spoiling the other person's arm movement. ... In fact, Chi Sao training is an experimental process that develops your reflexes to a high level.
     

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