Category Archives: Forms & Drills

Wooden Dummy Chi-sau Insert

The Great Lion Company (www.woodendummy.net) provides some excellent wooden dummy training gear. I have been using their dummies for over 15 years with excellent satisfaction. To that end, I was intrigued when they began producing what they call the Chi Sao Jong.

Great Lion Company’s Chi-sau Unit

As mentioned in a previous post here, I ordered the Great Lion Wooden Dummy Company’s Chi Sao Jong insert. It arrived this afternoon and after putting it together, I am ready to start checking it out. When I have more input I will relate my feedback here.

My first impression, though, is that it is going to be a fun.

For one, it can replace all three arms. Removing all three wooden arms and sliding the unit into the lower arm hole, the upper arms and lower arm are at a good position. The upper arms are angled to resemble a person’s bent arms, and the entire unit can be locked for normal training, pivot via the spring for Chi-sau training, or with the spring removed so that the arms rotate 360-degrees.

I am not approaching this from the viewpoint that the unit is meant to replace a partner; rather, it is simply to enhance or work actions that are not possible with other aids or when a partner is not available. I can already see some positive aspects in it so once I get a better idea about what it can and cannot accomplish, I will post more feedback for those interested in obtaining one.

Never Withdraw?

This is one that you will hear quite often:

In Wing Chun, we never retreat. We always go forward, and if we can’t, we step sideways to take advantage of the incoming attack. But under no circumstances should you ever go backwards or retreat.

Every time I hear someone say that, I wonder how much of the system they have actually trained. Have they ever worked against someone not in their own lineage? Have they ever fought someone in a completely different martial art?

I wonder this because even though many practitioners say it, their own system is showing them the exact opposite. Case in point, Hau-bo.

From the very beginning, a practitioner is shown how to set up their stance in order to assume the Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma position. From here, they are taught to Huen-bo, or Forward Circling-step. This is our first step in footwork on getting from point A to point B. You cannot fight by being a stationary target, right? There has to be some lower body action.

With Huen-bo, we continue to Juen-ma, or Frontal-stance/Lead-leg stance. Now you have a choice: to return to Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma, you either have to Huen-bo with the other leg, or you return the lead-leg back to its starting point. If you choose the latter, it is not just a sublime action; instead, it is Hau-bo.

Hau-bo, or Backward Circling-step/Withdrawing-step, is vital to efficient footwork. You need competent footwork in all directions – forward, sideways, and moving backwards. Without it, what do you do when you encounter a skillful fighter that is driving in on you and you cannot side-step?

Yes, tactics state that we engage with a number of responses, but when it becomes purely force vs force, what then?

If your attacker is more powerful and you cannot go forward (because he is driving fully into you), you naturally want to give way to that force and side-step. When you work with exceptional fighters of other methods, though, you will find that this is not as easy as you think (or as easy as your Si-Fu is telling you).

It is not an easy thing to merely side-step a skilled fighter. He/she is prepared for any angle in relation to your reaction, and in most cases, you are getting set up for a follow up attack. Driving you sideways is exactly what they want because before you know it, you are getting dropped with a shin to the side of your knee.

Tactically, when force is driving you backwards and you cannot move sideways, simply “go with the flow” and Hau-bo in order to remain in fist-fighting range. Many will forget that Wing Chun being primarily a fist-fighting method means that the majority of our tactics work to either move us into that range or respond for reacquiring that range should we be driven to a different range.

Hau-bo is simply another option to keep us in fist-fighting range, so yes, it is vital to competent footwork. Those stating that they never step backwards probably do not train the wooden dummy then, either, because Hau-bo is how you move from a lead-leg position at the side back to the front. Some might still say no, but then how do they get back to the front?

Competent footwork requires step training in all directions, and learning to withdraw is included. Hau-bo simply re-positions us according to force, and without that, your body and footwork is severely limited.

Great Lion Company’s Dummy Chi-sau Unit

I recently purchased the Great Lion Company’s Chi sao Jong Insert for the wooden dummy and will be testing it. Following this, I will post a review of it on our blog. It looks interesting but I have seen hardly any reviews of it, so I figured I would put it through its paces and see what it can do.

Depending on when it arrives (could be up to 90 days according to their site), check back a week or so after that for a detailed review.

Seeking vs Sinking

One of the easiest things to do after training Wing Chun for a while is to misunderstand the purpose of Chum-Kiu. Even with the excitement of learning kicks, elbow attacks, angling, and creating a great deal of power when turning, let’s face it: any intermediate training is sometimes a bit mundane.

So what is the Chum-Kiu? What is its purpose? What can you get out of this curriculum that you cannot find anywhere else? Let’s take a look and see.

Chum-Kiu, or Arm-Seeking form, is the second form in Wing Chun Kuen. There are two main categories of thought amongst the lineages in regards to arm seeking vs arm sinking.

With sinking, this line of thought dictates that when your arms meet the arms of the opponent, you sink or leak through the holes, just like rain leaking through a roof. In this way, no matter what the opponent does, you are sinking yourself through those holes in order to defeat him.

Seeking is a bit different. This line of thought dictates first a strategy vs an action. Rather than waiting for the opponent to come to us, a practitioner will drive into the opponent and make contact, seeking out his bridge arms. As contact is made, it is then that sinking or leaking takes place.

When the latter view is worked, the Chum-Kiu takes on a brand new meaning. It is readily seen that this intermediate curriculum is the true bridge between Siu-Nim-Tau and Biu-Tze, for Biu-Tze requires competence in both in order to be effective.

Section 1

Section 1 teaches all about turning, torquing, and slicing through an attack with a whole-body defense. Youth can see a lot of positive actions, but as we get older it becomes apparent that what we used to do and how we did it will definitely change.

Therefore, section 1 shows us that rather than relying on our physical strength, we can use the entire body to respond with. This whole-body concept then becomes a mainstay of our entire Wing Chun approach.

Section 2

Section 2 of the Chum-Kiu is a practitioner’s first formal engagement with kicks. I say formal because many schools – including the AWCA – also teach Jeet-gerk, or Jamming-kick/Stop-kick, at an earlier stage in order to give our students a leg defense.

Beginning with Wang-chang-gerk, or Side Thrusting-kick,  a practitioner learns how to thrust the foot vs snapping it like other martial arts. We approach kicking as we approach punching: rather than arcing or snapping out with an attack, we thrust it in order to get the entire body behind it. We thrust the punch/palm via the elbow, so we thrust the foot via the knee.

A practitioner also works the concept of “Every step is a kick, every kick is a step” at this stage. This means that as we step, our weight should be such that we can always immediately respond with a kick if needed vs moving weight to the other leg. It also means that after each kick, we do not fall forward; instead, we step directly downward so that our momentum is not carried forward and taking us off balance.

You will hear many lines of thought regarding weight distribution. You will also see some very convincing demonstrations as to why weight on the lead leg is paramount (as a rebuttal against those that train with 100% on the rear leg).

The interesting thing is that when you apply weight on the lead leg with someone who is fighting for real? You see a different outcome than what was demonstrated in class. And in real life, you need every edge you can get.

At the AWCA, we train 100% on the rear leg and 0% weight on the lead leg. At any given moment, the lead leg can jam, kick and step in any direction without the body moving. No weight needs to move because no weight is on the lead leg.

When someone drives forward, the leg will respond by either jamming the leg, kicking the opponent, wedging into his structure, or side-stepping to borrow the force. With weight on the leg, there is a brief encounter of force-vs-force regardless of the amount. And when that happens, the stronger of the two forces has the edge. We remove this altogether by having 0% on the lead leg and 100% on the rear.

Section 3

Section 3 sees us working the last two of Wing Chun’s three primary kicks: Ching-sun-gerk and Che-chong-gerk. Ching-sun-gerk, or Front Thrusting-kick, is generally the more commonly-used of the three kicks, while Che-chong-gerk, or Slant Thrusting-kick, is a combination of the side kick and front kick.

Conclusion

In addition to the myriad of movements, the concepts of Chum-Kiu also teaches the various ranges of fighting such as punching/palming, elbows/knees, kicking, and grappling/takedowns. Ground fighting, which is the fifth range, is a supplemental curriculum vs found in a form. These various ranges explore the tactical and strategic nature of fighting with a competent, well-trained attacker, so the Chum-Kiu cycle is generally a bit longer than most other curriculums of Wing Chun.

Its training, however, is of paramount importance in understanding and learning real fighting in today’s world. Without it, the Biu-Tze will never amount to anything. Without it, an attacker will easily knock you off balance. Without it, you will have limited footwork, limited power output, and limited angling when engaged with multiple opponents.

As a well-known master told us in a seminar once:

Whenever you are bored, that means you haven’t learned. Why? Because when you have learned it, you are always intrigued by what it means and what it does.

Still think the Chum-Kiu is mundane? Me, either.

Middle-hacking Descent-force Sinking-arm

One of the more intereting facets of Wing Chun is the fact that once you learn a concept, there is usually somewhere else where that concept is put on steroids. One example is Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau, so with the release of Volume 4: Biu-Tze coming up, let’s look at this movement from section 2 of the Biu-Tze and see what it is about.

Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau

Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau, or Middle-hacking Descent-force Sinking-arm, is found in the Biu-Tze. Also known as Full-body Sinking-arm, this concept involves learning to use the entire body to add force to Jum-sau (learned in section 2 of Siu-Nim-Tau), which conforms to the Biu-Tze premise as a whole of releasing the entire force of the body with each action.

The Siu-Nim-Tau teaches the basic mechanics of most Wing Chun actions. It is through the Chum-Kiu and Biu-Tze where these actions take on a new meaning, and with Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau, this action means learning to release one’s entire force when sinking with Jum-sau.

As an attack comes in and Jum-sau responds, the upper body sinks with the arm in order to drive the attacker’s body downward along a diagonal path. The power produced can be envisioned as if you are winding up and slamming down on the arm, but there is no wind up; instead, the release is due to a slight bend of the torso and downward sinking of the elbow, as well as a forceful downward action of the shoulder. In combination, this entire action will see the body driving downward in order to assist the Jum-sau.

With the power originating in an upward then down-the-middle trajectory, this is why some term it as Middle-hacking Descent-force. With the body providing a great deal of force, this is why some term it as Full-body.

Once Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau is learned, the concept of full-body power is applied to all actions of Wing Chun thought. From Siu-Nim-Tau onward, every movement takes on a new meaning because the entire body plays a role in power delivery. What is striking, however, is that even though many will say that the entire body plays a role from day 1 when training begins, their body does not really have a sense of what full-body power actually is.

That is why this one movement – Zhoung-bu-pie Jum-sau – is so intriguing. It is the perfect example of how a basic, beginning action such as Jum-sau is learned and then trained for years. Then suddenly with the Biu-Tze, it opens a new door on its use. In turn, that concept is then applied to all actions before it, and it is there that the concept of full-body power delivery really takes shape.

What’s the Difference?

It is not that difficult to see these two movements and first think they are the same. Not only do they look the same, training them takes a while to actually distinguish one from the other.

Is there a difference? If so, are they major or minor differences? Let’s have a look and see.

Jum-sau

Jum-sau, or Sinking-arm, is the action of sinking the arm at the shoulder. For example, from a Man-sau position, the arm sinks directly downward but not at the elbow; instead, the arm sinks by lowering the shoulder. It is a very short sinking action, to be sure, but this allows for the arm’s line of defense to be maintained.

The whole purpose of Jum-sau is to make contact with the opponent’s limb and rather than completely deflect it out of the way with a powerful force such as Pak-sau, the arm will slightly but quickly sink in order to move the attacking limb off of the line. With a small movement like this, a practitioner can simply redirect the attack while then driving through the hole that it creates.

Jut-sau

Jut-sau, or Jerk-hand, is similar in nature to Jum-sau but rather than a sinking action, there is an explosive jerk to the arm. The mechanics are basically the same but Jut-sau will literally jerk the limb to any direction, and that jerking action can actually pull the opponent off balance.

Is there a major difference between Jum-sau and Jut-sau? No, not a major difference, but the minor differences are there. Inconsequential, but differences nonetheless. Both entail the arm usually keeping the same structure (pointed towards the attacker) and both utilize the shoulder to sink or jerk downward vs. pivoting at the elbow joint. However, Jum-sau will sink and will many times maintain contact with the opposing limb, whereas Jut-sau forcefully jerks downward and does not strive to maintain contact.

Recap

The initial look at Jum-sau and Jum-sau appears to make them one and the same. While their overall appearance is similar, however, they do in fact have different uses. Jum-sau will sink and usually maintain contact, which allows for knowing where the opposing limb is. While not always needed, it is what happens when Jum-sau is utilized.

By contrast, Jut-sau will explode with a fast, powerful jerk and contact with the limb will rarely occur. The forceful explosion of this jerking action will also be cause for the opponent to lurch forward or in the direction that Jut-sau is taking them, which lends itself to off-balancing.

Are They the Same?

For many schools, there is no such thing as Gwat-sau. For others, there is a clear distinction. Let’s look at the Siu-Nim-Tau and see if we can determine the differences, as well as if there is even a need for Gwat-sau at all.

Gaun-sau

Gaun-sau is Splitting Block-arm arm and is both a defense and an attack. With the arm exploding downward, it resembles an axe driving through wood, hence the name Splitting-block arm.

Introduced at section 1 of Siu-Nim-Tau, the first use is as a defense to a punch to the stomach area. The mechanics are such that we use the outside edge of the forearm to strike with (the blade edge). Because of this, Gaun-sau performed correctly is a devastating strike while simultaneously defending.

In advanced applications such as Biu-Tze, there are also upper-level Gaun-sau actions where Gaun-sau is driven repeatedly with both arms into the attacker’s clavicle, resumbling a chopping action with the Bart-Cham-Dao.

Gwat-sau

Gwat-sau is Wiping-arm and is solely a defense. Resembling a windshield wiper, Gwat-sau is seen in section 3 of Siu-Nim-Tau directly after Tan-sau and Jut-sau. Whereas many (if not most) practitioners will make a small semi-circle and then return on the same path to a Tan-sau, the Gwat-sau application includes Lau-sau, or Scooping-arm, in order to scoop a leg for a throw.

The trajectory of Gwat-sau is in a semi-circular motion. Rather than slamming directly down onto the target, it wipes the limb away in order to dissipate the force.

Gaun-sau vs Gwat-sau

Regardless of one’s lineage, it is easy to see why these actions are two different movements. There are some that will train it like I have described yet still consider them both to be Gaun-sau actions. I do not fully understand that line of thought, but oh well.

Gaun-sau explodes directly downward into the target and slightly resembles a karate-type block. Gwat-sau, however, will wipe or glide into the target vs. directly colliding with it. Since these are two different concepts, then it is obvious that they are two different movements.

It is similar to Tan-sau and Fook-sau. They look the same other than Tan-sau’s palm is up and Fook-sau’s palm is down. However, they are different in both use and concept.

In the same way, Gaun-sau and Gwat-sau look similar yet have different uses. Their mechanics are different, as are the concepts. One is used for blocking while the other is used for dissipating force. Additionally, Gwat-sau can lead easily into Lau-sau, whereas Gaun-sau does not.

Recap

While looking similar, Gaun-sau and Gwat-sau are two completely different movements. Gaun-sau is both a defense and a strike in that the defense can create a great deal of pain, even to the point of numbing out the limb it strikes. It can be used low or high, and even in combination with the other arm via Sheung-har Gaun-sau or High/low Splitting Block-arms.

Gwat-sau is a wiping action that wipes an attack out of the way, which in turn dissipates force. Gaun-sau does not dissipate force; it slams into the limb to remove that force. Therefore, Gaun-sau and Gwat-sau are clearly two different movements with two different concepts for use.

Noi-moon to Oi-moon

While everyone is familiar with the wooden dummy, few will train the same movements in the same way. This is due to the variations in lineage and how instructors envision the applications of the form to be worked. Because of that, we see applications ranging from effective to so obscure that they would be dangerous to enact with even the most unskilled of fighters.

Two actions seen on the dummy is how we traverse from one side to the other. Noi-moon, or Inside-area, and Oi-moon, or Outside-area, indicates our relative position for both limb and body position. In this article, we will be addressing these areas and how the are interpreted for dummy training.

The Muk-Yan-Chong is a stage of training following the Biu-Tze. Some will work the dummy before Biu-Tze, but as we have seen countless times over the years, this mistake is immediately realized when they are pitted against a practitioner who has completed the Biu-Tze phase of training. Why? Because without the Biu-Tze, they have no real grasp as to what the dummy’s transitions are about or what the applications are actually for.

Inside-to-outside is generally based on where the opponent strikes, as well as the opponent’s preferable area of operation. For example, if the strike is so heavy and powerful that remaining on the inside will collapse you, then you should side-step and move to the outside. By contrast, if the attack is powerful on the outside, then moving to the inside might be preferable.

Coupled with this are the associated tactics that we want to attack the weakest point of the opponent. If he/she prefers one range but is apparently weak in another, understanding positioning via Noi-moon and Oi-moon can help you quickly capitalize on these positions and use them to your advantage.

One of the major problems, however, is a lack of understanding the basic actions for some of the movements themselves, which is a direct misleading of how it is applied. For example, many will see the action of Noi-moon Bong-sau moving to Tan-sau as being one continuous application starting with the indoor Bong-sau and transitioning to the outside for a follow-up attack. What they fail to realize (or have never had anyone actually trying to hit them while they did it) is that in real life, it does not work like that.

Noi-moon Bong-sau, or Indoor-area Wing-arm, is one action, while the transition to Oi-moon Tan-sau is another. Bong-sau to Tan-sau cannot realistically be worked like many will train it because if you try it even with a mediocre boxer, you will get knocked down. After all, think about what this transition is doing and the body position it is putting you in if you train it like that:

1. Your Bong-sau is on the inside of the attacker’s opposite arm.
2. This means that your arm is crossed in front and the opponent is to your side.
3. This position creates a negative barrier for you.
4. Your Wu-sau cannot provide any protection because,
5. The opponent’s free hand is driving into your jaw.

If Wing Chun was founded on common sense and logical principles, then where is the logic of being in a movement such as this and then transitioning out of it with Tan-sau? Why would we take such a direction when faster, more efficient responses are so apparent that you would have to purposely keep from using them?

Common sense tells us that if it is dangerous to do in class, it is even more so in the street. We do not purposely put ourselves in “bad” situations in order to learn how to get out them; instead, our training involves preventing those positions in the first place. That is the whole nature of Siu-Nim-Tau and Chum-Kiu to begin with, so why would Biu-Tze and Muk-Yan-Chong be any different?

For those who spar regularly with real opponents bent on knocking you down – as well as those with experience in real fights – ask yourself one question: when have you ever been in Noi-moon Bong-sau? Ever? With over 20 real fights and countless sparring matches, I cannot tell you even one time I have ever found myself in Noi-moon Bong-sau. Not once. So if the chances of being in this position are so slim, why is Bong-sau so prevalent in the forms?

Bong-sau comprises over 75% of the Chum-Kiu movements. Additionally, Noi-moon Bong-sau is prevalent in all sections of the Muk-Yan-Chong. So if Bong-sau or even Noi-moon Bong-sau was considered so useful by our ancestors that they included throughout the forms repeatedly, why do we rarely, if ever, see it in real fights?

To put it another way: if Wing Chun prides itself on economy and logic, and if our ancestors created this art to follow suit on being logical and useful at all angles, then what is the Noi-moon Bong-sau to Tan-sau sequence to supposed to represent?

It is impossible to decipher this question without Biu-Tze, but with Biu-Tze, all things concerning the wooden dummy are immediately apparent.

The actual use of Noi-moon Bong-sau to Tan-sau is this: As your attacker launches the first attack, it places you in Oi-moon Bong-sau. Immediately following the attack, he launches a cross. You are already in Bong-sau but with his arm now replaced with the other, you are in Noi-moon Bong-sau vs Oi-moon Bong-sau.

From here, Bong-sau to Tan-sau is the concept of action but it is this premise that has placed you on the inside to begin with.

I have seen a variety of practitioners who do not even train this movement as Noi-moon Bong-sau; instead, they treat it as an elbow attack and leading to an outside action (similar to Kup-jarn vs Kup-jarn, followed with Fook-Lap-sau to Kup-jarn on the outside). Others feel that even though we are on the inside of the arm, the concept itself is to be applied from the outside to the inside.

Regardless of your personal theory on which is correct, one thing is for sure, and that is that all must understand the nature of moving from the inside to the outside and vice versa with ease, efficiency, and relaxed explosive power. These qualities are learned in the Biu-Tze, and then further expounded on during the wooden dummy.

Wrist, Elbow and Shoulder Connection

With every hand action, the wrist is used as the guide. But what does that mean, and how does that play a role in the movement itself?

Since Wing Chun is a linear method, actions are faster and more efficient on a straight path vs a circular path (which is why the art has very few circular-based movements). To make this work, the arm must be trained to move into the target on the straightest line possible. And for that to happen, it needs a set point or guide in order to know how to work that action.

The reason for this is because the guide itself does not facilitate the only action. It also requires power, which is driven from the elbow. The elbow’s position is indicative of where the wrist is guiding it, so both must work in tandem in order to create a solid defense or attack. One without the other is slower, less efficient, and incapable of producing the power we require at very short distances.

We envision the wrist as being the starting point for envisioning how the arm will work the mechanics of efficiency.

For example, let’s consider Tan-sau. Tan-sau is adept at defending against straight punches, as well as medium-power punches from a slightly outward-to-inward angle. The wrist is driven towards the shoulder of the attacking limb and the elbow’s power is driving directly behind it.

Should the wrist go in any direction other than the shoulder of the attacking limb, the angle of the arm is such that it will be either prone to collapse or not be in the correct angle to provide a barrier in the first place. This gives the first clue as to why the wrist is the guide for this movement.

Should the elbow not be driving directly behind it – say, to the outside or too far towards the centerline – then the angle will change (again not providing the correct barrier) or the arm will not have sufficient power to meet the attack and provide a defense. This gives the second clue as to how the wrist is the guide, but now including the use of the elbow as a driving force to ensure that the wrist continues into the shoulder.

With these two elements in place, we can explore other actions such as Fook-sau (which will have a slightly different elbow force and line of attack) and Bong-sau (again which will have a slightly different elbow force and line of attack). These three elements – Tan-sau, Fook-sau and Bong-sau – make up the “three seeds” or basic actions from which all other Wing Chun arm movements originate.

As you can see, “the wrist as the guide” is more than a simple saying. It is literally directs the angle of the arm for whatever position it needs to take. Some will get very deep or complicated with this particular mechanical concept, but it is actually very simple. As simple as it is, though, it is also the most important and why the Siu-Nim-Tau is a stationary form.

The mechanics of the upper body are so essential to our method of self-defense that the entire first form is completely stationary. Some might add steps to the form or create additions to the Siu-Nim-Tau that lead one away from this basic use, but they do themselves and their students an injustice by doing so. The Siu-Nim-Tau should always remain stationary so that you can focus solely on the mechanics of the upper body. You will be strengthening the lower body by remaining in Yee-chi-kim-yeung-ma, too, so you do, in fact, receive unbelievable strength training for the legs.

But the Siu-Nim-Tau’s purpose should never be forgotten. Learning to guide your arm to the proper line by focusing on the wrist as that guide and the elbow as power for that line is essential to all-things Wing Chun.

Once the wrist-to-elbow connection is realized, you will then begin to see how the shoulder comes into play.

In this example, consider Bong-sau. In this position, some will place their elbow below the level of the shoulder, some will place their elbow on the same horizontal plane of the shoulder, and some will raise their elbow above the shoulder. All three have their reasons but each position can easily see what a different angle Bong-sau makes.

If the wrist is on your centerline but the elbow is below your shoulder, this allows for a severely decreased angle in which to meet an attack. Anyone who has had real fights or sparred with someone bent on caving in your chest will tell you that this particular angle will in no way hold up to a real punch.

If the wrist is on your centerline but the elbow is above the shoulder, the angle of the forearm is so inclined downward that any real force will collapse it. After all, the arm is already in a collapsed angle to start with, so the incoming punch has little to contend with.

However, if the wrist is on your centerline and the elbow is on the same horizontal plane as the shoulder, the shoulder:

1. Provides reinforcement for the entire arm and acts like a shock absorber, and
2. The elbow’s position allows for a much less angle of the forearm, which in turn provides a stronger barrier in which to meet the attack.

Many of today’s practitioners have taken the notion that they can combine Wing Chun with some other concept, but then feel that Wing Chun is deficient because it does not work like they think it will or should. Well of course not. Wing Chun requires a specific process of concepts for all of it, not just some of it. Bits and pieces will never work like the entire system because the system itself is a concept. Keep it together and it will work, but remove or change even a small portion of it, and it will come crashing down around you.

The wrist-to-elbow-to-shoulder connection is a perfect example of how each element directly impacts the other, as well as how this most basic but important concept directly relates to the rest of our training throughout the system. If even one is misunderstood or not given its full due, it will have a severely negative effect in your entire understanding of Wing Chun Kuen.