AWCAOnline - Chi-sau

Chi-sau (pronounced chee-souw), or "Sticking-hands," is a training method unique to the Wing Chun system in how it approaches the concept of. A variety of arts utilize the method after seeing what it can accomplish, yet none outside of the system have captured its essence quite like Wing Chun. But what is chi-sau.

Chi-sau is a method of training the arms for sensitivity. Upon contact, the arms can sense the power, speed and direction of the opponent's attack, thereby instantly countering. Since interpretation such as this is much faster than using the visual senses, this is why a Wing Chun practitioner’s reactions are generally quite fast and explosive. It can, however, also lead a practitioner to use the wrong response if not completely "getting rid" of his/ her own force.

The basis of chi-sau implies that in order to borrow the force of the opponent, we must get rid of our own force. "Getting rid of our own force" means learning to relax with the situation and teaching the body how to pivot correctly, maintain structure, and not rely on physical or brute force in our actions. If we train to use brute force, what happens if we meet an opponent who is physically stronger than us? Instead, we learn how to relax and we teach the arms to maintain their structure, as well as teaching the body as a whole how to be mobile in relation to what the arms are feeling.

Chi-dan-sau
Chi-dan-sau is "Single-arm Sticking-hand." With this drill, we learn one arm at a time so that we can focus on the feeling in a simple, controlled way. To my knowledge, non-Yip Man Wing Chun lineages will usually bypass single-arm and go right to double-arm. Note, however, that I said "to my knowledge," because there "could" be others that train single-arm.

Chi-dan-sau (972 KB | 22 sec. | WMV format)

Chi-dan-sau (Single-arm Sticking-hand)
	The starting position. Both practitioners are exerting a slight forward pressure.
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	The practitioner on the left launches Jing-cheung to the chest, which is defended with Jut-sau.
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	The practitioner on the right changes Jut-sau to a straightline punch, which is defended with Bong-sau. The resume the starting positions and repeat the exercise continuously.
-3-

This exercise teaches the basics of learning to feel pressure and direction of an opponent's arm. This pressure stems from the wrist being used as a guide and the elbow providing the force. Concepts of the centerline, straightline, and mechanics of the arm are heavily explored so that in the end, a practitioner simply responds without having to think about it. The action "just happens" without pre-determined thought, much in the way you drive your car.

If you think about the steps involved with driving your car, it would be akin to:

Go to the car.
Take out your keys.
Find the right key.
Put the key in the door lock.
Turn the key.
The key unlocks the door.
Open the door...

... you get the idea.

With fighting, many of the same elements exist, which is why sometimes a very good fighter can easily lose because there's so many things happening simultaneously. Chi-sau removes those steps by teaching the arms "what to do" with the contact it meets.

After each arm is sufficiently trained, stepping with chi-dan-sau is introduced. Not only does this increase and decrease the arm angle, it begins the process of teaching the body what to do with that force (or loss of force, depending on the situation). It also teaches us how to maintain contact with the opponent, since that's what chi-sau is. A common Wing Chun motto proclaims "Stay with what comes, follow through as it retreats, and spring forward as our hand is freed." Chi-sau training not only encompasses this philosophy, but relies on it.

Chi-sheung-sau
After each arm is individually trained, we now progress to using both arms simultaneously. Chi-sheung-sau, or "Double-arm Sticking-hands," is usually what is seen in the Wing Chun circle when viewing chi-sau training.

Luk-sau (800 KB | 18 sec. | WMV format)

Luk-sau (Rolling-arms with forward pressure)
	The starting position. One practitioner is in Tan-sau while the other is in Bong-sau (both, however, also have a Fook-sau position).
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	As the arms roll...
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	... the arms now change from Tan-sau to Bong-sau, and from Bong-sau to Tan-sau. The Fook-sau for both remains unchanged.
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Not all lineages and branches teach or train the chi-sau curriculum in the same manner. Depicted below is only how the AWCA approaches the skill set. Other schools may have a completely different viewpoint or method as to how they train the skill.

Chi-sheung-sau includes two beginning stages called Poon-sau (Rolling-arms) and Luk-sau (Rolling-arms with forward energy). A practitioner will first learn the correct mechanics for working both arms simultaneously (Poon-sau), and once competent, forward pressure will be applied (Luk-sau) to begin the actual curriculum of interpreting attacks at various levels. This is also the stage where wrist placement and elbow force will be learned, which is then followed by turning (when feeling an overcoming power) and stepping. It also a stage where basic attacks and defenses are learned.

Beyond Poon-sau and Luk-sau, there are three stages of incorporating real-world fighting practice, these being Nuk-sau, Gor-sau and Kuo-sau. From basic attacks and defenses to full-scale chi-sau sparring, these levels take a practitioner's training to full use for realistic self-defense.

At the AWCA, there are seven primary or "core" sections of learning derived from the Siu-Nim-Tau and Chum-Kiu curriculums. Following this, we have Biu-Tze Chi-sau, Muk-Yan-Chong (Wooden Dummy) Chi-sau, and even Chi-kwun, or "Pole-clinging" for the long pole. By no means are these seven sections "all-encompassing" for every facet that Chi-sau embodies, of course; in fact, I do not know if it would even be possible to list every single movement and/or counter-movement within the scope of Chi-sau.

It probably is possible, but the size of such a listing would be insurmountable.

Throughout the training of these core elements, a practitioner is taught the "concept" behind what is happening, and from there, he/she will easily discover for themselves other possibilities. The real problem is that when someone learns something, they consider it "etched in stone," and anything that deviates from that would be wrong.

It is not about the "amount" of movements or counter-movements there are; instead, it is all about "can you use what you have learned, and when you need it?" Without that, knowing every movement in the world will do you no good when you have to actually defend yourself.

A great deal of time is devoted to learning the elements of Chi-sau and how it relates to our fight training. Below are a few sessions of Chi-sau training to illustrate various sessions we experience and work in.

Naturally this is just a very small sample, so more videos will be available in the future to further illustrate Chi-sau. To attain fluid and smooth responses, the training continues as seen above. This type of training simply allows our arms to free up and "seek out" the holes opened up by the opponent vs. seeing something happening and having to "think" about what to do. In reality, Chi-sau puts you on "auto-pilot."

Entire volumes could be written on what Chi-sau is about and how it works, but at a very basic level, the entire premise of this training is to teach your arms what to do when contact with the opponent is made. Taking things step-by-step, we start with single-arm training, progress to double-arm training, and then advance to various "core" elements in order to learn the pressure and angle of attacks.

Following this, the bulk of things are "freed up" so that we replicate fighting practice. The goal here is to always focus on "feeling" what's happening and responding to it vs. "getting in the hit." Yes, hitting "is" important; after all, that's why we train. However, when that becomes the primary goal, it will usually see the practitioner in a bad position when posed with someone that is keeping a "good" structure. With Chi-sau training, both good position and "feeling" will guide him/her through the holes in the opponent's defense, leading them into the hit.

From single-arm to double-arm, from Chi-sau sectional training to Lap-sau attack and defense sequences, the spectrum of Chi-sau is literally the "gauge of performance" for a Wing Chun practitioner. Without competent knowledge of and a skill set in Chi-sau, the art of Wing Chun will only take you so far.

This in-depth, photo and video-illustrated training workbook includes single-arm training (including footwork), double-arm training (including footwork and the seven Chi-sau core sections), and even Lap-sau and Chi-gerk. Look all you want but you will NOT find a training workbook that comes even CLOSE to in-depth information you will find in Volume 3.

This one-of-a-kind training platform was built with true distance learning in mind and has already helped thousands of practitioners all over the world actually learn Wing Chun.