Standup vs Ground

Most martial arts focus on a primary point that their system revolves around. For example, taekwondo is known for powerful kicks. Jjiu-jitsu for its grappling, locks, and ground fighting. Boxing for lightning-fast jabs, crosses, uppercuts and footwork.

While the Wing Chun system encompasses multiple ranges and tactics, its preferred focus is to remain standing and in punching range. Over 75% of all Wing Chun actions are driven by fist actions, so we can deduce that the art itself favors the punching range as having more opportunities for attack and defense.

But what about ground fighting? Is it really as necessary as some say it is? If so, when did ground fighting suddenly become so important? If not, why do so many arts have a ground fighting curriculum?

To answer this question, we should first examine what real life is all about vs what is sometimes the mainstay in classroom teaching.

No one can say with certainty that all fights will go to the ground. Mine have never gone to the ground. Some have tried take downs but Wing Chun’s anti-ground fighting and anti-grappling tactics prevented it.

But just as no one can realistically say that all fights will go to the ground, we also cannot say that they will not go to the ground. All fighters have a preferred range but that does not mean that that range will be successful.

The truth of the matter is that you will never know what will happen until it does happen. With the ever-changing world of martial arts, our art must be constantly examined to ensure that it can respond to elements as they arise.

That being said, the curriculum I was taught does have a full ground fighting program. With grappling, anti-grappling, ground fighting, and anti-ground fighting tactics, the program begins at Student Grade 2 (section 2 of the Siu-Nim-Tau) and culminates at Student Grade 8.

These programs are nothing new to the Wing Chun environment, though. The concepts themselves are completely Wing Chun in every way, just applied from the ground. There are no jiu-jitsu, karate, or judo movements as some might claim, and nothing is “stolen” from any art that was not already there to begin with.

The concept of Wing Chun ground fighting focuses not on being tied up, but instead how to get back on our feet as quickly as possible. Wing Chun does not include all of the locks and pinning actions that arts such as judo or jiu-jitsu employ, so we do not train in that manner.

If we find ourselves on the ground, we will work to keep both hands in Man-sau so as to protect the upper body. Our legs will see one foot on the ground while the other is up for defense or attack. The feet can change positions as needed in order to drive into the attacker’s shin or knees, as well as switch positions for pivoting the body on the back in order to keep Man-sau pointed towards the attacker.

As the attacker comes in, we would drive a leg into their leg and, via Chi-sau, engage the upper body so as to explosively roll back over, putting us on top. From this point, elbows and punches would rain down on the attacker, or we could even step out of the position and resume standing in order to get back to our preferred range. After all, I would not want to grapple with a grappler. That is his range, not mine, and I want to fight my fight vs his fight.

Is grappling and ground fighting as necessary as some claim it to be? Yes, it is. It is a valid range that we might find ourselves in, even if unintentional or by accident. And if you are in this range, the same concepts that serve us when standing are suited equally well when on the ground.