There are many families/styles of
martial arts, such as Hung Gar, Choi Le Fut, Bak Qua that encorporate many
long-armed attack tactics. Other kung fu families encorporate ground fighting
skills which were designed to take advantage of styles (of kung fu) that do not
train against such attacks.
Hung Fa Yi wing chun’s Kiu Sao are introduced to the
HFYWC practitioners before the Chi Sao curriculum. Why Kiu Sao? In reality, a
practitioner are not in offensive range when intercepting/bridging your
attacker. Yes, if you can see your attacker that is in front of you and you can
determine the type of attack is being used, you may strike your opponent
simoutaneously with your defense. Most likely, you do not know who or what they
are using (type of martial arts) to attack you and most attacks are only in your
perifial vision. In HFYWC time frame, we must bridge the gap first (kiu sao
range) before entering into attack range (chi sao range).
The Kiu Sao curriculum emphasizes on both anti-grabbling
and bridging (fishing) your opponents attacks. As with most attacks, the element
of surprise are usually used. Through a series of training dealing with
opponents in your vision and your inability to see your opponent clearly, the
practitioner understands and trains to be in the proper range to intercept your
opponent’s attacks. Whether the attacks are in the high, middle, or low gates,
the practitioner’s use of proper footwork and forearm engagements will
neutralize all grabblers and long-arm attacks.
Bridging your opponent’s arms/hands not only relies on
your basic wing chun training, but one must develop sensitivity and conditioning
on the forearm to allow the practitioner to know precisely when to enter into
attack range (chi sao range) and vice versa, back out to defense range (kiu sao
range). Other styles of martial arts may also have forearm training. Their
training may be based on conditioning of the forearm.
Proper footwork (along with your bridging arm) is
essential in your kiu sao training. By understanding the proper footwork dealing
with different timeframe, one can neutalize sudden ground fighting attacks. With
the understanding of YJKYM, LYM, BYM, and BM during various training exercises,
the practitioner will know when to engage to mount an offense and to retreat to
regain proper defense. Remember, one must use the proper footwork along with the
proper bridging arm to complete the kiu sao curriculum
In conclusion, the Hung Fa Yi wing chun kiu sao
curriculum is essential for the beginner before chi sao curriculum is
introduced. We must first identify the time, space, and energy of our opponent
before determining the proper counter attack is made. In comparision to all of
today’s wing chun lineages, only the Chi Sim wing chun lineage have the kiu sao
curriculum in their system. As the modern
day Ip Man wing chun lineages do not use kiu sao training, they primarily use
chi sao training for sensitivity and attack ranges. This may be why other
lineages do not recognize Chi Sim lineage as a wing chun lineage. Though all
wing chun lineages come from the same ancestors, in comparison with all wing
chun lineages, we relate heavily to the chi sim wing chun lineage. Both of the
lineages’s history and the descendents originated from the shaolin temple. Along
with the kiu sao training, our traditions/philosophies/zen buddism emphasis are
parallel.
