Fighting Principles

Fighting Principles

 

Power Principles

1. Go forward!

As soon as the attacker moves close enough to potentially strike us, we immediately advance into him with our own attacks, putting him ondefence, while keeping our vital targets protected. The goal is to strike and disable the attacker as quickly as possible or, failing that, to establish arm and leg contact with him so that we may react by fast tactile, rather than slow visual, sensitivity.

2. Stick to the opponent!

Should the attacker succeed in blocking or otherwise impeding the advance of our arms and/or leg, we do not withdraw our limbs, but maintain forward pressure towards the attacker’s vertical axis and stick to him. We do not allow him space to renew his attack.

3. Give way to greater strength!

WT is a “soft-style” martial art. Should the opponent exert strong forces on our sticking limbs, we do not fight against his strength, but give way to it in a controlled fashion that allows us to harness his strength and use it against him. We use his own force to remove ourselves from its path and simultaneously counterattack.

4. Follow through and fill the gaps!

As a consequence of our constant forward pressure coupled with soft relaxation, our limbs automatically flow like water into the gaps in our opponent’s defense, subjecting him to constant, overwhelming attacks.


 

The Economy of Movement in WingTsun self defence

 

WT deals with the greatest number of possible attacks with the smallest number of deliberate movements.

Fewer movements = less confusion = faster reaction … and faster learning.

There are no purely “defensive” or “offensive” movements in WT. Every movement contains elements of both offense and defense. Our “offense” provides protection, and our “defense” attacks the enemy. Offense and defense are one in WingTsun, hence simultaneous, giving the enemy no time to renew his attack or evade our counterattack.

In WingTsun we learn to perform up to three movements simultaneously, e.g. different movements with each arm and a leg. Thelimbs are trained to move independently of each other.

WingTsun movements take the shortest routes possible to achieve their goals, increasing efficiency and speed.


 

The 5 Distances

 

Ranges of Unarmed Combat

Wing Tsun training teaches the student to prevail in all possible ranges and phases of unarmed combat. This is very important from the standpoint of real-life self-defence, as one never knows where one will be attacked or what the pre-fight situation will be.

The five ranges are:

Long Range – employs feet

Middle Range – employs hands

Close Range – employs elbows and knees

Standing Anti-Grappling Range – employs and counters holds, locks, and throws

 

Ground fighting

The Wing Tsun system is unique in that its ingenious concept allows the student to move according to the same principle in every range. This greatly simplifies the demands on the student during a confrontation, as he/she does not need to change his/her strategy, mind set, or way of moving as the range of a confrontation changes (as it nearly always does, quickly and unpredictably).