# The Wing Chun Six and a Half Point Pole Pole (Luk Dim Boon Kwan)



## fightingfat (Apr 29, 2006)

The pole is one of the most common weapons used in Chinese Martial Arts, probably because it was used across one's back to carry water. With a knife stuck on the end it also becomes a spear.
The Wing Chun pole is unusual, approx. eight feet in length. Made of hard wood it is of considerable weight. To reduce the weight and increase ease of use, the pole has been tapered from 1 1/2" inches diameter at the base to 3/4" at the tip. Resembling an oversized pool cue, this design allows the heavy base to be manipulated in the principle of a weighted car park barrier. You train with a heavy pole so that when you fight with a lighter one it is even quicker to use.
The pole looks unweildy as it is so long and heavy, but when you start to learn the weapon it is a suprisingly practical weapon and devastingly effective. With such length there will be limited need for movement- sometimes known as the six and a half point pole, the six and a half refers to the amount of techniques you can do with the pole.
The tip is used to devastating effect and with accuracy and focus it is a formidable weapon. It is not practical to use the shaft of the pole to strike as it allows the opponent to see the movement more easily, judge its distance and to counter strike. The pole should, whenever possible, be used to thrust thus offering very little of the pole to be seen. 
Like all aspects of Wing Chun Kuen (except the knives) the pole is simplicity personified.There are no fancy techniques involving twirling or grip changing. The real skills lies in the use of power. The pole is used with explosive short power and shocks the target, whether that be any part of the opponents body or their weapon
The pole develops tremendous forearm and wrist strength. As such it benefits the punching power and most basic hand techniques. If one can use the power explosively the benefit to general short distance power is maximised. 
Many of you will be familiar with the story of Wing Chun's origins, it is reputed to have been created by (Ng Mui) and named after (Yim Wing Chun) a woman. This could explain why our main stance, the 'goat gripping stance', is so much easier for the female hip construction.
Another theory for the stances, though, could relate to its time on the opera boat, a stance like ours would be excellent for keeping balance on a rocking boat. The 'Red Junk' is also supposed to be where the pole originated from -an actor named Leung Yee Tei who was a skilled proponent of Wing Chun learned the pole form from the cook, (who is rumoured to have been Gee Sin, one of the 5 Masters who fled the sacking of the Shaolin Temple and the Master who taught pole). 
He then exchanged his pole skills with Wong Wah Bo, who was an expert with the Eight Slash Knives (Baat Cham Dao), which is how they came into the system. But that's another story...
I always thought the long, unweildy pole was some thing of an anomoly considering the quick, efficient movements of Wing Chun. But when you start training it, you realise how many of the empty hand movements translate to the weapon (bong, taan and the centre line punch I have noticed in particular). I am really amazed by this weapon and really enjoying learning it!!
Has anyone got any experience of this kind of pole? Any questions or any comments?


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## ed-swckf (Apr 29, 2006)

> The pole is one of the most common weapons used in Chinese Martial Arts, probably because it was used across one's back to carry water. With a knife stuck on the end it also becomes a spear.
> The Wing Chun pole is unusual, approx. eight feet in length. Made of hard wood it is of considerable weight. To reduce the weight and increase ease of use, the pole has been tapered from 1 1/2" inches diameter at the base to 3/4" at the tip. Resembling an oversized pool cue, this design allows the heavy base to be manipulated in the principle of a weighted car park barrier. You train with a heavy pole so that when you fight with a lighter one it is even quicker to use.
> The pole looks unweildy as it is so long and heavy, but when you start to learn the weapon it is a suprisingly practical weapon and devastingly effective. With such length there will be limited need for movement- sometimes known as the six and a half point pole, the six and a half refers to the amount of techniques you can do with the pole.
> The tip is used to devastating effect and with accuracy and focus it is a formidable weapon. It is not practical to use the shaft of the pole to strike as it allows the opponent to see the movement more easily, judge its distance and to counter strike. The pole should, whenever possible, be used to thrust thus offering very little of the pole to be seen.
> ...


For me the pole is primarily about training and generating power, the form is fairly simple, the excercises that go into making that form strong certainly benifit all aspects of your training.  Although i will; say if you spend a lot of time training the pole you may find some initial loss of elbow control within your chisau for a short while.  This may not effect everyone its just something that is noted by some.  I love pole training.


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## yipman_sifu (Apr 30, 2006)

ed-swckf said:
			
		

> For me the pole is primarily about training and generating power, the form is fairly simple, the excercises that go into making that form strong certainly benifit all aspects of your training. Although i will; say if you spend a lot of time training the pole you may find some initial loss of elbow control within your chisau for a short while. This may not effect everyone its just something that is noted by some. I love pole training.


 
Man, this pole comes at later stages in the Leung Ting system, still I got a long time to reach it.


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## ed-swckf (Apr 30, 2006)

yipman_sifu said:
			
		

> Man, this pole comes at later stages in the Leung Ting system, still I got a long time to reach it.


 
It comes as the second from last form in my class.  Although i think it used to be last.


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