# Using the Lan Sau



## KPM (Mar 25, 2018)

This is how I apply the Lan Sau in "Wing Chun Boxing."  How do you guys use it?


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 25, 2018)

In wrestling, when you pull your opponent's neck, if your opponent resists, you will change your "neck pulling" to "forearm throat push" as you have shown in your clip.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 25, 2018)

Every time your opponent uses "pull guard" on you, you can drop your forearm on his throat as hard as you can. After that, he won't do it again.


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## Nobody Important (Mar 25, 2018)

Lan is an important bridge in the clinch, much can be done to control the opponent with it.


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## DanT (Mar 25, 2018)

I was taught the same way.


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## KPM (Mar 26, 2018)

Nobody Important said:


> Lan is an important bridge in the clinch, much can be done to control the opponent with it.



But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?


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## Martial D (Mar 26, 2018)

KPM said:


> But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?


Not so much really. Usually at that range arms are tangled. I can't remember a time in my many hundreds (thousands?) of sparring hours ever being 1 foot away and square with both arms free.

With that said, where I do find value in this technique is as a space maker when my other arm is stuck and the dude is grabbing at my neck or shoulders.  Crash in elbow first at neck level with a shift. Ideally they will take a backstep(or even better land on their butt)


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## Nobody Important (Mar 26, 2018)

KPM said:


> But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?


I often find it's because the majority of Chunners are trying to fight from too far away.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 26, 2018)

KPM said:


> But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?


In order to be able to put your right forearm on your opponent's throat, your left arm should control his leading right arm. This way, you can pull his right arm, push his throat, and ... Without your left arm leading arm control, your opponent can just steps back, your forearm will lose contact on his throat.

The "forearm push on throat" can be seen in this clip.


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## Nobody Important (Mar 26, 2018)

Martial D said:


> Not so much really. Usually at that range arms are tangled. I can't remember a time in my many hundreds (thousands?) of sparring hours ever being 1 foot away and square with both arms free.
> 
> With that said, where I do find value in this technique is as a space maker when my other arm is stuck and the dude is grabbing at my neck or shoulders.  Crash in elbow first at neck level with a shift. Ideally they will take a backstep(or even better land on their butt)


Lan, like the majority of Wing Chun techniques, works best in clinching situations IMO. This is why in Yuen Family Wing Chun other branches often state that Fung Siu Chung was a practitioner of formal Shuai Jiao, he was not, the clinch is just where we believe the art should be applied.


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## Danny T (Mar 26, 2018)

The Lan structure can be an excellent tool within a grappling or clinch situation to press in to or to control space. Can also be an excellent elbow strike when turning with the Lan structure. Can also be utilized along with Lau sao as a choke in a clinch situation. There are other potentials.


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## Martial D (Mar 26, 2018)

Nobody Important said:


> Lan, like the majority of Wing Chun techniques, works best in clinching situations IMO. This is why in Yuen Family Wing Chun other branches often state that Fung Siu Chung was a practitioner of formal Shuai Jiao, he was not, the clinch is just where we believe the art should be applied.


Experience tells me this is correct.


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## drop bear (Mar 27, 2018)

KPM said:


> But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?



If you stayed front on it would become a hockey fight. Which is an increadably hard way to win a fight.


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## Danny T (Mar 27, 2018)

KPM said:


> But isn't it interesting that you almost never see this in sparring footage of Wing Chun guys?


If you see lan it should be for just a quick period of time unless you have complete control of the opponent. And, in my experience, most wc practitioners don't work to or practice in a grappling situation where lan is quite useful.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 28, 2018)

Danny T said:


> If you see lan it should be for just a quick period of time unless you have complete control of the opponent. And, in my experience, most wc practitioners don't work to or practice in a grappling situation where lan is quite useful.


If you also control your opponent's leading arm and leading leg, you can take him down right there.


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## VPT (Mar 29, 2018)

Nobody Important, which line of Yuan Chai Wan brand of Wing Chun do you train? Just asking out of interest since all of them seem to differ from each other quite a lot.


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## Nobody Important (Mar 29, 2018)

VPT said:


> Nobody Important, which line of Yuan Chai Wan brand of Wing Chun do you train? Just asking out of interest since all of them seem to differ from each other quite a lot.


There is great variation in Vietnamese Vihn Xuan. My lineage is from the northern branch while it was still being taught in the Chinese ex-pats assocuation, my sigong also studied under Ng Chun So prior to studying with Yuen Chai Wan, this is how my branch has all the forms. A trip to Vietnam is planned with some ckassmate to see if we can sort out some of the mess.


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