Hand Chasing

[Jut]

Maybe it's me, but after reading some of the comments, a baseline definition of "chasing hands" seems in order.
I've always understood it as, and teach it as, -intently focusing on the opponents action, [usually fast punches]with the sole intent on stopping said action, without consideration to an offensive response.
I.E., myopically focused on endless paaking to someone delivering an endless string of chain punches.

This is usually a result of 'fear of being hit' rather than lack of training. However, the training that I see in many schools is.. well, lacking.
In training, I stress the importance of being a good, 'bad guy'. If the drill is getting punched in the mouth, then punch them in the mouth.. DON'T stop short. It's their job to remove the threat. Following through doesn't allow the bad guy to subconsciously develop a bad habit during a real encounter, nor does it cheat the 'good' guy' out of realism and distancing. Also, if their mind is elsewhere, they also miss learning the feel of being hit. Something they will learn in a real fight. [which in my experience's, never hurts much -at that time, anyway]

If this is what is meant by chasing hands, then it will almost always end with getting tagged, and in Wing Chun is on the top of being verboten.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Wrist chasing is schoolyard playfighting, and ends badly. A full clinch, or other "dominant" position (the Khabib bicep-slice flattener comes to mind) is viable.

The way that you intend to grab on your opponent's wrist will give your opponent 2 options. He can either rotate his arm against your thumb, or against your 4 other fingers. Since it's easier to deal with thumb than 4 fingers, your opponent's arm rotation direction can be predicted. If you rotate your arm clockwise and your opponent also rotate his arm clockwise to avoid your "arm chasing", you can suddenly rotate your arm into the counter-clockwise direction, get arm wrapping, and obtain the clinch that you are looking for.

IMO, "chasing hand" is used in the wrestling to obtain a clinch. It may not be used in striking art that much. But for a wrestler to deal with a striker, the "chasing hand" is a good strategy. If striking is not your 1st priority and if you can control your opponent's arms, your opponent cannot punch you.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The way that you intend to grab on your opponent's wrist will give your opponent 2 options. He can either rotate his arm against your thumb, or against your 4 other fingers. Since it's easier to deal with thumb than 4 fingers, your opponent's arm rotation direction can be predicted. If you rotate your arm clockwise and your opponent also rotate his arm clockwise to avoid your "arm chasing", you can suddenly rotate your arm into the counter-clockwise direction, get arm wrapping, and obtain the clinch that you are looking for.

IMO, "chasing hand" is used in the wrestling to obtain a clinch. It may not be used in striking art that much. But for a wrestler to deal with a striker, the "chasing hand" is a good strategy. If striking is not your 1st priority and if you can control your opponent's arms, your opponent cannot punch you.

You assume only two options. There are at least three other major options: pull back, push in, and ignore that hand (attacking with the other).

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You assume only two options. There are at least three other major options: pull back, push in, and ignore that hand (attacking with the other).

1. pull back - this is like the NOOP instruction in programming. Nothing has changed. Start all over again.
2. push in - your opponent is doing the entering strategy and close the distance for you.
3. ignore that hand (attacking with the other) - you then use your "other" hand to deal with his "other" hand". When your left arm is doing "downward parry", your right arm is doing "comb the hair" at the same time.

IMO, MA is like to write a computer program. If there are something that you have not considered, you are not a good programmer.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

1. pull back - this is like the NOOP instruction in programming. Nothing has changed. Start all over again.
2. push in - your opponent is doing the entering strategy and close the distance for you.
3. ignore that hand (attacking with the other) - you then use your "other" hand to deal with his "other" hand". When your left arm is doing "downward parry", your right arm is doing "comb the hair" at the same time.

IMO, MA is like to write a computer program. If there are something that you have not considered, you are not a good programmer.

I don't see it like a program, because you can't feed in your input and know what the outcome will be. There's a random number generator in the mix (inside the other person's head).

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don't see it like a program, because you can't feed in your input and know what the outcome will be. There's a random number generator in the mix (inside the other person's head).

What will your opponent do if you kick at his belly?

1. Step back,
2. Move in.
3. Move to the side.
4. block with his arm.
5. Block with his leg.
6. default ...

Anything that's not under your prediction can be put into the default statement. Of course there are more detail in each case of the switch statement. There may be switch statements for each case.

switch (n)
{
case constant1:
// code to be executed if n is equal to constant1;
break;

case constant2:
// code to be executed if n is equal to constant2;
break;
.
.
.
default:
// code to be executed if n doesn't match any constant
}

 

[Gerry Seymour]

What will your opponent do if you kick at his belly?

1. Step back,
2. Move in.
3. Move to the side.
4. block with his arm.
5. Block with his leg.
6. default ...

Anything that's not under your prediction can be put into the default statement. Of course there are more detail in each case of the switch statement. There may be switch statements for each case.

switch (n)
{
case constant1:
// code to be executed if n is equal to constant1;
break;

case constant2:
// code to be executed if n is equal to constant2;
break;
.
.
.
default:
// code to be executed if n doesn't match any constant
}

Except that it's not quite that simple. He can step in and
1. Block
2. Punch
3. Kick
4. Blend
5. Grab
6. Shoot/Tackle
7 through something: combinations of the above.

It's not "if they punch, you do this". Not nearly that simplistic in reality. If they punch high, the response still may vary depending upon which foot they step in with, how they carry their weight (extended, dropped, balanced neutral, etc.).