Wing chun footwork

[Kung Fu Wang]

This footwork that you

- Move in leading right leg.
- Slide back left leg next to right leg (side cat stance).
- Advance left leg forward.
- Right leg slide and follow (end with 4-6, or 3-7 stance).

is used in the Xing Yi, long fist, preying mantis, ... system.

All power are generated from

- bottom and up.
- back and front.

This is just general CMA guideline. All CMA systems follow this guide line.

Does WC system train this footwork?

 

[geezer]

All CMA systems follow this guide line. Does WC system train this footwork?

Wing Chun is CMA. And you say all CMA follow this guide line.

...and yet the footwork we train in WC looks different. ???


...OK, actually I do train some steps that may serve the same functions. But they still look different.

 

[Danny T]

All CMA systems follow this guide line.

Not really.

Does WC system train this footwork?

Not really.
However, WC is a CMA system...a CMA system that doesn't follow the guide line that you say all CMA systems follow.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

However, WC is a CMA system...a CMA system that doesn't follow the guide line that you say all CMA systems follow.

The question is why?

When you step in, you can move your

1. leading leg first, or
2. back leg first.

In 1, after you have landed your right leading leg, when you move your left back leg, your left leg will pass by your right leg (whether you will be is side cat stance or not is not important). Your left leg then stop in front of your right leg. Because the momentum, your right leg will slide forward a little bit to adjust the distance between your feet.

We all step forward this way to gain the maximum distance. This natural footwork doesn't belong to any CMA system.

 

[wckf92]

The question is why?

When you step in, you can move your

1. leading leg first, or
2. back leg first.

In 1, after you have landed your right leading leg, when you move your left back leg, your left leg will pass by your right leg (whether you will be is side cat stance or not is not important). Your left leg then stop in front of your right leg. Because the momentum, your right leg will slide forward a little bit to adjust the distance between your feet.

We all step forward this way to gain the maximum distance. This natural footwork doesn't belong to any CMA system.

The footwork is in the 2nd form and pole and knives. These forms contain examples of what you described above (basically).

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Not really.
However, WC is a CMA system...a CMA system that doesn't follow the guide line that you say all CMA systems follow.

What's the guideline here?

- When you step in your leading leg, you may step in a bit too far. So your back leg has to slide forward a little bit to adjust the distance between your feet.
- When your back leg moves pass your leading leg, your back foot may not fully slide on the ground. You may lift your foot above the ground, or just let your toes to touch the ground (side cat stance).

Are there other methods different from this, and also make sense?

 

[paitingman]

Both of those options are kinda messed up though, if you want to develop functional skills, I would say.

If you train distance and angles only, you will lack timing and technique.

If you train technique only and forego distance, angles, and timing, you will end up with cool looking, yet harmless technique.

If you train the first, followed by the second, you will have to unlearn the sloppy techniques you were using to replace them with the proper ones, which triples the workload.

If you learn the technique first, you will have to relearn them anyway due to completely different execution.

Both. Same time. Timing, too.

Never said anything about training distance and timing only.
Training how to move and starting to develop a feel for distance and timing from day one, or not, is what my post was about.

 

[Martial D]

This footwork that you

- Move in leading right leg.
- Slide back left leg next to right leg (side cat stance).
- Advance left leg forward.
- Right leg slide and follow (end with 4-6, or 3-7 stance).

is used in the Xing Yi, long fist, preying mantis, ... system.

All power are generated from

- bottom and up.
- back and front.

This is just general CMA guideline. All CMA systems follow this guide line.

Does WC system train this footwork?

Bringing your feet together like that would be a dangerous thing to do in any system.

Unless you are a super good grappler off your back.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Bringing your feet together like that would be a dangerous thing to do in any system.

What's the options? If you have to move your left leg in front of your right leg, you have to let both legs to be next to each other.

Unless you just circle around your opponent by moving back foot 1 ft while moving front foot 3 inch.

 

[Martial D]

What's the options? If you have to move your left leg in front of your right leg, you have to let both legs to be next to each other.

Unless you just circle around your opponent by moving back foot 1 ft while moving front foot 3 inch.

If you are in front of me and you bring your feet together I will say thank you as I take you for a ride.

When your feet are together, you have no base.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you are in front of me and you bring your feet together I will say thank you as I take you for a ride.

When your feet are together, you have no base.

When B moves his left leg B2 in front of his right leg B1, at point X, his both legs will meet. How do you prevent this from happening if you are B?

Please notice that B has forward momentum. A doesn't.

When you kick your opponent, you have no base either.

 

[Martial D]

When B moves his left leg B2 in front of his right leg B1, at point X, his both legs will meet. How do you prevent this from happening if you are B?

Please notice that B has forward momentum. A doesn't.

When you kick your opponent, you have no base either.

There are many ways to move around without touching your heels together. Watch any competitive combat sport, you will not see feet together, or crossed, as you often see in CMA. There is a reason for this.

Here is an example of mobility without sacrificing base.

 

[wckf92]

There are many ways to move around without touching your heels together. Watch any competitive combat sport, you will not see feet together, or crossed, as you often see in CMA. There is a reason for this.

Here is an example of mobility without sacrificing base.

Good video dude. Thx.
Something for KFW to note is that WC has a variety of footwork, most of which is the same or similar to the patterns he describes in the video. The exception is the sideways / lateral. WC does move laterally, but in a slightly different way.
Good discussion Gents!

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

There are many ways to move around without touching your heels together. Watch any competitive combat sport, you will not see feet together, or crossed, as you often see in CMA. There is a reason for this.

Here is an example of mobility without sacrificing base.

You have suggested method 1 or method 2 instead of method 3.

M1 - Your feet are in a wide angle.
M2 - Your foot move in with a curve.
M3 - Your feet are in a small angle.

IMO, M3 will give you the maximum distance and maximum speed.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you use "jump kick" footwork to move in (instead of kick, you land your kicking foot in front of your opponent), M3 will give you the maximum distance and maximum speed.

When you use your leg to hook your opponent's leg and take him down, you are standing on one leg and you don't have base at that moment. Since your leg hook your opponent's leg off the ground, your opponent also don't have base.

So the term "no base" is a 2 edges sword. Usually when you are in "no bas" mode, you are also in attacking mode.

 

[wckf92]

The "no base" is mitigated (sometimes) by the fact that you may have contact/hold of your opponent (to use him as part of your base...)

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The "no base" is mitigated (sometimes) by the fact that you may have contact/hold of your opponent (to use him as part of your base...)

Agree! Here is a "no base" example.

 

[Martial D]

You have suggested method 1 or method 2 instead of method 3.

M1 - Your feet are in a wide angle.
M2 - Your foot move in with a curve.
M3 - Your feet are in a small angle.

IMO, M3 will give you the maximum distance and maximum speed.

Perhaps, but why give the other guy the easy takedown?

Sure, maybe you're fast enough to hop in and out and not catch a double leg or single, or get toppled or even get swept with a lowkick, as can easilly happen if you catch two legs together, but then again...

As I said, great if you don't mind being on the ground, but risky elsewise. And honestly, MMA footwork is plenty fast for in and out, because it has to be.

 

[drop bear]

There are many ways to move around without touching your heels together. Watch any competitive combat sport, you will not see feet together, or crossed, as you often see in CMA. There is a reason for this.

Here is an example of mobility without sacrificing base.