Wing Chun striking…question

[Xue Sheng]

Over the years, in multiple martial arts styles (not all), I have been told, and told people that when punching (striking) don’t aim for the target, aim for through the target. I was recently reading about Wing Chun striking, sorry I can’t remember where I read this, but it was saying that Wing Chun strikes focus all the power on the target, not through it, and that is why Wing Chun strikes are so powerful, because it focus all power on the target, not through or behind it.

Is this the case with Wing Chun striking training, is it not, or does it vary from lineage to lineage?

 

[Danny T]

I teach to strike 'into' the target not to the target. Mass, speed, acceleration, impulse coming together with the proper kinetic change.

 

[yak sao]

Yeah, I've always told people to extend "through "not "to" the target.

 

[wckf92]

I don't use these analogies so much; rather, I emphasize to hit the target "correctly"...i.e. a frame hit or in martial terms...hitting with your horse. Too many dynamic variables come into play...a moving WC man...a moving target...a moving fist or foot, etc.

 

[yak sao]

........hitting with your horse. .

Yes!
The strike is with the body, the fist is simply the delivery mechanism.

 

[Buka]

I teach to strike 'into' the target not to the target. Mass, speed, acceleration, impulse coming together with the proper kinetic change.

That's what I like as well, not through, but "into."

There's nothing like a nice Hawaiian punch. (sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[drop bear]

I go the other way. If you extend through the target you waste a lot of the strike and use a lot of energy doing it, unless you have heaps of mass which I don't.

The punches full contact will feel a bit doughy when people do this. Like you are hitting as hard as you can but something is just off.

So I impact pretty much on the target but try to get as much speed as I can before the target hits. Which is a bit counter intuitive for me but works better.

You will probably see that more with left hooks more than right hands which tend to go through.

And I predominantly rely on a left hook or body shot to hurt people.

 

[ShortBridge]

The better question is "What do you fill your wall bag with?"

Sand is messy. Rice works pretty well (brown and raw), but will eventually get pounded into dust.

I know someone who uses gravel. I prefer teeth.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The better question is "What do you fill your wall bag with?"

Sand is messy. Rice works pretty well (brown and raw), but will eventually get pounded into dust.

I know someone who uses gravel. I prefer teeth.

Mung bean works pretty good. It's cold in nature.

BB gun BB works good too. It may be too hard for beginners.

 

[Xue Sheng]

The better question is "What do you fill your wall bag with?"

Sand is messy. Rice works pretty well (brown and raw), but will eventually get pounded into dust.

I know someone who uses gravel. I prefer teeth.

I can see where this could rapidly devolve into the Wing Chun Version of the four Yorkshiremen

I fill mine with ball bearings...well I fill mine with razorblades...razorblades...you were lucky to have razorblades....mine was filled with a two steal plates with gun powder and it blew me hand off every time

I actually have seen them with sand, but the only one I ever used had rice in it, but that was a long time ago

 

[wckf92]

Just my opinion but wallbag training is less about your fist and more about your horse. There are many levels of wallbag training, regardless of what it is filled with.
Great discussion so far Gents!

 

[EdwardA]

If the question of the OP is the subject of punching technique, then I would answer that Wing Chun is designed to deliver a number of fast punches. Long or "thru" punches are slower, but I wouldn't say you can't use them. I would practice both, but might reserve the thru punch for the last strike, if you want to use one. I think it would be inconclusive to say use one kind of punch, but with that said, if you're trying to learn Wing Chun stick with the fast ones until you have more experience.

In the video below, which is a bag EXERCISE focusing on fast punching. It's slowed down and then real-time a few times. Note particularly the different location of where the punches land.

 

[ShortBridge]

Curious, Ed. Is that you in the video?

 

[EdwardA]

Yeah....it was before I moved a couple years ago and built my house. I haven't had time to rehang it yet....still lots of other things to practice.

...looked at your website. I agree it's not for sport, was never intended for sport. Consider when it was created and why.

 

[Highlander]

I thinks it's a mixture of both 'punch through' and 'aim for them' methods. Since WC is such a close style fighting system we don't want to be fully extended on a punch. But we also can throw a punch thats have bent and expected power. So it falls somewhere in the middle of punching through but not pushing through

 

[yak sao]

Yep, the trouble with having new students extend through is it ends up being a tense push a lot of times.

 

[Svarog]

"On" or "through" is not really important , what is important is biomechanical quality of the punch and proper discharge of power

 

[yak sao]

"On" or "through" is not really important , what is important is biomechanical quality of the punch and proper discharge of power

Yep, I agree with that...I pretty much just use it in the early stages to get students to move in instead of lingering at long range.