wing chun guys/gurls: wing chun blocks

[wckf_azn]

ive been study wckf for over a year and a half...

 

recently a friend asked me why we block with an open fist...

 

i thought about it for awhile and couldnt think of why we do...

 

i made up bs saying that your if you extend your palm there will be a greater distance to block and less room for error... (could be ryt...hehe)

 

and in his argument he said wouldnt it be easier to block with a closed fist?

 

cos you can break, or jar your hand with an open fist

 

do you know why?

[ahgao]

Wing Chun open hand usually is use for tapping, grapping and locking.

 

A open hand will relax overall arm muscle than a close fist and in Wing Chun (or most wushu skill), relax is the key point to faster movements.

[wcnavstar]

Simply put ah^gao, enough said... Good Job!

[ahgao]

Thank You! Thank You!

[wckf_azn]

ah^gao

 

thanks... but wouldnt it be easier to break my hand if it was open??

[ahgao]

If you mean fingers, the possibilities are there, but than the opponent must be able to catch them (fingers) first, right?

 

Morever, if I can lock your arms or legs, they are still "breakable"!

 

In Wing Chun, your palm are not that fully open, it is somewhat like a dragon palm/claw in some southern art. Maybe your shifu haven't taught you or you didn't really take a closer look

[wckf_azn]

ah^gao

 

i've look into your profile it seems that you do shao lin...how come you know so much about wing chun??

 

have you ever studied it before?...

 

i think your wrong about the palm not being fully open...

 

it is.. only our thumb is tucked in. it may look not fully open, that is due to a sloppy guard or block.

 

your palm sort of curls if it is over relaxed

 

yeah and sorry i did mean fingers.

 

my instructor has taught me correctly... i was just wondering about the open palm thingy.

[Drunken Monkey]

i was always taught that an open palm is more useful. it can to more things than just hit, unlike a closed fist. because of the way wing chun is supposed to flow, if you always use a closed fist to receive, then you have already slowed yourself by having to open your hand to make a grab.

 

one of the key things in wing chun is the ability to change what you are doing at any point. this is one of the reasons that a fist is only formed at the last moment before contact. receiveing with an open hand allows to flow from technique to technique with the minimum of interruption. it is aslo why we don't grab with a closed hand. in fact, more often than not, a simple pulling motion with the open hand is enough to drag the bridge down.

[wcnavstar]

Number one, with the palm open it promotes relaxation, wich leads to sinking and rooting.

 

Realxation also leads to speed.

 

With the palm open and the fingers out, you allow your chi to flow outward through the fingers. This creating the ability to project energy. Not via street fighter though!

 

I do not expect you to believe in Chi, however I will do my best to teach you through words on how to test the power of the open hand.

 

First off, put yourself in a string stance.

 

Next extend your strong arm out in front of you in a tight fist.

 

Now have somone grab your wrist with both hands and push your

 

arm straight back until the shouler pops back or goes up.

 

Now try the same with a relaxed open hand.

 

If you did it correctly, it should be easier to hold your position.

 

 

 

Now of course I have not really addressed the whole open hands equals broken fingers theory. Now unless you are being taught to strike with your fingers. Then the possibility of having your fingers broken because you are using open handed blocks and fighting stances is next to none, simply because the open hand position should not be rigid like a board; rather, it should be relaxed an flexible.

 

One more demonstration to try out.

 

Again start with a fist, and go into a low horse stance so you can use your wheight.

 

Put your arm as if it were preforming a downward elbow with the closed fist.

 

Now have someone try to pull your arm up, tighten that fist and use that whieght to kepp your arm from coming up.

 

Now try it once again with an open hand relaxed and slightly twisted inward.

 

Again it should be much easier for you to maintain your position.

 

Very Rspectfully wcnavstar

[Drunken Monkey]

...now i know that this a very iffy topic because you simply believe or do not believe in chi.

 

but you are right, the open hand used in wing chun is because of it's structural qualites combined with correct position. in classical teachings of wing chun, we are taught that stength comes from the gound up and is created by the six major strengths( ankle, knee, waist, shoulder, elbow, wrist).

 

this, in modern terms, is trying to explain that wing chun is a study of structure and position and quite simply, an open hand (as in tan sau) is structurally better than a closed fist.