For how long each day should you do chi sao?

[IronFist]

Should you start with one handed and move to two handed? Wait, something I don't get about one handed... ok, it seems like just going through the motions, where you don't what the person is going to do, as opposed to two handed, where you or the other person could do anything.

For how long each day (or each training day) do you do chi sao?

IronFist

[OdderMensch]

or dan chi sau is vital to learning chi sau. Don't skip it or rush thru it to get to the "good stuff" us it practice it yes it is a "set" pattern and not a constant flow of techniques but its how you LEARN to make that flow work.

step one make the mold step two break the mold.

[IronFist]

What is the ideal amount of time to do single and/or double chi sao each day?

Like what percent of your training time goes to each one?

IronFist

[burnsypoo]

"doing chi sau" isn't as important as what you're doing WITH it.
It's just a means to an end.

-BP-

[anerlich]

Single arm chi sao is not just a stepping stone to two arm chi sao.

It is a valuable drill in itself which should be practised throughout one's involvement in WC. Isolating each side of the body ensures that both are developed, something that can be missed of one only does two arm rolling.

In training you need to balance a wide variety of aspects. Personally I think 5-10% of training time spent on chi sao is plenty. YMMV.

[Sabu]

But how do you develop the tan sau, bong sau, lap sau, kwan sau, jit sau, gan da, fuk sau, wu sau, biu sau?

[stonecrusher69]

most people spend to much time with chi sao in my opion.They get caught up in chi sao and when they get good at it they think they have the system and are good fighters.Chi sao is not fighting only the icing on the cake but it will not make you a good fighter.Only fighting can do that.

[Sabu]

You're comment very much relates to the "Ask yourself...WHY?" thread. Just like the corelation between tan sau, bong sau, lap sau, kwan sau, jit sau, gan da, fuk sau, wu sau, biu sau.

[IronFist]

Thanks for the info guys. I found someone with whom I can do chi sao 2 or 3 times per week and I was just wondering about how long I should spend doing it :)

IronFist

[stonecrusher69]

As far as chi sao goes and how long you spend at it there is no set time.The more the better just make sure you do all the other training as well. I used to train in chi sao about 45 to 60 min about 3 times a week if that means anything..good luck with your training..

[old jong]

I believe that chi sau is the laboratory of wing chun and should be practiced as much as possible.Technical drills and forms are also central and merit lots of study.
Sparring is (IMO) subject to caution and self-critics because of the common tendencie to fall in the kick/box trap! (You know how much I hate that word!...)You look at two wing chunners sparring and frequently you see no wing chun at all.(Is that because of the accepted rules between friends or the lack of killer instinct?)
I believe that wing chun can show it's true color only in real/streetfights situations, where it is not training but,the results of training that are evidents.

[anerlich]

But how do you develop the tan sau, bong sau, lap sau, kwan sau, jit sau, gan da, fuk sau, wu sau, biu sau?

Since you ask, through forms, drilling in isolation, drilling in combination, during chi sao, against partner techniques at many points on the prearranged/random continuum as a single technique or combinations, on the dummy, and during sparring.

you probably also want to other training such as bag and mitt work, and conditioning.

[jesper]

Its not a question of how long, its a question of how.

People seems to get so caught up in numbers these days.

You must train chi sao 1 hour a day
SLT should take 3 hours
bla bla bla, its bollocks

There is no specific time limits to your training. Go train, find a specific problem of the day. When you feel comfortable, you have trained enough. go on to train other things.
repeat until you no longer feel concentrated then go do some physical/conditional training, and stop.

You might train 4 hours one day, you might train 20 min another. Its not about how long, its about how well you train.

[Ish]

Im not sure if i totaly agree with you on that one jesper cos if you only train the things your not as good or comfortable with, by the time your good at them you may have neglected other things you also need. IMO you should set aside a certain amount of time for the essentials such as forms, stepping/punching, basic drills, dan chi sau, chi sau, lap sau etc then spend time on your specific problem of the day

[John D]

All teachers have have their own preferences regarding the amount of practice time spent in chi sau. I usually spend between 25-30 minutes on chi sau in every practice session - three practices-a-week.

My typical intermediate level practice break down is....

20 - Minutes on San Sau (non-partner) floor drills
10 - Two sets (Sil Lim Tao & Chun Kiu)
20 - Step sparring / bag contact practice
30 - Chi Sau
20 - Countering and intercepting randon long range attacks

It is also my observation/experience that twice-a-week practitioners develop acceptable attacking chi sau skills but lack defensive skills. People who practice three times-a-week have a good balance between offensive and defensive chi sau skills. People who practice four times-a-week have higher defensive abilities and can touch and read attacking techniques with great efficiency. Practicing five or more days a week is usually not worth the physical fatique and the loss of needed rest periods.

Conclusion: Defensive/countering chi sau skills need about twice the practice hours of offensive techniques.

Cheers,
John D.

[Sabu]

anerlich, many thanks for the reply. Perhaps our differences lie in our perspective of the purpose of chi sau. May I ask, what is your perspective?

[jesper]

We agree Ish, thats why I said first spend time of your problem of the day, then go train something else :)

Maybe I should refrase my next comment "repeat until you no longer feel concentrated then go do some physical/conditional training, and stop."
to train your other skills and forms until you no longer feel concentrated then go do some physical/conditional training, and stop.

[yuanfen]

If you have an opportunity to do decent chi sao( with someone knowledgeable gently correcting from time to time) do as much as you can. If you have quality, quantity is less relevant....but more the better- wtll shape your reflexes little by little.

[Roy D. Anthony]

from what most of the Hong Kong teachers teach....90 % of the class should be spent on chi sao. any people who spend less, which I have seen are gypping you. I have seen some Sifus in Toronto teach mostly drills so that less time is spent on chi sao and the students are held back from attaining high proficiency.

[stonecrusher69]

I like to spend no more the say 50% of the time in class on chi sao at the most.

[Nichiren]

I think it is dangerous to say "Train as much chi-sao as possible" because people are at different stages in their training. If you have a good foundation, have done lots of dan-chi, have someone to correct errors then go for it. Otherwise you are going to do things that will evolve into bad habits that are going to be hard to get rid of.

Or as with me; I practised chi-sao for hours every day at home with a friend at the same level. I hurt my right shoulder (rotator cuff) permanently due to using force when using bong-sau.

BTW: I agree that chi-sao is the icing on the cake.

/Cheers