to bridge or not to bridge, that is the question

[bougeac]

i was thinking the other day about the subject of bridging with an oponent...

am i right in saying that if there is no bridge (and as long as i am in striking range) that i should be hitting my opponent...

if i attempt to hit my oponent (and i am in striking range), unless he is adept at protecting his centre its unlikely that my hands will meet any barrier on their way in, but if for some reason he does try to jam my attack then chi sao can now kick in...

its just that sometimes i hear people talking about how important it is to find a bridge in order to use their wing chun, surely the aim is to take the centre and strike, if you get a bridge during this then great, if not , then great again...

[reneritchie]

Punching someone in the head is a bridge for you, just not one for them ;)

The oft quoted WCK theory is you put out an inquring bridge. If they do nothing, you hit. If they do something, you change and inquire again. That way, the opponent creates their own doom.

RR

[Jim Roselando]

Hello,


Even if your bridge doesn't join his bridge it doesnt mean you have not bridged. If your fist strikes his body/head/whatever then you have joined/bridged with your opponent. I understand your view but perhaps seeing it from this view will give you some other thoughts. Anyone else?


Regards,

[aelward]

bougeac writes:
> am i right in saying that if there is no bridge (and as long as i
> am in striking range) that i should be hitting my opponent...
> if i attempt to hit my oponent (and i am in striking range),
> unless he is adept at protecting his centre its unlikely that my
> hands will meet any barrier on their way in, but if for some
> reason he does try to jam my attack then chi sao can now kick > in...

I am not sure how widespread this particular saying is, but it goes something like this "have hands, stick hands; no hands, ask hands." This more or less described what you writing here.

If you are in contact, then your chi sao skills kick in; if not, then you don't attack as much as you put up a feeler toward your opponent's center; if they put something to stop your "asking hands," you now have a bridge; if not, you end up hitting them.

[wingchunalex]

you can go ahead and hit. or you can go ahead and make a bridge. you could just punch, or you could lop da. (reach out and grab his hand and punch). if you opt for lop da for example you do have a advantage of automatically controlling one of his arms to a point. if you just punch there is a greater chance he can defend with his free arm, or hit you with the free arm. if you grab his free arm he automatically has to defend with his arm that is not grabbed, so then you can set him up from there because you know he has to defend himself, or hope he hits harder than you.

but at the same time just going straight in and punching with no bridge (arm contact) is important to be able to do. I think it is harder for w.c. poeple to hit without previously having arm contact becuase wing chun is set up (in my oppinion) in a way that you are expecting that your opponent has enough skill to block your initial attack (the straight punch) so you trap the arm he blocked with and continue, but he still has one free hand to defend with, so you have to go threw another barrier (assuming your opponent is skilled enough to block). so theoretically its more "safe" to go ahead and imobalize one hand (make bridge contact), and attack then it is to straight punch and hope he doesn't bock, or be ready to use his block agaist him. but being able to do the no bridge contance is important too. its part of "thrust forward when your hand is free".

[Savi]

You all bring some very good insights and points. I have a few questions I'd like to pose for this topic. It might help us understand how you see your scenario…

1) What is your definition of a bridge: simple, physical contact - or something more? If your definition is 'contact upon striking,' that answers your question.

2) Is this at the very start of the confrontation, OR during the fight and you end up back at a pre-contact range? Strategy changes as conditions change.

3) Would you charge the center, head to head/toe to toe with your attack? Or would you take another route? High, low, or offset?

4) WRT to #3, Do you take your opponent's ability to react into consideration if there is no offering of a bridge?

5) If you are making the first advancement, are you not telegraphing your intentions, thereby giving your opponent more info about you?

6) Would you only come in with a straight punch, or deliver a simultaneous kick (i.e. hitting kick, cutting kick)? How much would it change the scenario if you had room to kick? Perhaps a different hand attack?

7) What if they charge (high or low) at the last moment and puts you on the defensive, but still there is no bridge offered?

8) Is there, perhaps, one answer that addresses all of the questions?

Thanks,
-Savi.

[KenWingJitsu]

Keep it simple. Your hit IS your bridge. ALWAYS try to hit, if you succeed, you 'bridged' if he defends, you 'bridged', so clear it & hit again. ;)