How do you rate your chi sau?

[EnterTheWhip]

Would you say that your are very bad, bad, okay, good, really good, great, exceptional? However else you'd like to measure it is fine too...

[azwingchun]

You forgot perfect. ;)

[Ultimatewingchun]

What about WONDERFUL?

Could I rate it wonderful?

Or better yet...how about "Shock and Awe"?

[foolinthedeck]

i can honestly say that i have the most fun out of everyone in the class(IMO). to me that is being the best, having the most fun. Who's the best golfer in the world? tiger or the guy who just ahs the most fun.

how good is my chi sau? its fun.

[yuanfen]

Present imperfect- tomorrow is another day!

[Phenix]

worst then some and better then some. sometimes good and sometimes bad. as it is and keep progessing.

[kj]

Better than yesterday, worse than tomorrow.

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

[yylee]

how can we tell if someone's Chi Sau is good?

someone's Chi Sau is good if:
1) his/her hands could not be felt, the touch is as light as feather.

or
2) his/her hands are like steel, heavy like a tank.

or
3) he/she can blend in all kinds of drills into his/her Chi Sau, e.g. Pak, Gum, Lap, Gan, Chin Na....

or
4) his/her hands are too fast for visuals, you get hit but don't know how you got hit.

care to comment?

[anerlich]

his/her hands are too fast for visuals, you get hit but don't know how you got hit.

Visuals don't have a lot to do with chi sao. It is a touch reflex/sensitivity drill. Boxers and non-Wing Chun stylists can have extremely fast hands and hit you faster than the eye can see (a NZ Lee Gar practitioner nicknamed "Ghost Fist" being a case in point) without having any reference to chi sao.

If visuals were essential to chi sao, blindfolded chi sao would not be a possibility.

I agree with your other points. And skill is relative. Most people can handle their juniors but get schooled by their Sifu.

[canglong]

ummm so how do youn rate your own chi sau for starters, you first.

[45degree fist]

My Chi Sau is as good as the 2nd move after the initial bridge is made. if I have good position I have good Chi sau, if it is bad I turn to Chum kiu.

[mun hung]

I'm only as good as my partner allows.

[hunt1]

yylee brings up a very good point. What is the basis for good chi sao? I found that different groups have different standards. Some strive to be very light,some do what can be described as Sumo Sao, some use intense forward energy,some forward intent but no energy commited. Some roll up and down,some spiral some use circle energy etc,etc, etc. How can we judge if there is no standard acceptable measure?

All to often I have heard judgements made on skill because person A didnt chi sao the way they do at School B so those at school B say person A has poor skills. What if the roles we reversed would those at school A think those from school B had low skills or would they rush to adopt school B's methods.

[Matrix]

Originally posted by hunt1
How can we judge if there is no standard acceptable measure? Sure, different groups strive to emphasize various qualities of their chi sao, lightness, forward intent, or whatever. And yes, we all tend to judge and be judged by others. Just post a video clip or image up here, and run for cover. ;)

So what is the standard? Cosmetics and asthetics aside, Chi sao is not an end in and of itself. The only thing that matters is does it make your kung fu better, more effective. Does it improve sensitivity, reaction, timing, power and efficiency? You and your partner should both improving and refining skills as a result of your training chi sao together. I may be way off base here, so let me have it if that's the case. :cool:

Matrix

[AndrewS]

Your chi sao is good relative to someone else when all you do feels natural and spontaneous, and nothing disrupts the focus of your intent while you remain aware.

Your chi sao is better when in this state you can consciously feel each action the other person starts to take very early.

Your chi sao is superb, relative to another, when in that state you can feel so much so early and the other person can feel so little of you that the gap between the initiation of their action and their realization of your subsequent action allows your entire action to occur within it- they move, and you complete your relaxed and natural response before they realize it has been completed.

This is one aspect of good chi sao I think about.

Andrew

[kj]

Originally posted by AndrewS
<snipped the good stuff>This is one aspect of good chi sao I think about.

Nice.
- kj

[russellsherry]

hi guys i was at a school where we only did bloody poon sau for 12 years with very little forward mvement or pressure when i met

sifu stephan chan and his top former aussie student i saw real chi sau when i met sifu won shun leurng though david peterson i was taught mot in ten minutes chi sau than ten years sifu randy
teaches many driffernt traping skills every teacher has his own way it is up to yourself to find your russellsherry