Fook Sau

[Ish]

Can anyone please tell me a practical use for a fook sau?

Thanks a lot

[Bak Mei]

Wax on, wax off. Nice clean car.

Stillness in the heart of motion.

[4 Ranges]

I'm not a classical wing chun practitioner, but here's an analysis of my own experiences with the technique.

If I'm not mistaken, fook sau means "controlling arm." So the goal of the technique is obvious, but the question became "how?"

For me, an obvious controlling technique would be lop sau, or "grabbing hand." If I'm fighting, and my opponent strikes me with a punching technique, and I block, I can immediately switch that block into a lop sau, and grab ANYTHING within range (usually the sleeve of his clothes, his wrist, his collar, etc.). From there, I think I have some sort of control.

However, experience has shown that the moment I grab, the opponent has a very quick, unconditioned response: to pull away. Now, I have 2 options: do I let him go, and use his preoccupation with the grab as an opening to strike him? Or do we play tug of war? Well, tug of war is not the smartest option. And, whenever I let go, I do strike my opponent, but he usually falls back...and I've lost all pressure, the momentum of the attack, and, most of all, the control.

The problem with this technique is that it is, from my experience, a one-dimensional technique: I'm just grabbing my guy. I'm sure there are nuances to it that I still have to learn, but the lop sau is very difficult to pull off, especially with a big, uncooperative opponent.

Enter the fook sau.

The fook sau, to me, is more of a multi-purpose technique, because it can turn into another technique more easily. For example, when my opponent punches, instead of blocking then grabbing, I redirect his forearm with my forearm. But here's the beauty: his arm is actually somewhat trapped between my forearm and my wrist! If he doesn't give either a pulling or pushing energy, the technique can sit there, monitoring it's energy (hence the name "controlling arm."). If he decides to pull his arm away, you can follow his momentum with a wu sau or pak sao da. If he decides to push, you aggressively switch to a lop sau.

The fook sau is so multi-purpose that it even crosses disciplines. I use it to great effect when I go to a thai plum (grabbing behind the opponent's neck with both hands), gaining greater pressure and control because I use my forearms as a vice around his jugular, as well as keeping his head low with my hands. In BJJ, the fook sau is crucial when it comes to trapping an arm for an armlock from the guard or the side-mount.

I hope this analysis helps you out. I know that if someone gave me this years ago, it might or might not have helped me at all. Just keep practicing, and you'll find it.

Good luck!

Never confuse sparring with fighting. One is an exchange of skill; the other an exchange of blood.

[Dragon D]

If you were to initiate an attack with a punch, and then encountered an inside energy like a taun sau, you could use the fook sau to hook and pull down the blocking arm creating an opening.

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body"

[Ish]

Thanks

[Dragon D]

I meant a block along the inside of the arm. I realize I wasn't very clear on my last post, sorry.

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body"

[JasBourne]

Fok sao - transitionary technique, also used as 4ranges mentioned, to monitor. Very versatile movement, can go instantly into any number of movements both offensive and defensive. Practical applications? Think about it - a movement that controls and redirects your oponent while providing you an opening or opportunity for an opening. Good stuff!

Thing to remember about wing chun is that it is a game of inches - fok sao will not provide more than a fractional space and positioning advantage, but if you have trained specifically to sieze that fraction and drive through, you don't need more than an inch :D