choy lee fut arm swinging

[Enforcer-]

anyone seen a sparring clip of someone using the choy lee fut arm swings in a sparring match or a fight?

[nospam]

Sure have- myself! I would often use gwa choi to bridge then depending on what happened next, use a straight punch, palm, upper cut, sau choi etc to hit my opponent. The opening gwa cleared the hands away to create an opening. Usually I would end up chasing my opponent across the ring.

To use effectively, the long arm techniques are generally used in close oterwise they are nothing more than a wonderous windmill. Might as well put on sum cloggs and go Denmark on your opponent. Isn't that vierd?

The best use of a sau choi is when properly set up and the opponent doesn't see it coming. The effect is harsh. I had a class mate smash my lead hand down in his opening attack and my arm instinctively looped back around, up and down (cop choi) smashing him on the neck. He was out like a cheap dollar store light bulb. And he was pushing the attack. He figured out what went wrong afterwards- he pushed my arm too hard, giving me added momentum. That is what is so natural about fighting and gung fu- your opponent provides you with the direction of and often energy to attack, or what I like to call dynamic interaction.

nospam
:cool:

[mysteri]

hey nospam

my experience jibes directly with ur own. i've actually found it harder to control my sao choy's power(ie. make it softer) b/c it's jus so quick, especially when ur body's already in motion. the opponent moving jus makes it worse for them if they catch it. some guys at another forum were curious about striking with the inner forearm using sao choy. since i've never done this, maybe u could offer some insight to this. only thing i do if my opponent is within my forearm is use the sao choy to reel their head in(straight to the earth of course :)) but in all serious, that's nuttin to play about. but maybe u could fill in where my experience lacks. thanx in advance.

SouthernFist Forum(Hung Ga>Punches) (http://forumco.com/hungkuennet/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2959&FORUM_ID=8&CAT_ID=1&Topic_Title=Punches&Forum_Title=%21%21+Hung+Ga)

[mysteri]

Originally posted by nospam
Sure have- myself! I would often use gwa choi to bridge then depending on what happened next, use a straight punch, palm, upper cut, sau choi etc to hit my opponent. The opening gwa cleared the hands away to create an opening. Usually I would end up chasing my opponent across the ring. :cool:

interesting u should mention this...i've found that the briding with gwaa choi(or any "clearing back fist") can be played a few different ways. maybe u have methods i haven't tried. typically when i bridge w/ gwaa, its a cross-hand bridge. i don't generally like to seek a bridge w/ gwaa(unless its a setup), i generally prefer to allow the opponent to extend so my gwaa can swing down on it(followed by another wheel punch) or drive into it. i jus need to play more w/ my stepping to get this down right. i was curious if ur experience is similar or if ur approach is totally different? makes for interesting comparison. thanx in advance...

[nospam]

...some guys at another forum were curious about striking with the inner forearm using sao choy. since i've never done this, maybe u could offer some insight to this.

The point of contact with Sao choi is the side of the radius bone or left side of the forearm. You never want to impact the underside of the arm (pams facing down) as nerves could be struck. I've seen and used sao choi to the midsection and teach the head to be targeted as well. One can not safely strike the head with sao choi in sparring, so the upper chest is often targeted during sparring. The inner forearm is solid and quite effective.

interesting u should mention this...i've found that the briding with gwaa choi(or any "clearing back fist") can be played a few different ways. maybe u have methods i haven't tried...i was curious if ur experience is similar or if ur approach is totally different? makes for interesting comparison. thanx in advance...


I've effectively used gwa choi as a simple sweep movement targeted to the opponent's lead hands. As I step in I throw the gwa, seemingly to the head, but aim at the hands/arms/guard and blast threw! Immediately followe with a jick choi or straight punch, palm to the floating ribs, or sui pau (upper cut). I rarely have used a sau in this regard as I've found it simply bounces off the shoulder of my opponent as they are twisted off to one side and/or reterating some from my attack. The head is too small a target in this instance, safer and more effective to give a body shot followed by a good old fashion hoof of some sort- get fancy and throw a spinning crescent.

Cross hand gwa (or a quick backfist) is fast and effective and a good disorienting move if capitalised on immediately. Try throwing in a front snap kick immediatley after or depending on your ability simultaneously. You need to be in some what of close proximity to your opponent, but then again aint that true for any move? We refer to the backhand as sui gwa or little gwa. It can be used in differing ways.

nospam
:cool:

[mysteri]

thanx nospam for ur input and advice. it'll certainly jus take more playin w/ different techniques, angles, timing, position, etc to get a better feel of what works well for me. most of all, i think we all gotta get knocked around enough to really learn(at least, that's been my experience [:D]). thanx again for ur input, hope to see u around more often(if not on this block).

[nospam]

Yup. I agree. Taking what you know or think you know and actually 'playing' with it, training with it and asking questions about it is the ONLY way to go! And like you said..we all gotta get knocked around a bit :D

Stay cool.

nospam
:cool:

[mok]

Hey Mysteri - I'm totally w/ you on the sao choy, but I think our CLF guys here have a good perspective on that "Hung Gar" staple - gwa choy.


I also used it alot in sparring to bridge - with great effect for "clearing the path". Double gwa choy for example is great for clearing the centerline - I like to use this as a "big guns" opener if I want to step in real close (follow by straight into double hooks from the upswing, then butterfly palms to divide, slide-in + rising elbow, then kill baby, kill... ;] ).

[Pork Chop]

I'm in a gravedigging mood today.....


Gwa Choi is a fundamental element of a ton of styles (hung, clf, jow, and even appears in northern like tam tui).

San Shou/Da rules typically dictate boxing type punches as being the only legal punches.

Frequently we see the argument for traditionalists against sport fighting as one of two basic arguments "the rules are too limiting because no eye-gouging/dirty tactics" or "sport is not the street".

To me, gwa choi is not a dirty tactic, a secret technique, something that couldn't work against boxing, or something that should be easily dropped by a kung fu person looking to do full contact.

Why hasn't the case for gwa choi been made?
Is it that we're just supposed to make the jump from gloved san shou to MMA?
How about other events like Kuoshu Lei Tai fighting?