Do you guys pivot when you do your blocks?

[Jeff Liboiron]

Just wonderin. I train with this guy once in a while, and his arms are really really long, and i find i have to pivot to give myself a little more room to avoid his punch. However, with people that have shorter arms, i don't have to pivot as much.

what do you think

[TjD]

pivot when you have to

if you risk losing your structure or balance by not pivoting, then pivot
if you can gain position, or strike, or strike harder by pivoting, then pivot

if not, why waste the energy?

also, there arent blocks in wing chun :)
remember, hitting is the most important thing, not "blocking"


peace
travis

[KenWingJitsu]

I was just about to say that. TJD...:-)

You shouldn't be 'blocking'. Intercept him instead. Forward always.

[whippinghand]

never fight square on. Shift always, but only as much as is needed.

[Jeff Liboiron]

Originally posted by KenWingJitsu
I was just about to say that. TJD...:-)

You shouldn't be 'blocking'. Intercept him instead. Forward always.

But in order to go forward you must first block or deflect your opponents attack at the same time as you hit him using pak sau, straight punch, etc. no?

You can't rush in if he is throwing wild punches at you cause you will most likely walk right into one.

[TjD]

if your opponent is standing there punching wildy, kick him in the knees:)


but anyways, do not meet force head on, instead redirect, or let it go past you if your not in the way of it. if your oponent is punching wildly, that means his hands must be retreating at sometime, when they retreat, close and strike :) dont even let him get to the point where he can start "punching wildly" - get in there and hit!

hit hit hit
not block block block
HIT!
:)

just read my sig

peace
travis

[KenWingJitsu]

TJD is again correct.

If you intercet/stop-hit your opponent BEFORE he throws his first strike, then you won't have to worry about 'wild swinging punches'. Intercption is the most important part of the equation. It leads to everything else. After hitting him first, if his hands are up or still swinging, then you trap/clear them out of the way & continue hitting him, moving forward.

[Jeff Liboiron]

Gotchya, thanks guys :)

[fa_jing]

I fight mostly from the bai jong (forward) stance. We are taught that the stance shifting training is to teach you correct mechanics, to rotate by turning the hips and shoulders. Sometimes this results in a full pivot, the other extreme being that the feet stay in one spot, but you turn slighty the rest of your body. I know that certain blocks, and most punches are far more effective if you are turning your body at least slighty. I think you basically want to be either turning or stepping, or both, in order to add power to the vast majority of techniques.

-FJ