Long and Short Range Wing Chun
What do you use to bridge the gap (when fighting/sparring just out of arms legnth)? Is it primarily Wing Chun? More of a boxing style with kicks included? A longer range kicking style such as savate or Tae Kwon Do? Something else?
I've found that more of a boxing type entry (with low to mid range kicks) works best for me until I touch arms where I find Wing Chun to be most effective at close range.
Contact versus no contact
Hello,
While I can appreciate the differing ranges and the different attributes each "range" requires, I do not see why Wing Chun is incapable of working irregardless of the range.
I myself like to say there are only two ranges; contact and non contact. If a person is at kicking range but they can reach you or you can reach tme then you are in Wing Chun range. Once you can touch you can establish a bridge and go from there.
In the longer range :p the footwork which we use is a bit different. We tend to use the Bic Bo for longer range contact and change to a Som Kwok Ma as we decrease the range. I personally like to drive in on an opponent, which can be both good and bad depending on the opponent ;) . I sometimes like to set up a technique from long range by throwing a kick and then stepping in on the opponent.
You can certainly integrate other arts into your Wing Chun if you'd like and this can be beneficial. But, I am not sure that WC is insufficient if you understand it. IMHO, one of the problems may be that too many people do not practice the WC kicks and have only a basic understanding of how to apply them in actual combat. They do not put in the time needed to train stance and stability in order to apply the kicks for real. Also, if one moves in constantly there is a degree of comfort which can be lost as one may feel they have more options at a greater distance.
Don't missunderstand me to be saying that you would utilize the same strategy from far away as in close or even in grappling or groundwork. But, the basic concept should remain and if you train to bridge then you should be able to adapt your bridge based on the point of contact no matter where you are in relation to the opponent, far or close. IMHO, WC teaches one how to do this, but if you want to explore other arts and integrate them with your WC that is fine as WC should be a constantly growing living thing not some stagnent dead concept.
Contact range, and getting to it
Hmm, the subject of contact and bridging.....this will always be subjective as individuals are physically set up different so therefore have different methods of dealing with this.
The core issue is contact, just remember there are no ranges....you are either in or out of range simple as that, and once fighting comences there will be contact, without it there is no fight.
Dave
Long Bridge & Short Bridge in Wing Chun
Has anyone ever heard of the Long Bridge and/or Short Bridge in Wing Chun? If so can anyone give some insight. Thank yolu in advance. :)