Bent wrist vs straight wrist fook sao
Each type of fook sao has its strengths and weaknesses.
Bent wrist fook sao:
Advantage - the elbow is closer to your centerline. Good for defense of the inner gate or if your opponent's hand is in the "inside" of your forearm.
Disadvantage - not as "offensive" as the straight wrist fook sao.
Straight wrist fook sao:
Advantage - more "offensive" than bent wrist fook sao for the following reasons:
1. it has a longer reach than bent wrist fook sao.
2. since the fingers are pointing towards the opponent, it can be easily converted to a strike.
Disadvantage - the elbow is not as close to your centerline as bent wrist fook sao. If you are not careful, the elbow may even stick out and it could be a hole for your opponent to exploit.
We use both in application. But when performing SLT, the bent wrist fook sao is used.
Re: Bent wrist vs straight wrist fook sao
i think bending the wrist puts tension into the forearm, which in turn puts tension into the shoulder which then affects the stance.
i'm taught to have a relaxed wrist, so it is bent, but not as an effort. it just hangs naturally. this encourages relaxation through to the shoulders and into the stance.
Re: Bent wrist vs straight wrist fook sao
Enjoying everyone's comments on this question.
Quote:
Originally posted by Wingman
Straight wrist fook sao:<snip>
Disadvantage - the elbow is not as close to your centerline as bent wrist fook sao. If you are not careful, the elbow may even stick out and it could be a hole for your opponent to exploit. [/B]
Just a FWIW on this. I agree with the "tendency" for the elbow to want to fly out with the flat fook sau, especially in novice stages of training. In our way of training, we do prefer the flat position in application, and with sufficient practice, the elbow position ceases to compromise itself. I agree with your choice of "careful" as the operative word.
I agree with John and Tom about our preference and reasoning for the flat fook sau. Additionally, by having primarily the soft part of the forearm in contact (rather than the bone edge), it increases the challenge for the opponent to perceive and control our movement; some may not even feel threatened by it. This is in part where they perceive that "soft" feeling, which they may later agree is more like "iron wrapped in cotton."
Others MMV.
BTW, it's neat to note that a dog's "fook sau elbow" is naturally down, since they don't have the shoulder rotation required to let it fly out. I don't know why I that fact appeals to me so much, but it does, LOL.
Regards,
- Kathy Jo