Taijiquan against primarily striking arts.

[Fu-Pow]

I know that Taiji has striking in it (very powerful too) but how does it fair against a primarily striking art like Wing Chung, for example?

It seems that as a Taiji player that if your getting a succession of rapid fire punches that you'd have to be quick first and powerful second or you might get "smacked upside the head". In other words the concept of stick and neutralize might not work.

Any thoughts or experiences on this topic?

No flames please or it's straight to my ignore list.

[Repulsive Monkey]

this is not a generlaistion but I have a Wing Chung friend who I spar with and hes been practicing for 5 years longer in his art than I have in Taiji. In the last 6 months he says that he needs to do some catching up with me, as it appears that I can get quicker strikes in than him.
However this is just a comment not an inference.

[gazza99]

Well speed is definatley a plus, but if you use proper fa-jing, it will be extremely fast anyhow. WC peeps are quick, but their structure is often lacking, and their movements are empty*, they have only bridge sensitivity, and thus they are easily disrupted, you only have to take their center or break their structure upon the first contact, then they will not be able to use any more rapid fire type attacks, simply becuase they will be on the ground, damaged, or closed up to much.
Yeilding of any sort in this situation should only last a millisecond so that you can give them back a nice strike on the other end.
Regards,
Gary

[TzuChan]

gazza, what you are telling here is, a perfect Taiji vs a lacking WC, how about a perfect Taiji vs a perfect WC (in theory) ?

[Walter Joyce]

Just a thought or two.

How accurate is the assumption that all Wing Tsun people have the same skills? And all Tai ji practitioners?

How useful is this kind of discussion? Doesn't it actually reduce down to a my style is better than yours argument? (here, either wing tsun is better than tai ji or tai ji is better than wing tsun).

How useful is that kind of discussion?

Last, I've always thought it was the singer, not the song. Or more appropriately, the martial artist, not the art.

Like I said, just a thought or two.

Good training,
Walter

[Fu-Pow]

Not a better or worse argument. Ok...lets use another example like Choy Lay Fut. Choy Lay Fut has some pretty firey mean punches that come in rapid succesion. How can you stick to that ? Or do you even try? Do you just move out of the way and wait for your opportunity? When its coming right at your face a punch is a punch after all.

[Nexus]

As soon as they attack, they are giving you that energy. They are also creating an opening in making that attack and you use that opening. This is all theory, these concepts are clear in actions and even with a hundred posts could remain vague until they were experienced.

[crumble]

From observation, not experience:

The main thing is you have to be moving in as you yield. You can't hang back and "block". It looks a lot like skimming up the punching arm. Once you are near or past the elbow of that arm, it can't punch again, because you jam it.

The art of it all is making that initial contact and then never letting that arm be used again, even when the second arm punch is coming.

You only have to block an arm once if you are doing it right.

-crumble

[TzuChan]

[newbie] You mean Chi Sao ? [/newbie]

[TzuChan]

[newbie] You mean Chi Sau ? [/newbie]

[fa_jing]

Good topic - I don't know, I'm on the other side of the fence (wing chun.) But I'm interested to see the response!

One thing - we're infighters, but not so much at the body-to-body range. Perhaps if you can hit us with a shoulder-strike??

-FJ

[gazza99]

It would not matter......but what people said below is valid, that is not the context in which this matter should be described.
Gary

[Daniel Madar]

I am having a devil of a time finding it, but there is an article out there about Kenneth Cheung--a well known SF Wing Chun practitioner--and his experiences meeting Feng ZhiQiang.

If I find it I will let you know.

[Fu-Pow]

Daniel-

I'm familiar with the article. I seem to remember that they were playing Chi Sao rather than actually "hammering it out." So I'm not sure if the article exactly fits the situation that I'm talking about. Cool article though, he talks about Feng Zhiqiang stealing his root and throwing him quite far.

[RAF]

Daniel:

The article is on the site of the Wing Chun player and I can't find my copy. Feng Zhiqiang threw the guy around in their hotel room in Los Angeles or San Francisco.

In a couple of days, I will be back in my office and check to see if I can find the article. I will post the website.