Wing Chun and Bare Knuckle Boxing

[m1k3]

This is a thread that should not lead to pi$$ing matches about how to train or who has the skillz or any of that.

I read something recently; sorry I don’t remember where, about the possible influence of bare knuckle boxing (bkb) on southern Chinese kung fu and wing chun in particular. The premise was that there would have been interactions between British and American sailors familiar with bkb and kung fu fighters in the port cities of southern China. WC and BKB share similarities in the vertical fist, short shuffling foot movement and grabbing/trapping techniques to set up a strike.

Do you consider it a possibility or even a probability that there was a BKB influence on the evolution of Wing Chun?

Just thought I throw something different out there for discussion, arguments and more. This may have been discussed before but it has been awhile since I have seen any threads with this type of topic.

Also, this is not a position that wing chun is a direct decendant of BKB, just that BKB may have had some influence in its evolution.

[sihing]

You should get Alan Orr's NHB series of videos, he discusses this topic there. From what I understand, when the invention of the boxing gloves took place, they realized they had to change the way they punched, as compared to bare fisted. I think Alan talks about this and I believe I read about it somewhere as well. Not saying that is true, just relaying some info.

It's quite possible that BNB influenced the southern chinese arts, whenever people from different places get together things do happen, hard to know though unless someone has spent sometime investigating the possibility.

James

[HumbleWCGuy]

This is a thread that should not lead to pi$$ing matches about how to train or who has the skillz or any of that.

I read something recently; sorry I don’t remember where, about the possible influence of bare knuckle boxing (bkb) on southern Chinese kung fu and wing chun in particular. The premise was that there would have been interactions between British and American sailors familiar with bkb and kung fu fighters in the port cities of southern China. WC and BKB share similarities in the vertical fist, short shuffling foot movement and grabbing/trapping techniques to set up a strike.

Do you consider it a possibility or even a probability that there was a BKB influence on the evolution of Wing Chun?

Just thought I throw something different out there for discussion, arguments and more. This may have been discussed before but it has been awhile since I have seen any threads with this type of topic.

Also, this is not a position that wing chun is a direct decendant of BKB, just that BKB may have had some influence in its evolution.

Certainly there are similarities between the two. There is no reason that good ideas can't develop somewhat independently, but your conjecture makes sense.

[SAAMAG]

WC and BNB have a common attribute--neither used gloves. The fact that both were bare knuckle means that universal truths will take hold and that could be a theory as to why there are similarities. Of course its evident that just like today...fighters will learn from one another and retain what works well. That's why you see a common assimilation of the fighting techniques and strategies in MMA...because all fighters want to use what works for their given environment.

Take for example the modern hook. One method (in short), you make a tight "C" motion with the fist in a horizontal position (parallel with the ground). Doing this bareknuckle however, can easily end with the pinkie knuckle being fractured. So for no gloves--I was taught another method of the hook whereby you use the same "C" motion but the hand is held vertically, like in the wing chun straight punch. The reason for it was to help minimize fractures of the last knuckle.

[Vajramusti]

FWIW- the forum is in pretty bad shape IMO- pretty much taken over by people who write repetitious posts and lack depth of understanding of wing chun. There is no problem with doing things other than wing chun but there are several other forums more appropriate for that kind of discussion and one can read and comment freely in the general,jkd, street fighting , mma and other forums.
But the BNB thread a least tries to bring up a comparative topic. While western sailors may have had fights in ports- I do not think that it influenced WC much- of course people can have coulda would a speculation.
Not just WC most kuen Northern and Southern were bare fist, bare palm and except for street shoes bare feet arts. Different activities can develop independent of each other.The structural dynamics of BNB training and wc are considerably different from each other.

On Vankuen;s point on the hook-the wc hooking is IMO considerably different from BNB and boxing.
Regarding the infamous boxer's fracture of the pinky- more likely when the training of the fist is wrong. One should develop the wc hooking fist landing as square on as possible. When the fist is structurally sound and the wc coordination is properly developed one can hook at different angles - depending on target and is not limited to only horizontal usage. Proper training on the wall bag helps focus inter-knuckle support structure and focus. Regular development practice can help before actual application IMO of course- your POV could be different..no problem!

joy chaudhuri

[SAAMAG]

On Vankuen;s point on the hook-the wc hooking is IMO considerably different from BNB and boxing.
Regarding the infamous boxer's fracture of the pinky- more likely when the training of the fist is wrong. One should develop the wc hooking fist landing as square on as possible. When the fist is structurally sound and the wc coordination is properly developed one can hook at different angles - depending on target and is not limited to only horizontal usage. Proper training on the wall bag helps focus inter-knuckle support structure and focus.

Well I wasn't really trying to focalize on the hook punch persay, only using it as an example at how punching bareknuckle is can be approached differently than with gloves.

Every style teaches structural integrity, form, and technique. So yes, punching the wall bag, hitting the heavy bag, and the like helps to ingrain that. The problem has more to do with the fact that in a fight your punches aren't all going to hit square. They're not all going to even hit the target, some will miss altogether, some with make contact with harder parts of the body like the forehead, the elbows, and etcetera. Doesn't matter how hard you train...stuff happens.

That is more the reason why the hand fractures occur in my opinion...because if you hit something with 180lbs of force and it focalizes on one pinkie knuckle that has no structural support...something is going to break. Hence the reason why punching styles were different in boxing way back when versus the methodology of today.

[HumbleWCGuy]

Does classical WC even have a hook punch? I have never seen it. Instead of hooks, I thought that strict classical practitioners primarily relied upon elbows rather than hooks. I thought that the hook was an add-on. When I had dealt with traditionalists, they never used it.



EDIT
I had seen some articles back in the early 90's detailing that one of the "secret" techniques of upper-level WC was the hook and the uppercut. Obviously, classical wc has an uppercut-like punch but it isn't quite the same. These articles seemed to be a bit disingenuous. I thought that they were an attempt to make WC appear modern with the backing of many year of tradition behind it.

[Vajramusti]

Does classical WC even have a hook punch? I have never seen it. Instead of hooks, I thought that strict classical practitioners primarily relied upon elbows rather than hooks. I thought that the hook was an add-on. When I had dealt with traditionalists, they never used it.



EDIT
I had seen some articles back in the early 90's detailing that one of the "secret" techniques of upper-level WC was the hook and the uppercut. Obviously, classical wc has an uppercut-like punch but it isn't quite the same. These articles seemed to be a bit disingenuous. I thought that they were an attempt to make WC appear modern with the backing of many year of tradition behind it.

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My roots are in "classical" wing chun derived through a Ip Man lineage(Augustine Fong)-and the foundation for developing WC "hooks" and "uppercuts" are there in wc forms that I do. Of course they are not the "same"
as many western hooks and uppercuts.Structural details and dynamics are different. Think "motion" rather than "techniques". The uppercut is there in chum kiu and the jong, the hook is there in the jong and biu jee. And with proper development you can sharpen their timing in chi sao, gor sao and lat sao. If you briefly lose the centerline you can recover with a hook.
Not secret techniques-just developments-not limitations- along the way.

When properly developed with good timing skills- you can play your game against other styles
and adapt to circumstances...in sparring and beyond.

Not debating just commenting on this part of the thread(i.e.,Humble wc's post)

joy chaudhuri

[Lee Chiang Po]

This is a thread that should not lead to pi$$ing matches about how to train or who has the skillz or any of that.

I read something recently; sorry I don’t remember where, about the possible influence of bare knuckle boxing (bkb) on southern Chinese kung fu and wing chun in particular. The premise was that there would have been interactions between British and American sailors familiar with bkb and kung fu fighters in the port cities of southern China. WC and BKB share similarities in the vertical fist, short shuffling foot movement and grabbing/trapping techniques to set up a strike.

Do you consider it a possibility or even a probability that there was a BKB influence on the evolution of Wing Chun?

Just thought I throw something different out there for discussion, arguments and more. This may have been discussed before but it has been awhile since I have seen any threads with this type of topic.

Also, this is not a position that wing chun is a direct decendant of BKB, just that BKB may have had some influence in its evolution.

No, No, No, and NO!

[Knifefighter]

It's quite possible that BNB influenced the southern chinese arts, whenever people from different places get together things do happen, hard to know though unless someone has spent sometime investigating the possibility.

Effective punching is the same with or without gloves.

[HumbleWCGuy]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My roots are in "classical" wing chun derived through a Ip Man lineage(Augustine Fong)-and the foundation for developing WC "hooks" and "uppercuts" are there in wc forms that I do. Of course they are not the "same"
as many western hooks and uppercuts.Structural details and dynamics are different. Think "motion" rather than "techniques". The uppercut is there in chum kiu and the jong, the hook is there in the jong and biu jee. And with proper development you can sharpen their timing in chi sao, gor sao and lat sao. If you briefly lose the centerline you can recover with a hook.
Not secret techniques-just developments-not limitations- along the way.

When properly developed with good timing skills- you can play your game against other styles
and adapt to circumstances...in sparring and beyond.

Not debating just commenting on this part of the thread(i.e.,Humble wc's post)

joy chaudhuri

Thanks, Joy. I was actually hoping for your response. The first looping techniques that I learned were precisely because of the forms that we practice and in the manner that you discuss. Although, our forms are different than your lineage, they (the first "hooks" that I learned) were more similar to a karate ridge hand, a boxing corkscrew, or the casting punch used by mma fighters than a boxing hook. Is that something that you can attest to as well?

[Vajramusti]

Thanks, Joy. I was actually hoping for your response. The first looping techniques that I learned were precisely because of the forms that we practice and in the manner that you discuss. Although, our forms are different than your lineage, they (the first "hooks" that I learned) were more similar to a karate ridge hand, a boxing corkscrew, or the casting punch used by mma fighters than a boxing hook. Is that something that you can attest to as well?

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Re my wc and:
1. karate ridge hand? NO- much of karate involves hip swiveling.

2. boxing corkscrew-no- many boxers load up on their shoulders.

3. Sorry I don't know what a mma casting punch is.

joy chaudhuri

[sihing]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LEQJ...eature=related ,

Bas Rutten on punching and striking. Aroung the 5:55 mark he talks about why boxers break their hands when striking. From what I understand Bas is one of the most powerful strikers out there, or at least was. Plus he advocates palm striking as well. The whole vid is very useful information.

As a side note to the vid, please observe the parallel concepts he talks about between his method of striking and what VT advocates i.e. proper facing, elbows in, fist position, using the ground, non telegraphic motions, just some things I found facsinating when I first viewed the video a few weeks ago. It doesn't guarantee anything for anyone viewing it, it just provides proof that VT advocates some soild ideas about how to strike.

James

[SAAMAG]

Is it the clip from his training vids? I personally like the one where he's in the bar...dang bong bang..."I'm sorry sir -- but I'm going to have to break your leg"

[sihing]

Is it the clip from his training vids? I personally like the one where he's in the bar...dang bong bang..."I'm sorry sir -- but I'm going to have to break your leg"

It's from one of his DVD's I'm sure. I just found it searching his name on youtube. Yeah I love that vid, where he makes all the sound effects. I think Bas is a good representation of the attitude one should have, he doesn't take is so seriously, and has fun with it at times, but when it's time to rock all jokes are out the window. Some here should use his example and mellow out a bit, but I guess when there are agenda's to populate and egos to inflate, mellow is out of the question

James