Reaching Rules of Thumb

[HumbleWCGuy]

What do you guys tell your students to help them to understand what reaching is.

[weakstudent]

i'm not a teacher just a student, how would you explain it to me

thanks in advance

[HumbleWCGuy]

i'm not a teacher just a student, how would you explain it to me

thanks in advance

Happily, on some level I treat each Wing Chun parry as it's own entity. Therefore the precise execution of each block varies. The goal of every WC man is to not be there when the strike comes, the parry is just there as an insurance policy. However, if the footwork goes to plan, you won't actually block anything. My biggest concern with students is that they are trying to block punches that aren't threats. My good students will flash a block but only make contact if the strike is on target. if the strike is on target the goal is to make the strike miss by a small margin of 2-3 inches.
Second, is to obey the box theory which is essentially executing all of your blocks as if you and your opponent. are within a refrigerator box that is no more than 3 inches larger than you.

I teach the defense in layers. Blocks should involve as many layers of defense as possible being the hand/arm, shoulder, and head movement. Every block can't involve every layer but the more layers of defense available the more confidence that a student has to not reach. This idea in conjunction with footwork means that every strike that gets through should have gone through an average of 3 layers of defense.

Specific pak advice: Don't get lazy and push down too much.


Specific bong advice. Don't use it unless the body shots are killing you or to catch kicks.

[Hendrik]

care to share?


However, if the footwork goes to plan, you won't actually block anything.

what is the goal of your footwork?


My biggest concern with students is that they are trying to block punches that aren't threats. My good students will flash a block but only make contact if the strike is on target. if the strike is on target the goal is to make the strike miss by a small margin of 2-3 inches.


how do you generate power for the block?

[HumbleWCGuy]

care to share?


However, if the footwork goes to plan, you won't actually block anything.

what is the goal of your footwork?

In the context of basic WC, I would just say To put me in a position to hit and not be hit. The priority of course is to not get hit. Every strike requires footwork to generate optimal power.

My biggest concern with students is that they are trying to block punches that aren't threats. My good students will flash a block but only make contact if the strike is on target. if the strike is on target the goal is to make the strike miss by a small margin of 2-3 inches.

how do you generate power for the block?

It is somewhat block specific IMO, but generally speaking the idea is to obey the immovable elbow principle, keep the elbows down, and use footwork to minimize the strength needed to "block." In my opinion, it isn't so much that a block is powerful as it is the effectiveness of the block which involves footwork, proper arm mechanics, shoulder mechanics, and the use of the shoulder.

[Hendrik]

Thanks and appreciate for your sharing!

In the context of basic WC, I would just say To put me in a position to hit and not be hit. The priority of course is to not get hit. Every strike requires footwork to generate optimal power.

My biggest concern with students is that they are trying to block punches that aren't threats. My good students will flash a block but only make contact if the strike is on target. if the strike is on target the goal is to make the strike miss by a small margin of 2-3 inches.


It is somewhat block specific IMO, but generally speaking the idea is to obey the immovable elbow principle, keep the elbows down, and use footwork to minimize the strength needed to "block." In my opinion, it isn't so much that a block is powerful as it is the effectiveness of the block which involves footwork, proper arm mechanics, shoulder mechanics, and the use of the shoulder.

[Dave McKinnon]

In the context of basic WC, I would just say To put me in a position to hit and not be hit. The priority of course is to not get hit. Every strike requires footwork to generate optimal power.

At the risk of seeming like I am picking on anyone... If my focus is on not getting hit, I will get hit. If my focus is on striking and I use good WC principles I should not get hit.

[Dave McKinnon]

The goal of every WC man is to not be there when the strike comes.

The goal of every Wing Chun Man should be to hit the other guy... Everything else facilitates that.

[t_niehoff]

What do you guys tell your students to help them to understand what reaching is.

From a boxer's perspective, on defense ANYTIME your hands leave your guard (BOTH your hands are up by your chin/head covering you - hence the term "guard": you are guarded from being hit - and whenever they move from that position you create openings) to attempt to engage your opponent's hands/arm to deal with his punches, it is considered reaching -- you reach by moving your hands from guard and moving toward his hand/arm (your reach for it). Sound boxing maintains your hands in close proximity to your head/body when you catch, parry, etc. so that you are always protected -- even if you miss the catch, parry, etc. and even if you are responding to a feint/fake. The hands never extend away from the guard on defense, only on offense.

On offense, reaching is when you over-extend and/or unbalance yourself (come out of your stance) in an attempt to strike something that is out of range.

[bennyvt]

cool, post that on a boxing forum for people that give two 5hits

[HumbleWCGuy]

From a boxer's perspective, on defense ANYTIME your hands leave your guard (BOTH your hands are up by your chin/head covering you - hence the term "guard": you are guarded from being hit - and whenever they move from that position you create openings) to attempt to engage your opponent's hands/arm to deal with his punches, it is considered reaching -- you reach by moving your hands from guard and moving toward his hand/arm (your reach for it). Sound boxing maintains your hands in close proximity to your head/body when you catch, parry, etc. so that you are always protected -- even if you miss the catch, parry, etc. and even if you are responding to a feint/fake. The hands never extend away from the guard on defense, only on offense.

On offense, reaching is when you over-extend and/or unbalance yourself (come out of your stance) in an attempt to strike something that is out of range.

Care to provide the Wing Chun take?

[t_niehoff]

Care to provide the Wing Chun take?

There isn't a "WCK-take". WCK's method of fighting does not involve blocking, parrying, etc. like boxers or kickboxers (which is why classical WCK terminology doesn't include terms like block or parry) -- it is not for outside fighting.

If someone wants to develop good outside fighting skills then they should go train at a good boxing or MT or kickboxing gym.

Training WCK kickboxing is training to fail.

However, there is something in WCK that pertains to the notion of reaching. There is a training kuit that says "strength must be exacting in position, never overextended." Of course, this pertains to contact.

[HumbleWCGuy]

There isn't a "WCK-take". WCK's method of fighting does not involve blocking, parrying, etc. like boxers or kickboxers (which is why classical WCK terminology doesn't include terms like block or parry) -- it is not for outside fighting.

If someone wants to develop good outside fighting skills then they should go train at a good boxing or MT or kickboxing gym.

Training WCK kickboxing is training to fail.

However, there is something in WCK that pertains to the notion of reaching. There is a training kuit that says "strength must be exacting in position, never overextended." Of course, this pertains to contact.

How is it that Alan manages to teach his guys to kickbox with CSL if WC cannot kickbox?

[t_niehoff]

How is it that Alan manages to teach his guys to kickbox with CSL if WC cannot kickbox?

Alan and his guys, like all sensible people today, cross train for MMA.

WCK is for fighting in a phone booth.

[k gledhill]

There isn't a "WCK-take". WCK's method of fighting does not involve blocking, parrying, etc. like boxers or kickboxers (which is why classical WCK terminology doesn't include terms like block or parry) -- it is not for outside fighting.

If someone wants to develop good outside fighting skills then they should go train at a good boxing or MT or kickboxing gym.

Training WCK kickboxing is training to fail.

However, there is something in WCK that pertains to the notion of reaching. There is a training kuit that says "strength must be exacting in position, never overextended." Of course, this pertains to contact.

you dont know what you are talking about regarding VT.