Footwork in sparring

[Yoshiyahu]

Besides Footwork just being training wheels to teach you body structure and proper mechanics. Can you utlize your footwork in actual sparring?


I train the following Footwork

1. Huen Ma (forward circle step)
2. Toh Mah (chasing stance)
3. Biu Mah (Shooting Stance)
4. Cho Mah (turning stance)
5. Toi Mah (backwards circle step)
6. Jeet Ma (counter step)
7. Ding Ma (forward stance)

With exception of Biu Mah for bridging the gap. I find that the other stances are best used when you already have a bridge or when you are in contact. In my opinion most of the footwork is best used inclose. Not so much at a distance where you have no contact. Also Biu Mah can be utilize to add more power to punch when you explode on the inside.

I know many will disagree with me for saying the WC footwork is best used inclose proximity of your opponent. But my question is do you find utilizing Wing Chun foot work in sparring useless or essential?

Can you use WC footwork in sparring or do you only use it in training?

[Eric_H]

Besides Footwork just being training wheels to teach you body structure and proper mechanics. Can you utlize your footwork in actual sparring?


I train the following Footwork

1. Huen Ma (forward circle step)
2. Toh Mah (chasing stance)
3. Biu Mah (Shooting Stance)
4. Cho Mah (turning stance)
5. Toi Mah (backwards circle step)
6. Jeet Ma (counter step)
7. Ding Ma (forward stance)

With exception of Biu Mah for bridging the gap. I find that the other stances are best used when you already have a bridge or when you are in contact. In my opinion most of the footwork is best used inclose. Not so much at a distance where you have no contact. Also Biu Mah can be utilize to add more power to punch when you explode on the inside.

I know many will disagree with me for saying the WC footwork is best used inclose proximity of your opponent. But my question is do you find utilizing Wing Chun foot work in sparring useless or essential?

Can you use WC footwork in sparring or do you only use it in training?

You gotta be kidding me man, you're asking if footwork is important in sparring?

Let me ask you - is breathing important in staying alive?

[wtxs]

You gotta be kidding me man, you're asking if footwork is important in sparring?

Let me ask you - is breathing important in staying alive?

It's looking like we needed to drop the exclusive rule of the Bang-Head-On-Brick Wall Club. It is now officially open the the general public.

[Yoshiyahu]

I have heard in the past...people in this forum and others say that Stances are just training stances and have no use in real fighting against a resistanting opponent...


so i seek to open dialogue with those who feel traditional footwork can be utilize in real sparring and those who feel the opposite?


Please Eric do tell how to do utilize the WC traditional footwork in fighting?

You gotta be kidding me man, you're asking if footwork is important in sparring?

Let me ask you - is breathing important in staying alive?

[wingchunIan]

if I understand your question correctly Yoshi, my answer would be that the stances and footwork as trained in class are over training aimed at building habits. They allow you to move forcefully in a given direction, get out of the way, change lines of attack and all the time stay stable. In sparring they should all be there but may be difficult to spot as they aren't applied rigidly. By the same token you don't suddenly throw everything out of the window, the natural ingraining of the footwork happens over time but it still won't look like classical footwork. Footwork needs to be fluid and dynamic so a "stance" of any sorts is unhelpful as it is by definition a fixed position. Drop into classical YGKYM in a fight or sparring session and prepare to have your head taken off after the opponent has stopped laughing, but whenever you move the concepts of YGKYM should be there, leg strength, aduction to provide grip, forwarding the body weight, sinking the centre of gravity etc etc.
Only my two cents worth but for me footwork is the most important part of any system and Wing Chun is no different.

[Yoshiyahu]

Great post thanks for sharing....

if I understand your question correctly Yoshi, my answer would be that the stances and footwork as trained in class are over training aimed at building habits. They allow you to move forcefully in a given direction, get out of the way, change lines of attack and all the time stay stable. In sparring they should all be there but may be difficult to spot as they aren't applied rigidly. By the same token you don't suddenly throw everything out of the window, the natural ingraining of the footwork happens over time but it still won't look like classical footwork. Footwork needs to be fluid and dynamic so a "stance" of any sorts is unhelpful as it is by definition a fixed position. Drop into classical YGKYM in a fight or sparring session and prepare to have your head taken off after the opponent has stopped laughing, but whenever you move the concepts of YGKYM should be there, leg strength, aduction to provide grip, forwarding the body weight, sinking the centre of gravity etc etc.
Only my two cents worth but for me footwork is the most important part of any system and Wing Chun is no different.

[Lee Chiang Po]

Besides Footwork just being training wheels to teach you body structure and proper mechanics. Can you utlize your footwork in actual sparring?


I train the following Footwork

1. Huen Ma (forward circle step)
2. Toh Mah (chasing stance)
3. Biu Mah (Shooting Stance)
4. Cho Mah (turning stance)
5. Toi Mah (backwards circle step)
6. Jeet Ma (counter step)
7. Ding Ma (forward stance)

With exception of Biu Mah for bridging the gap. I find that the other stances are best used when you already have a bridge or when you are in contact. In my opinion most of the footwork is best used inclose. Not so much at a distance where you have no contact. Also Biu Mah can be utilize to add more power to punch when you explode on the inside.

I know many will disagree with me for saying the WC footwork is best used inclose proximity of your opponent. But my question is do you find utilizing Wing Chun foot work in sparring useless or essential?

Can you use WC footwork in sparring or do you only use it in training?

Yoshi, YGKYM is not a stance. It is simply a part of the 3 unarmed forms. It stresses foot spacing, proper center, and dead center, dropping center of gravity, and proper structure. From YGKYM we practice the hand techniques on center, and in the two other forms we move from YGKYM into different stances. They both start with YGKYM to reference all these things, then move into a fighting stance so to speak. The different stances are important, just like boxing, jiujitsu, and any other fighting stance. Footwork is what moves you around so that you maintain a stable structure. You practice it as much or more than anything else so that you can move with little effort and so that it is not seen as a rigid motion. You can practice it in just about every facet of your life. Just moving about the house, at work, anywhere, you can use your angling and stabalizing footwork. So long as it does not cause a problem with your job. Forward, backwards, sideways, running, walking. I can still move 6 to 7 feet at a step in most any direction while maintaining my structure. Structure is all important. Using a neutral stance so to speak gives you the ability to move into a right or left stance quickly and any time you need. Moving off the opponents center makes him have to readjust his position in order to attack or even defend against you, and your ability to move like that is dependent upon your own footwork.
So your footwork is not expendable as such. You do not toss it away after you train because you will need it.

[couch]

How can one dissect a living and breathing thing like footwork?

And then, what's worse than reducing it to terms, ideas and fixed positions?

[jesper]

How can one dissect a living and breathing thing like footwork?

And then, what's worse than reducing it to terms, ideas and fixed positions?

proberbly not realising how important it is to constantly train footwork in the beginning

[Neeros]

How can one dissect a living and breathing thing like footwork?

And then, what's worse than reducing it to terms, ideas and fixed positions?

Lol

Boxing has its own unique footwork, Muay thai has its own footwork, TKD has its own footwork......why do people always complain about kung fu having its own footwork?

[JPinAZ]

Jeebus, is there really a thread asking if footwork should be used in sparring??

You gotta be kidding me man, you're asking if footwork is important in sparring?

Let me ask you - is breathing important in staying alive?

Haha! hey, now ya got me thinking, I wonder if we could use footwork for walking too - or is that thinking too far outside the box?

[Yoshiyahu]

proberbly not realising how important it is to constantly train footwork in the beginning

Good points yes some people skip right past footwork

Lol

Boxing has its own unique footwork, Muay thai has its own footwork, TKD has its own footwork......why do people always complain about kung fu having its own footwork?

Yes Yes YEs...an yet an still i hear people throw footwork out the door!when it comes to WC

[jesper]

well if all you do is play chi sao and do forms, why would you waste time training footwork. its not sexy

[Yoshiyahu]

well if all you do is play chi sao and do forms, why would you waste time training footwork. its not sexy

lmao wow...thats a new one!

[Niersun]

You got to be kidding me. Stop it.

Go and learn the William Cheung Wing Chun brand. Cross train your Wing Chun with TWC.