Is the modern Wck structure and chi sau a problem in reality?

[KPM]

Is the modern Wck structure and chi sau platform evolution from ancient the circle chi sau platform is a problem in reality?

As maybe being one of the few here that have done Chi Sao from both platforms, I have formed some impressions of my own. To me, what Hendrik is calling the "modern" Chi Sao platform (meaning the one used in YMWCK and YKSWCK) is more structured and has more of an "up and down" energy....lift to Bong, drop to Tan. This "structured" quality ends up making it a game in and of itself for a lot of people. Because it is structured there are many things you can do in Chi Sao that don't work in a real exchange. I'm sure everyone has seen a student or instructor that looked great doing Chi Sao but couldn't spar worth anything! Or vice versa, the student that could kick everyone's butt in sparring but was lousy at Chi Sao. I think that for too many schools or lineages there is TOO much emphasis on Chi Sao. I think this is because it lends itself so well to being a "sparring game" of a sort in and of itself that ends up having little to do with reality. It tends to be too structured! The techniques that work within this platform are Wing Chun techniques. This version of Chi Sao is the height of development of Wing Chun guy fighting another Wing Chun guy. Is that what you are training for? How many thugs you might encounter on the street are going to be using Wing Chun techniques?

On the other hand, the "ancient circle" platform that Hendrik mentions is the Chi Sao you typically see from the other mainland styles. Southern CMA's other than Wing Chun use it as well. It is more "generic." Heck, I had a friend years ago that was a 6th black belt in Kenpo before I ever trained KLPSWCK and learned this platform. But they use a version of it in Kenpo and he and I used to do Chi Sao together all the time using it. This platform is less structured and more "open-ended." It circles side to side rather than going up and down. The more refined version actually "coils" as much as it circles. I agree with Hendrik that it doesn't "hold structure" as much as the "modern" platform. Because it is less structured there is less "gamesmanship" involved in practicing from here. It is much more of just a carrier motion to put you into contact with the opponent and go from there. As Hendrik noted, the other platform creates more of a barrier that the partner has to penetrate. This in itself creates much of the Chi Sao-specific gamesmanship that we see with the "modern" platform. And therefore it also tends to keep each partner at a wider distance.

Is one platform better than the other? I guess that depends on what your goal is for training. But I do think that the "ancient" platform potentially leads to more realistic technique application and attribute development than the "modern" platform, simply because it is less structured and more open-ended. Actually, you could grab a buddy that is a boxer show him the basics of the "ancient" platform in about 2 minutes and he could roll with you and actually attempt some boxing technique. Can you say the same about the "modern" platform?