BillC, you are a gentleman. More so certainly than I.Originally Posted by BillC.
To try to deliver on your request:
One issue with discussing martial arts in terms of straight lines and circles is that most of what goes on is done in three dimensions.
Or, as the core polemicist of the alleged nascent Western Wing Chun revolution would have it, we have to consider "six directional force vectors" (was it dimensional or directional? For some reason I wasn't paying close attention).
True (with some license) the basic punch has the fist moving in a single dimension, and strikes with the elbows, or roundhouse kicks, involve the striking point/surface moving in a circular motion.
Much has been made of spiralling energy, for example the bon sao spiralling forward and out.
Another example is "screwing" one's feet into the floor to keep one's structure tight, though this is more the use of effective imagery rather than actual movement. Of course, one requires the ability to turn this off and on quickly, to make use of both stability and the ability to move, lest one get caught "stuck" to the ground.
Since we all seem to love quotes here, I have an applicable one from Kenny Rogers:
You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
This applies to Wing Chun and fighting on several levels. Arguably it deserves a place in the list of kuen kuit, IMO ... but I digress.
Even "spiralling energy" isn't the best term IMO. "Helical energy" might be better, as it involves three dimensions. As you all know, helix is a three dimensional curve that lies on a cylinder or cone. Dictionaries vary on the precise definition of spiral and helix, with some overlap, especially if one is trying not to be labelled as too much of a pedant.
Some compound techniques involve the use of a combination of helical energy and straight lines, e.g. lop/larp dar. The larp sao takes the attacking strike off line by enveloping it in a helix (more or less), while the other fist goes straight to the target. This of course ignores any body movement, another issue of its own.
Other stylists can use such concepts against you. For example, a poor pak sao pushing downward too much on a boxer's jab will allow him to step in ,circle (helix!) his elbow underneath and hit you on the button with the lead hook off that jab.
If unfortunate enough to be caught by a jiu jitsu guy in a paintbrush armlock, you will be able to see how his moving your hand in a straight line can result in circular torque to your shoulder, with pain and damage as potential outcomes. Tap twice using straight lines for the fastest possible release would be my suggestion.
Some Choy Li Fut punches were, according to legend, specifically designed to follow a helical path around the Wing Chun guard and hit the target.
Exploring another poor and inappropriate analogy to Wing Chun, we all remember how the aforementioned core polemicist of the alleged nascent Western Wing Chun revolution (from here on in referred to as the CPANWWCR for brevity, should I need it) waxed lyrical about Wing Chun. Snake/Crane, Emei, and other DNA ... the molecule of which is, of course, shaped like a double helix! Wow! Correlation, causation, or totally unrelated?
"Spiral out, keep going" - TOOL
Another quote.
Deep enough for you? No matter, as Miyamoto Mushashi said, "The Way is in training, not posting on internet forums".
Best wishes to all for 2015.
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