Side 1
Excerpt from the written part to the exam to the 5.Level Master Wing Tsun of Sifu Marcus Schüssler......
....Chi-Sao (translated ‚clinging amrs') is an exercise developed from traditional fighting arts is seen from today's neurophysiological view is the only exercise that can really program basic behaviourial changes. The sublime objective, to learn and establish control over oneself and by this over the opponent is a process that needs decades of practice if the aimed level is put very high.
It has been already written and reported a lot about the for and against of Chi-Saoing, but very rarely on the correlation between the influence of Chi-Sao on the general attacking behaviour according to the first fighting principle of Wing Tsun: if the way is free, attack. This is the aim of this article to emphasize this subject a little more.
The building structure of Chi-Sao is arranged is several stages, that differ from organisation and school in terms of time and content in detail. In the IUEWT the beginning is made up of simple one armed exercises first that make the techniques of the first form (Siu Nim Tao) much more understandable. By finishing this quite comprehensive stage the focus will go to the double arm Chi-Sao which will remain the essential part of the training. It is now the single arm Chi-Sao that is used to describe the basis of Chi-Sao as such that needs to be transitioned into the double arm Chi-Sao later.
With the single arm Chi-Sao the inactive arm is ‚parked' sideways to the body like the basic position in the Siu Nim Tao. After various single techniques the so called ‚standard Dan-Chi-Sao' routine is introduced where the following routine is actually similar with all styles: the starting position is Tan-Sao (palm-up facing hand) and the on the Tan-Sao resting Fook-Sao (bridge arm). Partner A executes a palm attack from the Tan-Sao position and to the centre point of partner B which will be absorbed and neutralised by Partner B with a Jum-Sao. Subsequently Partner B prepares a punch attack to the centre point of partner A which will be absorbed and neutralised by A's Bong-Sao. After this both return to the starting position.
Very often an onviewer to the Chi-Sao gets the visual impression that the exercise resembles a sort of a ‚two-man' choreography where both partners ‚present' themselves senses of achievements by ‚telegraphing' the attacks with the body and therefore ‚presenting' the partner a high chance of achievement for halfway visual reactions. But this is counterproductive to the actual objective of Chi-Sao which is the ‚tactile learning experience'. A better approach is if e.g. the palm attack after the deflection with Jum-Sao of partner B tries to further attack what means in practice that partner A executes a continous on-going pressure in order to keep his attacking threat upright. Only with a continous on-going attcking threat that is focused to the partner one will be able to realize the fighting principle of Wing Tsun: 1. way free, attack 2. stick 3. yield 4. follow
In order to better understand this principle of the on-going attack or the on-going attacking threat we like to play a little excercise game routine: position yourself with a partner face to face and about 6 feet apart. Do you feel threatened in any kind by your partner now? Probably not! The distance is such that without any ‚body telegraphing' no surprise momentum can be used against you.
Now your partner steps forward which normally makes about 3 feet. How do feel now? Do you still want to stay put voluntarily? Or do you prefer to displace yourself in order to establish a ‚pleasant' distance again? However for the sakle of the exercise you remain on the spot so we can intensify this little example.
Now your partner advances even more for about 1,5 feet. How do feel now? Do you feel the nessecity that in order to not miss the last chance to re-establish a pleasant distance it is exactly now that you have to displace yourself? If not you love the risky side of life. But the majority of all human beings do not like if someone intrudes into their private sector and hence reduces their security zone which is accompanied by an execution of a threat.
