Are You Really Stuck For A Chi Sau Partner?

 

 

For those of you training with us at Wing Chun Online this seems to be a common concern, and of course it’s understandable for those of you who are not attending classes alongside your online tuition, or do not yet have friends joining you on your distance learning campaign.

 

But what do we mean by Chi Sau?

 

We know that Chi Sau means ‘Sticking Hands’ and that it involves the rolling of Bong, Tan and Fook Sau’s, but allow me to break this down a little further for you.

 

The stages of Chi Sau follow as such;

 

 

Dan Chi Sau

‘Single sticking hand‘ a basic introduction to sensitivity training and there to teach you to know when to stop.

Not overcommitting with an attack or defence is crucial.

 

Lap Sau Exercise

‘Pulling hand‘ drill, there to teach us NOT how to Lap but how to defend a Lap, by using a Bong sau,to  turn with the Bong, and to make sure you turn the correct way (and on the heels).

 

Poon Sau

‘Rolling arms’, now we get to something we usually associate with Chi Sau, the Bong, Tan and Fook Sau’s with the changing of positions and the continuous movement.

 

Gor Sau

‘Attacking hands’, THIS is what we usually mean by Chi Sau, attack and defence while rolling between the shapes of Bong, Tan and Fook Sau.

 

Fan Sau

‘Continuous attacks’, this does not mean going crazy with each other in some sort of a massive brawl, it simply means that the attack and defence come from a contact but NOT from the rolling arms.

 

Doc Sau

‘Inquisitive/investigative hands’, this is used as a learning tool where one person will attack, but when defended, their partner will remain in the same possible, allowing all follow ups and redirected attacks etc. to be investigated.

 

 

Now there IS a form of Chi Sau you could try to play with anyone, young or old, skilled or not.

 

Have a friend, a family member, a fellow college student or work colleague to allow you to make contact with them on just one arm (at the wrist but not as a grab), both arms could be used as your confidence grows (maybe to represent a grapple) and then simply ask them to try to touch you.

 

Ok so you’re not going to have the rolling of Poon Sau or Gor Sau but at least this is something, and is not that far away from Fan Sau ‘Continuous Attacks’ (Remembering that this simply means that the attack does not come from the roll).

 

Have a look at this short clip below to get an idea of the feeling and the flow we are aiming to achieve.

 

Thank you.