Copy Cat

 

Not quite what I meant

 

As we prepare to go back to class, what can we train

that would uphold any social distancing rules that may still be in place?

 

Well think about this idea for a moment, when we are defending ourselves, what is it that we are actually doing?

We are reading the bodyweight and movement of our attacker, looking for any telegraphs, staying with that person throughout the moves.

In essence, we are watching and following that person, almost mimicking their actions before contact.

 

So to break this down further, when a strike is thrown toward you, you move your arm to that particular area in order to gain contact, to defend and counter attack, and what we need to focus on is that very moment of… ‘Moving to that particular area in order to gain contact’.

 

This, we can train without contact, simply because we do not have contact yet!

 

A training exercise where we can learn to read and mimic someones movements (and therefore intent) to me, is invaluable.

 

The clip below is using this very method, obviously in a class and in this case, obviously using ONLY Wing Chun techniques and positions.

 

BUT…

 

If you do not have a class, or even a partner that knows the moves of Wing Chun, you can do this with anyone, your friend, your partner or even a parent!

Because whatever they do, all you have to do is copy, in fact not copy, mirror.

 

As they move, you move, in some ways NOT copying Wing Chun moves can be better, simply because if someone was to attack you in the street, it is very unlikely they will be attacking using Wing Chun.

 

This idea may seem strange to start with but there nothing better for learning to read your opponent BEFORE you both make contact.

 

Although this is something I made up in order to train under Covid guidelines, this idea is actually as old as Kung Fu itself, in fact isn’t this is how martial arts was invented, by watching and mimicking animals?

 

Give it a try, I think you’ll like it.