‘Don’t Think, Feel…’

 

It should, of course you may be thinking, Bruce Lee said that, but I am not repeating his words, it is more likely that he is repeating Ip Man’s words, and so on.

It is likely that you have all heard these words or at least required these words at some time, as in many ways it sums up Wing Chun completely.

 

There is no point training your technique just to look good and ending up with something which is probably more style over substance, it is more important that you feel what is needed.

Using this train of thought I would like to share an exercise I used to play with around thirty years ago.

 

Using a large mirror and taking your time, open your basic stance and place a Tan Sau in front of you, now take a good look at yourself, then close your eyes, and keep them closed.

 

Now it begins to get interesting.

 

 

Try to feel every detail from the ground up.

 

• Feel how far apart the feet are away from each other,
• How much the toes are turned in and how much grip they have on the floor,
• The bend of the knees and the strain on the calves and shins,
• The rotation of the pelvis and tensioning of the quadriceps,
• Your fist at the side of your body and the opening of the chest & shoulders,
• Chin lifted and head straight,
• Tan Sau in front of you, elbow and thumb tucked, with a twist on the wrist,
• Fingers relaxed & not touching with the pull being felt down the outside of the forearm.

 

NOW

Still keeping your eyes closed, come OUT of your stance and shake off.

 

THEN

Starting from the ground up, begin regaining each and every one of those feelings and in the same order:

• Feel how far apart the feet are away from each other,
• How much the toes are turned in and how much grip they have on the floor,
• The bend of the knees and the strain on the calves and shins,
• The rotation of the pelvis and tensioning of the quadriceps,
• Your fist at the side of your body and the opening of the chest & shoulders,
• Chin lifted and head straight,
• Tan Sau in front of you, elbow and thumb tucked, with a twist on the wrist,
• Fingers relaxed & not touching with the pull being felt down the outside of the forearm.

 

Now open your eyes.

 

If you felt everything and matched it the same, then the finished position should be identical to how you started.

 

All too often there are mistakes after mistakes within positions, but these are never corrected through feeling but instead through sight.

The same results can often be discovered through playing Chi Sau with your eyes closed, but for all you know it may look terrible!

So it may be a good idea to video it eh?

 

BUT before you even consider taking this into Chi Sau, make sure that your own positions are correct first by using this method.