The Importance Of Fluidity In Sparring
Balance
If I were to sum up the most important elements of Wing Chun, in just one word, it would be, ‘Balance’.
Playing Chi Sau well can be like trying to spin plates, thinking of good positions, strong grounding, feeling for gaps and attacking opportunities, trying to keep relaxed, and so on and so for… But.
Actually this is best achieved when we do not think of anything!
When we are learning something new then yes of course we focus on that thing, we focus, we study, we learn, we absorb, but once we have done this we should ultimately allow it simply flow, a little like you would (or would not) if you were driving a car.
You know to watch your speed, to feel for clutch control, look out for hazards, cover the brake, check your mirror etc. in fact the list is endless, BUT when you know what you’re meant to be doing, you no longer need to think about this but simply allow yourself to drive.
A quick check-list for Chi Sau improvement is to look at some area you feel really good with, either a favoured/particular side, or perhaps a particular technique, and then… get rid of it!
Why would you keep training something that you are already good at?
The way to improve, and have balance, is to work on the things you are NOT good at, not to simply avoid these areas because of trying to save face.
Who cares if you get hit while trying to train something you’re not so good at?!
This is about YOUR personal development, trying to always look good in class is the worst thing you can do, as it will force you to have a ceiling level of which you will never improve beyond.
This then becomes a catch-22 situation where the people you started with, seem to get better and better, but you do not?
Then the new guys join, they rapidly get to your standard and then they too begin to pass you too!
‘Why?’
Because you are still doing the same techniques and refusing to take that one step back to revisit your basics.
Try to let everything grow TOGETHER, in harmony, do not let one side or one move rush ahead, and if it has already (as it will have done at some point with everyone who reads this), then do not worry, this is not so bad, as I say, it only means you have a really that side/technique, well done, now slow it down and train it one the other side just as well!
In this video I look at ‘The importance of fluidity in sparring’ and that of remembering the constant attacking mentality of your opponent when connecting sparring training with street defence.
This again is balance, making sure that we do not think only defence or only attacking, there is a constant conversation going on here, a conversation through movement, stay balanced and you will always have the best chance of coming out on top.
Thank you