When And Where Do You Use The Thumb In Lap Sau Exercise? Part 2

 

Drills are important, we all know this, and as many people say, ‘Practice makes perfect’ but remember this is not quite true.

Practice only makes PERMANENT.

 

It is only PERFECT practice that makes perfect.

 

Therefore it is important to remember that a drill is only beneficial if trained in the correct mindset.

 

Not using the thumb in Lap Sau exercise may work in the drill as this is a controlled, prearranged and agreed upon sequence, BUT the drill then becomes pointless and carries no benefits due to its impracticality.

 

My simple principle is, ‘Never do anything you cannot recover from’.

 

You may be told..

If I Lap down with the thumb, and hold on, and my opponent scoops up to a Tan, I could break my thumb!

Therefore we do not use the thumb – Is the answer you may be expected to be told.

And it makes sense, a little, but unfortunately your Lap would suck and not really work in the first place!

 

So DO Lap with the thumb, and if the arm is scooped to a Tan, LET GO!

If you cannot let go in time then you are holding too tight.

Besides, once you’ve Lapped down, job done.  Why are you still holding on?

 

Going back to:

‘A drill is only beneficial if trained in the correct mindset.’

We’ve looked in depth at the Lap but now what about the punch?

 

It is the easiest thing to just go through the motions but in doing so is far from beneficial and actually more detrimental.

We must make sure that when punching, there is still the intent to go forward.

 

This is the same idea when closing each section of the Wooden Dummy form.

From the Garn position at the end of each section, we roll with a high Kau Sau and a palm strike to the head, however this PALM STRIKE is then blocked by the other cross arm of the Dummy, making the closing position look like a high double Garn.

So even though we are moving into a high Garn Sau there was still the INTENT to go forward with the palm strike.

 

In Lap Sau exercise even though we know that after the Lap Sau, your punch will immediately be met with a Bong Sau, that PUNCH must still the intent to go forward.

 

The video below may help to explain this further,

Thank you: