Balance in footwork

In the martial arts world, balance in footwork is of the upmost importance. If you do not have balance with regards to footwork then you cannot strike with power and you cannot move to avoid being struck yourself.

So what to Martial Artists mean when they talk about balance in footwork?

First let's take a look at Balance.

Balance

• "A state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc."

Now let's take a look at Footwork.

Footwork

• "A martial arts and combat sports term for the general usage of the legs and feet in stand-up fighting. Footwork involves keeping balance, closing or furthering the distance."

The goal of having balance in your footwork means you need to have stability in your stance while being able to move in multiple directions without losing stability. When you have no stability you fall over and you can no long strike with power.

If we take the definition of balance having an "equal distribution of weight"  this means you need to have 50% of the body weight on the front leg and 50% on the rear leg creating stability.

Now if we take the definition of footwork being able to "Close or further the distance." This requires you to be able to move in multiple directions.

When a Martial Artist has the body weight distributed equally between both legs they have stability in their sense of balance. In order to move in any or a direction they must shift body weight  from one leg onto the other the push off the leg with the weight on it. This would mean that they are unbalancing themselves in order to move.

Having to shift the weight around means there is no mobility.

In EBMAS Wing Tzun we have 100% of the body weight on the rear leg leaving only what the leg weighs, on the front leg. When we want to move, because there is no body weight on the front leg it is free to go in any direction without shifting body weight around as the power to move comes from the muscles in the rear leg.

Therefore in having the body weight 100% on the rear leg means we have stability and mobility with no loss of balance as the shifting of weight is not required. If we divide the body weight equally between each leg then we have stability but no mobility without unbalancing first.

When Martial Artists say be balanced in your stance they are really saying be stable, but doing so if you are doing anything but 100% on one leg you are losing your mobility.

Footwork has two parts Stability & Mobility having both means being Balanced in your footwork!

By Sifu Darren Wilson
2TG EBMAS Wing Tzun

Technique and Suppressed Energy

Over the years training and teaching I have encountered a variety school of thought from various branches of Wing Tzun, WingTsun Wing Chun....  Whatever way you spell it, it makes no difference on how Wing Tzun works or should work!

The main difference I come across is the way Wing Tzun is applied, most Wing Chun Practitioners  to me are practicing Karate in a Wing Tzun suit, not Wing Tzun. The main reason I say this is that they practice techniques not Suppressed Energy. Let me explain what I mean and why this is not applying Wing Tzun to its core Concepts and Principles!

The difference between Technique and Suppressed Energy.

• Technique

 Technique requires conscious thought.

• Suppressed Energy

Suppressed Energy requires no conscious thought on techniques only conscious forward pressure.

When an attack comes at you, say a straight punch there are many techniques that can be used:

• Tan-sao,
• Bong-sao,
• Jum-sao,
• Pak-sao,
• Kau-sao.

You could also use attacks from the Biu-Tze form like Biu-Tze-sao or Kwan-Jarn, Wait you could Kick!

As you can see from above there can be a vast number of Wing Tzun techniques that could be used to defend against the straight punch and many more that are not listed here. Now imagine that punch coming at you at full speed with the intent of causing you harm. Which of the techniques you know, are you going to use?

Ok.... Say you recall the correct technique and you perform it successfully. Now you need to counter their attack with your own, to stop them attacking again.

No wait!

To late!

They already have!

The problem with this is that only in a training class does someone attack you with only one attack. In the real world that person is angry with you and wants to hit you again and again until you go down or worse!

Back to that straight punch, say the technique used was Tan-sao and was planning to counter with a Wing Tzun punch. Imagine the Wing Tzun fighter now in a Gi with a coloured belt on you can choose the colour.

This is what I mean about practicing Karate in a Wing Tzun suit. Block then counter!

Most Martial Arts block then counter. The problem with this thinking is:

• You must recall the Correct Technique to defend that attack.
• You need perfect Timing to block the attack. To Fast or Slow and you'll be hit.
• You need to be Stronger than your attacker or the attack will just crash through your defence.

Wing Tzun should be applied using the Concepts and Principles. When attacked the 1st Principle is applied pushing both arms forward in a wedge formation to attack the opponent and deflect any intercepted attack with less pressure than the wedge.

If the attacks pressure is greater than the pressure of the wedge, then the pressure of the wedge will be suppressed, which will compress the intercepting  arm deforming it into a technique.

Simultaneously the arm that has not intercepted the attack will continue free of obstruction and strikes.

By applying the concepts and principles there was no need to:

• Recall a technique, as the technique was create through an outside pressure.
• Rely on Timing, because the wedge is intercepting the attack.
• Second guess if you should block or strike.

Of course you must practice the actual geometric structure of the Wing Tzun Techniques to understand the deformation of the arm. This can be done through practicing the Wing Tzun Forms.
When performing the Wing Tzun Forms, you are consciously performing the techniques. This is to understand the position of the arm for when the arm is deformed by the compression process of the attack.

When applied the Wing Tzun techniques are not blocks or conscious movements, they are unconscious Suppressed Forward Energy!

By Sifu Darren Wilson
2nd TG EBMAS Wing Tzun

4 Fighting Principles of Wing Tzun

The Fighting Principles is Wing Tzun are a very simple concept to apply in fighting. If you understand the fighting principles & Wing Tzun "Centre Line Theory" you will be able to answer your own questions in training Wing Tzun.

The 4 Fight Principle are:

1. If the Way is FREE go forward and STRIKE!
2. Stick with what comes
3. Give way to the greater force
4. When the opponent retreats Follow through and fill the GAPS!

Let take a look at each principle separately. Starting with the 1st principle "If the way is FREE go forward and STRIKE!"

As we know from the Centre Line Theory for the Wing Tzun guard we put our arms in the in front of our body to create the geometric structure of a wedge. The rear arm Wu-sao creates the height, the front arm Man-sao creates depth and from elbow to elbow from each arm are creates the width of our wedge.

When an opponent steps forward to attack, this triggers both arms simultaneously to push forward to the opponents nose and strike. The Way was FREE. This is when we skip the 2nd & 3rd principle and jump straight to the 4th principle "When the opponent retreats Follow through and fill the GAPS!" This principle utilises the Wing Tzun footwork (Advancing Steps) & hand attacks to crash the opponent with continuous punching (Chain Punches).

Now if the opponent manages to throw an attack say a straight punch after he steps forward, because the wedge moves forward the arms will intercept the attack.

This is when the 2nd principle is applied "Stick with what comes" instead of withdrawing our arm that intercepts the attack like a boxing jab for example, the arm keeps the forward pressure from pushing the wedge forward. As the attack in being deflected along the wedge the pressure suppress the arm compressing the limb in accordance to the Laws of Leverage deforming the arm into a Wing Tzun Technique i.e. Tan-sao, Bong-sao, Pak-sao etc... 

Every Wing Tzun technique also creates a wedge so once the technique is deflected it springs forward applying the 1st principle again.

While this the 2nd principle is being applied by an arm the 1st principle is still being applied by the other arm.

Now if the attacks pressure on the limb is greater than the forward pressure of the technique or more to the point the wedge, this causes a mechanism in the Wing Tzun Stance IRAS to rotate like a turn style pushing the upper body to the side away from the attacks' direction. This is the 3rd principle "Give way to the greater force".

When correctly applied the punch will strike at the same time the technique and rotation have been completed.

Again the after the first 3 principles have happened in 1 arm and the other arm has applied the 1st principle then it is straight to the 4th principle "When the opponent retreats Follow through and fill the GAPS!"

While crashing with Wing Tzun Chain Punches and Advancing Steps each punch and step are applying the 4 Fighting Principles.

I remember the principle by thinking:

• 1st = Wedge
• 2nd = Techniques
• 3rd = Turns
•  4th = Footwork & Chain Punches

Applying the principles like a Flow Chart

Remember each arm is applying the fighting principles independently from the other and the same goes for the footwork in Wing Tzun. This is why Wing Tzun is a system NOT a style. A system applies the same concept in all areas whether it is in the arms or the legs, fighting Vertical (Standing)or Horizontal  (ground fighting) it's all the same when using Concepts & Principles!

By Sifu Darren Wilson
2nd TG EBMAS Wing Tzun