So you think you know what Chi Sau is?
How could I say something so sacrilegious as "chi sau will not save you in a fight"?
I say this because the definition of chi sau is misunderstood by almost every wing chun practitioner or student.
But wait, isn't chi sau "the heart of Wing Chun Kuen"?
Yes, it could be said that is the case depending on your understanding or view point.
When I say that chi sau will not save you in a real fight, I am speaking of the chi sau that nearly everyone is familiar with, which is actually called Puhn/Poon Sau. This is what is being demonstrated in the photo above.
This form of chi sau is very limited. We are dealing with only three techniques here (Tan Sau, Bong Sau, and Fuk Sau), and we are standing in a static position.
There are actually many forms of chi sau. So many, in fact, that I can't even list them all.
Here are a few of the versions of chi sau in no particular order:
Puhn Sau - drilling the basic double arm rolling mechanics of the Tan, Bong, and Fuk Sao.
Bai Ying Chi Sau - Irregular structure sticking hands
Bong An Chi Sau - Blindfolded sticky hands
Bot Sin Choi Chi Sau - 8 Immortal table sticky hands for demonstrations
Chi Gok Chi Sau / Ji Gok Chi Sau - Light sticky hands
Chi Sau Chi Gerk - Sticking hands and legs exercise
Dan Chi Sau - Single sticking hands exercise
Gee Gok Chi Sau/Ji/Chi Gok Chi Sau - Light sticky hands
Gor Dan Chi Sau - Attacks in single sticky hands
Gu Deng Chi Sau - Sitting sticky hands
Gung Lik Chi Sau - Heavy sticky hands to develop power
Haan Kiu Chi Sau - Walking on the bridge chi sau
Ji Gok Chi Sau, Gee or Chi Gok Chi Sau - Light sticking hands
Joi Yin Chi Sau - Following the shadow in chi sau; a type of chasing chi sau
Kum La Chi Sau - Joint locking techniques applied in chi sau
Lay Wai Chi Sau - Leaving the gap sticky hands
Look Sau/Luk Sau/Gung Lik Chi Sau - Heavy sticky hands
Lut Sau Chi Sau - Attacking from man sau position and immediately going into sticky hands
Mah Bo Chi Sau - Moving sticking hands
Man Sau Chi Sau - Asking hand within sticky hands
San Sau Chi Sau - Slow attacks in sticky hands
Seung Chi Sau - Double sticky hands exercise
Seung Yan Chi Sau - Double sticky hands with three people
Seung Yan Dan Chi Sau - Single sticky hands with three people
Seung Yan Jou Wai Chi Sau - Moving sticky hands with three people
Sor Sau Chi Sau - Trapping sticky hands
Toi Dit Chi Sau - Takedowns in chi sau
There are more, but I think you get the idea.
So, what is chi sau again? The answer is; it depends on the chi sau.
Can training chi sau help you survive in a real fight? Yes, but only if you understand the whole story of what chi sau is.
If you think standing still and rolling tan/bong/fuk is going to somehow magically defeat a real opponent, you are in for a rude awakening.
If you already understood that there are many forms of chi sau, and that it is a critical part of Wing Chun training, I congratulate you. Not many understand this.
The primary training tool that I use is Look Sau, which is one of the many forms of chi sau. If used properly, I have found look sau to be the most effective tool for training people to become truly effective fighters in a much shorter time span than other available options. It is far more dynamic and can include all techniques. You are learning proper structure, footwork, center line and central/combat plane theory and application, sensitivity and relaxation under stress, real time problem solving, techniques, situational awareness, and more, all at the same time. If done properly it is not so overwhelming as one might think, yet the rewards are great.
So will chi sau save you in a fight?...
That depends on which chi saus you are referring to.
They all have their purposes in training excellence, just be aware that there is much more to "chi sau" than you may realize.
I say this because the definition of chi sau is misunderstood by almost every wing chun practitioner or student.
But wait, isn't chi sau "the heart of Wing Chun Kuen"?
Yes, it could be said that is the case depending on your understanding or view point.
When I say that chi sau will not save you in a real fight, I am speaking of the chi sau that nearly everyone is familiar with, which is actually called Puhn/Poon Sau. This is what is being demonstrated in the photo above.
This form of chi sau is very limited. We are dealing with only three techniques here (Tan Sau, Bong Sau, and Fuk Sau), and we are standing in a static position.
There are actually many forms of chi sau. So many, in fact, that I can't even list them all.
Here are a few of the versions of chi sau in no particular order:
Puhn Sau - drilling the basic double arm rolling mechanics of the Tan, Bong, and Fuk Sao.
Bai Ying Chi Sau - Irregular structure sticking hands
Bong An Chi Sau - Blindfolded sticky hands
Bot Sin Choi Chi Sau - 8 Immortal table sticky hands for demonstrations
Chi Gok Chi Sau / Ji Gok Chi Sau - Light sticky hands
Chi Sau Chi Gerk - Sticking hands and legs exercise
Dan Chi Sau - Single sticking hands exercise
Gee Gok Chi Sau/Ji/Chi Gok Chi Sau - Light sticky hands
Gor Dan Chi Sau - Attacks in single sticky hands
Gu Deng Chi Sau - Sitting sticky hands
Gung Lik Chi Sau - Heavy sticky hands to develop power
Haan Kiu Chi Sau - Walking on the bridge chi sau
Ji Gok Chi Sau, Gee or Chi Gok Chi Sau - Light sticking hands
Joi Yin Chi Sau - Following the shadow in chi sau; a type of chasing chi sau
Kum La Chi Sau - Joint locking techniques applied in chi sau
Lay Wai Chi Sau - Leaving the gap sticky hands
Look Sau/Luk Sau/Gung Lik Chi Sau - Heavy sticky hands
Lut Sau Chi Sau - Attacking from man sau position and immediately going into sticky hands
Mah Bo Chi Sau - Moving sticking hands
Man Sau Chi Sau - Asking hand within sticky hands
San Sau Chi Sau - Slow attacks in sticky hands
Seung Chi Sau - Double sticky hands exercise
Seung Yan Chi Sau - Double sticky hands with three people
Seung Yan Dan Chi Sau - Single sticky hands with three people
Seung Yan Jou Wai Chi Sau - Moving sticky hands with three people
Sor Sau Chi Sau - Trapping sticky hands
Toi Dit Chi Sau - Takedowns in chi sau
There are more, but I think you get the idea.
So, what is chi sau again? The answer is; it depends on the chi sau.
Can training chi sau help you survive in a real fight? Yes, but only if you understand the whole story of what chi sau is.
If you think standing still and rolling tan/bong/fuk is going to somehow magically defeat a real opponent, you are in for a rude awakening.
If you already understood that there are many forms of chi sau, and that it is a critical part of Wing Chun training, I congratulate you. Not many understand this.
The primary training tool that I use is Look Sau, which is one of the many forms of chi sau. If used properly, I have found look sau to be the most effective tool for training people to become truly effective fighters in a much shorter time span than other available options. It is far more dynamic and can include all techniques. You are learning proper structure, footwork, center line and central/combat plane theory and application, sensitivity and relaxation under stress, real time problem solving, techniques, situational awareness, and more, all at the same time. If done properly it is not so overwhelming as one might think, yet the rewards are great.
So will chi sau save you in a fight?...
That depends on which chi saus you are referring to.
They all have their purposes in training excellence, just be aware that there is much more to "chi sau" than you may realize.