Chi Sau

Due to a rather fortunate set of circumstances I am now in the position of being able to train several times a week, one on one, with my instructor. This training has mainly been in the form of chi sau or sticking hands.

My notes on the practice of chi sau will be taking a sort of 'this week I have been mainly trying...' until I come up with something better.

So.

This week I have been mainly working on two principles.

1. Pulling the hand back, to a fist distance from the chest if needed, after striking. This may seem blindingly obvious to a practitioner, however, when analyzing myself it astounds me how often I strike and then simply leave my hand floating an inch or so from my partner. I think this situation arises from my own thoughts that I could do something else from the position but not actually executing the manoeuvre. It is time I either follow up or finish - no more leaving situations open and thinking of all the fancy things I could have done.

Strike and follow through or Strike and return to a neutral position.

Flowing on to....

2. Constant changing

At the bottom of each arc a change is executed keeping the situation in a constant state of change making it far harder to execute preprogrammed set pieces but with enough structure for it to be an effective drill. Ideally chi sau should be mindless, flowing around and through the target. This drill is certainly not mindless as a pattern is developed and stuck to rigidly. The outcome I'm finding from training in this manner is that changing from inside to outside gate has become far more efficient this seems to be due to the fact that both parties involved know when the change is coming, where the moment of increased opportunity will appear and both are vying to take advantage of this .

Hopefully this type of training will greatly improve my ability to take advantage of ever decreasing holes in the defence of my training partner.