Hand tugged at waist or at chest?

[Kung Fu fan]

Good day to everyone. This is my very first thread in the forum, so hopefully, I am able to articulate my question well, and I hope that I have posted this at the right section.

The video below is a fight scene from the HK movie "Ip Man" between Yip Man (Wing Chun) and a Jin Shan Zhao (Northern Shaolin).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt34aHAFkV8

I do see that the Northern practitioner occasionally throws straight punches in a horse stance while the rear hand is tugged at the waist. I have always been wondering if the the positioning of rear hand at waist would make the fighter more prone to counter attacks, compared to when the rear hand is guarding at the chest. Thank you.

[Daoist]

Hello Kungfu Fan,

This seems to be a late reply and I am surprised no one has replied yet. The fist "tugged" at the waist is a basic way to generate power before the strike. Depending on how you are attacking, the simple answer is yes it leaves you vulnerable to counter attack. However, depending on how you use it, it works well. You have to close your opponent (prevent him from attacking) by pressing his attacking arm against him. Then strike with the tugged fist. If someone blindly charges in with straight punches one after the other and tugging each one, he will be easily countered. Strategic use of angles in attacking should be explored.

[Markus Kahila]

Dear Kungfu Fu fan,


Welcome to the forum!

I have always been wondering if the the positioning of rear hand at waist would make the fighter more prone to counter attacks, compared to when the rear hand is guarding at the chest.

- As I see it, generally speaking the answer is yes: Keeping the rear hand "at guard" would protect better than keeping it at the waist.

However, much more important considerations are the skills of timing, spacing and footwork: If the exponent can apply these basic skills well, the rear hand may be used for other purposes.


This article might be helpful for illustrating my point:

http://www.shaolin.org/combat/wave.html



All the best,