| "So, what's the new dance step you're
| |
| | hampered. Now, I know, everyone who does
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| doing, Yoshi?"
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| | martial arts has heard about this stance,
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| Yeah, I hear that all the time. Even from
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| | or that stance. And unless you're working
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| people who should know better. You
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| | in front of a mirror, you'll do the
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| probably do as well, particularly if you
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| | sloppiest stance you can get away with
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| do footwork for Wing Chun. Wing Chun, or
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| | without your sparring partner kicking you
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| "Chinese Dancing" is a soft style with a
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| | a new one. What I found interesting about
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| strong philosophical bent to it. The name
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| | Wing Chun is that the form drills (San
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| originally came from the ideograms for
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| | Sik is what they're called) REALLY
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| "Ever Spring", and it's appropriate. I
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| | emphasize fluid motions. Let me tell you,
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| was getting tired of walking with bruises
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| | doing it right - you're going to sweat.
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| and pulled muscles, and needed to switch
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| | And the muscles in your quads and hams
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| to a softer style while I was recovering.
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| | are going to burn...but my word, is the
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| I like Kung Fu styles, so learning Wing
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| | end result worth it. Those forms become
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| Chun was like falling off a log. Only
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| | second nature, like they're learned by
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| without as much falling, or as many
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| | your knees and hips, and you just do them
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| punches to the sternum. Though the joint
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| | - once the pain has gone away.
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| locks did remind me I was doing a real
| |
| | Of course, everyone will be talking about
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| martial art. (One piece of advice -
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| | your new dance steps, but Wing Chun
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| anyone who says "Hey, let me show you a
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| | footwork pays for itself nicely - since
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| joint lock!" is a sadist. Just say "no".
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| | going into it, I've been much more
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| Really.) In some ways, Wing Chun is like
| |
| | conscious of how my bent knees increase
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| the early forms exercises you do for Kung
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| | my reach with punches and elbow strikes,
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| Fu, only carried to their logical
| |
| | and it's been a lot harder to throw me to
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| extreme, rather than used as the
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| | the mat in Jiu Jitsu. The parts I've had
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| fundamentals of a hard style.
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| | to compensate for from the footwork I've
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| What drew me to Wing Chung, aside from
| |
| | learned have been in mobility. It's
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| the sprained wrist on my primary punching
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| | sometimes possible to "plant" too hard -
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| hand, was the fluid footwork that its
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| | which makes it tempting to break stance
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| practitioners had. Well, OK. It was the
| |
| | to give pursuit, particularly when you're
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| fluid footwork that I saw in Jet Li's
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| | flowing from a down block and trying to
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| movies, while waiting for the cast to
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| | transition into a kick - at that point,
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| come off. Even so, just from watching the
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| | the Wing Chun footwork has to kind of
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| movies, I could see immediate uses for
| |
| | "skip a beat" while you move back to a
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| Wing Chun footwork in my repertoire of
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| | harder Kung Fu kick.
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| techniques once my wrist healed. Wing
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| | Either way, I'm glad I took the time to
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| Chun footwork focuses on balance - more
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| | learn this. It's given me a good base to
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| so than with a strong kicking style,
| |
| | work from, and a few more tricks to throw
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| which can leave you very exposed trying
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| | into sparring matches. Particularly fun
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| for a circle kick.
| |
| | is when someone makes fun of the dance
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| In particular, the footwork demands that
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| | steps and then comes up to me and says
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| you settle in a low stance, but not one
| |
| | "How'd you do that, Yoshi?
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| that's so low that your mobility gets
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| |
|
