What are the basic Wing Chun punches and kicks?
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Answer: The first punch a Wing Chun student learns will be the “Straight” or “Vertical” fist punch. It’s fast, travels down the centerline, and perfect for close quarter combat.
What’s nice is that this punch is also very special to Wing Chun. Not many fighting styles use a vertical fist punch. So, we’re experts at using it.
Plus, because it travels down the centerline Wing Chun fighters can easily chain them together and quickly turn one punch into a machine gun like “roll” or “chain” of punch-es.
We don’t believe in the mythical “One-Punch-Knock-Out”. Yes, it happens. But a 3-, 5-, 7-, 12-plus strike and kick knock out is more realistic and practical.
Learn more about Wing Chun techniques used for hitting.
The first kick a Wing Chun student would learn is a front kick
I guess that would make it a basic Wing Chun kick (there’s another kick that’s “basic” because it’s so unique to Wing Chun, but not easy to learn. I’ll mention it in a bit).
Any fighting style that uses kicks has a front kick. The main difference is that Wing Chun front kicks are aimed low — the floating ribs and lower. And we train to explode our kick into the target. I can’t stand seeing front kicks that are actually front “pushes”.
We prefer lower-aimed kicks so we can put our foot down quickly and be more mobile. Plus, since it’s aimed lower, it travels a shorter distance and therefore makes the kick faster — speed is an advantage in fighting (not just in martial arts, but
also air-to-air combat, naval battles and ground battles).
There’s another kick that could be called “basic” because it’s so unique to Wing Chun…
It’s called the “Stomp kick”.
Most practitioners I know don’t really start learning or training this kick until they’re a bit more experienced and have some of the other Wing Chun skills developed.
It’s not an easy kick to learn, especially for martial artists who have a kicking background.
If you think about it, with most kicks you must point your kicking-leg-hip toward your intended target— front kick, round kick, axe kick, side kick… even a back kick.
When you do a stomp kick your kicking-leg-hip points away, or at almost a 90 degree angle, from your intended target. For a new student this kick puts the body in a strange, almost twisted and uncomfortable position. Once you get the hang of it though… it’s an AWESOME kick!
AND it’s all Wing Chun!
It’s Short: Fully extended it has the distance of a punch.
It’s Fast: Because it’s a short distance weapon it’s used in close quarters, which makes it hard for your opponent to see.
It’s Dangerous: Ideally, you use the heel to explode the kick. And your main targets are the shins and knees. Think how devastating a kick with the heel can be exploding through the side of your knee.
CAUTION: If you train this kick with others – BE CAREFUL – the leverage in power from a heel exploding into the inherently weak knee, from its side, can cause major damage even if you’re training lightly. Treat it like you would Biu Jee training. Don’t clown around with it.
Learn more about Wing Chun techniques used in kicking.
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