Hi folks, I've decided to go for my Sui Nim Tao in May. One of my main worries (apart from combos!!) is the footwork in Chi Sau. I just don't get it. We've never really gone over it in any length in class so any explanation would be gr8.

cheers

Des

The best info I can offer is to try and make sure that your Jum Sau is always off of your back leg.

If you try and think of it this way you will find that your taan sau is always on your front leg and your punches will also be off of your back leg, think about how you apply your footwork in combinations and it's the same idea but in single chi sau the pattern is not set so you never know what is going to come next. 

This is where you start to find out if you have drilled your foot work enough to work in conjunction with your hands without having to think about it, but this is only my way of looking at it so please let me know if you agree/disagree.

Hope this is of some help

Not sure how to answer this without giving you far to much information, and about 100 pages to read. So I will try and keep things simple, but feel free to ask as many additional questions as you like.

First let me start with a question, what is footwork for?

Opening Distance

Closing Distance

Changing Angle

Creating Pressure

Releasing Pressure

Etc.

Well all of these still apply in single stick.

OK so there are rules as detailed by the Mowgli. But the ideas are the same as in Sparing or even basic guard hand work.

So what does this mean, well it means that you use your footwork to maintain the integrity of your shape (for example to ensure that that the angle of your taan has not been compromised), and to optimise your shape.

For example, If you are doing a Bong on your back leg, you would circle step in as you move in to Taan to open up your opponent. This can be particularly useful when changing sides (Taan with a Punch). Often you will see people use this movement in close succession – Taan and Punch to change, as you opponent blocks with Juum, Change again with Circle, Taan, Punch. The pressure added by multiple changes will cause your opponent to over compensate with the Juum, often cutting across the centre, which you can take advantage of.

I hope this makes sense, but feel free to ask more questions.

Finally, don’t worry, most people seem really new to Dan Chi Sau with foot work when they take the Sui Nim Tao. What you really need is lots of practice with a good training partner so you can build your own experience.

Hope this helps

Z