#2 Line Of Attack
Hawkins Cheung teaches 3 lines of attack, the first line is the centerline, this is the line that every wing chun practitioner uses and is familiar with. But the 2nd and 3rd lines are usually not part of the wing chun curriculum. These other two lines are very specific to Hawkins Cheung’s method.
The 2nd line is what we are covering today, this line moves from your shoulder towards your opponents opposite shoulder. It is used to “Jam” anything that gets in your way, which makes this movement multi purpose. It relies on the concept of “the best defense is a good offense” or combining the concept of “defend and attack” in the use of one hand.
make sure to pay particular attention to the “landing the plane” concept which i talk about in the video. this is very important to the understanding of this “line”, it is also an important concept that should be applied to your “sticky hands” practice.
This was something that Hawkins Cheung and Bruce Lee realized when testing their fighting skills during the famous “roof top fights” in Hong Kong. As we get into sparring and sparring drills, this 2nd line of attack will become more and more clearer as to “why” and “when” to use. For now, practice with a partner, on a wooden dummy, or in front of a mirror, so that you avoid some of the common mistakes.
31 Responses to “#2 Line Of Attack”
Use the Form Below to Leave a Reply
Great video sifu jin thank you!
isn’t high gan sau quite the same as tan sau?
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 15th, 2010 at 2:31 am
no, tan sau movement extends from inside to outside, the high gan movement goes from outside to inside.
[Reply]
It’s interesting that you compared the “modified” wing chun to boxing. The short bridge lesson reminded me of the way boxers cover to protect against hooks and the lesson on fuk sao reminded me of the way a boxer will cuff an incoming punch. When a boxer is fighting on the inside, they typically appear to be standing square (very much like wing chun) so as to use both fists for hooking and uppercutting …of course they don’t adhere to the three triangles so the structure is different.
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 15th, 2010 at 10:37 am
you are correct, boxers don’t use the three triangles, that’s why they can “hug” each other when things get to rough. but using the wing chun concepts while “boxing” keeps the opponent out by using your body structure.
that’s why i go through all the trouble of covering so many concepts and principles because without the structure, there’s no way to keep someone from getting close to you and grabbing/hugging you.
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 15th, 2010 at 10:38 am
and once they are in that close to you, all your wing chun training goes out the window.
[Reply]
David Reply:
January 17th, 2010 at 4:16 am
Is that when Biu Jee may be applied? To regain your structure, to regain the centerline?
When you started I could see the old orthodox WIng Chun, now I can definitely see the modified stuff coming through. I like it! Makes it more combat ready, because I always thought that there were some things that would be hard to use effectively in a real fight in the really old tradition style, where, to my understanding, they do not let you move your shoulders at all or deviate from tradition technique in any way. And then they tell their students that everything else is fake wing chun…
I’m sure you know all about how WC politics are (some of the worst kind int he martial world lol). I definitely commend you for staying out of that stuff. Part of the reason I have been devising my own method like you is also to avoid politics, but mostly because I have a lot of concepts that can’t be just woven into any other kung fu or karate style. I call mine the “Falling Hammer System” and wing chun has definitely contributed to it a lot.
On another note: I read in an article by Hawkins Cheung that he learned Karate and combined it with his wing chun. I’m interested to know about the elements of karate that might be in his method?
Still think your vids are the best!
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:27 am
hey Joshua, he’s included the “spirit” of karate, but not the actual movements.
[Reply]
Is it reasonable to say that we move our centre line to face the opponents shoulder, thus creating the line if attack from shoulder to shoulder? Or does our centre line more or less stay on the opponents centre and our arm move across our centre line to target the opponents shoulder. It appears like the former – moving the centre to the opponents shoulder, and certainly feels ‘right’, but I’d appreciate your clarification as I’m new to WC and what feels right to me may be hopelessly wrong!
Many thanks Jin, great videos.
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:30 am
your “body structure” should always face your opponents centerline, but your “forward triangle” can point occasionally toward the opponents opposite shoulder line, usually to create an opening of their centerline for your continuing strikes. there are also other advantages to attacking the opponents shoulder line, which we will get into in the future.
[Reply]
Sorry, that should read ‘ thus creating the line OF attack from shoulder to shoulder’
[Reply]
A truely scientific fighting style. The concepts are very intuitive and almost instinctive. Putting them in the most efficient use or context makes it very potent. I just bought a punching bag, hand wraps and light gloves and now that I have something to hit with more force than just my wooden dummy these lessons take on an even deeper connection/meaning.
Thanks again Sifu!
Keep the lessons coming!
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:31 am
hey Mark, glad you’re enjoying the tutorial, peace!
[Reply]
An other perfectly explained piece of WC. What about taking a trip to Switzerland for a stage he he ?
This video answers part of one of my questions on the forum and gives me the basic fundamental concept for finding a way other than the center line. Great!
Anyway, is always difficult to apply the concepts in real sparring. The exercises are quite a different story.. So, us it wrong to fight before having well learned the right movements?
Besides, in the case of line #2, should I keep the shoulders fixed or rotate and how much?
Thanks Jin.
Keep going
Fela
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:34 am
hey Fela, Switzerland sounds so nice! =D always make sure your “body structure” faces your opponents centerline, no matter what position on the “clock” you are. you can rotate your shoulders slightly as long as you maintain this concept.
[Reply]
hey jin nice video thanks for the video, now i got something new to train with, i was wondering is there a #3 line?
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:34 am
hey Daniel, yes there is a #3 line of attack which should be the next video. keep an eye out for it. peace!
[Reply]
Yeah Jin, this is exactly the kind of key i need to start to unlock doors in chi sao to go up a level.
sorry to say, i only just logged in and missed the voting deadline
(
Take care
Saj
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:35 am
hey Saj, no problemo, glad you are getting a better understanding of your wing chun, keep it up!
[Reply]
@Joshua Peacock
Actually the “old orthodox WIng Chun” does have this idea, though different teachers may emphasize it differently or call it by different names.
“…do not let you move your shoulders at all or deviate from tradition technique in any way”
-This of course will depend on your level of understanding. Wing chun is a relatively new system in the world of CMA and yip man went further to streamline it. Movements from any style will not work if you do not understand the underlying principles that bind it.
Good luck in your training
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:36 am
nicely put, peace!
[Reply]
Great as always Jin, thanx!
But dont we break our structure/principles when we turn our upper body like that? Sometimes I feel like I’m seeing controversial things in the tutorials..
[Reply]
oh I just read u already had answered on that, im sorry!
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:47 am
no problemo, just to clarify…
rule #1 – your body structure always faces your opponents centerline no matter what position on the “clock” you are at.
rule #2 – your “forward triangle” can be used to attack your opponents shoulder line.
rule #3 – you can slightly rotate your shoulders as long as you do not break rule #1.
[Reply]
Jin Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:51 am
rule #4 – you do not talk about Fight Club.. -_o
[Reply]
LoL Jin!
Thanks for this nice video..cant wait for number3 line!
take care
[Reply]
Is it just me or does this line of attack resembles an intercepting fist.?
[Reply]
You refer to this as a high gan sau. It looks like a jom sau to my untrained eye. How does the block done here differ from a jom sau?
Thanks Jin for your skills and time spent on this website.
[Reply]
Hey Jin, something I don’t understand. I’ve always been taught to aim at the opponents center/mother line. The more I aim away from that the more the opponent could have the opportunity to redirect my motion. So why would I purposely want to aim for someone’s shoulder and give them the opportunity to say, lop punch me? If someone was punching, pressing, etc on the outside of your jong sau, wouldn’t you let the force pass and transition to say Bong sau or something? Perhaps I’m missing something.
Thanks,
Ken
[Reply]
thanks Jin for the video!!!
[Reply]
thanks for showing the #2 line of attack. i kinda get what you are saying when you said “landing the plane” , being relax huh and don’t force it cause you are only gonna hurt yourself more right kinda like absorbing their energy or something right?
[Reply]