How to STOP Chasing Hands! - (Powerful Wing Chun Lesson)

Chasing hands in Wing Chun is one of the worst habits Wing Chun students can do. Wing Chun chasing hands means you are being too defensive-minded. In this Wing Chun lesson, I describe how to stop chasing hands.

[@ed9095]

Can't tell you how many times I've been told "you're chasing hands" with absolutely no explanation beyond that. Your explanation is enlightening!

[@kevinkorolmusic]

I have studied Choy Li Fut in the past. I had the chasing hands problem. This is a good lesson that spans through more than just on style. A good lesson. Thank you Sifu!

[@filmawayvlad]

Thank you

[@ericbutler9912]

Well said. You must learn the correct application of the wing Chun principles. Then learn to trust what you have learned and have the cajones to execute the moves fearlessly.

[@azlaroc12]

This is the best advice I've heard yet on how to stop chasing hands.

[@redbunnytail9528]

Don't know anything about wing chun. My cousin, who is in the San Francisco kung fu scene, told me that at one 'gathering' for sifus, this black dude was hammering the wing chun dummy. And. All the sifus turned their backs on him. Now. I know why. I've seen a bunch of wing chun clips, but this was the first one that explained how to practice on a wooden dummy. Very well done clip. If I were a younger dude, I'd look into finding a place to see more.

[@sunbladerr]

This was very insightful. “Chase the Center” is a life goal. Be Well and Good Journey Richie

[@skinteastwood2358]

I am starting my 5th year, and found this very informative. Thanks

[@sifu8056]

...another way of not chashing hands is to not think to much, just stick to the principles & drill your principles

[@oscarseveriano2351]

Respests Sifu and thank you!

[@kwl4829]

great explanation on the psychological reason for chasing hands；mythical method to rid of instincts

[@Lucas9665]

Spot on 👌🏻 couldn’t of said that better myself.

[@renatoparedes7]

Very good, best defense is been offensive.

[@kirvin2]

Good lesson!

[@lawrencedroman]

Nice to see a video on this topic. I share similar views but I’m curious if you can give a demonstration or explain, in your attack the man and not the hand example, how you attack or move forward against an opponent who has a significant reach advantage. (6’5” athlete vs 5’10 average ability) Thanks

[@TM-zt9jt]

Great video! Thank you for sharing with us. Often, the meaning of a thing can get lost in translation. Martial arts however, its ability to be expansive with what defines this and that, allows for so many ways to be right. We can indeed argue for the case of blocking in Wing Chun, holds, as well as, grabs. These are next level applications, arguably beyond completing basic levels, to include intermediate, but certainly not limited to. Applications exploiting targets of your opponent is a skill in itself. These Tactical Motifs are plenty, hidden, and everywhere; and with the speed and flurry at which fights occur, realizing and avoiding them all against a skilled fighter from any study is near impossible if not absolutely. We simply can't ignore them.

[@Aniontedone]

Three things work together 1. The closing motion 2. Controlling the hand position 3. The attack with free hand. The opponent has to be constantly trapped and attack while remaining close quarter. Not doing so will result in an exchange of attacks between the practitioner and the adversary.

[@RobertMiller-sh7gb]

Very helpful. Seems one needs to trust the principles of Wing Chun to keep them safe from the incoming attack.

[@sifuadamwilliss]

Exactly

[@MartinMelikyan]

Sifu I've got the point! i also need to look at the dummy not the hands! I remember there was a saying, look at your opponents eyes when in fight, i guess we can also do this: when practising with dummy, do not look, neither punch the hands of dummy, i mean of course punch the hands, but more close to dummy's face, and look only at dummy not the hands and imagine like it's opponent, and you'll see something is different, i was shocked, i suddenly went faster, and also i was using the principe of finding Bridges better than i ever did, thanks Master this is really powerful lesson, now i need to find out one thing: how to stop blinking and leaning back because of the fear of being punched in face? Are there good drills? And how to master techniques on those flat gloves that we punch, like in boxing, I don't really know how they call that flat gloves😂

[@taichiwithchantal]

Love it! Thanks ✌️

[@Aniontedone]

Using short range power to jam the opponent’s bridge, the three joints are nicely controlled.

[@myvt5360]

That was one of the things my last sifu kept stating to me, repeatedly...great video. I love watching skilled people speak, you can see their skills when they speak (hand, and arm movements).

[@Aniontedone]

The arm bridge tracks the movement of the opponent’s body; when the hands cannot prevail, use body position to save the situation.

[@nin469]

Sifu I noticed a few of the comments here saying things like "I agree with you BUT" or "to a point.." I think you should do another video diving deeper into this. Maybe something about why structure and geometry of wing chun dictate that attack first is preferable to the alternative (which leads to chasing hands) 🤔 Great video! 👍

[@RAPINCITE]

I watched a dan lok video he was talking about Not flinching, when some one bigger is in your face. expect to get hit. And don't flinch at all. He said his sifu use to tie his hands behind his back and brandish a sword in his face and he wasn't allowed to flinch, if he flinched he failed the task. And he did an exercise with a student. He went up to his face and screamed profanity in his face and then took a swing at him. His student had to stay still and not flinch even bat an eye lid. It was only an exercise but every student blinked, and it wasn't even real life he was just pretending to be a bullie but all the students kept blinking, imagine in a real life combat situation. If it was a real combat situation they must flinch chase hands and cower, but the centrline is right there when the bully is in your face. If you flinch and are scared you won't occupy the centreline.

[@mixedhataikindo3434]

Like a u punch Sifu. 🙏💛

[@Aniontedone]

Create a bridge if the opponent’s bridge is not present; nullify the bridge according to how it is presented.

[@DaveMarkovich]

Loved it, makes perfect sense.

[@DaveMarkovich]

(forgot to say thank you!)

[@sifuadamwilliss]

@@DaveMarkovich You’re welcome. Happy to be able to help.

[@sifu8056]

...also no matter how good you get at not chasing hands, a practioner with skills superior to yours will make you chase hands or you will get hit 😆

[@myvt5360]

Lol, like chi sao with your sifu...fustration😂🤣😇.

[@marlonlo9661]

Scare of getting hit. That's the surface for why we chase hands. Go deeper and it's because we don't understand the principles and lack the confidence in our ability to use them well.

[@sifu8056]

@@marlonlo9661 You are 100% correct. It takes alot of practice, regardless of weather you get hit or not to understand the principles. Also, even when you do understand the principles have you developed your WC attributes & senses to where you can effectively apply those principles. Not Everyone has the skill of application. That is why you see some WC fails on KZbin. Please get the practioner in front of you and will you experience an astoundingly different result 😆

[@sifu8056]

@@marlonlo9661 I meant, 'Please get the right WC Practitioner in front of you' preferrably someone with REAL FIGHT experience 😆

[@sifu8056]

@@myvt5360 So true, but treasure and trust the Experience...

[@marine-pilot4511]

Great Stuff!!

[@joshuasoichy9729]

My dad once said if there’s a hole there’s a goal😏

[@Aniontedone]

Where is the opponent’s bridge to be found? Chum Kiu guides the way.

[@RAPINCITE]

My thoughts these days is the more aggressive some one is the closer you will be to there centre line.

[@sifuadamwilliss]

I wouldn’t say aggressive, I would say focused on your goal

[@RAPINCITE]

@@sifuadamwilliss if there in your face, I mean its closer to access there centrline, there basically presenting it for you. I always compare it to a thug, not someone who knows wing chun. Where i live in Australia it's not known wing chung only now it's expanding, but even so people don't want to put in the work. not as much as the USA, we are behind 300 years compared to USA. So alot of the style of fighting boxing and Thai kick boxing and mma, so even if they were to learn it here they would probaly give up. Cos of how complex it is to throw a straight punch. After knowing western style all there life, it doesn't feel right punching so it's hard to advanced cos they don't keep pursuing the muscle memory of it there not confident enough to use it like you said if you put the work in only then you will see results not from talking about theories, but if you don't do enough work you won't advance.

[@michaellorke1980]

conceptually speaking, I'm struggeking to bring the Pak sao (say, from the 5. set of the s.n.t.) together with that idea of "always going into/for the center"? Could you shed light?

[@sifuadamwilliss]

It’s the elbows which go to the center.

[@assimarmel1644]

The answer is: Lat Sao Jik Chung

[@davidmg3211]

Totally agree, but many VT guys don't really understand how to develop and train LSJC to work properly.

[@jdjjdjd2667]

Great Class👍 Sifu Adam! Blocking directly at the foes should be as if you're coming through them. Just as you are 👊 punching through them. That " push or slam' blocking is effective if you're fighting one who's slower & less skilled than U R

[@marlonlo9661]

This guy knows the principles well. I haven't heard many so called Wing Chun practitioners taught the art this way. Right on when he said we have to change our mindset in order to stop chasing hands!

[@Blu-vv1ep]

I agree with you on this,a lot of WC practitioners make that mistake, myself included.In the past I used to make the same mistake until I properly understood Wing Chun.Only once I came to this understanding, I saw it as more of an offense art,dominating the centerline to throw your opponent off balance.

[@robertbehringer4787]

Great explanation yours is going inside.. We've met the enemy it was us...

[@johncolvin3273]

There is an art in fencing that is very similar to what you are describing here. Love it.

[@jasonstewartskungfustyles7106]

We say chase the target.

[@mitchelnwaokolo7463]

How can one enroll in a wing chun school from Nigeria, don't think we have those here. I'm a lover of the technique

[@sifuadamwilliss]

I have an online school at dragoninst.com/online

[@johnpadilla8502]

Hi Sifu...what is the key in chi sao to control the center, and not chase hands..? John

[@sifuadamwilliss]

The key is maintaining positional domination. This includes constant forward energy to their center and keeping your elbow between you and their center. But you can't do that without habitualizing these concepts into your subconcious by trial and error. In other words, without completely changing the way you think and move. Wing Chun isn't easy for anyone. Good Wing Chun takes a relentless determination which very few have.

[@dogguyful]

Thanks👌👌👍👍🙏🙏👊👊🥊🥊🥋🥋

[@VCOwolf]

Amazing lesson, thank you!

[@jensbentsen336]

Sifu this makes good sense I never knew until now why I don’t use the techniques I’ve learned in sparring but now I know thanks to you.. Thank you very much for opening my eyes.. Have a great day/night..

[@AviantoMr]

thank you vey much for your reminder "to focus on target to offence" the same thing we do in " bare empty hand" fencing fighting. when I was joining a big city's National Fencing Centre in my teen age age, every body did a bare hand fencing fighting practice in pairs with rotation mode. example: 1 fights 11 2 ---,,,,--- 12 3 ---,,,,--- 13 4 ---,,,,--- 14 5 ---,,,,--- 15 6 ---,,,,--- 16 7 ---,,,,--- 17 8 ---,,,,--- 18 9 ---,,,,--- 19 10 ---,,,,--- 20 then after 5 minutes 11 fights 12 1 --,,,,--- 13 2 --,,,,--- 14 3 --,,,,--- 15 & so on untill 9 ---,,,,--- 10 it stoped when 1 ---,,,,--- 11 again, whih mean it was already one loop. & each time we opposed with our fellow fencing athletes, we usuallt found a progress achieved by each one of us learned from our each opposing practice partnerinf athletes.

[@stevebuck4966]

Nice lesson, I study Kajukenbo and have been lightly playing in Wing Chun. Don't have my Wing Chun dummy yet, but very well said. Thank you.

[@McGregorZky]

Thank You Teacher

[@radwindstalker]

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