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Wing Chun Chi Sao & Contact Juggling
Now, in truth, if you followed the exact forms, terms, and movements of a traditional wing chun education, you'd probably sneer at this.
But it hit me ~ pun quite intended, as usual ~ while![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aequitaslevitas and I took our chi sao practice up a notch or two, that what we were doing had an awful lot of similarities with contact juggling, such that you could benefit by cross-training.
In both arts, you are maintaining contact with the object you're working with: in contact juggling, usually one or more heavy spheres; in chi sao, your opponent. So, sure there are differences. If you step back from the ball, it falls. If you step back from the opponent, they probably stay standing. However, the goal in both is to maintain contact, to maintain control of the object.
Circular motions are the order of the day in chi sao. Sure, there are some direct strikes, but they are met with and trapped by circular motions. In contact juggling, the goal is to make it look like you are, literally, revolving around a sphere.
Although you may start with a bunch of set named moves, the real goal is to blend them into something that is much more fluid. In chi sao, you are coupling your movements with those of another person, reacting to their attacks, and positioning yourself to be able to target them. In contact juggling, you are often attempting to make it look as if the sphere is alive and you're trying to react to it or contain it.
It would be interesting to attempt some form ~ probably not all that recognizable once it comes down to it ~ of chi sao with one or more spheres...
But it hit me ~ pun quite intended, as usual ~ while
aequitaslevitas and I took our chi sao practice up a notch or two, that what we were doing had an awful lot of similarities with contact juggling, such that you could benefit by cross-training.In both arts, you are maintaining contact with the object you're working with: in contact juggling, usually one or more heavy spheres; in chi sao, your opponent. So, sure there are differences. If you step back from the ball, it falls. If you step back from the opponent, they probably stay standing. However, the goal in both is to maintain contact, to maintain control of the object.
Circular motions are the order of the day in chi sao. Sure, there are some direct strikes, but they are met with and trapped by circular motions. In contact juggling, the goal is to make it look like you are, literally, revolving around a sphere.
Although you may start with a bunch of set named moves, the real goal is to blend them into something that is much more fluid. In chi sao, you are coupling your movements with those of another person, reacting to their attacks, and positioning yourself to be able to target them. In contact juggling, you are often attempting to make it look as if the sphere is alive and you're trying to react to it or contain it.
It would be interesting to attempt some form ~ probably not all that recognizable once it comes down to it ~ of chi sao with one or more spheres...