Alan Gibson Chum Kiu Seminar Report

On Sunday 10th July 2011, Alan Gibson (seated) and his student Sean Collison (bottom row far left) visited our Next Level Wing Chun Academy club in Bury St Edmunds to hold yet another seminar on the WSLVT methods...this time covering their version of Chum Kiu (seeking the bridge)

Alan proceeded to discuss and explain the salient concepts of the form with his usual array of supplementary drills to further understand each aspect and cover any questions on the whys and hows along the way.

Sean began by demonstrating the form with Alan giving commentary, then mainly focused on explaining the use and purpose of waist power and more importantly waist and stance combined (Yiu Ma Hap Yat) as well as illustrating in this version there are 3 specific "Bong Sau" actions - one in each section, namely;

Section 1: Yi Bong - Shifting - in contact to open an attack line that has been jammed and its transition to and from Laan at close quarters
Section 2: Paau Bong - Throwing - generally out of contact though action can and is used in contact when needed
Section 3: Dai Bong - Low action - when pulled by opponent, force redirected through Dai Bong to close, executed off same leg as arm being pulled to maintain stance and facing

The Dai Bong off the rear leg could be used to defend the lower gates to a low thrusting attack if hands were down but accepted as a low action Paau Bong.

These 3 Bong sau situations illustrate the ONLY times Bong Sau MAY be needed in the WSL approach due to the fact that Bong is a primarily defensive action and doesn't provide an elbow driven attack option.
Initial bridging with Bong Sau as some schools teach is frowned upon for this very reason simply due to lack of efficiency and simplicity, defending a single punch with Bong, Laap Fak Sau for example is 3 actions to deal with 1 attack...however it is important to point out that the Laap sau fak sau response can apply should your initial straight interception attack should get jammed and forced off centre, calling for a possible Yi or Paau Bong response...even then, often a Laap is surplus to requirements if a simple punch within Wing Chun range (bent elbow distance) can be employed upon creation of an open attack line :-)
A full understanding of the Taan sau and Fook sau concept punches from the Siu Nim Tau level illustrates this perfectly.

(Tony Poynton and Neil Turner drilling Yi Bong to Laan transitions)


Alan also emphasised throughout the importance of stance and footwork to supplement the hand actions in whatever drill we trained as well as highlighting the form to be an extension of the Siu Nim Tau ideas in movement.
Three students also attended from an outside association from the Bristol area who requested to attend in advance and to see their faces light up in near disbelief when such depth was shown and explained in full to supplement their current understanding of Wing Chun and its ideas. I would like to thank the students present for making them feel so welcome and helping them better understand this approach.

As I say on a regular basis, I myself am not a Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun coach but I am enjoying the exploratory look at the system over the last 2-3 years and incorporating some of the ideas into my practice and teaching and thank Alan Gibson and his students wholeheartedly for their genuine help in trying to improve our Wing Chun skills and understanding. The more time I apply these ideas I feel my Wing Chun improving and becoming more simple, direct and efficient - three words that exemplify the Wong Shun Leung system more than any other method I have encountered to date.

If you are reading this and happen to not have met Alan Gibson or any others from this lineage, I cannot recommend you do so highly enough. Alans website is www.wingchun.org.uk and other coaches can be sought through there also.