Guard The Center
Guarding the center forces your opponent to take the longer route. Your opponent must strike in an arch, giving you the advantage of of striking the opponent’s center.
Your guard hands should be extended about 3/4 in the center of your body making your opponent have to take the longer route in order to strike you. Also you’ll avoid the close-in strikes used in boxing.
Face the Point of Contact
There’s an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body. This is called the centerline. This line should face the point of the attacking limb, placing your body behind the defending arm. If you block a forceful circular with only the arm, it can collapse. For an mpg example of this see: Defense/Attack Kick in the techniques Section
Economy of movement
Try to defend and attack with minimum movement. In Wing Chun a defense is turned into an attack
immediately, sometimes simultaneously
Touch Reflexes
Chi Sao
The Chi Sao(sticking hands) exercises teach sensitivity and contact reflexes. These exercises will teach how to react when contact is made with the arms. You will also learn how to interrupt your movements enabling you to change direction instantly.
Watch the Leading Elbow
Watching the opponents leading elbow will enable you to interpret the angle of attack. The elbow travels at least four times slower than the first in a circular attack. The elbow is also far enough away to give you time to react. No matter what movement your opponent makes his/her elbow will move.
Linear Striking Action
Striking along the centerline forces your opponent to take the longer outside route to strike giving you the advantage of making first contact.
A Wing Chun punch travels the center line, guarding the center during a strike. Others may not.
Avoid Fighting Force Against Force
If you block a strong oncoming force make contact then let it go and recover to an advantageous position using a circular arm movement such as Lau Sao(slipping hand) or a Huen Sao(circular hand). A Huen Sao uses some force and usually to the opponents arm. A Lau Sao briefly disengages the centerline using speed as opposed to force.
Train to use Two Arms at the same time
Chi Sao will teach you how to use both sides of your brain. The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body and the left side controls the right side. You will learn how to sue both sides interdependently. A pianist can play one rhythm/melody with the left hand and another with the right hand. Try rubbing your head with hand and patting your stomach with the other and vice versa. Now try doing it faster and faster as in a rea fight. Get the idea?
Sometimes you can block and strike on the centerline. Sometimes you can block on the centerline but strike along the central line.
Use Pressure Points to make striking more effective
Use The same Meridian Pressure Points as treatment for sports injuries
Chinese Acupuncture
There are 14 ‘main’ meridians or pathways joining the acupuncture points. 12 meridian are bilateral(both on the right and left) and 2 are midline on the body (front and back). There are new meridians that have been discovered which are called “Extra Meridians”. I am not covering them at this time.