Chin Que - the universal bridge

[HungFamilyFist]

please forgive my terrible phonetic spelling.

Something ive had on my mind lately is applications and uses of Chin Que, the universal bridge. i know it's used for creating space and opening up targets. But i created a drill on monday where i used it to break and arm lock where the Chin Que shot out straight through(instead of the normal practice of starting it at the shoulder ad sweeping under the arm all the way around*.

But i was curious what insights people had on this bridge. Drills, ideas, etc.




*i realize that this practice may be just that, practice.

[TenTigers]

you can use it as a part B to your trapping drills. After opponent traps you, you step back and clear the trap with your bridge. Then you can vary the footwork and body angles to create artificial space.
There is a section in Moi Fa Kuen where you are bridged, pushed back and have to switch your stance, plant yuor foot, and set the bridge, grab and punch. I taught my student this, and it worked so well, that when he did it, he slammed me right in the mouth with his bridge hand, and opened up a decent cut.
He was mortified!
"Omigod! Sifu, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!etc"
and I laughed and replied,
"It's not your fault. The technique worked exactly as it was intended. You did fine."




"now drop and give me fifty!"

[PM]

well, the Hung Kyun saying goes: chyun kiu is a master of ten thousand techniques".

[TenTigers]

chuen-translates as thread or weave. Threading is done from inside to outside, or outside to inside to clear the bridge. ex:

1) your opponent throws a right swinging punch. You intercept with left biu-sao, or jiew-gang, right thread to the outside, and finish.

2) your opponent throws a straight right-you pak-dar-(left pak, right punch)
His wu-sao intercepts your strike, the energy crossing your centerline.
You right chuen-kiu from underneath and clear it/trap it, and continue your striking.

3) I don't use it as a "block" per-se, yet I see alot of articles and youtube where they are doing just that. Too much posing, too cooperative. Try it with someone who knows how to punch. Big difference.

4) I DO use it to clear my bridge-meaning if I am being crowded, or trapped, I can step back, foward, sideways or shift, and clear the bridge and renew my attack.

5)(offensively)I also use it a a foward bik kiu (usually combined with a step-through) to press and crowd my opponent, while attacking.

6) (offensively)I can whip it into my opponent's bridge (the bridge hand formation is not the LSW upright single finger, but the hand is cocked more akin to a crane's wing) the hand coming across his bridge,can also strike to the eyes at the same time.

7) (offensively) I use it as a grab to attack my opponent's bridge, or to thread it straight into his face.


7)

[PM]

excellent analysis TT, thnx!

[markt]

[PM]

one of my sihings, fluent in Cantonese and skillfull Hung Kyun boxer, always translated chyun kiu as "drilling bridge". dictionary also says: penetrate, pierce through; or wear, put on.

[TenTigers]

yes! also to penetrate! When we penetrate or peirce the bridge through the attacker's guard, or when we go staright in, it is also chuen.
That is an issue many of us non-native Cantonese speakers have is when these terms are used, it is not limited to a technique, but rather, a concept. Something that can be interpeted ten thousand ways.
In this way, we are only limited not only by our understanding but by our imagination and creativity. I realize that some may say that these words are too ambiguous, but they leave the door open to constatntly strive to develop and refine our technique and our understanding of our art.