Mui Fa Kyun - "Kneeling Stance, Intercepting Bridge"

[PM]

hello guys,

question for those who practice Mui Fa Kyun - what is you practical usage of this technique? "Kneeling Stance, Intercepting/Chopping Bridge" (Gwai Ma Jit Kiu/Pek Kiu)?

[Xiaobian]

I of course concede to more qualified and skilled practitioners here (pretty much everyone), but I have personally used it against my muay thai buddies to set up a throw. I apologize for not knowing any of the terminology :/

In mui fa, the footwork of this movement is initiated by drawing in your lead foot and pulling it back. the way I have learned it, it's more than merely a kneel, but a half-step back and kneel. This is great at meeting up with someone advancing on you (if they are trying to step and get their lead leg at your back. The foot can then bridge behind your opponent's lead foot, and the arm cuts down to establish a bridge (or potentially sweep their stance). Against the muay thai guys I sparred, it was usually a low kick that I intercepted with both my body and my bridge arm.

IMMEDIATELY upon bridging comes the next move, which is always letting them lead you into their space and destroying it. In mui fa kyun, two of the three times this movement appears in the form, the executions see a follow up with a divide-and-upper-cut (which is what I used as a throw just by closing the distance and grabbing their lead leg), and one of them is a lifting bridge followed by a kick. Either way, I am a huge fan of the idea behind this movement. It is straight down and forward. You don't dodge, redirect, or budge. They attack, and you stay rooted and merely change from the middle/upper to the lower gate, and flow directly back forward destroying their space (and ribs, I guess).

Or I guess it could be a dodge, I dunno. I've always been pretty skeptical of the idea of my using one arm to impact an opponent's kick, but my sifu has arms of concrete, so I guess it works for him. :/

[hasayfu]

note: Xiaoban responded while I was typing this. I'll read his response later)

First, when I do Moi Fah, this move does not kneel. It is a low "cat" stance. This is the way that Sigung Chiu Wai taught me. I should say I don't know the chinese name of the movements so I never considered it a gwai ma.

The concept is to cover a mid-low attack to the right side. Intercept the attack and draw the attacker back then explode forward with the low to high attack. (uppercut to the body in the first instance, kick in the second) This is why it is important (for our application) to have the lead leg empty and towards the attacker.

Note: It I'm not saying you can't explode from the kneel, I just remember Sigung emphasizing this to me and therefore I don't kneel. (like the kneeling stance in tiger crane where you also move into a form of uppercut)

[Xiaobian]

[Subitai]

Lets' not forget that TEN had started this way back...

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=203&hilit=Moi+Fa+Sup+Fu+Kuen

[TenTigers]

Here's what I said back then...

-As far as the "Kneeling Strike" is conncerned, it can be used for many things.

1) the snap-off. this is used while evading/slipping the jab. The body snaps to the side (can also be 45 deg foward/back, etc) into an upright, higher stance gwai-ma. The hand position is basically the same as in the form. A right hammerfist to the liver. Train low, explode high.

2) If you see the opening movements as a combination, grab,punch, armbar(side horse bong-sao) into takedown (side horse into the double claws in bow stance-your front knee is buckling his leg as you apply the arm bar) the gwai-ma and down "block" is pulling the opponent off balance, while dropping your forearm down on his locked arm-breaking it-at the same time dropping your knee onto his achillies tendon. Finish off with the "block" as a foream or hammerfist into the jaw/head/neck.

3) the dropping into that position can also be an arm drag takedown.

4) it can be done higher again, as in the snap-off, against a front kick. in which case, you can scoop the leg and apply a lock and/or takedown.

in my opinion, crouching low to make yourself a smaller target is a recipe for disaster. By assuming this position, you are not allowing yourself to develop the foward momentum to attack your opponent. Try it and you will see that your partner can bowl you over.
However, if you are already downed and your opponent comes in for the football kick, it can be used to shield, deflect and counter.

[APAV]

My interpretation is simply that if your back hand is grabbed, you pull it back and come down hard on the opponents arm. The sweeping arc of the cutting hand may very well intercept an incoming attack from the opponents other hand at the same time.

The kneeling part I just view as an exaggeraion for leaning back and sinking your bodyweight.

[Daifong]

As you engage above, it leaves an empty space below. Therefore, drop your bridge-hand down with breaking impact, twist sideways as you bend your knees to protect your groin. It's even better getting off the line, as Ten Tigers mentions. Kneeling all the way shows full dynamic range, but is not for everyone.

[PM]

We also use it as a hammer fist to the groin - works like charm ie. 1st section - fake high, strike low, when he bends over, step in and control his head, uppercut to the face, push him away with Chyun kiu and hit him again.