Defensive Concepts

The 4 Corners

Blocking hooks and outside body strikes. Remember your stance. Elbows in, hands at chin level. Block with the same side. Your opponent throws a right, use your left to block, he throws a left, use your right. High Left, High right, Low Left, Low Right. For low blocks, point the palm down and towards your body.

Bil Sau

The basic block. When the guy throws a hook, your arm should shoot out at 45 degrees to meet his forearm. It’s almost as if striking. If you’re in tighter, your arm might meet the bend in his arm. Often, there’s not enough time to fully extend.

Tan San

For a bit of a close range, with less time to react, throw your arm out at 45 degrees only this time with a 90 degree bend. The palm should face the sky . Another version is where the palm almost touches the ear. Like you see in MMA competitions.

Elbow Blocks

Sometimes the safest way to block a hook is with the entire arm. Reach for the back of the head with the elbow bent at 30 degrees to absorb the impact. With low hooks to the body, lower your arm to your side in the same manner.

Deflecting

Against straight shots to the face and body, let your solid stance do most of the work. The Wing Chun stance was designed to block linear strikes with minimal effort. Squeeze the arms in only 2 to 4 inches. Your palms or wrists block face shots. For the body just lower the arms a bit and use the forearms to block.

Bong Sau

A more advanced way to block inside body strikes, especially at close range. Arm bends at 90 degrees, crossing your own torso and pointing down, palm out.

Triangle Blocks

The art of simultaneous striking while blocking. Usually the Bil Sau combined with a linear punch or palm. Though it can be any of the above blocks. It’s called triangle due to the apparent shape when viewed from the side.

Counter Punching

Defending, and then retuning strikes. The only way to get good is lots of practice. If you’re on the attack, the opponent might throw one or two while moving back, so you should train to react to this. 1,2,3 block, 1,2,3.

Kick Defense

For hook kicks to the head or body, use the elbow blocks. For front kicks and sidekicks, cover up with both arms and raise 1 leg to protect the groin area. For low hook kicks to the legs, thrust you knee out at 45 degrees. If done correctly, it’ll hurt the opponent way more than it’ll hurt you. He might be able to kick a tree down, but not a mountain.

Anti-Grappling and Reversals

A superior stance and lowered center of gravity makes most takedowns rather difficult. Redirect the opponents’ energy with a palm to the forehead or forearm to the collar area. Tight upper cuts and palms to the ear. If he already had you moving back, clear the path and use his energy against him. Reversing takedowns. Reversing full mount, side mount, and submissions.