Review of Gary Lam's Devastating Chi Sao Crossing Hands System DVD 2

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Review by: Manuel Bustos
DVD Bought at: http://www.everythingwingchun.com/Gary-Lam-Devastating-Chi-Sao-2-p/gl06.htm

Summary:

The “Devastating Chi Sao Crossing Hands System 2” DVD by Sifu Lam is a continuation in Lam’s exploration of Wong Shun Leung Wing Chun and focuses on advanced Chi Sao. Sifu Lam classifies the techniques or actions presented on the DVD as level 2. The most important idea behind the DVD is control of the opponent rather than striking the opponent. This is accomplished by use hand techniques, sweeps, kicks and the body itself.

Details:

Continuing in his in-depth exploration of Wong Shun Leung Wing Chun Sifu Gary Lam has produced an advanced Chi Sau DVD titled “Devastating Chi Sao Crossing Hands System 2” on DVD. This DVD is just under an hour in length (57:10) and consists of six indexed points (chapters) on the DVD which are:

• Two Hands on top/Bottom Chi Sau,
• Control Center,
• Closing/Breaking Power Point,
• Chi Qerk,
• Six Actions of Po Pai Training and finally,
• Correct & Wrong Bong Sau Po Pai & Poon Sau.

This DVD focuses on control of the opponent rather than simply striking the opponent. After all if one controls the opponent then you can strike at any time, but the reverse is not true. Striking an opponent does not necessarily give you control of the opponent. The DVD also examines long distance, middle distance and close distance fighting aspects of Wing Chun. Sifu Lam demonstrates controlling the opponent by using hands, legs sweeps, kicks, and the entire body during Chi Sau. Hence, techniques from all three Wing Chun forms are used as well as the kicks from the Mook Yan Jong.

Sifu Lam introduces single double Chi Sau which incorporates additional techniques into the traditional single hand Chi Sau; double-hand Chi Sao utilizing two hands on top as well as two hands on bottom. Each of these forms of Chi Sau leads to certain combinations or “actions,” and the demonstrations are repeated a number of times for clarification. These also help to focus inner power according to Sifu Lam.

The actions presented on the DVD are not for the novice student and to say the least will need to be practiced a great many times, but the use of Sifu Lam’s actions do give the student a method of controlling the opponent. Also discussed are the angles used within Wing Chun fighting which are: zero degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 120 degrees. Each angle is demonstrated. Angling allows a Wing Chun practitioner to fend off a stronger opponent or strong attack, redirect an attack, or end the exchange. Typically on a weaker opponent one barrels in which is zero degrees.

Of course no discussion of control within the Wing Chun system could be complete without covering Po Pai, which is introduced to the Wing Chun student within the Mook Yan Jong form. To this end Sifu Lam uses two students as opponents to cover six techniques, while he comments on the actions. These actions also cover long, middle and short or close range fighting. Once again, all of the “actions” are control rather than strike, once controlled an opponent may be struck at will. Finally, wrong Bong Sau and correct Bong Sau are used in combination with Po Pai.

Poon Sau is the final element of control and presented within the last chapter on this DVD. Once again it is stressed that this DVD is advanced, so Poon Sau is not likely to have been introduced to the student as Sifu Lam states a Wing Chun practitioner needs about 10 years of training to be competent. Still the technique is of such importance that Sifu Lam covers Poon Sau if only briefly.
For any Wing Chun student wishing to advance his Chi Sau crossing hands and wishing to learn to better control his opponent with Wing Chun this DVD has the proper depth coverage to properly demonstrate the incorporation actions to control an opponent within Chi Sau. However, the student must be at a sufficiently high level of Chi Sau to apply these actions. And as they say practice makes perfect.

One final note, originally this DVD was released on a DVD-R and Cranes is now putting this out on a regular DVD. The original DVD-R does show problems from time to time, but those problems are addressed by the new pressings.