3 very useful components in San Shou complete training are it's
simplified multi-adversary versions of Chin Na, Pushing-Hands and
Sticky-Hands.
Chin Na is a grappling system, based on rapid joint locking.
Grappling refers to the manipulation of another's body to reduce
the ability of the other to move in a way that typically would be
destructive to you. In other words, it is highly efficient
grabbing. The name, "Chin Na," shows this because it means seize
and lock in Chinese. Chin Na is about exerting absolute control
over one's opponents, at the mental level and the physical.
Chin Na are the joint locking/grappling systems from Chinese
martial art styles. two classic reasons for applying Chin Na are as
follows:
1. Chin Na allows for the option of controlling and disabling
opponents without causing serious harm.
2. Chin Na can be used effectively against large groups of people
using a wide variety attacks, armed and unarmed.
Reason number one comes from the development of Chin Na by Shaolin
Buddhist Monks. Buddhism is built around a general mandate toward
compassion and extreme non-violence. The Shaolin sect of Buddhism
differed from other sects of Buddhism by promoting the mastery of
the physical self through the martial arts. The Shaolin, however,
are still Buddhists, and still followed the Buddhist mandates. Time
was invested by the Shaolin into the research of Chin Na, because
it allowed for the neutralizing of an attacker using a combination
of simple restraint, joint dislocation, and/or intense pain. This
was very important to the Shaolin, because such aggression from the
attacker indicated that the attacker was spiritually undeveloped,
in other words, a child. Choosing to merely neutralize the
attacker, rather than cripple or kill him/her, gave the attacker an
opportunity to physically recover, and then spiritually grow.
Since, by religious training, the Shaolin believe our only reason
on this world is for spiritual progress, a more spiritually
advanced person extending the opportunity to grow to a foolish
child was only logical.
Chin Na was developed by more than the Shaolin, although they were
the primary developers. Chin Na exists in some form in all Chinese
martial arts. For example, it is a major portion of the Tai Chi
fighting set. Chin Na, therefore, covers a range of techniques as
broad as the Chinese arts, ranging from gentle response to to
combat application. Shaolin Chin Na teaches the mild forms as well
the combat forms. Often times the same technique or principle can
first be used as as an escort, then as a non-painful restraint,
then shifted to a simple pain control, then to a joint dislocation,
then be used as a joint tear, then as a set up to a truly brutal
and quick response--to the radical extent of tearing off parts of
an attacker's body.
Shaolin Chin Na teaches the gentle controls and not only the brutal
controls. Besides being more complete, statistically this is a more
useful approach. The vast majority of physical encounters do not
legally justify high levels of force, and are the result of someone
behaving in a stupid fashion.
Tai Chi push hands is an exercise primarily designed to enhance a
players ability to remain balanced while in contact with an
opponent. Push hands training improves ones ability to disrupt the
balance of an opponent by feeling where his or her center of
gravity is and exploiting it. To protect ones own balance, a
player attempts to diffuse incoming forces by sensing them and
redirecting them. Typically, players begin facing each other with
contact between hands and elbows and a simple pattern of circular
movement. At some mutually expected point early into the movement,
players begin to search for a way to disrupt the opponents balance
while maintaining their own balance through adjustments of
position, stance, balance and hand position. When either of the
players is uprooted or loses balance, the action stops and the
players begin again with mutual contact and cooperative movement to
start the cycle again. Emphasis is placed on using proper
technique as opposed to brute force to accomplish this
task.
Wing Chun sticky hands is an exercise primarily designed to enhance
a players ability to attack an opponent with, and protect ones
self from open handed strikes, punches, elbows, knees, kicks,
grabs, locks, etc.. Sticky hands training begins with players
facing each other with arms in contact and a simple rolling
pattern of movement. At some expected time early on in the
rolling players begin to exploit each others position and
movement with sharp, explosive attacks. Pulls, pushes, strikes and
grabs are all part of the exercise. When one player manages to
create a situation where he has trapped the others arms and can
land clean strikes of his own, play pauses momentarily to reset and
begin rolling again.
There are many similarities between these two activities. They are
both initiated from contact with the opponent. They are both
started with a cooperative and predictable pattern of cyclical
movement. They are both concerned with disrupting the opponents
balance by attacking his or her center of gravity. They are both
learned in stages, moving from predetermined, cooperative patterns
of movement at first, to freestyle competitive play at the advanced
stages. Both exercises emphasis the use of sensitivity and
technique over brute force. These training methods are quite
similar in many respects. The prior placing of hands between
tournament opponents is only to facilitate refereeing or grading.
In their combat-oriented versions such as San-Shou, practisioners
are taught to block and counter enemy blows and take-down attempts
without prior contact with adversaries.
The differences between push hands and sticky hands have to do with
intent. The intent of push hands training is to teach a Tai chi
player to stick to the opponents limbs and body. While sticking
to the opponent, the Tai Chi player attempts to push, trip or
throw. Striking is not the main emphasis in push hands training.
The intent of Wing Chun sticky hands training is to strike the
opponent while not being struck back. The Tai Chi player will tend
to stick to the limbs of an opponent wherever they go, while the
Wing Chun player will chase the body, not the hands The Tai Chi
player will move in circular, flowing patterns while the Wing Chun
player will use straight, jolting choppy movements. The differences
between these activities are many.
The philosophical underpinnings of each style dictate the training
methods used to develop martial skills. Wing Chun is primarily a
striking art. Its methods deal with cultivating devastating
striking ability and defense against strikes. Tai Chi is an art
mainly concerned with throws, pushing, pulling and locking.
Striking is a major aspect of Tai Chi fighting theory, but not as a
part of push hands training. Also, Wing Chun is aimed at striking
many times in a short time frame. Tai Chi seems to favor more
committed, single attacks of various types.
