Opinion: Effectiveness of CHI SAO w/NHB

Chi Sao is an important concept in Wing Chun and WC-related arts, as well as in Southern Preymantis. Basically, the practitioner gains sensitivity to the position of the opponent's arms and body in relation to his own. In other words, you develops awareness of the opponent's strengths and weaknesses (positioning, balance, intent) by merely touching his arms with yours. During confrontation, you will know what your opponent's intentions are, where he intends to move/attack, and where his centre of balance is

I have been kickboxing for a few years. Recently, because I could not find a Muay Thai school, I began training in Jeet Kune Do. I am being taught CHI SAO and at this point I am finding it difficult to use.

Are there any examples of CHI SAO influenced techniques used in any NHB tournaments? Has any JKD/Wing Chun practitioner ever won in NHB?

How does a good boxer compare to a good Wing Chun/JKD practitioner?

What are the street benefits of Chi Sao?

Any info would be appreciated. TIA

Speaking ONLY from a Wing Chun Do (www.wingchundo.com) standpoint, Chi Sao is a drill used to help with sensitivity and flow. As for the other questions, can't comment on that. I do know that at the JKD/JF convention that was held here in Seattle 2 years ago alot of the JKD did not even know what Chi Sao was, we were going to demonstrate a chi sao drill we use and some of the JKD guys didn't even know the positions of it. As for the street benefits of it, like I was saying, it's good to help flow from one technique, feel the opening and go to the next technique. As for Boxer vs JKD/WC to infinite a number of things to consider, however I will say this, my instructor Sijo Jame DeMile when he met Bruce Lee had just got out of the Air Force and was heavy weight boxing champ, he was undefeated in 120+ fights, he said when he tried to attach Bruce, he couldn't do anything, he said Bruce's WC nullified everything he tried, it is Sijo and WCD's view point that Boxing as a fighting system is a good street system that happens to be countered quite effectively by WC/WCD. In WCD our goal is to get into the hands, are first priority isn't the face or body, it's the hands, now if the hands aren't there of course we'll go for a Bil Jee (eye jab) strike, but a boxer gives you his hands meaning he majority of the time will have them already up. Hope this helps somewhat, again let me state i'm ONLY speaking from a WCD standpoint.

Jay Hollingsworth Wing Chun Do Instructor in training

Well, of course you're not seeing the point. That's because you're learning chi sau from the wrong people. JKD people have no concept of what chi sau is about, and therefore do not know how to use it for it's purpose. JKD chi sau is NOT comparable to Wing Chun chi sau.

I have been kickboxing for a few years. Recently, because I could not find a Muay Thai school, I began training in Jeet Kune Do. I am being taught CHI SAO and at this point I am finding it difficult to use.

Are there any examples of CHI SAO influenced techniques used in any NHB tournaments? Has any JKD/Wing Chun practitioner ever won in NHB?

How does a good boxer compare to a good Wing Chun/JKD practitioner?

What are the street benefits of Chi Sao?

Any info would be appreciated. TIA

Why is JKD chi sao inferior to WC chi sao?

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: and at this point I am finding it difficult to use.

: Are there any examples of CHI SAO influenced techniques used in any NHB : tournaments? Has any JKD/Wing Chun practitioner ever won in NHB?

: How does a good boxer compare to a good Wing Chun/JKD practitioner?

: What are the street benefits of Chi Sao?

: Any info would be appreciated. TIA

Isn't Chi Sao more of a skill developed through drills? I wouldn't compare it to techniques because its not the same. I would only guess that it just depends on how you use the 'sticky hands' in a fight that would count as its benefits.

Its like asking if speedbag training is used for NHB much less fights. Well....maybe in a Jim Carrey movie. Seriously. If you work on the speedbag it just develops eye-hand coordination and some hand speed. Its only one portion of your training as a complete fighter but many top boxers will always do their speedbag workout in their routine.

Say WHAT? I'm not a JKD person myself, but I study Kali under them, and they seem to know all manner of sensitivity drills, both Chi Sao and Filipino versions.

JKD Chi Sao IS Wing Chun Chi Sao, AFAIK, because Wing Chun was the nucleus of Jun Fan/JKD and one of the sources for both it's hand techniques (especially trapping) and sensitivty. It is true, as I understand it, that they don't start the sensitivity traiing as soon as they do in WC, but it is still done.

You don't use Chi Sao literally in a fight; more it's meant to help you develop an attribute you _can_ use in a fight.

The way it was explained to me, the idea behind Chi Sao is that when you get into trapping range, you will be close enough to your opponent that you will not see his next technique coming; it will hit you before you realize what's happening! So with sensitivity, the goal is to 'attach' yourself to your opponent and learn to feel what's coming; you react in time and turn the situation around, if you know how.

Grapplers may not practice Chi Sao specificaly, but they have drills desinged to achieve the same goal

Some comments below from a Wing Chun perspective, which are not meant as flames.

'Trapping range' is something invented within the JKD group.

Chi Sao is a sensitivity training tool and a way to do sparring at whatever range you are comfortable. That means the contact range. As Wing Chun is a close range combat art