| -An unexpected component of Wing Chun.- | | | | different. It's all advanced, short range |
| | | | centerline control. It is the opposite |
| Most people today think of fighting systems | | | | spectrum of my early training and is |
| as Asian. Some also even think of Brazil or | | | | considered advanced Wing Chun. Our training |
| Israel, but most don't think of martial arts | | | | methods are unique to our line and I believe |
| as being European or American. Some have | | | | it is the "Little Idea" that Wing Chun can |
| heard of Bare-Knuckle Boxing but don't equate | | | | and should be. |
| it with other martial arts. They really don't | | | | |
| know how effective and brutal a street-minded | | | | But as a teacher I have come to understand |
| European boxer could be. In fact, | | | | the importance of retaining that early longer |
| Bare-Knuckle Boxing was once considered one | | | | range Western Long-Bridge Boxing. My |
| of the most effective empty hand systems in | | | | experience has been that without its |
| the Western world for self-defense. | | | | influence, a three to eight year practitioner |
| | | | of Wing Chun is predominantly a mid to short |
| When we think of Bare-Knuckle Boxing we | | | | range fighter who finds kickers and anyone |
| envision the sport scene more than the | | | | who fights at, or just outside of, boxing |
| self-defense aspect of the system. We think | | | | range to be problematic. I say this with all |
| of the Queensberry rules and black & white | | | | due respect not wanting to ruffle feathers, |
| visions of fighters who stood in a strange | | | | but I've touched hands with many of the major |
| looking, more upright, primary fighting | | | | lines' practitioners only to find them |
| stance. People today consider the system a | | | | wanting. They could not deal with someone who |
| rather antiquated form of boxing which has | | | | kept them out of their comfort zone. In other |
| grown to become a high level sport. That is | | | | words, I found that their interpretation of |
| exactly what it has become; A SPORT. | | | | Wing Chun was somehow limited by tradition. |
| | | | It lacked presence and innovation. There is |
| There is a large gap between sport and | | | | something else that eludes many Wing Chun |
| self-defense, however. As a self-defense, | | | | practitioners and that's the anti-grappling |
| today's boxing has lost much of its street | | | | aspects of Wing Chun which is an essential |
| effectiveness. The Bare knuckle fighter of | | | | part of my system but who's subject I will |
| the past could handle himself quite well | | | | save for another article. I am by no means |
| against any would-be attacker. | | | | saying that Western Boxing in itself is an |
| | | | unabridged system. I am simply saying that |
| Early in the sport, men still used illegal | | | | the ability to reason like our Western |
| techniques that they learned from their own | | | | fathers has greatly improved our Wing Chun. |
| fathers and brothers or from the street. | | | | |
| These fighters knew how to hide illegal | | | | As a teacher I feel that the most important |
| techniques within legal ones like the | | | | thing I can do is to look at my students as |
| straight right hand that would slice the | | | | people I can help. I put their needs first, |
| opponents lips to ribbons or the eye gouge | | | | so teaching the Long-Bridge aspects of Wing |
| hidden within a jab. These guys knew all the | | | | Chun is first. To me it's all Wing Chun but I |
| brutal, vicious, fight-terminating shots. In | | | | emphasize the Long-Bridge because of its |
| fact, before rules were in place and before | | | | brutal effectiveness. Its emphasis is on |
| today's boxing methods were birthed in the | | | | destroying the attacker efficiently and |
| ring, men were studying boxing as a | | | | quickly at a longer range than is |
| self-defense science. The practice of | | | | traditionally taught to 99% of Wing Chun |
| bare-knuckle boxing dates back to ancient | | | | practitioners. This gives a less skilled |
| times and was unparalleled during the | | | | student more time to respond with adequacy by |
| Renaissance where fencing science and human | | | | reason of distance created by larger footwork |
| biomechanics were meticulously applied to the | | | | and additional arm extension. The footwork is |
| system. | | | | not different than Wing Chun, just larger. |
| | | | Much of the training is efficient |
| European bare-knuckle boxing is an almost | | | | interception, footwork and straight, |
| forgotten, yet very effective street | | | | leg-powered punches with simultaneous |
| self-defense system. It is the original form | | | | deflection. Keeping your head away from the |
| of boxing, more closely related to ancient | | | | action and greater mobility is key. After |
| combat systems. It involves sophisticated | | | | they are proficient they go into what we call |
| self-defense using fists, fingers, elbows, | | | | mid-range (where most Wing Chun lives) and |
| knees, feet and even the head. | | | | then at higher levels to short-bridge or very |
| | | | close quarters training. |
| Bare-Knuckle Boxing or Western boxing or what | | | | |
| I call Long-Bridge Boxing at my school is our | | | | Innovation is a concept that we value, so as |
| indigenous fighting system and is every bit | | | | a system we view Wing Chun as complete. That |
| as effective as its oriental counterparts. | | | | means that it works against boxers, kickers |
| It also makes up a large part of our martial | | | | and grapplers, guns, edged weapons and blunt |
| heritage. The western art of boxing has also | | | | instruments. I was not looking for Western |
| had a huge influence on most other martial | | | | Boxing when I found my teacher but it was a |
| arts. One system in particular, some believe, | | | | pleasant surprise. One that I value greatly |
| that was greatly influenced by Western boxing | | | | to this day. We possess not only the skills |
| is Wing Chun. A look into China's past will | | | | of the fathers of Wing Chun but also that of |
| tell you that Chinese practitioners had many | | | | our Western fathers. To quote my Si-Gung, |
| encounters with Western boxers. They | | | | "The principles of both arts combined, form |
| encountered a system of fighting they hadn't | | | | the basis for a more scientific fighting |
| seen before because they were used to | | | | method. The assimilation of Western physics, |
| fighting people of their own stature, not the | | | | philosophy, and other disciplines into the |
| taller Europeans. | | | | already effective Chinese Wing Chun creates |
| | | | the potential to develop all of the physical |
| These Europeans kept their heads back, with | | | | and psychological attributes of an |
| their weight on the rear leg. They punched | | | | individual. This combination of East and West |
| straight and took small, shuffling steps, | | | | would allow Yip Man to be joined by Da Vinci, |
| with a few low kicks or none at all. This was | | | | Vesalius, and other great thinkers as the |
| totally different from the Chinese methods as | | | | builders of the ultimate pugilistic system." |
| they used low horse stances, with wide, | | | | In other words, there is room for tradition |
| overreaching punches. Needless to say the | | | | but innovation should rule the day. |
| Europeans beat many of the kung fu fighters. | | | | |
| This is a matter of great controversy so we | | | | Although Bare-Knuckle Boxing is almost gone |
| need not say that this is indisputable. What | | | | in the United States, it is still a vital |
| I submit to you is that Wing Chun would be | | | | part of our training. More importantly, there |
| greatly improved by incorporating certain key | | | | is the idea of ownership of our fighting |
| principles of Bare-Knuckle Boxing. | | | | system. The idea that Wing Chun serves us and |
| | | | not the other way around. The tendency is to |
| Bare-Knuckle Boxing came to our line through | | | | cry, "Heresy!", but the proof is there for |
| my Si-Gung, Karl Godwin who with his own | | | | all to see. If you can't deal with various |
| teacher went in-depth into the study of the | | | | types of fighters and you get grappled down |
| roots of the world's martial arts. In | | | | and knocked out by a powerful right hand, |
| particular those of Western fighting arts, | | | | then your martial art is useless. If your |
| their development and finally, their | | | | Wing Chun can't deal with all comers then you |
| compatibility with Wing Chun. As a result, my | | | | should question it. I don't mean change it. I |
| teacher, Bill Graves, an early, senior | | | | don't mean alter the sets in any way, |
| student of Karl Godwin, spent much time | | | | although some of you have. I mean if you find |
| developing and refining his Western | | | | a place of deficiency in your system then |
| influenced Wing Chun. He then passed it on to | | | | alter your training methods and your manner |
| me where this innovative method has continued | | | | of interpretation of the sets. We have not |
| to blossom. The compatibility of Wing Chun | | | | altered the sets passed on to us, but |
| and Western boxing is nothing new however. It | | | | certainly the training methods are up to date |
| has been recognized before. Bruce Lee, an | | | | and answer ancient-to-modern martial |
| early Wing Chun practitioner, found that | | | | questions. This has created a seamless |
| boxing could fit the principles of Wing Chun | | | | fighting system whether armed or |
| better than any of the Asian arts. However, | | | | empty-handed. |
| he failed to take note of the pure street | | | | |
| aspects of the system and incorporated some | | | | A renaissance of Bare-Knuckle Boxing has |
| sport postures and methods. | | | | taken place in our school and I intend to |
| | | | conserve and develop it. This vital component |
| So my early training in Wing Chun was a | | | | of our Wing Chun has allowed us to better |
| combination of undiluted Leung Sheung (Yip | | | | appreciate Bruce Lee's efforts to incorporate |
| Man's most senior student) Wing Chun as a | | | | fencing and Western Boxing into his system. |
| skeleton with the Western boxing expression. | | | | Tradition is good but if it begins to make |
| I learned the sets without alteration but | | | | any part of the system ineffective then its |
| when it came to sparring and ultimately | | | | got to take a back seat to well thought-out |
| fighting it was certainly pre-sport Western | | | | training. I think that's what Bruce Lee meant |
| boxing. The posture was tilted back with the | | | | more than anything in his pursuit of |
| arms extended upon interception keeping the | | | | expression in martial arts. Not the technique |
| head away from the opponent's fists. All of | | | | of the minute or the jack-of-all-trades |
| Wing Chun's concepts were in place but the | | | | mentality that is so prevalent in JKD today, |
| emphasis was certainly a polished Long-Bridge | | | | but the concepts of more effective training |
| Boxing articulation. Back then drawing blood | | | | and the idea of a complete fighting system. |
| was common. Bloody lips and black eyes and | | | | This unexpected component within our line and |
| cheekbones were expected. There wasn't a | | | | the mentality behind it, has unequivocally |
| night that I wouldn't go home without some | | | | paved the way to a Wing Chun that has |
| injury. Of course the way I train now is much | | | | come-of-age. |