Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 472

We practise Wàahng Máh 横馬 – Sideways Step like we de Tsum Kìuh 尋橋 – Looking for the Bridge, the second form. Here we walk sideways, left to right and then right back to left. While we walk, we also perform Bóng Sáu Wuh Sáu 膀手護手 – Wing Hand and Guarding Hand, however, this is just for Tsum Kìuh because the form is teaching us how to use the Kìuh Sáu 橋手 – Bridge Arm, which is our forearm. In the form we can see Bóng Sáu, Wàahng Làahn Kyùhn 橫欄拳 – Horizontal Bar Fist, Wàahng Làahn Sáu   横欄手 – Horizontal Bar Hand, Chìhn Bóng Sáu 前膀手 – Forward (Dai) Bong Sau, etc. When we are practising Wàahng Máh individually, we can use any hand technique. Personally, I like to use to Wuh Sáu’s. We need to focus on the Wàahng Máh and not the hands.

To train it we need to first Hōi Máh 開馬 – Opening Stance, then we make the Yìh Jih Kìhm Yèuhng Máh 二字鉗羊馬 – Basic Wing Chun Stance, then we Jyún Máh 轉馬 – Turning Stance. Now we can begin to do Wàahng Máh. We need to step with the front leg and then drag the back leg to form the Jyun Mah position, so  weight needs to be 70% on back leg and 30% on the front. You can step as far as you want, usually we make it a comfortable distance, but we must make sure the body does no bob up and down as we step. When we step the heel of the front foot should land first as we will put more weight on it. We must also make sure we keep the foot close to the ground and not lift it up too high. As the front leg lands, the back leg quickly shifts forwards to match the front leg and maintaining the shoulder width distance, so it is the same as the Jyún Máh position.