Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 483

Every martial art style should have footwork that cover moving forwards, backwards, left and right. Even though we do not see all these in the Wing Chun forms, it does not mean we do not have them and should not practise them, and this includes Teui Máh 退馬 – Backward Step. However, In the Baat Jáam Dōu 八斬刀 – Eight Chopping Knives, Wing Chun Knives, we do have Teui Máh 退馬, but as we are using a weapon, it is different from the barehanded technique.  There are three ways to do Teui Máh.

The first way, we begin with Hōi Máh 開馬 – Opening Stance to make our Yìh Jih Kìhm Yèuhng Máh 二字鉗羊馬 – Basic Wing Chun Stance. Then we step back with one leg, it can be either left or right, as we do so, we keep the weight on the front leg and the foot we are stepping back with contacts the ground with the toes first and then the heel. We then shift the weight onto the back leg and drag the front leg back so that our final position is the same as in Jeun Máh 進馬 – Forward Step. The weight is 70% the back leg and 30% on the front, the toes of the back foot point out about 45 degrees, the heels of the front foot and back foot make a half arrow shape and the toes of the front foot point towards the opponent’s centre. We step back at 45 degree angle, we should never step back in a straight line as our opponent will be fast at moving forwards and will catch us easily if we do this. What hands we use, depends on how we are interacting with our opponent. If we lose contact with their hands, then we should have a hand at the front which matches the front foot as this is safer.