Gūng Lihk 功力 – internal strength, is important in Chinese martial arts, particularly in Wing Chun. In Wing Chun, we like to make contact with our opponent’s hands to feel their energy and know how best to use less energy to defeat them. When we make contact, we use their energy against them. For example, when the opponent throws a punch, we gently make contact with their hand and redirect it down. Sometimes, we might pull them down and make them lose their balance, and at the same time, we can counterattack by punching or chopping them. This is using light, or soft, Gūng Lihk.
We might instead use Tāan Sáu 攤手 – Opening Hand, to meet their punch, and if they try to press our Tāan Sáu down, our Gūng Lihk enables us to hold it in position so they cannot move us. This is strong Gūng Lihk. So, Gūng Lihk can be soft or strong.
Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 518
If we take a close look at all three of these forms, we will see that Bīu Zī is in all of them.
Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 517
The hardest part of the training is holding the leg up and keeping the position. As we get tired, the leg will start to drop.
Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 516
When we kick, we do not just consider the kicking leg; we need to maintain our balance and not move the upper body very much.
Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 515
Before we can use the punch, we must practise connecting the whole body, from the stance to the waist and then through the body,
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