Yon Ch’uan Martial Arts includes self-defense techniques from Judo, Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Kobudo, and other arts. It truly is an amazing martial arts system.
We began looking at 15 Animal Kung Fu drills in the last part of our series. The first Animal that Yon Ch’uan students learn is the Tiger. This Kung Fu Animal allows the student to Evade and Escape, or Evade and Enter. The ultimate goal for the student is to escape an attack with little to no harm to themselves.
We learned about how the Tiger Evades to Escape in our last part. Here are some drills to practice how to use the Tiger to Evade and Enter.
Tiger Entering Drills
Each of the drills will include five basic principles of Yon Ch’uan Martial Arts:
- Yield
- Clear
- Contact
- Control
- Counter
Yield and Clear are how we “evade” an attack. Contact is how we “block” or “redirect” an attack. Control is how we “trap” an attack. Counter is how we “penetrate” an attack.
We usually evade once, block once, and trap once. Then we counter – sometimes once, sometimes twice, three times, four times, or as many times as is necessary to escape an attack.
Tiger Entering Drill #1
Solo Practice – Take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm and hand, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your right hand .. you will land in a right Tiger stance similar to a cat stance .. blocking is always done with a coiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. trapping is always done with an uncoiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s right arm, place your left hand on imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your right leg (right forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and pull the opponent’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing the opponent forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your right with your right foot which would cause your opponent to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Solo Practice – Take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the left leg and use it to leap to the right while blocking with the left arm and hand, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your left hand .. you will land in a left Tiger stance similar to a cat stance .. blocking is always done with a coiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. trapping is always done with an uncoiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s left arm, place your right hand on imaginary opponent’s left shoulder and step toward the opponent with your left leg (left forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s left shoulder and pull the opponent’s left arm to your left hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing the opponent forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your left with your left foot which would cause your opponent to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the right to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner Practice – Partner #1 is the attacker .. Partner #2 is the defender .. Partner #2 takes a natural stance .. move extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm and hand, followed by trapping with the right arm and hand .. you will land in a right Tiger stance similar to a cat stance .. blocking is always done with a coiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. trapping is always done with an uncoiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. after trapping Partner #1’s right arm, place your left hand on your partner’s right shoulder and step toward your partner with your right leg (right forward stance) as you push down on your partner’s right shoulder and pull your partner’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your partner off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing your partner forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your right with your right foot which would cause your partner to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner Practice – Partner #1 is the attacker .. Partner #2 is the defender .. Partner #2 takes a natural stance .. move extra weight to the left leg and use it to leap to the right while blocking with the left arm and hand, followed by trapping with the left arm and hand .. you will land in a left Tiger stance similar to a cat stance .. blocking is always done with a coiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. trapping is always done with an uncoiling movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm .. after trapping Partner #1’s left arm, place your right hand on your partner’s left shoulder and step toward your partner with your left leg (left forward stance) as you push down on your partner’s left shoulder and pull your partner’s left arm to your left hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your partner off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing your partner forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your left with your right foot which would cause your partner to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
If your partner (attacker) is falling forward but attempting to keep their balance by stepping forward faster, you can effect the fall by doing one of two things:
- Pull faster as you move your back foot in a bigger circle while continuing to push down on your partner’s shoulder
- Place your foot in front of your partner’s closer leg to keep them from stepping forward .. you will be using a Judo throw taught in Yon Ch’uan Martial Arts known as Tai Otoshi
Tiger Entering Drill #2
Solo Practice – This next drill is training to Evade and Enter using a roundhouse kick to stun the attacker and make the escape easier .. take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your right hand and executing a right roundhouse kick to knee or stomach .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s right arm and kicking them, place your left hand on imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your right leg (right forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and pull the opponent’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing the opponent forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your right with your right foot which would cause your opponent to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Solo Practice – Take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the left leg and use it to leap to the right while blocking with the left arm, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your left hand and executing a left roundhouse kick to knee or stomach .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s left arm and kicking them, place your right hand on imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your left leg (left forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s left shoulder and pull the opponent’s left arm to your left hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing the opponent forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your left with your left foot which would cause your opponent to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner Practice – Partner #1 is the attacker .. Partner #2 is the defender .. Partner #2 takes a natural stance .. Partner #1 uses their right hand to grab the right wrist of Partner #2 .. Partner #2 moves extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm and hand, followed by trapping with the right arm and hand while executing a right roundhouse kick toward partner’s knee or stomach (miss by a few inches) .. after trapping Partner #1’s right arm and kicking them, place your left hand on your partner’s right shoulder and step toward your partner with your right leg (right forward stance) as you push down on your partner’s right shoulder with your left hand and pull your partner’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your partner off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing your partner forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your right with your right foot which would cause your partner to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner Practice – Partner #2 takes a natural stance .. Partner #1 uses their left hand to grab the left wrist of Partner #2 .. Partner #2 moves extra weight to the left leg and uses it to leap to the right while blocking with the left arm and hand, followed by trapping with the left arm and hand while executing a left roundhouse kick toward partner’s knee or stomach (miss by a few inches) .. after trapping Partner #1’s left arm and kicking them, place your right hand on your partner’s left shoulder and step toward your partner with your left leg (left forward stance) as you push down on your partner’s left shoulder with your right hand and pull your partner’s left arm to your left hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your partner off-balance with their face toward the ground .. you can counter by pushing your partner forward to escape or by taking a circular step toward your left with your left foot which would cause your partner to fall facedown on the ground .. that will be the point where you can let go of your opponent and run toward the left to escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
If your partner (attacker) is falling forward but attempting to keep their balance by stepping forward faster, you can effect the fall by doing one of two things:
- Pull faster as you move your back foot in a bigger circle while continuing to push down on your partner’s shoulder
- Place your foot in front of your partner’s closer leg to keep them from stepping forward .. you will be using a Judo throw taught in Yon Ch’uan Martial Arts known as Tai Otoshi
Tiger Entering Drill #3
Solo Practice – This next drill is training to Evade and Enter using a roundhouse kick to stun the attacker and follow-up knee strike to make the escape easier .. take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your right hand and executing a right roundhouse kick to knee or stomach .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s right arm and kicking them, place your left hand on imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your right leg (right forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and pull the opponent’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. counter by using your left knee to kick opponent in their right ribs .. finish with a push, circular pull, or tripping throw to the ground and escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Solo Practice – This next drill is training to Evade and Enter using a roundhouse kick to stun the attacker and follow-up knee strike to make the escape easier .. take a natural stance .. move extra weight to the right leg and use it to leap to the left while blocking with the right arm, followed by trapping an imaginary opponent’s arm with your right hand and executing a right roundhouse kick to knee or stomach .. after trapping the imaginary opponent’s right arm and kicking them, place your left hand on imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your left leg (left forward stance) as you push down on your imaginary opponent’s right shoulder and pull the opponent’s right arm to your right hip as you turn your palm upward (a second coiling movement that traps opponent’s arm to your hip) .. this will have the effect of pulling your imaginary opponent off-balance with their face toward the ground .. counter by using your left knee to kick opponent in their right ribs .. finish with a push, circular pull, or tripping throw to the ground and escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner practice – Partner #1 (attacker) uses right hand to grab Partner #2’s (defender) right wrist .. Partner #2 places slightly more weight on the rigt leg and uses it to leap toward the left side and land on their left leg .. Partner #2 executes an outside Tiger block with the right arm (coil and uncoil grabbing their wrist for control) along with a right roundhouse kick to knee or stomach area (miss by a few inches) as soon as they land on their left leg .. after kicking, pull your partner’s arm toward your right hip to off-balance them .. use your left hand to capture your partner’s right shoulder and step toward the opponent with your right leg (right forward stance) .. use your left knee to kick opponent in right ribs (miss by a few inches) .. finish with a push, circular pull, or tripping throw to the ground and escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Partner practice – Partner #1 (attacker) uses left hand to grab Partner #2’s (defender) left wrist .. Partner #2 places slightly more weight on the left leg and uses it to leap toward the right side and land on their right leg .. Partner #2 executes an outside Tiger block with the left arm (coil and uncoil grabbing their wrist for control) along with a left roundhouse kick to knee or stomach area (miss by a few inches) as soon as they land on their right leg .. after kicking, pull your partner’s arm toward your left hip to off-balance them .. use your right hand to capture your partner’s left shoulder and step toward the opponent with your left leg (left forward stance) .. use your right knee to kick partner in left ribs (miss by a few inches) .. finish with a push, circular pull, or tripping throw to the ground and escape .. repeat the drill 20 times
Next Time
We must always be ready for a defensive technique to not work the way you trained with it, or not work at all in a real-life situation. The Tiger is ready for that possibility and has a powerful response. We’ll look at that in the next part of our special series.
Enjoy!
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