Fighting Three Against One – Advantages

If you had to move some furniture, two friends definitely come in handy. What if you were painting a house? Two more painters would make things a lot easier. If you’re in a fight, wouldn’t it be nice if you had the ability to use three of your “weapons” simultaneously as opposed to one? With Wing Chun stances and rooting this is possible. After all, fighting three against one always presents an advantage.

When you’re in a fight you need to take every advantage possible. With many popular styles (Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and boxing, for instance) only one hand or leg is used for attacking (generally speaking). In Karate and Tae Kwon Do the back hand is kept chambered by the side ready to be brought back into the fight with either another strike or block. In boxing, it is kept close to the chin to protect the body and head. One punch is all it takes to end a fight sometimes, but that punch could go either way. Leaving one entire side open to attack is a very dangerous gap in your defense. To keep both hands in the fight, Wing Chun keeps the whole body facing forward. This also gives you the ability to combine strikes, blocks, and counters with a shadow kick or half crescent kick.

Fighting Three Against One – Limbs, That Is

A common combination of all three would be a Tan Sao punch and half crescent moon kick. This is typically utilized to counter an attack from the outside (i.e. a boxing cross moving diagonally across the body). It uses one hand to block the attack, one had to punch the face, and the kick is placed in the ribs. With all three tools being used, the attacker has now been completely caught off guard. Not only has their attack been nullified, they have been knocked off balance with the punch and potentially have broken rib from the kick. With the entire body lurching forward as one unit, a flurry of devastating attacks can be used to follow up.

“If you have an army, why pull away 2/3rds of it during a fight? Keep your whole army ready at all times.”

– Master Sifu Justin Och, Sifu Och Wing Chun

Having the mentality of keeping all weapons forward keeps them readily available which helps decrease reaction time. Since all three weapons can—and should—be used, it makes reacting to an attack easier. Even if you aren’t fully confident with your technique or reaction ability, having all three weapons primed to be activated can greatly increase your chances of defending an attack.

More Than Being Ready

But having the weapons ready is not enough, however. They must be combined with forward intent. A Tan Sao is completely ineffective in stopping a punch if it is not pressing forward to match the incoming energy from the strike. So it is with all of the Wing Chun techniques (with a few specific exceptions).

Seeking to press forward on an attack to disrupt structure lets you attain a direct route to the centerline. Reverting back to the Wing Chun rooting and stance, the hips must be facing forward. They should fuse with the entire torso so as to move as one unit. If the attacker moves, the entire torso is rotated or “shifted” to face the attack. Much like the stance of a shooter, the weapon is not held to the side if a new target appears. The shooter turns his whole body and keeps his weapon in his center.

When the Wing Chun stance is combined with this fighting three against one style, any attack can be withstood, and countered. That’s three times the reaction ability, three times the coverage, and three times the chance of surviving an attack.

Wing Chun Rooting: Build a Strong Foundation to Improve

“Be like water my friend.” This quote by Bruce Lee has become famous around the world. But not as famous is the concept of becoming like a tree. This concept is summed up in one word, rooting. But what does Wing Chun rooting in martial arts do with your effectiveness? Everything!

Unlock Your Full Potential with Wing Chun Rooting Techniques

The Power of Wing Chun Rooting: Why Strong Foundations Matter

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Rooting is the capability to with stand the force of your opponent from moving you unwillingly. But also the force to redirect, block, attack, sweep and takedown your Opponent. All of this and more in fighting needs rooting and structure, but it also must be dynamic and not static. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we train for dynamic applicable footwork and rooting that can and should be useful, not just stable.

Sifu Och Wing Chun trains the mentality that dynamic stand up structure and mobility is better for fighitng than on the ground. WHY? what if there are multiple opponents? or someone has a weapon? or what if they are more trained, skilled, or stronger than you. The ground doesn’t favor your escape if your losing, or your mobility if your winning and another opponent attacks.

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Wing Chun Rooting: How to Ground Yourself for Greater Combat Control

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The topic of Wing Chun rooting is really any martial art your training from Tae Kwon Do, Muai Thai, Silat, Northern Style Praying Mantis, its essencial. Wing Chun stance and structure should be overwhelming dynamicly capable not stiff and solitary. If you are fighting someone more resourceful, or stronger than you are, a stiff stucture may only secure your defeat. When that power is being delivered into another body it can only do one of two things. Overcome causing a loss of structure and balance. Or it will pass through the body into the ground, this option is the goal of rooting.

Discover the Power of Wing Chun Rooting for Superior Combat Control

I will briefly explain but teaching in person these levels and stages are much different then writing and reading about them. There are three levels of rooting and 3 stages. At level one, students adopt a non-rooting position that primarily enhances redirection and quick mobility; however, it provides little additional benefit.

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Level two is bending at the knees and sinking down into your root. While keeping your back straight and your tailbone tucked in. Level three is sinking further, knees open, tailbone tucked. Gaining the abilty to vigorously and freely move in any direction while still being able to kick, strike, and block and attack simultaneously.

At Sifu Och Wing Chun, students actively engage in rooting drills and pressure training, specifically collaborating with partners to enhance their skills and responsiveness even further. That way you ingrain it into your body and make it as capable as possible.

The Hidden Power of Wing Chun Rooting: Boost Your Martial Arts Skill

“A tree without roots is just a piece of wood”

– Marco Pierre White

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If there is little to no structure, a martial artist can be easily overtaken, much like a tree without roots that can be easily blown over. In Wing Chun, rooting is achieved through the heels, which provides the necessary stability and strength for effective movement. Similar to the form of a squat, driving through the heels is the correct way to line up the skeletal structure for the most power.

When practitioners successfully accomplish rooting in Wing Chun, they establish a solid foundation from which they can execute any desired attack. Conversely, one can say that by supporting through the heels and then distributing weight through the rest of the foot, individuals can effectively root their weight. Think about it, to root with a deadlift, or if someone was to throw a 100lb medicine ball at you. Would you rather be on the balls of your feet to catch it, or on your heels?The answer is straightforward; however, it becomes complicated when one engages in philosophical discussions that require proof or reasoning.

Discover the Power of Wing Chun Rooting for Superior Combat Control

Heels are designed for rooting, while the balls of the feet facilitate escape and quick backward movements. Yes you will use the entire foot but which part of your foot is your first focus, that is the key. Reverting to the squat example, when you have 300 lbs. on your shoulders you have two options, toes or heels. WIth the weight on your toes you now have to utilize your Calves and Tibialis Anterior to attempt to keep your legs underneath the weight. Shifting to the heels aligns the bones so that the structural integrity of the system remains intact. This alignment allows weight to be directly transmitted into the ground.

Build a Strong Foundation: Why Wing Chun Rooting Improves Your Defense

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Get your rooting right in Wing Chun, and you can stand strong, redirect an opponent’s attack energy, and fight stronger. Ready to master Wing Chun’s powerful rooting techniques? Fill out our contact form today and start training at Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy in Lakeland, Florida!

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