Description
Everyone in Wing Chun knows about the centerline. But vagueness is the enemy of truth and skill. The truth is that centerline is a means to an end and not the goal itself. The idea is to control the center and attack the vulnerable targets located along it. Thus, the Wing Chun fighter learns to control the centerline without being a slave to it. Confusion on this point leads to a unpractical obsession with keeping the elbow tucked in rather than allowing it its natural range of motion.
As always, the issue is mind and body. Without a clear understanding of the objective, and absent a thorough knowledge of the system, we often make the mistake of making a derivative point the main one. In other words, we major in minors. Centerline teaches us to control the middle. To dominate it and to use economical structure in attack and defense But a slavish commitment to the literal line leaves us incapable of functioning against systems that attack contrary to this. Consider the problem posed by the Muay Thai neck hold. Or a wrestler's hand-fighting. A foolish tactical commitment to the centerline exposes the Wing Chun fighter to attacks and tactics used by other systems. A robust understanding of it, on the other hands, provides fluidity and skill without contradiction.
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ipmanwingchun.com
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https://greenville-academy.teachable.com/l/pdp/wing-chun-ongoing-class