Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 317

First Section of Síu Lihm Tào 小念頭 – Pt2

When performing Tāan Sáu 攤手 in the first section of Síu Lihm Tào 小念頭, the most important part is holding the final correct position. Therefore you we can move the hand forward at any speed we feel, but it should still be slowly. Then at the end it is more important that we hold the Tāan Sáu for as long as we can or at the very least for a short while. Holding it will allow us to relax the shoulder, the elbow and the hand. As we have to move the elbow in, this creates some blockages and so it is good to stay and allow the joints to relax. After holding up to a certain point then it is time to change to the next movements,  Rotating the Wrist, Jám Sáu 枕手 and Wuh Sáu 護手.

However, we must always not to move our shoulders when we are doing the Tāan Sáu. At the beginning, it is easy for you to move your shoulder forwards with the Tāan Sáu, e.g if you are doing Tāan Sáu with the left hand you can move your left shoulder forwards. This is a common mistake and beginners do this as it makes the movement more comfortable. Therefore, you need your Sīfú, or your seniors to help correct your position. You must make sure that your shoulders are square and equal and the body faces directly forwards. This helps both sides of the body so that one side is not stronger than the other. In terms of health benefits, this is good for the posture and keeps the internal organs in an even position, the circulation will be good and the organs will become stronger.

When we perform Wuh Sáu 護手 we should follow the same method as we did with the Tāan Sáu. So we move from the Chèunhg Wuh Sáu 長護手 – Long Wùh Sāu to the (normal) Wuh Sáu 護手. When we reach the Wuh Sáu 護手, which is closer to the body – two fists away, we hold on to that position.