Master Tse’s Wing Chun Note #130

Waahng Ma橫馬

Waahng Ma橫馬 means walking sideways. Waahng橫 means level, that means sideways in a straight line. Ma馬 is stance but in this context it means walking or step. In Tsum Kiu we walk sideways and take three steps. We do not count the first step after the Chaan Tui鏟腿, but the three steps after this. In the form we walk across in a straight line, but the applications if walking around the opponent who is at the centre. Most of the time we only walk one or two steps and it is very rare to walk three steps, I have never had to do that. We can use Waahng Ma when we attack our opponent and also when we avoid his attack, to walk away from his attacking hand and to move our position so that we can use both our hands while he can only use one.

When training it, the same as when we train Jyun Ma轉馬, we start in a stationary position. We then move the front foot forward, but is must stay close to the floor because every time we lift the foot it is dangerous and our opponent can push us over or attack us and make us lose our balance, then we move the back foot, which drags across the floor. When we have completed the step the feet should still be shoulder width apart with seventy percent to the weight on the back leg. It is a good position as we are still facing the opponent. Every time we move our legs, we must finish with our feet shoulder width apart as this is the correct Wing Chun stance.