Master Tse’s Wing Chun Notes #30

Gwa Cheuih 掛錘

Gwa Cheuih 掛錘 is one of common fists but not many people know how to use it. Gwa 掛 means a movement hitting from the high to low. Cheuih 錘 means hammer. In west we like call it “back fist”

Gwa Cheuih is a circle fist and it comes from low and then circles up to hit the opponent. We hit with the back of fist or the bottom three knuckles. It means the palm is facing ourselves when we hit. It can hit the chest and the face. We cannot find this technique in any forms or in the wooden dummy training. But it has been developed and is used nevertheless.

In Wing Chun, some techniques do not come from the forms or the wooden Dummy. It needs your Sifu to tell you, like using the shoulders, knees and sweeping legs.

When doing Chi Sau 黐手 and someone pushes down your Bong Sau 膀手, we can use Gwa Cheuih as it is very quick and the opponent cannot defend against it. The energy comes from the pushing down so the harder they press down, the faster and harder the hit will come back to them.

Another situation where it can be used is when holding the opponent’s inside arm across with soft Laap Sau 擸手, we can hit with Gwa Cheuih very easily. It is quick and fast and hard to defend against.

Michael Tse