Video Clip Series: Neutralizing Wrist Lock and the Three Harmonies

NEUTRALIZING WRIST LOCK AND THE THREE HARMONIES

Grandmaster Wong applies “Swimming Dragon Plays with Water” to counter Adam's spiral hand

“Chein see sau” or “spiral hand” is a formidable chin-na technique, and not many people know how to neutralize it. You hold an opponent's hand in such a way that asserting just some pressure on his wrist will break it. It is not easy for him to get out of this grip because he himself may break his own wrist with his own movement.

How, then, can you neutralize or counter this chin-na attack. There are a few effective ways, and “Swimming Dragon Plays with Water” is one of them. In applying this counter, you have to be fluid and go along with the opponent's momentum.

A successful application of this counter requires a good co-ordination of the three external harmonies, namely footwork, body-movement and hand technique. Even if you know the technique, but if it does not harmonize with your footwork and body-movement, not only you may not escape but also you may break your own wrist. Hence, practicing how to use this technique to escape the wrist lock is a good way to train the three external harmonies.

Please click the pictures below to view the videos

Breaking an Opponent's Wrist

Here in some detail is how to apply “chein see sau” or “spiral hand”, which is an effective chin-na technique that can easily break an opponent's wrist. Hence, you have to be very careful when you practice it on your partner. You must also position yourself that you do not offer a free target for your opponent.

Flowing with Opponent's Momentum

How would you prevent your wrist from being broken if an opponent applies “chein see sau” or “spiral hand”? A good counter is “Swimming Dragon Plays with Water”. The crucial point is to flow with the opponent's momentum, then overtake it.

Co-Ordination of the Three External Harmonies

The intricacies of flowing with an opponent's momentum and then overtaking it, is shown in detail here. It calls for a perfect co-ordination of the three external harmonies — the footwork, body-movement and hand technique flow smoothly together. Rotation of the waist is important.

From Leg to Waist to Hand

Here is a good example of “starting with the back leg, controlled by the waist and completing in the hand”, an important kungfu tenet often mentioned in Taijiquan but little understood. The internal force starts from the back leg, spiraled by the waist and flows out through the arm. You must of course be perfectly relaxed in order to apply this movement effectively.

Movement from Waist Rotation

Grandmaster Wong explains and demonstrates the important principle of movement from the waist. This principle is emphasized in Taijiquan, but of course it is found in Shaolin Kungfu too though not many people realize it. Notice, for example, that the “pearl” held by Grandmaster Wong's both hands moves from his front to his right side not because he moves his hands but because he rotates his waist.

Two Important Chin-Na Techniques

Two important chin-na techniques are shown in this short video clip. Peter could easily break Adam's elbow, and Adam could easily break Peter's wrist if they do not know how to counter the chin-na attacks. Most combatants today would not know the counters., which means that if you apply these attacks on them, you could defeat them easily. Of course it needs much skill to do so.

You can view all the videos above by clicking the picture or the caption below

Neutralizing Wrist Lock and Three Harmonies in Shaolin Kungfu from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.

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Special Shaolin Kungfu Course – Part 73

16-22 April 2007