SHAOLIN WAHNAM KUNGFU — COMBAT SEQUENCE 9
“HAPPY BIRD HOPS UP BRANCH”

Happy Bird Hops up Branch

Happy Bird Hops up Branch

How to Open the Way for Kicks

Having trained Combat Sequences 1 to 8 well, you should be competent to handle any striking attacks. The following four combat sequences, Sequences 9 to 12, provide you with fundamental kicking attacks and their defences.

As in strikes, kicks may come from anywhere but may be generalized into four main directions, namely:

  1. High
  2. Middle
  3. Low
  4. Sides
Combat Application Combat Application
Poise Patterns Black Tiger

If all things were equal, it is disadvantageous to execute kicking attacks. The following are some important reasons.

  1. Kicks, especially high kicks, leave the groin dangerously exposed.
  2. Kicks are technically slow. One needs to make some prior bodily adjustment, like bending the body backward or lifting the kicking leg, before he can kick effectively.
  3. Consequently a skilful exponent often can tell before hand when his opponent is about to kick as the kicker normally telegraphs his intention by his bodily movements.
  4. When a person kicks, his balance is much affected.
  5. While a person executes a kick, his range of mobility is much reduced. For example, if you strike an opponent while he is kicking, it is difficult for him to move away.
  6. When executing a kick, the ability in using other parts of the body in simultaneous attacks is much reduced. For example, while you kick at your opponent, it is difficult to use your elbow to strike at the same time.
  7. After kicking, it takes time to recover before another movement can be effectively made.
  8. Kicks are generally less powerful than striking with internal force. (Many martial artists may be surprised at this fact. The main reason is that they are ignorant of internal force.)

Hence, before you use kicks, you must fulfill the following conditions.

  1. You must have practiced your kicks thousands of times so that you are skilful in using them.
  2. You must be familiar with the common counter-attacks your opponent is likely to response to your kicks, and you must know how to neutralize these counter-attacks.
  3. The combat situation is such that despite their innate setbacks, using kicks is advantageous.
  4. You must “open the way” so that you are safe and your kicks effective.
Combat Application Combat Application
Fierce Tiger Happy Bird

Previously, the initiator used “Lohan Asks the Way” as the poise pattern, and the responder used right ”Single Tiger Emerges from Cave”. In Sequences 1 to 4, the initiator moved in with the left leg mode using “Black Tiger Steals Heart”, and in Sequences 5 to 8 he moved in with the right leg mode using “Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley”. In all these previous sequences the responder responded with a left “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave”. In Sequences 9 to 12, both the initiator and the responder use “Lohan Asks the Way” as the poise pattern.

In this sequence, Sequence 9, you as the initiator employ pressing attacks to open the way, starting with “Black Tiger” and pressing in with “Fierce Tiger”. Then you purposely pause, leaving your left guard hand down to give a false exposure to tempt him to attack. Your opponent attacks with a right “Black Tiger Steals Heart”, which is a representative attacking pattern. In fact he may attack in almost any pattern and you can respond as follows.

As his attack approaches, slant your body backward and simultaneously execute a middle side kick with the pattern “Happy Bird Hops up Branch”. Unless he is well trained, he is likely to be hit.

Combat Application Combat Application
Strike Drum Enter Well

You will notice that you are using the tactic of “no defence direct counter”. There is no need for any defence against his punch, because by slanting your body backward, you have moved yourself from his reach, but at the same time adjusting your body position or the middle side-kick.

If the space between you and your opponent is too wide for your right kick to reach, you would have to move your front right leg a small step backward, turn your body and execute a left side kick, using the same pattern “Happy Bird Hops up Branch” but with your left leg.

Your opponent retreat his front leg into a sideway Bow-Arrow Stance and strike your kicking leg with “Lohan Strikes Drum”. As you pull back your attacking leg, he follows up with a reversed palm thrust to your throat or ribs using the pattern “Dark Dragon Enters a Well”. You respond with “Golden Dragon Plays with Water”.

From this point, either of you can continue the combat, moving in with “Black Tiger Steals Heart” to continue with any of the Sequences 1 to 4, or with “Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley” to continue with any of the Sequences 5 to 8.

In this practice, your opponent (or partner) falls into your trap and counter-attacks with a “Black Tiger” as you pause at “Fierce Tiger” leaving your body exposed. But what should you do if he hesitates or does not attack you. In this case, you move forward with a left thrust kick or a left side kick.

OVERVIEW

Combat Application Combat Application Combat Application
Poise Patterns Black Tiger Fierce Tiger
Combat Application Combat Application Combat Application
Happy Bird Strike Drum Enter a Well

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Other Combat Sequences

Hand Attacks

Leg Attacks

Felling and Gripping Attacks

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