| When we think of Bare-Knuckle Boxing we envision | | | | importance of retaining that early longer range |
| the sport scene more than the self-defense aspect | | | | Western Long-Bridge Boxing. My experience has been |
| of the system. We think of the Queensberry rules | | | | that without its influence, a three to eight year |
| and black & white visions of fighters who stood | | | | practitioner of Wing Chun is predominantly a mid to |
| in a strange looking, more upright, primary fighting | | | | short range fighter who finds kickers and anyone |
| stance. People today consider the system a rather | | | | who fights at, or just outside of, boxing range to be |
| antiquated form of boxing which has grown to | | | | problematic. I say this with all due respect not |
| become a high level sport. That is exactly what it has | | | | wanting to ruffle feathers, but I've touched hands |
| become; A SPORT. | | | | with many of the major lines' practitioners only to |
| There is a large gap between sport and self-defense, | | | | find them wanting. They could not deal with |
| however. As a self-defense, today's boxing has lost | | | | someone who kept them out of their comfort zone. |
| much of its street effectiveness. The Bare knuckle | | | | In other words, I found that their interpretation of |
| fighter of the past could handle himself quite well | | | | Wing Chun was somehow limited by tradition. It |
| against any would-be attacker. | | | | lacked presence and innovation. There is something |
| Early in the sport, men still used illegal techniques that | | | | else that eludes many Wing Chun practitioners and |
| they learned from their own fathers and brothers or | | | | that's the anti-grappling aspects of Wing Chun which |
| from the street. These fighters knew how to hide | | | | is an essential part of my system but who's subject I |
| illegal techniques within legal ones like the straight | | | | will save for another article. I am by no means saying |
| right hand that would slice the opponents lips to | | | | that Western Boxing in itself is an unabridged system. |
| ribbons or the eye gouge hidden within a jab. These | | | | I am simply saying that the ability to reason like our |
| guys knew all the brutal, vicious, fight-terminating | | | | Western fathers has greatly improved our Wing |
| shots. In fact, before rules were in place and before | | | | Chun. |
| today's boxing methods were birthed in the ring, men | | | | As a teacher I feel that the most important thing I |
| were studying boxing as a self-defense science. The | | | | can do is to look at my students as people I can |
| practice of bare-knuckle boxing dates back to ancient | | | | help. I put their needs first, so teaching the |
| times and was unparalleled during the Renaissance | | | | Long-Bridge aspects of Wing Chun is first. To me it's |
| where fencing science and human biomechanics were | | | | all Wing Chun but I emphasize the Long-Bridge |
| meticulously applied to the system. | | | | because of its brutal effectiveness. Its emphasis is on |
| European bare-knuckle boxing is an almost forgotten, | | | | destroying the attacker efficiently and quickly at a |
| yet very effective street self-defense system. It is | | | | longer range than is traditionally taught to 99% of |
| the original form of boxing, more closely related to | | | | Wing Chun practitioners. This gives a less skilled |
| ancient combat systems. It involves sophisticated | | | | student more time to respond with adequacy by |
| self-defense using fists, fingers, elbows, knees, feet | | | | reason of distance created by larger footwork and |
| and even the head. | | | | additional arm extension. The footwork is not |
| Bare-Knuckle Boxing or Western boxing or what I call | | | | different than Wing Chun, just larger. Much of the |
| Long-Bridge Boxing at my school is our indigenous | | | | training is efficient interception, footwork and |
| fighting system and is every bit as effective as its | | | | straight, leg-powered punches with simultaneous |
| oriental counterparts. It also makes up a large part of | | | | deflection. Keeping your head away from the action |
| our martial heritage. The western art of boxing has | | | | and greater mobility is key. After they are proficient |
| also had a huge influence on most other martial arts. | | | | they go into what we call mid-range (where most |
| One system in particular, some believe, that was | | | | Wing Chun lives) and then at higher levels to |
| greatly influenced by Western boxing is Wing Chun. A | | | | short-bridge or very close quarters training. |
| look into China's past will tell you that Chinese | | | | Innovation is a concept that we value, so as a |
| practitioners had many encounters with Western | | | | system we view Wing Chun as complete. That |
| boxers. They encountered a system of fighting they | | | | means that it works against boxers, kickers and |
| hadn't seen before because they were used to | | | | grapplers, guns, edged weapons and blunt |
| fighting people of their own stature, not the taller | | | | instruments. I was not looking for Western Boxing |
| Europeans. | | | | when I found my teacher but it was a pleasant |
| These Europeans kept their heads back, with their | | | | surprise. One that I value greatly to this day. We |
| weight on the rear leg. They punched straight and | | | | possess not only the skills of the fathers of Wing |
| took small, shuffling steps, with a few low kicks or | | | | Chun but also that of our Western fathers. To quote |
| none at all. This was totally different from the | | | | my Si-Gung, "The principles of both arts combined, |
| Chinese methods as they used low horse stances, | | | | form the basis for a more scientific fighting method. |
| with wide, overreaching punches. Needless to say the | | | | The assimilation of Western physics, philosophy, and |
| Europeans beat many of the kung fu fighters. This is | | | | other disciplines into the already effective Chinese |
| a matter of great controversy so we need not say | | | | Wing Chun creates the potential to develop all of the |
| that this is indisputable. What I submit to you is that | | | | physical and psychological attributes of an individual. |
| Wing Chun would be greatly improved by | | | | This combination of East and West would allow Yip |
| incorporating certain key principles of Bare-Knuckle | | | | Man to be joined by Da Vinci, Vesalius, and other |
| Boxing. | | | | great thinkers as the builders of the ultimate pugilistic |
| Bare-Knuckle Boxing came to our line through my | | | | system." In other words, there is room for tradition |
| Si-Gung, Karl Godwin who with his own teacher went | | | | but innovation should rule the day. |
| in-depth into the study of the roots of the world's | | | | Although Bare-Knuckle Boxing is almost gone in the |
| martial arts. In particular those of Western fighting | | | | United States, it is still a vital part of our training. |
| arts, their development and finally, their compatibility | | | | More importantly, there is the idea of ownership of |
| with Wing Chun. As a result, my teacher, Bill Graves, | | | | our fighting system. The idea that Wing Chun serves |
| an early, senior student of Karl Godwin, spent much | | | | us and not the other way around. The tendency is to |
| time developing and refining his Western influenced | | | | cry, "Heresy!", but the proof is there for all to see. If |
| Wing Chun. He then passed it on to me where this | | | | you can't deal with various types of fighters and you |
| innovative method has continued to blossom. The | | | | get grappled down and knocked out by a powerful |
| compatibility of Wing Chun and Western boxing is | | | | right hand, then your martial art is useless. If your |
| nothing new however. It has been recognized before. | | | | Wing Chun can't deal with all comers then you should |
| Bruce Lee, an early Wing Chun practitioner, found | | | | question it. I don't mean change it. I don't mean alter |
| that boxing could fit the principles of Wing Chun | | | | the sets in any way, although some of you have. I |
| better than any of the Asian arts. However, he failed | | | | mean if you find a place of deficiency in your system |
| to take note of the pure street aspects of the | | | | then alter your training methods and your manner of |
| system and incorporated some sport postures and | | | | interpretation of the sets. We have not altered the |
| methods. | | | | sets passed on to us, but certainly the training |
| So my early training in Wing Chun was a combination | | | | methods are up to date and answer |
| of undiluted Leung Sheung (Yip Man's most senior | | | | ancient-to-modern martial questions. This has created |
| student) Wing Chun as a skeleton with the Western | | | | a seamless fighting system whether armed or |
| boxing expression. I learned the sets without | | | | empty-handed. |
| alteration but when it came to sparring and ultimately | | | | A renaissance of Bare-Knuckle Boxing has taken |
| fighting it was certainly pre-sport Western boxing. | | | | place in our school and I intend to conserve and |
| The posture was tilted back with the arms extended | | | | develop it. This vital component of our Wing Chun |
| upon interception keeping the head away from the | | | | has allowed us to better appreciate Bruce Lee's |
| opponent's fists. All of Wing Chun's concepts were in | | | | efforts to incorporate fencing and Western Boxing |
| place but the emphasis was certainly a polished | | | | into his system. Tradition is good but if it begins to |
| Long-Bridge Boxing articulation. Back then drawing | | | | make any part of the system ineffective then its got |
| blood was common. Bloody lips and black eyes and | | | | to take a back seat to well thought-out training. I |
| cheekbones were expected. There wasn't a night | | | | think that's what Bruce Lee meant more than |
| that I wouldn't go home without some injury. Of | | | | anything in his pursuit of expression in martial arts. |
| course the way I train now is much different. It's all | | | | Not the technique of the minute or the |
| advanced, short range centerline control. It is the | | | | jack-of-all-trades mentality that is so prevalent in JKD |
| opposite spectrum of my early training and is | | | | today, but the concepts of more effective training |
| considered advanced Wing Chun. Our training | | | | and the idea of a complete fighting system. This |
| methods are unique to our line and I believe it is the | | | | unexpected component within our line and the |
| "Little Idea" that Wing Chun can and should be. | | | | mentality behind it, has unequivocally paved the way |
| But as a teacher I have come to understand the | | | | to a Wing Chun that has come-of-age. |