I think it has been commonly known that Wing Chun kick doesn’t advocate high kicking in combat (which is instead illustrative in demonstrations), i.e. kick towards positions above the waist. And I will thus skip discussing this point. Let‘s turn to the following consideration: In all the kick moves practised in Chum Kiu and Wooden Dummy, the strikes are all landed with the foot palm (stamping). However, in most kick drills, strikes by shin (shin kick) onto sandbags or kick shield pads are commonly practised, if not singularly emphasised. How should we relate and contrast the two for a reasonable interpretation?
Shin kick is imperfect if its end aim is just to strike at the shin contact. Like a punch or a palm strike, there is always the intent in the fist or palm to hit the opponent’s body trunk. It may be intercepted at the forearm and finally does not land on the opponent’s body trunk, resulting in a strike just on his arm. But the intent is never lost: once his blocking is not strong enough, your fist or palm still flies till the end. On the other hand, even his blocking is adequate, the unceasing intent in the fist or palm in return further empowers the forearm to hit through the blocking, while perhaps the fist or palm still doesn’t land on the target. In other words, although you may just want to hit the opponent’s, say, forearm, you still have to keep the intent of punching or palm-striking his body, so that your hit won’t become just local at the forearm contact, but more strike-through empowered by that unceasing intent.
Shin kick can be viewed in the same manner. For instance, you right-shin-kick onto the opponent’s left thigh – this is a common drill. Applying from the punching scenario above, there should still be the unceasing intent in the foot to stamp onto his right leg even after your right shin has already hit his left thigh. This could result in expelling his left thigh away so that your right foot could reach a position more ready for a stamping on his right leg, although in the end your right foot may still be distant from really making the stamp.
Similarly, in case your right shin kicks his right leg (any part), your right foot bears the unceasing intent of stamping, this time probably onto his left leg, resulting in expelling his right leg.
How about the left-pivot kick in Chum Kiu discussed in the previous post? The same. You left-pivot-shin-kick onto the opponent’s left leg, but with the unceasing intent of stamping (with the left foot) onto his right leg. This will increase the extent of overturning him to the right (if you desire), making his right leg more exposed for your “possible” stamping. This time, compared to the first scenario above, your left foot will be more in range to actually make the stamp.
The scenarios described above can be regarded as close-range kicks.
2020.03.17
IdeasWingChun 