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