Does Trapping Work

Does trapping work? I have heard this question many times.

I would like to offer my view on Trapping : how it works, when it doesn't and what is needed to reach a higher level of skill where it will always work. We will look at what most people think is trapping in Wing Chun and other arts and I will introduce the view of Trapping in the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun System. Like most aspects of Wing Chun. Trapping will work if the practitioner understands it.

What is Trapping?

Trapping is immobilization. You can use trapping of the hand, arm, body, leg, foot, mind and so on. A simple example would be pinning the opponents arm so they cannot return a strike or use there power. But this is the basic starting point only. A common mistake is that trapping is just immobilization of the hands. Often trapping in Wing Chun and JKD is thought of as Pak Sao (Slapping Hand) and Lap Sao (Grabbing Hand). Then just add a few variations some combinations, and you have trapping skill. This is not the case!

Problems encountered.

Trapping arm against arm can work. You may strike your opponent, but also this can be easily defended and recovered from. So this method is used less in application and more in teaching beginners to safely train their hand skill correctly.

I think when people talk about trapping not working and being to 'set up' they are onlylooking at this level. This is like telling someone in BJJ the arm bars from the mount donot work because the opponent is not just going to give you his arm. But, in reality I have seen this happen to top fighters. Its not about the technique is down to timing, setting up your opponent and so on. By the way an arm bar is a trap! Correct timing and knowing when to apply a move come from drilling moves (like we do in trapping drills) and feeling the possible variations and counter and so on. (as we do in Chi Sao training).

So what are we saying? Trapping is only part of how we develop the overall skill we require to be functional in martial arts. Single moves become combinations, combination become variations, variations become a free flow of ones skill.Therefore the problems encountered are either due to the level of the practitioner or the lack of understanding between what is training tools and what is applying the skill.

The value of Trapping.

When we do trap we have more control of the opponent. Which is extremely valuable in preventing the opponent from striking back or trying to retake control. We have contact
therefore we can feel the energy of that person and react quicker than if we had no contact.
Many people seem to believe that Wing Chun practitioners do nothing but trapping . This is not the case. Trapping is only part of the whole. If an opening exists for a strike we do of course go for it directly. If, however, you are in close range and your opponent is effectively covering his openings, you need a way to interrupt his flow and control him.
In the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun system we believe that this level of control is achieved through the complete understanding of structure. A vital aspect of structure is the dynamic control of the center of gravity and balance. When in close contact you can use your own structure to uproot , unbalance and then control the opponents structure. Trapping this way will allow you to finish your opponent where arms alone will not.

The Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun Method of Trapping.

Training the hands in trapping is often only what is taught. I can see why someone would say that would not work in a real fight and so on. To that I agree if you trap as in pictures 1 and 2 then the trap is less likely to work. As I said before, this is for beginners. To train basic hand skill or a long range attack which will stun your opponent.

The Chu Sau Lei Main 5 Principles of Attack and Defence.

In the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun System we trap with the whole body as you can see in picture 3. Firstly I must have a strong body structure. Secondly I must intercept the opponent and break this structure and up root him. To do this I must use my stance to break his balance as I apply the controlling movement as in Picture 3a. This will make it very hard for him to counter attack or defend as he is trying to regain his balance. In picture 4 you can see I chase the opponent to keep him on the back foot. In picture 5 I have totally destroyed my opponents structure and pin him to finish. This is real trapping pressing your opponent keeping him off balance destroying his use of tools and controlling the fight. It is not about which technique I use.

A. Pak Sao, attacking only the arms, which is open to be countered.
B. Continued with Lap Sao again only the arms attacked. this could be countered.

1. I ready my stucture.
2. I intercept the opponent.
3. I break this structure and uproot him. My opponent is now off balance and will have no power.
4. I chase the opponent to keep him on the back foot so he cannot recover or counter.
5. I have totally destroyed my opponents structure and pin/control him to finish. If he tries to regain this balance I will go back to 3a again, so he clinches to regain balance.
6. I rebreak this structure up rooting him again.
7. I strike and take him down.
8. I then can pin/control/strike.

This method relates to how we apply the Chu Sau Lei 5 Principles of Attack and Defence. By keeping to this natural order of events I can effectly deal with myopponent, as he has no power without structure. So the skills we use in the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun System are within our Five Main Princples of Attack/ Defence.

1. Assuming Structure.

2. Intercepting:-
Entry on Preparation.
Entry on Development.
Entry on Extension
Entry on Withdrawal
Entry on Response Check

3. Breaking the Opponent’s structure.

4. Chasing.

5. Adjustment.

These five Principles are like a flow chart, which can lead you along a direct path or interact within each other.For an in-depth explanation on the five Principles check out my teacher’s web site Chusaulei.comWe could again go into endless detail on this area, but I will just give to some short examples.

1. We must have are own Body Structure.(dynamic control of your centre of gravity and balance)

2. Interception of the attack or control the line of power between you and your opponent in various ways.

3. Breaking and Controlling the opponents Body Structure (Up Rooting and controlling the balance).

4/5. Chasing and Adjustment keeping the pressure on by controlling the opponents centre. This where sensitivity comes in to play, without it you will not be able to feel your opponents use of movement and adjusting to keep him off balance.The jab in boxing would be the equivalent to trapping the arms. Yes, it does damage but it may not finish the fight. When you trap with the whole body this is has the same effect as a heavy cross in boxing, a knockout blow! This is because we use the whole body to strike with not just the arm.

So, we can say for a trap to have an effect we must break the opponents structure and uproot his stance (take away his balance and control of movement). The other missing key element is sensitivity. You must have trained your sensitivity to a high level in order to know when to trap. In Wing Chun we do this with Chi Sao, in the Filipino arts this is done with flow drills and broken flow drills, in BJJ the main positions are used as reference points in order to have a structure on the ground, in wrestling the clinch is played like a game of chess. You see all these arts are using trapping skills. It is often not realized that the clinch in wrestling is a form of trapping. The opponent is being controlled and set up and his balance is to be broken, then he is pinned and submitted.

Mental Traps

Sun Tzu said 'War is a matter of deception'Trapping may not simply be a physical action. You can also trap your opponent mentally or trick them into a corner where they have very few options. Your close contact allows you to feel exactly how they attempt to escape and your finishing move is ready. This skill of setting up your opponent to do what you want him to is called "enticing". Enticing has many variations. You could be knowingly giving an opening to your opponents so when they take the opening you counter it. Therefore you enticed a set up. As trapping is not a new concept we can consult Sun Tzu in the art of war to learn more on this area.

"One who is skilled at making the enemy move does so by creating a situation, according to which the enemy will act; he entices the enemy with something he is certain to take. He keeps the enemy on the move by holding out bait and then attacks him with picked troops"

What a classic! Can you see the application?

One who is skilled at making the enemy move does so by creating a situation - This would be break the opponents structure.( Unbalance him physically or mentally)

According to which the enemy will act - He has no choice but to try to gain back position. Now we have started the trap.

He entices the enemy with something he is certain to take - We allow him a very limited option to recover so he is trapped mentally as well as physically. He must take one of the options we give him. This in turn means we have control of the outcome.

He keeps the enemy on the move by holding out bait and then attacks him with picked troops - Each time he attempts to recover his position we can control him as we have given only the opening which will cause him to become more trapped. Then we can unbalance him further where we can finish him at will. I hope now you are starting to see there is more to trapping than on the surface.

Teaching PrinciplesSunTzu said

'The general who is experienced in war once in motion is clear in his destination and never bewildered; once he acts, his resources are limitless and tactics varied'

This is the skill we require when you trained your drills to become part of the way you think therefore a mental structure of the different possibilities exists from which you flow thought without even knowing. You can 't develop this level without practice! Practice builds experience. Developing your understanding of structure and sensitivity is the key to really being able to use your skill.

So structure is an article in itself and so is sensitivity. Therefore I will save them for coming months. Lets look at the tools for now.

Correct timing - Understanding the flow of things and how to change it.
Positioning - Correct power lines and angles required.
Body structure- Dynamic control of weight and balance
Rootedness - Feeling your body connection.
Power(Ging) - Internal and external training.
Reflex development defense - Drills, trapping, Chi Sao and so on.
Offense- Mindset.
Emotional content - Dealing with control of fear and apply intention to your movements.
Centerline - Know the correct power lines for openings
Footwork - Mobility, you must be able to move well.
Principles - A complete understand of how to apply your skills.

There are many more skills and deeper levels of them to learn. But I just want you to start thinking about the many areas which need to be in place before you really start
developing an overall skill.

Keys to Skill Development.

Develop the basic tools. We must have a starting point to teach from. In Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun we work areas such as correct timing, positioning, body structure, rootedness, power (Ging), reflex development, defense, offense, emotional content, centerline principles, footwork, and so on. These areas worked within trapping and Chi Sau will build the experience you need to help in a real fight. The experience we develop via trapping, drills, Chi Sao and so on is what we call sensitivity training. Training your natural sensitivity to a higher level. In the Chu Sau Lei system we also teach beginners to move and feel the opponent not just stand still which often lacks aliveness. Many advanced instructors seem to forget that the path that took them to where they are now. The path needs to be walked be their students. As teachers we should from experience give ways to make the path smoother and more direct, but also be mindful of what brought us to our current destination. Drills are just to help development they are not the art. If I have a student who is finding something hard to learn then I sometimes give them a drill in order to practice it more until they can do it. Sometimes other students we say 'Sifu I haven't seen that drill before. Why did I not learn this one?' I tell them, I haven 't seen it before, I just made it up! Then they ask' Well, should I practice this one as well? To this I have to say 'check and find out for yourself '. Can you do what I was teaching? You see the drill is just a way to learn. Just as basic trapping drills are not what trapping is and Wing Chun is not just trapping!
The same people who have chased trapping drills for so long will now chase the next new idea and then the next without seeing what it was really for and without giving credit to what gave them the stepping stone to move on.

Training Tip: Do not rush! If you try to grab water faster from the river it will just spill more, if you take a slow scoop it will be in your hand to drink at will. Use your own mind. Listen to your teacher and test what is given to you. Ask yourself what is this for and try to see the big picture, take your time to learn good basics and progress at a pace where you do not miss the goal

Alan Orr is a disciple of Robert Chu Sifu and the European representative of the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun system.

He is also the UK representative for Guro Mark Wiley in the Filipino martial arts and Sensei Eddy Millis of Shark Tank in NHB/Grappling.

Web: www.alanorr.com

For further information Tel: 07958 908 196 or email: info@alanorr.co.uk

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