Forms

Little Idea Form

The Little Idea Form (Siu Lim Tao) contains most of the hand techniques from the Wing Chun system. The form teaches you the proper positions (angles, structures) that you need for economical attack and defense. There are only 18 hand techniques in Wing Chun. None have a specific purpose.  Daily practice develops your power and ingrains the proper positions in your mind. Every action is used for attack and defense. The important things are to train the legs, train proper arm positions and to train calmness of mind so that all actions are powerful but relaxed. There are 108 movements in the Little Idea Form.

Section 1 Trains the Foundation

Get into the stance.

Part1: cross the hands, down, up, separate the hands and bring them back.

This part defines the vertical centerline similar to the method used in geometry books. The line joining the upward crossing to the lower crossing is the vertical centerline. The key idea is the centerline definition but every action also has a fighting function. The lower action can be used to deflect a low strike and the upper action to deflect a high strike. (4 movements)

 Part2: Left punch, circling hand, bring the hand back. Repeat with the right hand. The vertical punch is your main weapon.

Hit a wall-mounted bag to train power. The circling hand and the elbow coming back  have various fighting applications. (6 movements)

 Part3: Open the left hand, push the elbow forward, circle the hand when the elbow is one fist away from the body, bring a guarding hand back. The arm should be very relaxed. This is the inside palm up hand. You are training to find the center. Now repeat the following three times: the hand forms the bridge hand shape, push the elbow forward, the wrist is on the center, at extension, circle the hand into the guarding hand position and bring the guarding hand back. Now repeat two more times. After this, push the hand along the body towards the shoulder. This is called a slapping hand. Bring the hand back to the center, apply a vertical palm strike, circle the hand and bring the elbow back. Repeat with the right hand.

The actions in this section are for the sticking hands training. Do these actions in a slow relaxed manner. You are trying to develop a soft, supple, relaxed, heavy feeling. You want sensitive hands that can hit with a relaxed heavy power. In this section you repeat the idea of traveling down the horizontal centerline. Our fighting strategy is based on sensing the opponent’s deviations from the centerline.  Part 3 trains positioning with the correct supple feeling. Use only enough muscles to keep the arm in position. (40 movements)

Section 2 Trains Relaxed Power

Part4: Press down left, press down right, two hands press behind, two hands press in front, form the double bar hand position, double chop to the side, bring the arms back into bar hand position, drop the elbows down, rotate the palms to face the floor, poke both hands forward, press both hands down, lift both hands up to shoulder level, bring the arms back. Repeat with the right hand.

This section develops your relaxed hitting power and also gives you more general purpose fighting tools. (13 movements)

Section 3 Trains the Applications

Part 5: Left hand slaps towards the shoulder, center the hand, do a vertical palm strike and bring the elbow back. Repeat with the right hand.

This is an application called the slapping hand. The principle is to receive the incoming force. Don’t push the force away. (10 movements)

 Part 6: The palm up hand comes out. Turn the arms so that the palm faces sideways (this is just a connecting hand), then return to the palm up hand position, circle the hand and do a low palm strike to the opponent’s ribs, circle the hand and bring the elbow back. Repeat with the right hand.

This section teaches the bridging hand. From this position you can strike low if the opponent attempts to go high. The principle is to connect to the opponent’s hand. (14 movements)

 Part 7: Bring out the Wing hand. Change the Wing hand to the palm up hand. Lift up the palm (control the other person’s elbow), circle the hand, bring the elbow back. Repeat with the right hand.

This section teaches about the idea of change. Don’t wrestle against force but change to a new position. (10 movements)

 Part8: Poke the left hand down, poke the right hand down, poke the left hand down. Now do five chain punches, circle the hand and bring the elbow back.

The poking hand can be used to deflect a low incoming force or to counter grabs. The chain  punches are used to overwhelm the opponent  when the opponent’s defenses are down. The idea of chain punches is that fighting should be continuous not start and stop. Try doing 500 chain punches a day. (11 movements)