PRACTICING/LEARNING CHIN NA (108 LOCKS), ONE OF FOUR PARTS OF FIGHTING (STRIKING, KICKING, GRAPPLING/WRESTLING, CHIN NA OR GRABBING/CONTROLLING):
To all, when practicing or learning chin na (108 locks of eagle claw for instance), a couple of points to keep in mind:
- Be totally relaxed, sparkling eyes, rooted feet, be nimble, and stay coordinated.
- Use your footwork to eat the space, create the bridge, instigate the attack.
- Use your waist to create the power of the technique as well as the direction.
- The chin na or lock movement should be relaxed and fast to the technique, then the first principle of Ying Jow locking is implemented: Jow Da Cum Na, or Grab, Seize, Lock. Once locked, the movement should either be controlling the opponent or finishing the opponent’s ability to resist.
- The concept of soft to hard to soft must be understood and executed.
- The six unities when attacking or defending are: unity of heart and mind, mind and chi, chi and power, hand and foot, knee and elbow, shoulder and hips. All of these must move together and be executed at the same time.
- There are seven principles in Ying Jow Pai, the first of which has already been mentioned. The other Six principles, which we will teach as you become more advanced are: Fan bug chun cow/ tumbling, elbowing, absorbing, Yah ho, yih na, sam cow, se sau or yield/catch/take down/protect, fun gun chaw gwat or tear muscle muscle/break bone, dim yut bye hei or hit pressure point/stop the breath/seal the blood, and nim yih moot mak or read the pulse/meaning see the opponent and understand his skill/intent.
- Employ the eagle claw walk (one of the four “pillars” of Ying Jow) i.e. the eagle claw footwork, to set up the techniques, the attacks, etc.