19th century chinese shields?

I found the following image in a Google image search for Chinese shields. I'd attribute the page, but it seems to have been taken down and this image is in Google's cache. Note the size of the shields. I wonder what connection this might have to stances like Big Dipper in Tai Chi Sword. A shield like this would certainly encourage you to stand with your shield foot forward, and in many of the Tai Chi Sword moves, your sword arm side's leg is in back...

20 - Challenge Matches

(10:42:16 AM) EvilEast: how's the eye....
(11:22:43 AM) saestor: Hey. The eye is a little swollen, but I can see okay, which is good.
(11:23:22 AM) EvilEast: so what did you take away from last nights.. attempted mugging?
(11:24:36 AM) saestor: I should have used the opportunity to use more wing chun. lol. Mainly, my lesson was that I should be more cautious when someone wants to come spar.
(11:25:57 AM) saestor: I was reviewing the night, and I'm not sure what I would have done differently. I still want to be open to meeting new people, and I would fight him again if he asked, and I wouldn't try to knock his block off...
(11:26:30 AM) saestor: So, the two things that would change in the future would be to be more careful before jumping in, and to use it as an opportunity to practice my kung fu.
(11:26:46 AM) EvilEast: hmmmm.....
(11:28:13 AM) saestor: I guess one might say that I "lost" since I'm hurt and he's not, but I kept my head, didn't get sucked into a slugging match, and after the first time, didn't allow him to hit me again, so I feel I did okay. My only disappointment was that my kung fu wasn't good enough to neutralize his offense completely.
(11:28:59 AM) EvilEast: mmmhmmm.
(11:30:14 AM) EvilEast: I'll say to you what I said to pete. it's not enough that you can fight them or even beat them.

you must be able to outclass them.


(11:30:23 AM) EvilEast: then that shit won't happen.
(11:31:27 AM) saestor: That's what I was thinking yes.
(11:32:16 AM) EvilEast: I'm never suggested you knock his block off.... I am suggesting that when someone steps to you ounder "sketchy" pretenses [and say they want to spar when really they want to fight is sketchy] then it' is your obligation to teach them the error of their ways.

And you can do that without exessive force.
(11:32:30 AM) saestor: I think I could have used a little more force. Sure, I got some really clean touches off on him, but I think he didn't understand how damaging those hits could have been. I should have put in a little more juice to prove the point.
(11:32:35 AM) EvilEast: otherwise.... they learn nothing.... and question you.
(11:32:57 AM) saestor: Yes. We're on the same page there.
(11:33:31 AM) saestor: Like this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpiSGjXPwlo

019 - Punching Breaths

I just visited the international headquarters of Moy Yat Wing Chun, the World Ving Tsun Athletic Association in Orlando, Fl. Their school is modest, about the same size and similarly equipped as other Wing Chun schools I've visited, but their Sifu Scott Haynes and their master Darrell Jorden are undeniably competent Wing Chun Players.

Sifu Scott was very generous to me while I was visiting, and taught me a way to "train breath" in Wing Chun. It's as simple as this: punch as fast as you can for 2m30s. Then punch at a resting pace for 30s, then do it again. One three-minute pair is a "breath". At the time, Sifu Scott says he can do 16. I can barely finish two. It trains stamina, strength and speed, but more importantly, I think it trains relaxation and efficiency as you send your punch.

The school wouldn't accept cash payment for my visit, so I bought their introductory Sil Lim Dao video and gave Sifu Scott my Gymboss interval timer... a perfect accessory for training breaths.

018 - Fixing a Bent Scabbard

If one of your swords has a wooden scabbard and it's become bent, simply wrap the scabbard in a damp towel and put some weights on it. The moisture will soften the wood so that it can be straighted again. Then, then when the scabbard is straight, wrap it in a dry towel and put the weights back on. Change the wrapping of the towel once a day so the scabbard can dry slowly and evenly. The staightening might only take a few days, but the drying may take a few weeks to do it right.

017 - Control the Bridge With Your Bong Sau

During Lap Sau, when the partner grabs your hand and pulls, use forward energy to keep the bridge with their pulling hand as well as to fill the space between you and their coming attack with your bong sau.

016 - Put Their Hand in Your Pocket

When practicing the lap sau, imagine that you are attempting to put their hand in your pocket when you grab during the lap. If they don't control the bridge with their bong sau, they will be exposed to your attack.

015 - Unorthodox Lap Sau Changes

There are other ways to initiate changes from side to side besides the three grabs. Consider these two:

When you cross your partner's bong sau with your punch, convert the punch to a gon sau/punch or huen sau punch (like in the wooden man form). The punch forces them to counter with the opposite side bong sau.

When your partner crosses your bong sau, convert your bong sau into a tan sau and punch, forcing them to use the opposite hand to bong sau.

014 - Bong Sau with Your Core

When you conduct a bong sau block, you should feel your dan tien connect through the bridge and affect the dan tien of your partner. Your block and your partner's punch should connect evenly and totally through your core muscles and stance.

013 - Asking Hands Counter

Practice asking hands pull/gum sau set with throat chops. After warming up, when your partner goes for the pull, huen sau and then tan sau strike like in lesson 012.

Variation: Let them pull your hand to execute the chop, which you counter with a wu sau. As they go to pull your wu sau, huen sau and strike like in lesson 012.

012 - Tan Sau/Tan Sau Strike drill

Stand in forward stance with your guard up. Cross font hands with your partner. Have your partner push into your hand twice, as if he was going to do an asking hands pull and chop attack. On the second push, Huen Sau with your lead hand so that their push passes by your guard. Then check the hand as it passes the centerline with a tan sau and strike!

011 - Chi Sau and the Wooden Man

The arms of the wooden man are purposefully loose in their sockets. They let you see the different vectors you are using to apply your blocks, grabs, and attacks. By paying close attention to the way you are moving the arms within their sockets, you can tune your responses to various kinds of energy in fighting.

010 - Elbow check for underside crossover

When your chi sau partner changes underneath to go from a two-hand facing chi sau to single-hand outside guard, use your freed hand to check their elbow. This will allow you to maintain your line.

009 - Asking Hands

Before walking the bridge, it is useful to judge the intentions of your partner. One way to do this is the feel their motion and react accordingly. This can be a passive experience, where you exert little to no energy into your opponent and just react based on the energy they give you. Then you can also exert slightly into your opponent to find their intent. This is more like active sonar, pinging the partner through touch and pressure. Think of it as "asking" your opponent what their intention is through your contact.

Beware: asking to loudly reveals your intent which they can use against you.

Idea: you can sometimes entice your opponent to answer by applying some pressure to them. Their reaction in stiffness or reaction can become the lever you use to walk the bridge.