How and What do you do to continually improve your Chi Sau?
What training methods do you use to help improve?
How do you know that what you are doing is helpful?
Dzu
I think that you are improved by doing chi sau instead of the contrary!
Pay attention to having good technique and stick all the times,not just at the ends of motions.
You get hit less and less! 
staff training
I don’t think emphasising sticking helps chi sau unless your intent is to control your opponents arms.
From my experiences training with opponents who can challenge your skill and assist in improving it, is the best way.
GP
…unless your intent is to control…
Control is power.
I try to chi sau with people who are much better than me; and people who are junior to me. This way i can train to be reactive (when facing seniors) and proactive (when with juniors).
Whipping hand…
What do you mean by staff training?
I mean to train with the long staff, improves chi sau.
I listen to my sifu…
“I listen to my sifu…”
Me to. This is the best thing you can do.
Make poon sau as much as you can with different people. It helps to improve feeling which is so important. You should use only as much force as you need to keep your opponents hands out. And do not go with your elbows to close to your body. This is very dengerous.
Whipping hand,
How does long staff training improve chi sau? I’m always curious to find ways to improve my chi sau…kindly elaborate?
I thought wipping hand was taking the p1ss, as the best way to improve anything is by doing it lots of times. where you serious wh i’d love to know how it helps if it does.
Good Point
Ish,
I don’t think WH was taking the p!ss.
Are you on pole form? if not you cannot make that judgement. If you are then I apologise. Obviously WH is on the pole form, which is why he can make that statement;)
To me chi sau is a whole body thing not just about the hands, arms. So you must improve on body unity, which starts with a good stance.
So what WH said makes sense.Although I am no way near the pole form.
I agree with practicing the long pole. But not to the exclusion of the other suggestions. My sifu one night had me take a pole and just stick poles with another student for about an about hour changing positions as we became tired.
I’ve just started since April of 2000 and I was wondering why he had me practicing pole stuff.
When I chi sao with my Sifu he’s like a ghost. I can’t feel him and he always enters my traingle at will. No matter what I do. He’s like Augustine Fong in that manner.
After the sticky pole stuff he told me to chi sao with him and I could feel him for the very first time! I still couldn’t keep him from violating my triangle but I could feel him. But the effect wore off after a few minutes. Then he humorously commented, “Now you know the secret of the pole.”
He told me that beginning pole conditioning breaks down my stiff and hard muscles so I would be forced to relax. But that was just one of a few reasons why this works to improve chi sao.
The point was that I was still muscling too much and it hinders chi sao and sensitivity. Now that I have felt it I have a goal in mind for chi sao.
In most cases the student does far more chi sao than the teacher.Except in cases where a kung-fu brother lives nearby your Sifu has few opportunities to have true spirited chi sao.When he chi sao’s with students he has to tone it down and leave openings for the student to attack.This could actually diminish his skill.
Therefore the question is what does the Sifu do to keep his skills sharp without doing actual chi sao on a regular basis? Answer this before making critical remarks about other posts.
hitting in the face
Once I was chi saoing with this guy who kept punching me in the face. In my school I’m taught to not hit to the face because we’re only training and dont wanna hurt each other. It can be argued that my sensitivity wasnt good enough to stop his shots but I dont think that was it. It’s extremely hard to stop a shot that’s right near u. This “wing chunner” wasnt trapping or anythign, just aiming for my face.
I don’t approve hitting the face hard in practice but light touches are allright.
The guy was only following the principle “chase the head,not the hands” and it shows how much real practice good wing chun needs. Trapping (playing with hands)is not something very usefull in a real confrontation.
I imagine you rely on your opponent’s “trap” before a strike to feel attacks and you’re lost when there is no touch for a brief moment?
I suggest you train yourself to “charge direct” when there is no contact. Have a friend touch hands with you and get used to punch(direct and inside) the instant he let go on your hands.
This is one of wing chun principles.
Hung Gar
White Crane
I think in Hung Gar it’s still called Bong Sau.
In White Crane, I’m not sure what it is called.
fgxpanzerz
You should be prepared to defend and attack everywhere. It’s okay when you’re in your own element with someone playing the same game, but as you found out - it does’nt work with everyone.
As far as not defending the face or attacking the face. IMHO - an unrealistic approach, especially since a shot to the face can mean the end to a fight. 
oops
My last post pertains to the “Bong Sau” thread. Please ignore…
not true Mun hung
Chi sau is a training drill. Not a fighting drill. The person I was chi sauing with had no control over my hands whatsoever, he just took wild shots and was trying to trip me. When u chi sau, yor not supposed to be trying to hurt the other person. Anyone who believes chi sau is about hitting is wrong. Chi sau is about control of the opponent. Either, u want to trap both his hands with one of yors so u can strike him with yor free hand. OR, u want to have both of yor arms over one of his arms thereby giving u the advantage. I consider his chi sau lack of control, considering the fact that I pulled all of my punches to this face. If any of my pulled shots landed, he wouldnt have been standing.
Originally posted by fgxpanzerz
Either, u want to trap both his hands with one of yors so u can strike him with yor free hand. OR, u want to have both of yor arms over one of his arms thereby giving u the advantage.
That’s rather limiting, don’t you think?