When I say “chambering”, I talk about having the nonleading hand or limb in a ready position by the person’s side.
In Wing Chun or any other Southern kung fu, they often do this by retracting the fist to the side. Look at CanadianBadAss’s sifu’s website to see guys with one lead hand out and the other by the side.
With kicks, I’m talking about getting the knee up before releasing the lower leg outwards.
In every other style of Wing Chun, the wu sau (protecting hand) is the chamber.
Sometimes when a guy throws an attack, the opponent will also. The guy throwing the attack sometimes has to reverse himself in midstrike just to protect his head from getting taken off. The wu sao will do just that. Actually, that’s exactly how one maintains the centerline in combat.
Similarly, a guy will sometimes grab an arm and dislocate the shoulder. The arm that gets grabbed is the one that gets pulled into the “chamber” while the attacker’s other hand is performing the break. Obviously CanadianBadAss has never been at either the performing or receiving end of this type of application.
The chamber is prevalent through Wing Chun, as can be seen in CanadianBadAss’s website photos. Think about it - why would a style put so much emphasis on chambering and then not use it in combat?
In looking at TST’s photos, I see exactly why CanadianBadAss feels the way he does about the chamber.
HKV
You’re right. There’s a chamber in all of the sets. You’re wrong about the importance of it’s use in combat.
It is used to strengthen the muscles used for tan sau, whilst relaxing the shoulder and chest muscles.
I have been shown a grabbing application from huen sau which pulls back to further down the side than the chamber.
To pull it up to the chamber position in combat would indeed be against the principles of wingchun 
There is also a position where you bring fuk sau back to lower down than the chamber position, whilst moving forward with a lan and turning.
To pull it up to the chamber position in combat would indeed be against the principles of wingchun
There is also a move where you use jing to ‘jerk’ the twisting fist up and back to the chamber position in practice, as a release from a grab. And shhh… you can use this as a joint locking technique if you cut the opponent’s elbow in to your wait for it, surprise, surprise centreline, but don’t tell anyone I told you this secret technique… In combat however, we don’t go so far…
To pull it up to the chamber position in combat would indeed be against the principles of wingchun
Is that clear enough for you? Is it too dogmatic?
Nice to see that you’re lecturing wingchunners on wingchun now. How long have you trained in it?
Interesting to see since you’ve been working on your own style, and you got attacked for it in that thread a while back… how your previously interesting and informative posts have become more and more dogmatic and instructive in tone…
Ah well, I have trouble with my ego too and I haven’t invented my own style yet :rolleyes: …
Oh yeah, and wu sau is not a chamber either: it is a guard or a receiving hand.