# Trapping
**URL:** https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611
**Category:** Mixed Martial Arts
**Created:** [April 11, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611 "2003-04-11T03:05:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ben\_Thompson](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Ben_Thompson)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/1 "2003-04-11T03:05:24Z")
In my past few years of studing JKD I’d have to say the trapping is one of, if not the most, valuable thing I have come to understand.
I find it very effective, partly because few people know of it, and most people learn the “block and strike” method of counterattack, which can be easily overcome by even the most mediocre level of hand immobilization.
So my question is, how valuable do you people feel trapping is, and are there any other forms of hand trapping besides the widely taught: Pak Sao, Lop Sao, Jut Sao, Joa Soa, and Huen Soa?
Anyones insight would be much appreciated.😃
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### Author:  [@pseudoswitch](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/pseudoswitch)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/2 "2003-04-11T05:41:33Z")
Hi Ben,
I would have to agree with you regarding the usefulness of trapping, being a wing chun player 🙂 There are many other hand techniques besides the ones you mentioned in wing chun, have you ever trained in it? I think it definatley helps if one trains in wing chun before moving on to JKD. Supplimenting JKD with wing chun on the other hand, might be problematic with regards footwork and structure.
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### Author:  [@Ben\_Thompson](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Ben_Thompson)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/3 "2003-04-13T15:18:42Z")
So far I have only tried learning trapping from books and videos, then I see if they work for me during sparring.
Is there such a thing as trapping with the legs in Wing Chun? I do this while trapping with my hands and push my opponents leg back, and or manipulate his knee joint with my shin. I have found this to be most effective against opponents with low mobility.
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### Author:  [@Black\_Jack](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Black_Jack)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/4 "2003-04-14T02:38:24Z")
I think in some schools you can find trapping to become superfluous. A lot of arts use trapping or elements thereof. Kali, Silat, Kun Tao, to name just a very, very few.
Trapping just means to hold long enough to hit.
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### Author:  [@fa\_jing](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/fa_jing)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/5 "2003-04-15T18:31:28Z")
Huen sao and Jou sow are not traps, they are evasive/circular hand movements.
Lan sao (bar arm) and inside Lop Sao are good ones.
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/6 "2003-04-16T20:13:18Z")
Huen sau can be a trap! Cmon.
A good example of a leg trap is stepping on your opponents foot,
Like BJ said, many arts train what would be considered trapping, nearly all “arts” IMO.
Is there such a thing as trapping with the legs in Wing Chun?
Sure. Most WCK systems teach “chi gerk” after you get familiar with “chi sau.” Same Tan, bong, and fook structures , just with your legs.
A good place on the net to learn about leg and foot sectoring would be the many many Judo sites, such as [www.judoinfo.com](http://www.judoinfo.com)
:eek:
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### Author:  [@fa\_jing](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/fa_jing)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/7 "2003-04-17T18:48:01Z")
wow - a topic
how huen sao trap you say?
we have a huen/rear and tan/front double block, but that’s still not a trap
against a wrist grab you can immobilize his fingers with your free hand, and huen sao the grabbed hand around and bend his wrist at an incredibly uncomfortable angle, but the huen sao just sets up what will be a joint lock, with a downward motion.
don’t see it 😕
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### Author:  [@fa\_jing](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/fa_jing)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/8 "2003-04-17T18:52:18Z")
OTOH, with the huen sao you can move his arm around, so that all he can do is retract it example you jom sao then flow around into a huen sao - controlling the movement of his arm, I guess that could be considered a trap but I don’t think of it that way - I think of a trap as a pin or a grab. Otherwise, you’d have to include gwaat sao (wiping block) as a trap.
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/9 "2003-04-18T15:32:15Z")
Anytime you restrict/control the movement/motion of your opponents hands/arms/shoulders/hips/knees/shin/ankle/feet, you are trapping, or whatever you want to call it, once your in control of the obstacle, you win (strike!)
Strickly WCK wise, in the 3rd form there is a long arm clear to fook to huen to pak sequence that easily illustrates the trapping power of a huen, even though I guess you are acually ‘using’ a pak or gum to actually do the ‘pin.’
…and gwaat sau should be considered a trap, both your arms are above his and you are feeding on his centerline and face.
:eek:
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### Author:  [@JKogas](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/JKogas)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/10 "2003-04-21T21:27:23Z")
Clinching
Have you guys practiced trapping against someone skilled in clinching? Do you see the two as separate? What are your views regarding this?
-John
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/11 "2003-04-22T16:26:22Z")
Do you see the two as separate?
Not really, much like the difference between a hammer fist and a cross. Trapping and clinching are the same range.
Different ‘techniques.’
:eek:
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### Author:  [@JKogas](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/JKogas)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/12 "2003-04-23T01:41:08Z")
I think of trapping as being just a TINY bit further out than clinching. That’s at least in the “classical” sense of the word (reference point). Trapping (though not always) is almost an eblow’s length from your opponent, where clinching (as if you have an underhook) is chest to chest with almost NO space between you.
Trapping (as in COMPOUND trapping) and the wrestling clinch are two different animals (if the trapping is trained classically). Many people still practice trapping in the classical sense while others practice clinching from the wrestling perspective. This is the difference that I’m referring to.
Any thoughts?
-John
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### Author:  [@fa\_jing](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/fa_jing)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/13 "2003-04-23T18:38:47Z")
I think of clinching as having at least one hand in contact with his body, or else my shoulder in contact with his body. Trapping is usually hand to arm contact. Trapping both arms with my two arms/hands almost always leads to a clinch, for me.
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/14 "2003-04-23T20:25:30Z")
If you want to define trapping and clinching like that then sure, they are seperate, I dont break down range into that small of categories in my training or with my training partners. Personally I train what some would call refrence point trapping as well as what you described as clinching. I probably put more ‘time in’ on the clinch work since all ranges lead to clinch, wether or not I make pit stops at the other ranges, whatever you want to label them. You dont have to be in the clinch (have a overhook or underhook or both) to be in clinch range.
:eek:
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/15 "2003-04-23T20:26:31Z")
Also, I dont consider ‘trapping’ to be limited to the opponents arms/hands/elbows/whatnot. Clinch work as well has many lower body and other-body elements to it.
:eek:
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### Author:  [@JKogas](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/JKogas)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/16 "2003-04-24T01:02:23Z")
I agree completely! Great posts.
-John
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### Author:  [@LEGEND](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/LEGEND)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2003, 12:41pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/17 "2003-05-07T12:41:14Z")
“Have you guys practiced trapping against someone skilled in clinching? Do you see the two as separate? What are your views regarding this?”
1.) Yes…but it never worked…u do need a certain amount of space to pull a trap/strike off. You’re too close body to body…u won’t get proper leverage to strike…unless u got 1 inch punch power. In a clinch…once an opponent has control of a neck or body…u’re going to be yanked around quite a bit. So to counter that…learn how to clinch also.
2.) I do see the 2 as separate. I have personally used pak sao, garn sao and jut sao in sparring. This occurs when my partner would leave and over extended strike out there. Then u can sidestep and pak/jut or come in and pak/jut. Depending on SPACE you can strike or use the TRAP to CLINCH for knees, headbutts, elbows or takedowns( whatever your preference ).
3.) Having trained with WING CHUN and JKD type traps…I do prefer the WING CHUN traps…to me JKD is much more forward and aggressive BUTTTTTTTT…I can feel that most WING CHUN guys have more pull/push/control in their TRAP. While JKD guys seem more concern with the CLINCH and TERMINATION weapons( headbutts etc… ).
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### Author:  [@fa\_jing](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/fa_jing)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/18 "2003-05-08T20:56:06Z")
" This occurs when my partner would leave and over extended strike out there"
You can also use the traps against the strike _on the way out_, _as they are extending_
This is good and can work even against some opponents who make a point of retracting all of their strikes quickly.
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### Author:  [@yenhoi](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yenhoi)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/19 "2003-05-09T18:43:46Z")
we practice entrys, traps, strikes, takedowns etc vs strikes, entrys, traps, takesdowns:
at extension
during extension
during retraction
before (during “preparation”)
:eek:
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### Author:  [@Shuul\_Vis](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Shuul_Vis)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/trapping/19611/20 "2003-05-21T14:54:58Z")
There are alot of different trapping movements than those that you listed but here are some ideas that can supplement your trapping.
1. Excell in your footwork, it is what will keep you in actual trapping range and not reaching too far just to trap limbs and overextending yourself as a result. Really work on sticking to your opponent for correct distance.
2. Realize the importance of what i said above. Dont chase the hands. Those who love trapping, myself included, WILL tend to chase the hands unless they master footwork to maintain the proper trapping distance. Try using trapping techniques against someone without any training. They panic, tense up and usually try to retreat from your hands. So you can either continue to try and trap, which people who love trapping tend to do, and over extend yourself effectively making your techniques less efficient, or you can use strong footwork to keep your root within proper range.
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