Part 2 Of Siu Lim Tao
Part 2 Of a 5 Part Video Series – Siu Lim Tao
This video moves on from last week’s opening of the stance. Hopefully you have been practicing! As the videos commence it will get more difficult so the more you can practice the early videos the easier you will find it later.
Bow, opening basic stance, checking center line. Bring left punch into center, punch. Don’t lock your arm on the punch. After you have punched, then lock out your arm. Do a wrist stretch, close the hand from the little finger inwards, clench and then relax your hand. Draw back your forearm so it is parallel to the floor.
Center line check
The center line check is so you can mark your center line. Imagine a line down the center of your body. Since all attacks will be straight forward (the shortest line between two points is a straight line), this will be the line of attack and therefore also defense. Marking this with your center line check provides you with a target to strike towards, and defend down.
Punches
Place the fist in the center of your body before striking. This will be your ‘back hand’ position. It is roughly two fist distances from your chest. Strike forwards with a ‘spring’ of energy at the end of the technique. Don’t lock your arm on the strike though, or you may damage your elbow. Leave a little space to lock out your arm at the end of the technique. This will be your striking range. Locking on a strike will mean you have over committed a strike. It may leave you vulnerable to an arm lock and you won’t be able to apply ‘explosive power’, which is the subject of next weeks video.