Learn KUNG FU Online- Cantonese & Traditional: Ng Hang Lin Wan Kune 五行連環拳
- Mandarin & Simplified: Wǔ Xíng Lián Huán Quán 五行连环拳
Five Elements Chain Punching is a system of combination punching & parrying matching Dynamic Five Elements (Wu Xing) concepts, but not by specifically trying to – just by instinctively flowing in an optimal manner, considering the weaknesses of every move made and the counters that could exploit them, and prophylactically countering those potential counters.
It’s based on the concept of Chain Punching (Lin Wan Kune) which is a series of Clean Boxing punches repeated in the simplest possible manner – I’ve then taken it to another level by making it more dynamic for a variety of compelling reasons. The result is something that flows, stays balanced, has diversity, doesn’t ache, and is great for Shadow Boxing.
Simple & Rigid vs Advanced & Dynamic Chain Punching
Feel the pattern – don’t force it. Alignment with the Dynamic Five Elements comes naturally when flow is smooth, balanced and intuitive.
There’s not much to learn about simple, linear chain-punching. If you’ve been doing Wing Chun for a while, you probably don’t need to learn this from me. Depending where you’ve trained, you may be reaching too far forward with both hands simultaneously, in an attempt to punch faster while sacrificing power and balance. Or you may be not making this mistake.
But what’s almost guaranteed, if you’re doing any kind of traditional chain punches, is you will be very laterally squashed, and as a result of this, over the course of several punches, you’ll experience lactic acid build-up. Even if you’re trying to relax, so long as you’re still holding structure and delivering power, the tension will still kick in, slowing you down and making you vulnerable to being thrown off-balance.
The remedy to this, mix up your punches. More specifically, develop a smooth & effortless but powerful flow between different types of punches & parries. If done right, your flow should naturally match the Cycle of Creation & Nourishment from the ancient theory of the Dynamic Five Elements (Wu Xing) – not by force, just by coincidence.
How the pattern emerges
Discover how to move like the elements
Focus on flowing smoothly and staying balanced while subconsciously considering what move the opponent is most likely to throw next (what would be their best counter to the move you’ve just thrown). This way, every move in your sequence can be the ideal counter to the move the opponent has just thrown if they also did their best, most natural response to your previous move. In Five Elements theory, this is called the Cycle of Pro-Active Suppression and Destruction. Sounds fancy, but it’s just Clean Bareknuckle Boxing & Parrying techniques strung together in the most natural & logical way for effortless flow and pre-emptive countering.
How to get started
Unleash fire’s blazing intensity, water’s driving momentum, wood’s deep penetration, metal’s cutting edge, and earth’s solid grounding.
If you have a background in Wing Chun, start by throwing traditional straight punches (Yang Wood energy) but not extending fully, then gradually rotate the Pun Sau steering wheel left or right, to sequentially throw different angles of punches until the roundhouse hooks come out (Yang Fire energy). Then, when you can’t turn the steering wheel further, you catch with Bong & Wu (Yin Earth energy) which is in fact a Hook & Uppercut (Yang Fire) just frozen after landing, like a Jong Sau, for catching any inbound momentum. Then roll to the other side, doing Bong & Wu using opposite hands – like a classic Philly Shell guard switch (Yang Earth energy). Then split & chop with Lap & Fak (Yin & Yang Metal energy), and the Cycle of Creation continues. Next comes water energy, which could come in the form of a Drilling Fist (Water Fist – Zuan Quan) from Xing Yi Quan, just like the short corkscrew punch accompanying the Lap Sau, that typically follows a Bong & Wu in Wing Chun and JKD Lap Sau drills. Then cycle back into wood energy where you pick up with traditional straight punches again.
But Wing Chun is quite limited in terms of Water power (Zai Ging // Jǐ Jìn 擠勁) – this is where integration with Tai Chi helps a lot; and since Tai Chi is quite limited in terms of Fire power (On Ging // Àn Jìn 按勁), these two styles of Kung Fu complement each other very well, like Yin & Yang, as if they are each other’s missing link. Indeed, they were historically trained together in the Shaolin (Wing Chun coming from Shaolin Short-Strike, LiánShǒu DuǎnDǎ 连手短打, and Tai Chi coming from Shaolin Long-Fist, ChángQuán 長拳) and they’re still commonly trained together by top kung fu teachers around the world today.