Review – Austin Goh’s Wing Chun Chi Sao Advanced DVD

Review – Austin Goh’s Wing Chun Chi Sao Advanced DVD

What It’s About:

This DVD provides an introduction to more advance Chi Sao techniques beyond the Bong Sao, Tan Sao, Fook Sao and Palm striking sequence. Free form Chi Sao movement in singular and multiple attack situations are demonstrated. And a more in depth demonstration of the Chi Gert leg training sequence is also presented.

Comments:

This DVD is a sequel to Sifu Goh’s Chi Sao Basic and is titled Chi Sao Advance. It also contains a lot of redundant exercises presented in the first DVD on this practice. Frankly, I’m not quite sure, if it should have been titled as advanced and the other as basic… without the redundant scenes and promotional footage, the two could have been combined into a consistent production piece. The real purpose of Chi Sao is emphasized as a means of developing sensitivity, which is “listening” through one’s sense of touch. If this was truly a DVD labeled as advanced, then the essences of how and why it works could have been discussed…but, I guess it’s a secret. So…you’re left with the question, what’s an idea worth! I’ll give you a hint…there is a scientific basis for it! That doesn’t diminish its special and what some may consider its spiritual qualities. If you pardon the pun…it’s like a Zen thing…you either get it, or you don’t!

Chi Sao is the heart of the system and it’s benefit can be transferred to other sports, including other styles of martial arts, Tai Chi is certainly a candidate, but it’s energy is a bit different, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use Chi Sao in push hand applications.…in fact the value of Chi Sao, has been used in training football players….can you remember which team received this kind of training…right, the Dallas Cowboys. However, with that said, it takes a tremendous amount of time to develop skill in this art form.

One aspect of Chi Sao that is not brought out in this DVD, are the fundamental details that relate to structure, movement and postures. One might say the main approach here is “show and tell”, with more showing than telling, rather than providing useful explanations of what is happening or what should be happening. Sometimes detailed descriptions have value in explaining how a technique should be executed. But, a scripted film with story board development adds cost to production. This is the only real criticism that I have of Sifu Goh’s productions…it’s not his skill level or pedagogy, that I question, but how his production team, puts it together without any real media production planning. My final word on this DVD is that it does have instructional value and would be a worthwhile investment in spite of its short comings in production.

Technical Specifications:

Title: Austin Goh, Wing Chun Chi Sao Advanced
Format: PAL DVD-R
Language: English
Region: All Regions
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – 1.78:1
Number of discs: 1
Length: 44.31 minutes
DVD Release Date: 21 Aug 2006

Content Overview: Austin Goh, Wing Chun Chi Sao Advanced

Introduction

  • Purpose of Chi Sao Training

Demonstration of Chi Sao Free Form

  • Demo by Sifu Goh and Senior Students
  • Demo by Sifu Goh-Chi Sao Blindfolded

Demonstration of Basic Hands in Chi Sao

  • Student Demo of basic hands

Advanced Chi Sao

  • Demo by Sifu Goh and Senior student with gloves
  • Cantonese terms for Chi Sao
    • Basic hands terms
    • Footwork terms

Advance Chi Sao and Legs

  • Demo demonstrated by Sif Goh
  • Shin conditioning training
  • Front push kick
  • Rotation sticky leg
  • Front push kick high
  • Chi Sao movement forward/backward
  • Chi Sao movement with legs joined
  • Chi Sao movement with legs moving up/down
  • Chi Sao with side kick training
  • Chi Sao sideways training
  • Chi Sao basic free sparring position
    • Stepping forward front punch
    • Stepping forward with upper cut
    • Front push kick with back fist
    • Side kick with Back fist
    • Back fist attack- chi Sao
  • Demonstration of Chi Sao Applications
  • Demonstration of Chi Sao in Close quarters
  • Repeat of basic Chi Sao leg and hand techniques

Advance Chi Sao applications

  • Demonstration by Sifu Goh
    • Example in three movements
    • Example of Trapping Hands
    • Example of Double Hand Techniques
    • Example of Chi Sao using pressure points
    • Example of Grapping Techniques
    • Defensive and Attack Maneuvers requiring more than
    • Four movements

Chi Sao Sparring

  • Demonstration of Chi Sao advanced sparring with multiple attackers
  • Demonstration of Chi Sao with protective gloves

Demonstration of Advanced Chi Sao and legs

  • Example of trapping hands and kick methods
  • Example of advanced Chi so and legs – multiple attacks
  • Example of jumping movement in Chi Sao

Demonstration of pressure point striking

  • Techniques performed by Sifu Goh

Demonstration of Pressure points Close up

  • Techniques performed by Sifu Goh

Pressure Point Chi Sao

  • Techniques performed by Sifu Goh, at full speed

Demonstration of Leg Pressure Points and Chi Sao

  • Demonstration of pressure point Techniques
  • Demonstration by Students

Demonstration of Chi Sao Sparring

  • Performed by Sifu Goh and Senior Student

Interview with Sifu Goh

  • Q/A Session

Reviewer: George Hernandez
Date: February 7, 2011
DVD Bought on: Everything Wing Chun
It is also available for download on Everything Wing Chun Instant Access

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