Wing Chun – Chi Sao

Wing Chun Technique – Chi Sao or “Sticking Hands”

Chi Sao (Chi Sau) or “sticking hands” is unique to Wing Chun. This technique helps students to develop their reflexes, sensitivity, structure and form.

Wing Chun’s sticking hands encourages students to react to feeling rather than sight. This takes some of the strain away from the eyes, allowing for faster overall response to any changes happening before a fighter. Students begin with single handed Chi Sao, or Daan Chi Sao, before progressing to two handed Chi Sao which is also known as rolling.

This technique, is not designed as an analogue for real combat. Chi Sao ingrains the principles stated above so that they can be applied to real combat drills and ostensibly to real combat. This follows reason because conflicts do not often start with contact favorable for the physical reactions used in Chi Sao. Wing Chun excels in a practitioner that is willing to embrace the reality of combat and is able to take the principles they learn with them, perhaps modifying blocks or techniques, tailoring them to fit their physique best in an actual fight. Chi Sao allows one to hone these principles, nothing more.

There is also a version for leg work, known as Chi Gerk.

Demonstration Video of Wing Chun Chi Sao