Lat Sao Form

The application side of Wing Tsun is known as lat sau. Wing Tsun teaches us not to focus on having hundreds of defences and hundreds of different ways of attacking, rather we study the most effective ways of defending the attacks we are going to face in a real life situation. We spend time learning how to defend one style of fighting and these modules build upon each other, expanding the students ability to apply their movements to protect against a growing array of attacks.

1. Straight Punch	5. Knee's & Elbow's	9. Counter Kicks
2. Low Punch	6. Anti Grapples	10. Multiple Assailants
3. Backfist	7. Anti Throwing	11. Anti Weapons
4. Hook	8. Anti Ground	12. Control & Restraint

Phase 1

1. Defence against a straight punch

As the most common attack in the western world, this is the first attack we learn to defend against. Variations trained include fast jabs, powerful crosses with committed body weight and combinations. Students learn the most efficient ways to avoid these punches and begin to learn how to defend themselves without fighting the opponent.

2. Defence against a low punch

The defence against a low punch module introduces students to strikes thrown to the body rather than the head. The student learns to apply the soft, heavy power of the gan sau, as well as how to keep themselves safe despite having pressure applied to their arms before the punch is thrown.

3. Defence against the back fist Strike

This module deals with attacks thrown from across the body. The students learn to defend themselves from attacks on a diagonal line as well as how to use their feet to keep their balance when one of their arms is pulled hard.

4. 1.Defence against the hook

With the hook being a circular attack it is the most difficult to intercept and defend against. In this module, students further develop their ability to use their feet to remove themselves from the path of the incoming strike and start to focus on the theory of the “falling step” greatly increasing the power of their punches.

Phase 2

5. Knees and elbows

As the student improves and starts to develop sensitivity we use phase 2 to decrease the range at which they are being attacked. Knees and elbows is the range at which the WingTsun exponent truly specialises and this module explores the best ways of generating and delivering power through our elbow and knee strikes, as well as to learn about strategies to defend ourselves from these attacks.

6. Anti Grappling

If a WingTsun student fails to deal with his attacker at knees and elbows range there is a good chance that the attacker will take the opportunity to grapple him. The anti grappling module prepares students for seizing attacks launched at head height, waist & torso area as well as the legs, This Module gives our students experience in overcoming being grabbed and held.

7. Anti throwing

When a grappling attack has succeeded it is extremely difficult to avoid being manipulated and eventually taken to the floor. For this reason module 7 has the student spend time purely facing attacks based on being thrown, swept or otherwise driven to the ground.

8. Anti Ground Fighting

The last module in phase 2 assumes all the attempts to halt the opponent have failed and the WT student has ended up on the floor. The student learns to survive on the floor and to fight their way back up to a standing position rather than become embroiled in a wrestling match on the floor.

Phase 3

9. Counter Kicking

Due to balance being vital in any confrontation the WingTsun student learns it is safest to keep both feet on the ground. However after 12/18 months of training their balance and body control will have sufficiently improved to allow them to incorporate leg attacks and counter attacks into their arsenal. This module focuses on the skill of using the student's legs to counter leg attacks made by their opponent.

10. Anti Weapons

This module becomes more important everyday as we hear more reports of people carrying and using weapons on our streets. This module focuses on defending attacks where a weapon is swung (such as a stick, bat or pool cue) or thrust at you (such as a knife or broken bottle.)

11. Multiple Assailants

Assuming your attackers are not trained film actors fighting more than 1 person is extremely difficult if not impossible. However this module covers vital strategies such as defending yourself and finding an exit, fighting around the outside and herding that allows the student to develop the ability to survive and escape such a situation if it ever arises.

12. Control and restraint

During the 2 years of training the WT student has developed the ability to strike very hard, fast and effectively but at the end of our curriculum we set ourselves the challenge of dealing with an attacker without hitting them. We do this by learning to restrain someone standing, on the floor or on the move using skill and technique.