Video Clip Series: Felling an Opponent as he Attacks with an Undercut

Sifu Wong Kiew Kit’s Home Page
Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

Basic Shaolin Kungfu against Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Muay Tahi and Wrestling -- Part 20
Review of the Regional Shaolin Kungfu Course in Barcelona 2007

FELLING AN OPPONENT AS HE ATTACKS WITH AN UNDERCUT

Felling an Opponent usign "Fell Tree with Roots"

Undercuts, known as “thong thien pau” or “Cannons to the Sky”, are formidable attacks. Many people are at a loss as how to deal with such attacks as they can be very powerful.

Actually they can be countered quite easily – if you know how. Firstly, don’t block an undercut or a “Cannon to the Sky”. Doing so may break your wrist or arm, or at best places you in an unfavorable position.

A good counter is to sink back to avoid the undercut, then move forward to fell the opponent. The video clips in this series will show you how.

Please note that you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.

Counter against Boxer’s Undercut
Grandmaster Wong demonstrates how to counter a Boxer’s undercut, which is similar to the Shaolin pattern “Cannon Punch towards the Sky”. First, he does not defend against the attack. Then he counters it with a throw, using the pattern “Fell Tree with Roots”.
The size of the video clip is 1.26 mb.
Click here to download

Felling Tree with Roots
Don’t block an undercut. Sink back your body to “swallow” it, then brush away the attacking arm and fell the opponent. Notice that here the opponent’s front leg is his right leg, which makes it easier for you to fell him with the right or standard mode of “Fell Tree with Root”.
The size of the video clip is 0.67 mb.
Click here to download

When Opponent’s Front Leg is Left Leg
If the opponent’s front leg is his left leg, you would have to move a bigger step to his back right leg in order to fell him with your right or standard mode. If you place your right leg behind his front left leg, as many uninformed beginners do, it would be difficult to fell him.
The size of the video clip is 0.63 mb.
Click here to download

Lead Horse Back to Stable
Grandmaster Wong intends to show how to fell an opponent if his left leg is in front. But Tim still attacks with his right leg in front, so Grandmaster Wong abandons his earlier plan and reverts to felling Tim using “Felling Tree with Roots”. In the second attack, Tim uses his left leg in front, in which case Grandmaster Wong fells him using “Lead Horse Back to Stable” The crucial point is that if you use the standard (right) mode, when the opponent’s front leg is right, fell him with “Fell Tree with Root”; if it is left, fell him with “Lead Horse Back to Stable”.
The size of the video clip is 1.53 mb.
Click here to download

Fell Tree when Right
To help students remember which technique is preferable, the following mnemonic is useful: “Fell Tree when Right, Lead Horse when Left”. You may remember the mnemonic as follows: “When the tree is right, fell it. When the horse is left in the open, lead it back to its stable.” This video clip shows “Fell Tree when Right”. To fell an opponent with his right leg in front, you place your right leg behind his right leg, and fell him with “Fell Tree with Roots”.
The size of the video clip is 0.56 mb.
Click here to download

If Opponent’s Front Leg is Not Right
If you find the left-right adjustment confusing, you can use “Fell Tree with Roots” irrespective of whether your opponent has his right leg or his left leg in front, but you have to move a big step towards his back if his front leg is not right. You fell him when your right leg is behind his right leg.
The size of the video clip is 0.59 mb.
Click here to download

Felling Opponent Whose Left Leg is in Front
Grandmaster Wong demonstrates from a different angle how to fell an opponent when his left leg is in front using “Fell Tree with Roots” Grandmaster Wong has to move a big step towards the opponent’s back leg. It is important to cover your opponent well so that you are safe when felling him.
The size of the video clip is 0.65 mb.
Click here to download