Video Clip Series: Knee Strikes and their Counters

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

Basic Shaolin Kungfu against Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Muay Tahi and Wrestling -- Part 22
Review of the Regional Shaolin Kungfu Course in Barcelona 2007

KNEE STRIKES AND THEIR COUNTERS

Grandmaster Wong pulls an opponent downward and simultaneously attacks him with knee strikes using the pattern "Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily"

Having learnt the counters against Boxers, we progress to counters against Kick-Boxers and Muay Thai fighters.

The Muay Thai knee strike is formidable, feared by many martial artists. The Muay Thai fighter grabs your neck, pulls you downward and strikes upward with his knee. How would you counter against such attacks?

Such knee attacks are found in Shaolin Kungfu, such as in “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily”. In fact knee strikes in Shaolin Kungfu are more refined because we have to take care of our own safety while applying the strikes, whereas Muay Thai fighters normally pay little attention to such precaution as they are protected by safety rules.

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Counter against Felling Attack
How would you counter a felling attack? Here is one method. As your opponent places his “anchor” behind your leg to fell you, lift your leg over his anchoring leg, and strike him with your other knee, taking care that you have covered him safely. This pattern of knee attack is called “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily”.
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Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily
Grandmaster Wong demonstrates again the counter against a felling technique using the pattern “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily”. Good timing and good spacing are important. It is essential that you cover your opponent well, especially to prevent him from striking your groin while you attack him with your knee.
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Always Presume Opponents are Capable
If you attack a Boxer with a felling technique, the Boxer is unlikely to counter successfully because such countering techniques are not in his repertoire. Yet, we must always be prepared. We always presume that our opponents are capable. Here Grandmaster Wong poses as a Boxer countering a felling technique.
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Counter against Knee Strikes
If an opponent strikes you with his knee, how would you counter? Retreat your front leg to avoid his knee strike, and simultaneously strike him with a leopard punch using the pattern “Golden Leopard Charges at Rock”. If your cannot reach his body with your leopard punch, strike his knee or any part of his leg.
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Making Appropriate Changes According to Situations
Grandmaster Wong demonstrates the counter against knee strikes from another angle. Here Grandmaster Wong uses the Horse-Riding Stance instead of the reversed Bow-Arrow Stance, and the pattern “Golden Leopard Speeds through Jungle” instead of “Golden Leopard Charges at Rock”. The patterns may be different but the principles are the same. Kungfu is alive. You need to make appropriate changes according to the situation.
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Finer Points of the Counter
Here Grandmaster Wong shows in detail the finer points of the counter. The opponent is pressing your head downward, while his knee is coming up at your chest. Notice how Grandmaster Wong not only neutralizes the simultaneous downward and upward momentum of the opponent, he also prevents him from further attacks. Notice also the appropriate stances and footwork according to the space between you and the opponent.
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