Sun Thrusting Fist

Wing Chun is well known for its unique fighting principles and system which have shown very effective in real combat. One of its signature technique is the fundamental punching technique called ‘sun thrusting fist’. It is punched with the fist vertical at all time so the surface of the fist looks like a Chinese character ‘sun’. This is how it got its name. This is very different from other martial arts like boxing which do straight punches holding the fist horizontal.

In order to punch a powerful sun thrusting fist, the whole body’s muscles must be completely relaxed. People often think that contracting muscles would make the punch heavier. But actually this is totally wrong and makes the puncher feel like the fist is heavier. According to the principles of Wing Chun, the power of a punch can only be judged by the one who received it.

According to scientific analysis, the punching action is driven by the extensors like the triceps and not the flexors like the biceps. Therefore, if one contracts whole arm’s muscle while punching, situation becomes like hitting the thrust and break at the same time during driving and makes the fist unable to be propelled with maximum speed.

There are three different ways to execute punches in Wing Chun. The first one is called Chain Thrusting Fist. This is the most useful and common method. Chain thrusting fist is done by multiple punching sun thrusting fists consecutively like a machine gun. When the left punch is done, the right fist which is besides the left arm is punched with the same path. Left fist is drawn back to the original position of the right fist. As we can see, the chain thrusting fist is very different from other martial arts which punch one by one. Generally speaking, once a Wing Chun master executes the chain thrusting fist, he will not stop until the opponent is knocked out. There is no gap to relax.

The other very practical way to fire a sun thrusting fist is the bouncing bridge thrusting fist. This technique is introduced to Wing Chun students in the second standard form ‘Finding Bridge’. The technique involves blocking and attacking at the same time. A very important principle of Wing Chun is that two action done at the same time is always more effective than done one after one. In this technique, the left hand is used to block opponent’s attack while the right hand execute sun thrusting fist to attack at the same time.

The final one is double punch. Double punch is another straight thrusting fist method. The difference between a double punch and the chain thrusting fist is that double punch is done by punching the both fists at the same time attacking two different parts. There are two variations for the double punch. The most common types are upper and middle double punch and middle and lower double punch which attack two different parts on the center line of the opponent. One other form is to combine both fists to attack one target like the heart.

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