Wing Chun style straight-blast obsolete?

[Jim McRae]

Since there has been little activity on the forum as of late, I thought I'd throw out a question:

Does anyone still use the traditional Wing Chun straight blast (the one with the vertical punches)? I practiced this blast for years, but ever since I learned Burton's "boxer's blast" almost two years ago, I have forsaken the Wing Chun blast. The Burton blast has so much more mustard on the punches, whereas the Wing Chun blast has barely enough power to crack an egg (in my opinion).

Opinions and arguments appreciated,
Jim

[Herb]

Looks like someone is done with school and has a little too much time on their hands....

[Gerry]

Not to change the subject, but what is the boxing blast. I always assummed that it was basicly repeated jab cross with a lot of forward preasure. Is there anything I am missing? I have never really taken to the wing chun straight blast very well though and have always stuck with boxing style punches when sparring.

[Jim McRae]

Gerry:

The boxing blast is a modification of the traditional Wing Chung straight blast. Essentially, what you do is this:

From a left lead, throw a right cross. Now, take a step forward with your right foot so that you are in a right lead and, as your right foot touches the ground, throw a left cross. Now take a step forward with your left foot to put you in a left lead again and, as your left foot touches the ground, throw a right cross. Keep doing this, running forward and hitting the opponent repeatedly. So, rather than push-shuffling forward in the same lead and throwing either vertical punches or 1-2's, you are running forward and hitting the opponent with your rear arm with each step.

I consider the boxer's blast to be more effective than the Wing Chun blast for three reasons: (1) the punches are more powerful and (2) it feels more naural to perform (3) you can run forward much faster and overwhealm your opponent (who is backpedaling so fast, it is difficult for him to mount a counter-attack).

Take care and train hard,
Jim

[WTG]

Jim I agree!

I did the traditional blast for years due to the fact I trained wing chun. But being wide in the shoulders and big in the chest, the whole elbows on centerline thing wing chun has, was hard for me.

But, I had a friend that trained with Jessie Glover, who basically does STRONG chi sao, entries and the blast, and my friend chris, was VERY good with it! So one summer, we really spent the time on it.

But for me, the boxing blast (or Burton Blast LOL!) is much better for the reasons you listed, I also like to do it with palms, you don't even have to hit the face, the palm blast to the chest, or into his raised arms is very effective!

I also notice that slapping and shoving gets a strong emotional response as well, it is unnerving to some people.

LONG LIVE THE BURTON BLAST!

He did the blast... He did the Burton Blast! The Burton Blast... He laid it on him in a flash! The Burton Blast... His face he did smash... The Burton Blast! He did the Burton Blast...(sung to Monster mash)

-Rick

[Gerry]

Thanks for the help Jim. I have been essentially doing the blast for a while but I did not take a full step forward at the end of each punch. This is cool and it gives me something new to play with

[Michael-dk]

straight blast

I actually prefer the Wing Tsun Straight Blast over the boxing blast, but I always practice both ways.
I Like the WT blast more because I'm very trained in it, it's faster, and I feel more protected while blasting.
If my opponent runs very fast away from me I will shift to the boxing blast as I feel this works better because of the distance and footwork.

I have a question.......

How often in sparring do you use the straight blast ? Only sometimes ? everytime ? almost never ?

Take care,

Michael.

[Burton]

I have a few students who still use the "traditional" blast but with a sprinting footwork. Those who are effective with it in sparring are usually the larger guys who can generate a lot of power. It is interesting to note that I have never seen anyone use the traditional blast effecively in NHB, but many have used the "boxing blast". As a matter of fact, Royce Gracie used this as his method of entry in his fight against Sakuraba rather than just rushing in. Enjoy!

[WTG]

Speaking of Royce,

I'll be training with him in two weeks!
Should be fun!

-Rick

[Jim McRae]

Hi Michael:

Sorry for the late reply — I was out of town for a couple of weeks with no email access.

I suppose my boxer's-blast activity falls into the "sometimes" level of frequency. In JKD class, I tend to use it as a "rally" when I have my opponent back-pedalling and know that I can charge forward with little resistance. Against JKDU guys, I never get in more than four or five punches before they cover/shoot/etc. Against non-JKDU guys, I'll use it Royce style as an entry from outside the measure. I actually ran an undefeated amateur boxer across a room and into a wall with it last summer (it only worked once though; he had a nice counter waiting for me the second time I tried it ). I've always thought of the Wing Chun blast as more of an unbalancing tool than a destructive, offensive technique — it charges down the opponent's centerline and, though it doen't do a whole lot of damage (for me, at least), it gets the guy way back on his heels and sets him up for a throw/elbow/etc.

Take care and train hard,
Jim

P.S.: Michael, when are you coming to visit us again in sunny Hawaii?

[Michael-dk]

Blast

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply.
Hopefully I will be visiting Hawaii again next summer with Tina and my brother.
Training is going great here in Denmark, and about 2 months ago I hosted a seminar with Matt Thornton which went great.
Hope to have Burton over some day......

Take care,

Michael.

[koguy]

Hi,
anyone out there having a short video clip on the boxing blast?

Thanks

[seany85]

i know this sounds thick, but i have only just started JKD and i dont know wot a straight blast is, could someone plz explain wot the traditional one is and wot the boxing one is.


cheers

[Jim McRae]

A good question! Here is the difference:

The traditional Wing Chun/JKD blast is performed as follows:
Take a right lead. Throw a right vertical punch (a straight right punch with your fist held vertically as if you were holding a torch) at your opponent's nose. After the punch makes contact, drop the fist down a couple of inches to get it out of the way and immediately throw a left vertical punch to the same target. As the left punch shoots out, the right arm retracts to chamber for the next strike. After the left punch hits, drop the left hand down a few inches and throw another right punch, retracting the left arm as the right punch shoots out. Your hands move in a vertical loop, much like the chain on a bicycle. Meanwhile, your feet are push-shuffling forward to run your opponent down. This blast is extremely fast, but the punches are not particularly strong (since they do not utilize the hips much).

The "Burton blast" or "boxer's blast" goes like this:
Take a right lead. Throw a left boxer's cross (your left hand is horizontal, as if gripping a pull-up bar and your hips/shoulder rotate fully into the shot). After this left cross lands, simultaneously take a right step — this puts you in a left lead — and throw a right cross. Keep chugging forward with this lead-switching footwork and throwing crosses until your opponent collapses or takes defensive action.

Take care and train hard,
Jim McRae

[bartjam]

It's an interesting subject. I still permorm WingTsun chain-punches (straight blast...). But I know that it can't K.O. the opponent. Chain punches' goal is to prevent your opponent to re-organize a new attack, but of course you have to finish the task through head-butts, knees, elbows, takedowns or other "trapping range" skills....

It's true the "boxing blast" looks more natural, the problem is that footwork must not only allow you to be faster but it should also be capable to protect you against possible counter-attacks.

Anyway, is there any web site with photos/clips of Burton's blast?