Literally means: "bridging hands"
(kiu = bridge)......(sao = hands).
So I look upon it as the "bridge" you cross in order to send your troops into battle - and therefore it almost always means some form of limb-to-limb connection between you and the opponent. (Although technically you could say that any path you take into his territory - even if there was no resistance met in the form of one of his limbs contacting or intercepting you - could still be considered a "bridge").
HOWEVER, my understanding of KIU SAO is that it almost always entails some sort of limb-to-limb contact point between the two of you that, if handled skillfully, allows you to defend against what might be coming "across the bridge" (or attempting to come across) and into your territory looking to do damage (ie.- a punch, a kick, a knee, an elbow, a grab of some kind, etc.)...
and more importantly...a limb-to-limb contact point that serves as a "bridge" over which you bring your troops across to do damage.
So any contact point - even a very short range one - can be considered an opportunity for a Kiu Sao maneuver of some kind.
That said, KIU SAO almost always means a LONGER DISTANCE exists as a starting point than what would be the case in dan chi sao or double arm chi sao, because the closer range used in double arm chi sao usually means that the bridge between the two of you has already in a sense been crossed - since the both of you are just within a half step or less (perhaps no step at all) from hitting each other.
And therefore the starting point of KIU SAO is usually one of your extended limbs contacting one of his extended limbs from a distance that's further away than where your bodies would be if it were double arm chi sao.
So it's going to entail more footwork than the basic half step mostly used in double arm - and usually a different angling of the body on the way in (as one example, what's done in the last section of the VT bart jum do (butterfly sword) form - which is the same MON SAO type move used in TWC's bil jee form, btw...)
(I should also note at this point that the term "kiu sao" is not used in TWC - but other words and terms are used to convey the same exact concept as I'm defining it here).
And while I'm on the subject of different wing chun systems defining it differently - Moy Yat, for example, used to teach a FURTHER EXTENDED ARMS position version of double arm chi sao that he called "cheng kiu sao". (He translated it as "long arm chi sao" - and the contact point was the four hands - not wrists or forearms).
So one of the points about KIU SAO then is that it will almost always entail having more SPACE to account for and occupy than in basic double arm chi sao...more TIME to account for since more can happen in that interval of time than what is usually the case from the more closer range double arm starting position...and more types of ENERGY to develop and work with since you must now do more than simply punch within a half steps' distance, or stick, run, grab, pak, lop, etc. from that same distance.
(And more skill sets to be developed in terms of what parts of your limbs should be used against what part(s) of his at any given moment - since the distance, timing, and energy issues also correspond to different distances on your arms, wrists, elbows, hands, and even fingers...as well as the same principles applying to different parts of your legs, knees, and feet - since the legs can also be making a "kiu sao" bridge at any given moment as well).
But back to the hands for a moment. In fact, gum sao and po pai are both "extended" hands and the corresponding more "extended" energies (or force) that seam to be a BRIDGE all their own - in that they "bridge" different energy types (push and strike and stiff arm - all in one)...and they bridge different range of distances...and a slightly different timing since it will take slightly longer to complete a properly executed jum sao or po pai.
So KIU SAO is about bridging into his territory from different starting points than dan chi sao or double arm chi sao.
And more combinations of things can happen here regarding angling, footwork, energy (or force), punching , palm strikes, kicks, (including more longer extended kicks than a front heel kick)....knees, elbows, armlocks, sweeps, etc.
And another extremely important concept thoroughly covered in KIU SAO is "facing" (Deui Ying)....for at certain longer range distances especially - you don't always face your centerline to the opponent's center-of-mass...you might have to face your centerline to another point on his body where a blow or an attack is coming in (ie.- his elbow when he punches from longer range, his knee when he kicks from a longer range)...
And you may have to punch or kick back at him from a point other than your centerline (ie.- a shoulder line or chest line)...etc.
It's going to depend upon how much SPACE you need to account for, cover, occupy, and control - for longer looping punches and kicks cannot be "faced" safely with your centerline facing his center-of-mass since you may not be close enough to CONTROL THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU completely and seal the area off with forward force, energy, and instant penetration, ie.- you may get hit or kicked because you're not close enough to take advantage of the 'shortest distance between two points is a straight line' principle....
Since the preferred wing chun way is to drive back him on his heels or collapsing his structure with your "troops on the bridge and at his gates" (literally and figuratively, ie.- lop sao, chuen sao (threading hand), gum sao, kwan sao, po pai, and even an aggressive bong sao with a lan sao type energy come to mind). But first you have to have sealed the area before that strategy works - accounting for the three main factors once again: the timing needed, the space you have to occupy, and the amount (and type) of energy/force you need to use or absorb/deflect/redirect down, up, to the side, or away.
Hence very close quarter standup combat is the wing chun preference - and KIU SAO is a means of getting there.
So KIU SAO has a more dynamic flow of the entire fight than what happens in double arm chi sao,....including breaking apart completely (gor sau/sparring) and coming back in via SOME FORM OF KIU SAO - or just by punching or kicking in at targets on lines that don't entail any limb-to-limb contact before the strike is made.
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It sounds like the "Kiu Sao" you describe is an organized method of teaching how to "close the gap."
Originally Posted by chusauli
