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Cam Kiu 1st Section

Updated: Jan 12




A note on Cantonese

I use the ‘Jyut Ping’ (粵拼) Cantonese writing system as I have found it to be the most accurate. For an excellent way to learn Cantonese pronunciation, see Fluent Forever. For a dictionary see CantoDict or use the Hanping Cantonese App for Android.

沉橋/cam4 kiu4 (chum kiu)/sinking bridge

In our style the first character is 沉 (to sink) instead of 尋 (to seek). This is because the emphasis of our 1st section is to sink our elbows while our arms are on top of our opponent’s (e.g. Soeng Fuk, So Sau etc) which allows us to better control their balance.

Hence Cam Kiu focuses on the following:

  1. Operating at a longer range than Siu Nim Tao

  2. Controlling the arms and balance over hitting (e.g. Cam Kiu Laap)

  3. Hands going straight into a move from different starting positions (e.g. Cin Bong Sau)

  4. Moving the body while doing a move (e.g. moving Bong Sau)

  5. Dealing with multiple opponents (e.g. Twisting Kick)

  6. Acting earlier than your opponent (i.e. you are faster to start your move)

Cam Kiu Fuk is different to Siu Nim Tao Fuk – instead of the wrist being flexed, the wrist is neutral and the palm faces down. Arms should be at 135° (mid point between straight and 90°) unless otherwise stated.

交叉手上/SOENG5 GAAU1 CAA1 SAU2 (seung gau cha sao)/UPPER CROSS HANDS

Angles:

  1. Same as Siu Lam Tao Gaau Caa Sau but palms point downwards

  2. Elbows are slightly wider than in Siu Nim Tao in order to better allow you to control your opponent’s arms

Applications:

  1. Double inside or Double outside

  2. He Punch/You Double Outside GCS/Punch/CK Mang or CK Laap (inside or outside) or So Sau etc – anything from CK 1st section

掹手/mang1 SAU2 (mung sao)/pulling HAND

Angles:

  1. Wrist angle goes from neutral in GCS to flexed as you draw your hands back

Applications:

  1. He Punch/You Outside GCS/Punch/Mang both their hands downwards (grabbing, not holding)

飛踭出拳/fei1 zaang1 ceot1 kyun4 (fei jarn chut kuen)/’elbow out’ punch

Angles:

  1. Punch angle is at 0° i.e. line of the fingers are vertical

  2. Punch in line with your 1st centreline, elbow in line with your ‘braces’ line (similar to CK GCS)

  3. Contact point is the flat rectangle of your bottom 3 fingers (proximal phalanx)

  4. Punch is level with your upper 3rd centreline (sternum)

Applications:

  1. Diagonal, Outside and Same Side, Inside (trapping back hand)

  2. Used to counter an ‘Elbow In’ Punch inside or outside

  3. Can be combined with Hau Paak Sau to clear space for your punch

  4. Can be used to counter a second opponent’s punch from the side

  5. Can be drilled with your partner also cycling ‘Elbow Out’ Punches – contact point is your 3rd centreline (therefore your punch angle will more across than in the form)

  6. When drilling, your back hand should be on the level of your 3rd centreline (unlike ‘Elbow In’ Punches where it is the level of your elbow). This is so that your forearm is less ‘flat’ where it can be more easily collapsed by your opponent

剔手/tik1 SAU2 (tik sao)/picking out HAND

Angles:

  1. Both arms first cross with elbows at 90° and the 3rd centrelines in line with the 1st centreline (left over right)

  2. Then the arms go diagonally outwards (like Tiu Sau) until elbow angle is 135°

  3. Wrists are flexed with fingers pointing horizontally towards each other

Applications:

  1. Double outside or Double inside

  2. Punch/cross the 2 Tiks first to collect the punch, then double Tik to put pressure back on opponent

  3. No Zyun Maa if using 2 Tiks together

  4. Can combine with ‘same side, outside’ SLT Gam Sau

  5. Good for transitioning into Hyun (SLT Fuk Sau but in Tik you are turned)

  6. Can grab round their neck (combine with Dai Cau Kyun – uppercut). Like BZ Straight Mang Sau but in Tik you use whole hand, not just the fingers

鎖手/so2 SAU2 (sor sao)/locking HAND

Angles:

  1. Upper hand same as 1 hand CK Gaau Caa Sau

  2. Lower hand same as SLT Hau Paak Sau but hand touches your own shoulder

  3. Back hand Hyuns to transition to next So Sau

  4. Arms go before body, empasize upper sinking down, diagonally

  5. Upper body turns 90° to the side, but stance only stays turned at 45°

Applications:

  1. Outside only

  2. Ideally your front hand 3rd centreline is on their elbow and your back hand wrist is on their wrist (locking their arm)

  3. 3 Applications against a 2nd Punch:

  4. Punch/So Sau/Punch inside your front hand/So Sau

  5. Punch/So Sau/Punch outside your front hand/Front hand Hyun into back hand Hyun into So Sau

  6. Punch/So Sau/Punch quickly outside your front hand/Hoi

  7. Only So Sau if one of your arms are already forward – don’t do it directly to a punch as the timing window is very small to get your arms forward first

  8. Saan Sau Ideas:

  9. Punch/Outside Hau Paak + Outside Cin Paak into So Sau their front arm

雙伏手/soeng1 fuk1 SAU2 (seung fuk sao)/double covering HAND

Angles:

  1. Similar to SLT Fan Sau but palms face down

Applications:

  1. Double outside or double inside

  2. Empasize upper arms sinking down, diagonal to control their balance

  3. Punch/Soeng Fuk/Punch/[Any CK 1st section move]

擸手/laap3 SAU2 (lap sao)/bringing together hand

Angles:

  1. If facing your right side in the form, your right hand will go down and forwards first

  2. Elbows out

  3. 1 hand forwards, 1 hand backwards

  4. Hands grab to a fist and wrists are extended

  5. Make a circle with your hands as you Laap – your hands will go more forward and it locks the angle of their elbow at 45° rather than 90°

  6. Forward hand end position is like a SNT Cin Gam Sau with a fist

  7. Back hand end position same as the forward hand but palm of fist is up and elbow angle at 90°

Applications:

  1. Outside or Inside

  2. Non-laaping hand is a Dau Sau under their elbow.

  3. For inside:

  4. use 3rd centreline for your forward hand instead of grabbing with your hand

  5. use Pin1 San1 Maa5 (偏身馬 – perpendicular) to be on top of their back hand with your Dau Sau hand

  6. In practice CK Laap is quick, snap of their joint – not a hold. However in training it is done as a hold in order to safely observe the effect of Laap on your training partner

  7. Saan Sau Ideas:

  8. Punch/outside, diagonal 1 hand SNT GCS into CK Laap

  9. Punch/inside, same side 1 hand SNT GCS into CK Laap + Pin San Maa

  10. Punch/CK GCS/Punch/CK Laap

  11. Punch/Soeng Fuk Sau/Punch/inside or outside CK Laap

撲掌/pok3 zoeng2 (pok jeung)/leaping palms

Angles:

  1. Hand that is up from the last CK Laap will directly become the down hand of the 1st Pok Zoeng