Ciccio wrote:IMHO
Too simplistic to reduce it in those terms.
Training is aimed always to coach the most difficult things otherwise there is no improvement.
Hi Ciccio,
I didn't have a lot of time before so it was a simplistic answer. However I believe it's true.
Also I don't subscribe to your view of training. Training, if it is to be effective should not particularly aim to look at the most difficult things at all, it should aim to perfect those things which have a high percentage chance of working in a real situation.
What works in jian play? Cut to the wrist. This should be your number one training goal IMO for jian swordplay. First look at what methods can be used. Then play around with these and use in free sparing, identify which ones work best and why. Try to improve upon these and improve upon your technique - heavier cuts, cleaner cuts.
Improvement comes through increasing the percentage you can land good cuts on your opponent, through doing the simple things better, not through attempting to do the most difficult things. Once you're getting good results with the high percentage stuff start to do some lower percentage things to give you some variation and unpredictability.
Trying to intercept and stick to an opponent's weapon in a live situation is not realistic. Why? because they don't leave the weapon there. Similarly trying to catch someone's punch to wrist grab is not a high percentage movement in barehand, people withdraw their arms in barehand and in weapon work - why? because you are vulnerable, it is silly to leave your arm out as a target, especially in weapon work where the arm is one of the main targets. So much that is taught about bridging and catching and sticking to someone's arm or weapon simply doesn't happen when sparring because the opponent doesn't leave themselves extended - you have nothing to stick to because they withdraw. The options are to withdraw yourself from their cut, slip the cut and counter or follow as they withdraw.
Also if you stick to their weapon how do you cut them? You have to disengage to make a cut, therefore why engage at all? Simply cut. If you need to disrupt the incoming attack a parry may be required but this isn't sticking.
Sticky sword/spear/staff has little relation to real weapon sparring as you are working in a different range too, usually most people doing sticky work are much closer than you would normally be when engaging in sparring and this gives a false sense of distancing and positioning.
I've done this with people barehand before who've asked me to push hands, we push hands for a bit then I say, how about we start disengaged, and then I actively try not to allow them to engage again, result is most people get a rain of beng quans straight into their chest because they can't engage and stick to incoming strikes. Same in swordwork and spear work etc.