The core principle of Chuojiao (戳脚) is that “the hands are the vanguard, and the feet are the commander.” In Chuojiao, the role of hand techniques and leg techniques is such that “70% of the attacks come from the feet, and 30% from the hands. The speed of the feet should surpass that of the hands.” This principle gives Chuojiao its distinctive style of “emphasizing both hands and feet, with a focus on leg techniques,” making it widely renowned in the martial arts community as the “pride of Northern leg techniques.”
As stated in the Chuojiao Boxing Theory: “The hands are the vanguard, and the feet are the commander. The fists strike in six directions, and the feet kick in eight.” In practical combat, Chuojiao emphasizes the coordinated use of hand and foot techniques. The hands defend the upper body, while the feet attack the lower body. The hands guide the feet, and when the hands move, the feet follow. When the feet retract, the hands defend. This synchronization is crucial. Chuojiao’s leg techniques are diverse and versatile, allowing for multi-dimensional attacks. One can kick high to the head or low to the feet, with one leg attacking while the other is ready to follow, creating a continuous and interconnected flow of movements. As the boxing manual says: “When kicking the enemy, show no mercy, and rely on the hands to guide the way.” Below, we will analyze six leg techniques from Chuojiao to illustrate the principle of “the hands as the vanguard, and the feet as the commander.”
1. Circle Point Kick (圈点腿)
Scenario:
I assume a left stance (left foot forward, right foot back, standing sideways with elbows bent and arms guarding the chest. The right stance is the opposite). The enemy lifts their right knee, intending to kick my left knee with their right foot. I pivot 180 degrees to the left on my left leg while slightly bending my right knee and swinging it in an upward circular motion, then downward and outward to block the enemy’s right leg with the sole of my foot. Immediately after, I lean my upper body to the left, straighten my right leg, and point my right toes to strike the enemy’s groin.
Technical Analysis:
The Circle Point Kick is a defensive-to-offensive technique, consisting of the “Circle Kick” and “Point Kick.” These two kicks are fundamental to Chuojiao’s “Eight Mother Kicks.” In this technique, the Circle Kick is primarily defensive, while the Point Kick is offensive. The two kicks must be seamlessly connected, forming a single fluid motion without pause.
- Circle Kick: In combat, the right leg’s swinging motion should be small, following a circular path. The knee protects the groin and abdomen, while the foot guards the knee and hip. Simultaneously, twist the waist, retract the hip, and rotate the body. The Circle Kick has two uses: one is to defend against the enemy’s attack, and the other is to feint and make the enemy hesitant to advance. Here, we focus on the first use.
- Point Kick: When executing the Point Kick, push the right hip forward, lower the right knee, tense the right ankle, and thrust the right leg forward like a spear, focusing the force on the toes. The kick should be quick and retract immediately, hence the saying, “The Point Kick is like a shuttle.”
2. Jade Ring Step and Mandarin Duck Kick (玉环步鸳鸯脚)
Scenario:
I assume a left stance. The enemy steps forward with their left foot to close the distance. I shift my weight to my left leg, pivot 90 degrees to the left, and strike the enemy’s chest with my right fist while guarding my chest with my left hand. Simultaneously, I hook my right toes and use the front of my foot to scrape the enemy’s left shin. As the enemy retracts their left leg and uses their right hand to deflect my right fist, I pivot 180 degrees to the left, turning my back to the enemy, and place my right foot in front of my left foot while looking over my right shoulder. Seeing me retreat, the enemy attacks with their right fist. I shift my weight to my left leg, lean slightly forward, and use the sole of my right foot to kick upward toward the enemy’s groin.
Technical Analysis:
The “Jade Ring Step and Mandarin Duck Kick” is a technique that lures the enemy in, using retreat as a means to attack. It involves feinting with the hands to distract the enemy, then turning and retreating to draw the enemy into attacking, creating an opportunity to counter with a leg strike. This technique consists of two parts: the “Jade Ring Step” and the “Mandarin Duck Kick.”
- Jade Ring Step: This step includes a “short leg thrust punch” and a “turn and retract leg” motion. The short leg thrust punch is a simultaneous upper and lower body attack designed to disrupt the enemy’s rhythm and provoke a reaction. Whether the punch lands or not, the practitioner immediately turns and retreats, luring the enemy to pursue. As the Chuojiao Combat Essentials state: “When engaging an enemy, it is crucial to distinguish between stillness and chaos. If the enemy remains still, use feints to confuse their vision. Confused vision leads to a confused mind, creating an opening to exploit.” This is akin to the military strategy of “creating a false impression to confuse the enemy.” When facing an enemy who remains still, use hand feints to disrupt their calm, stimulate their nerves, and force them to focus on the upper body, leaving their mid and lower body vulnerable to leg attacks. Even feints should appear genuine to avoid being easily detected.
- Mandarin Duck Kick: In combat, this kick primarily targets the enemy’s groin and abdomen, so the kick should not be too high. The kick should be quick, with the foot extended and the sole of the foot striking upward. The force comes from the rapid backward hooking motion of the lower leg, driving the foot upward. When the right foot lands, the toes should hook to prevent the enemy from grabbing the leg.
3. Scorpion Carries Dung (蝎子背屎)
Scenario:
I assume a right stance. The enemy steps forward with their left foot and throws a left punch at me. I quickly step my left foot behind my right foot while using my left hand to deflect the enemy’s left wrist and my right forearm to block their arm. I then pivot 90 degrees to the left, shift my weight to my left leg, lean slightly forward, and use my right foot to kick backward toward the enemy’s groin.
Technical Analysis:
The “Scorpion Carries Dung,” also known as the “Backward Groin Kick,” is executed when the practitioner is facing away from the enemy. It requires the cover of hand techniques to create an opportunity for the kick. This technique is an example of the “strike high, attack low” strategy and consists of three movements: the left hand deflection, right forearm block, left stealthy step, and backward kick.
- Left Stealthy Step: The body should turn slightly to the left, and the left foot should step quickly without hesitation. The left hand deflection and right forearm block are defensive movements that must be precise and fast, as they form the foundation for the subsequent kick.
- Backward Kick: When executing the backward kick, the body should turn quickly, and the kick should be delivered simultaneously with the turn. The upper body can lean slightly forward, with the chest out and the waist lowered. The force comes from the right hip, and the striking point is the sole of the right foot. The target must be accurate.
4. Scoop Kick with Outer Block (掏踢外磕手)
Scenario:
I assume a left stance. The enemy steps forward with their left foot and throws a left punch at my chest. I quickly pivot 135 degrees to the left, slightly bend my left leg, and use my right forearm to block the enemy’s left punch outward. I then pivot another 45 degrees to the left, swing my right forearm downward and outward in a circular motion, and strike the enemy’s upper body with my right arm while scooping my right foot in an arc to kick the enemy’s left foot. The simultaneous upper and lower body attack causes the enemy to fall.
Technical Analysis:
The “Scoop Kick with Outer Block” is a defensive-to-offensive technique that combines upper and lower body attacks. The force from the upper body is directed backward, while the force from the lower body is directed forward. These opposing forces act on the enemy simultaneously, causing them to lose balance and fall.
- Right Outer Block: This is a horizontal deflection against a vertical attack. The key to this movement is quick and flexible pivoting. The pivot should be on the heel of the left foot and the ball of the right foot, lifting the left toes and right heel to ensure smooth and balanced rotation. The right forearm block should be executed with tension in the arm muscles to effectively deflect the enemy’s punch.
- Scoop Kick and Outer Block: These two movements should be executed as one. The scoop kick should scrape the ground with the inner heel, then lift quickly to strike the enemy’s ankle with the ball of the foot. The force comes from the rotation of the waist and the thrust of the hip. The outer block should be fast, with the right arm slightly bent, combining a pushing force to the right and a blocking force outward. The upper and lower body movements must be synchronized to bring the enemy down.
5. Short Leg with Flipping Pole Hand (寸腿翻杆手)
Scenario:
I assume a right stance. The enemy steps forward with their right foot and throws a right punch at me. I step back with my right foot while using my right hand to deflect the enemy’s right punch downward and outward, keeping my left hand guarding my chest. I then press down on the enemy’s arm with my left hand, shift my weight to my left leg, pivot 90 degrees to the left, and hook my right toes to scrape the enemy’s right shin with the ball of my foot. Simultaneously, I retract my right fist to my chest and flip it upward to strike the enemy’s face with the back of my fist.
Technical Analysis:
The “Short Leg with Flipping Pole Hand” is a defensive-to-offensive technique that combines upper and lower body attacks, making it difficult for the enemy to defend. This technique consists of four movements: the right hand deflection, left hand press, right flipping pole hand, and right short leg kick.
- Right Hand Deflection: This is the key movement, serving as the vanguard to protect the practitioner’s guard. Chuojiao emphasizes self-protection first, following the military principle of “only by preserving oneself can one defeat the enemy.” When facing an incoming punch, the first reaction should be to effectively guard and deflect the attack. The right hand quickly changes from a fist to a palm, with the fingers pointing left to increase the defensive area. The right arm swings downward and outward, using a combination of hooking and pressing motions to redirect the enemy’s punch. Even though this is a defensive movement, the right hand must exert sufficient force to effectively block the attack.
- Left Hand Press, Right Flipping Pole Hand, and Right Short Leg Kick: These three movements should be executed simultaneously. The right short leg kick should be delivered with the toes hooked, the heel scraping the ground, and the knee snapping straight to strike the enemy’s lower leg with the ball of the foot. The right flipping pole hand should retract downward and inward in a circular motion, then flip upward to strike the enemy’s face with the back of the fist as the kick is delivered. These three movements combine offense and defense, with the upper and lower body attacks working together to overwhelm the enemy.
6. Groin Kick (兜裆腿)
Scenario:
I assume a left stance. The enemy steps forward with their left foot and throws a right punch at my chest. I quickly use my left hand to hook and press down on the enemy’s right fist, then pivot 90 degrees to the left, shift my weight forward, and strike the enemy’s face with my right fist. As the enemy leans back to avoid the punch, I retract my right fist, shift my weight to my left leg, and kick upward with the ball of my right foot to strike the enemy’s groin.
Technical Analysis:
The “Groin Kick,” also known as the “Forward Groin Kick,” is executed under the cover of hand techniques, with the hands feinting high and the feet attacking low. This technique consists of three movements: the left hand press, right punch, and forward kick.
- Left Hand Press: This is a defensive movement that must be precise and forceful. When the enemy throws a punch, the left hand should quickly and firmly press down on the enemy’s fist, staying close to the chest to avoid overextending.
- Right Punch: This is a feint designed to disrupt the enemy’s rhythm and force them to focus on defense. As the Chuojiao Combat Essentials state: “When engaging an enemy, it is important to use deception. If I intend to attack high, I first feint low. When the enemy defends low, I attack high. If I intend to attack left, I first feint right. When the enemy defends right, I attack left.” This is akin to the military strategy of “using deception to confuse the enemy.” In combat, use hand feints to distract the enemy’s upper body, then follow up with a leg attack. This is the “feint east, attack west” strategy.
- Forward Kick: This movement follows the previous one. When the enemy dodges the right punch, their lower body is exposed, creating an opportunity for a leg attack. The right foot should kick upward with the ball of the foot, using the rapid extension of the knee to deliver the force. The target is the enemy’s groin. In martial arts, there is a saying that “groin kicks should not be used,” not because they are forbidden, but because they are extremely dangerous. The groin is one of the most vulnerable areas of the body, and even a light strike can cause severe pain or unconsciousness, while a heavy strike can be fatal. Therefore, such techniques should be used with caution.
From the above examples of six techniques, we can see that hand techniques serve as the vanguard in combat, fulfilling four main roles:
- Defense: Use hand techniques to block the enemy’s attacks, then counter with leg techniques.
- Feints: Use deceptive hand movements to probe the enemy’s habits and expose weaknesses, then attack with leg techniques.
- Upper Body Attacks: Use hand techniques to strike the enemy’s vital points while attacking their mid and lower body with leg techniques.
- Protection: Use hand techniques to guard vital areas like the groin and abdomen while executing leg attacks.
These principles highlight the importance of coordination between hand and foot techniques in Chuojiao, making it a versatile and effective martial art.
