• Development
  • Programming
  • Security / Hacking
  • Web Design/Scripting
• Japanese
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Reviews
• Martial Arts
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Reflections
  • Random Thoughts
• Miscellaneous
  • News
  • Technology
  • Video Games

The Center Line Theory

Posted on | November 3, 2008 | 2 Comments

I’ve been busy for quite some time, so I haven’t had a chance to post lately, but I want to talk about what I’ve been working on while away. I want to talk about something everyone has: a center line.

Wing Chun highly focuses on the center line theory, and benefits greatly from it. The center line theory is fairly easy to understand, but can be quite troublesome to get the hang of. The idea is that there is a line that runs straight down everyone, from head to toe. That, in essence, is your center line. Everything should revolve around your center line while the opponents center line should be offset or disrupted.

For instance, your center line should always be facing the opponent, and as you move around your opponent, your center line should stay straight and aimed towards the enemy. Your punches should also extend from the center line. This can be hard to understand unless the concept is properly shown, but the reason behind it is quite simple: The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line.

The opponents center line should also be your target, in two ways.

1. You should be attempting to disrupt their center line but maintain the integrity of yours. By this, I mean you basically want to off balance them or get to them at an angle. If your center line is facing them, but theirs is facing in a different direction, you’ve already gained the advantage and should make use of it.
2. Aim for the center line with your attacks. Hitting your opponents center line will maximize the damage you do to him. Think of it this way: If you hit your opponent in the shoulder, his shoulder will simply give and his body will pivot, which will in effect lessen the damage he takes. But, if you instead hit him directly in his center line, your opponent is forced to take close to all(if not ALL) of your force directly as damage rather than being able to deflect it.

I just thought I’d share a little bit of information about the center line, which is used in many Martial Arts, but more highly focused in Martial Arts like Wing Chun. I’ve been practicing on keeping my center line and controlling or distorting my opponents center line. For the end of this article, I’ll leave you with my own personal example. A friend of mine was over at my place on the weekend and we were free light hand sparring with no pads. At one point, we had stopped and were analyzing a position in which our hands were grappled together and we both brought our knee’s up, but because of the angle of my knee to his, I had the advantage because I maintained my center line but just barely off centered his. His argument was that if it was done in a fast motion, and we both put strength behind everything, that one of two things would either happen.

1. Our strength would cancel each other out and we would both remain standing
2. Our strength would be close and so if I was able to get him to fall, we’d both fall.

Since he insisted so much that the center line wouldn’t matter and wouldn’t offset his balance enough, I decided to prove it to him. I told him to do the same exact thing we had just done, but only use strength and keep himself up or take me down with him if he had to. And sure enough, he hit the floor hard and I was left standing with full balance, simply laughing. To make sure he fully understood why what I did worked, I had him repeat the same thing on me, with the situation being the other way and what do you know, it worked on me as well.

Just mess around with the center line theory and see what works for you.

Author: Zyaga

I'm a Computer Programmer / Web Developer, though I have quite a lot of other hobbies and interests. You can usually find me studying Japanese, Blogging, watching Anime(for hours at a time), or possibly even practicing some Martial Arts. My brain runs rampant so I have to fuel it's fire by having many hobbies to switch back and forth from.

Comments