Yellow Sash

初学徒弟 水平三
Chūxué Túdì Shuǐpíng Sān
3rd Grading – Beginner Disciple Grade 3

Upon graduation, the student will be awarded a

Yellow Sash

This is the final grading of the beginners’ level. This is a great time for reflection: the practitioner looks back at their journey so far and if they watch footage of themselves as a Red Sash then they will see what their Sifu sees: that they have progressed so far (and so well) that they are barely recognisable to their current selves. They have surpassed their earlier selves in every aspect of their performance as a martial artist. They are ready for a new stage, and after this grading, they will have one. After this grading, they will begin their training to become a 中间徒弟 Zhongjian Todai (Intermediate Disciple).

As each grading is the door to the next chapter of training, this door can only be unlocked with the highest standards of ethical and respectful conduct. Adherence to the Three Principles is crucial at this stage, and the Sifu taking the grading will not pass anyone without being absolutely certain of their virtue in this regard. The reason is that, as Zhongjian Todai, the student will begin to take part in more “live” sparring rounds from this stage forward. They will already be used to testing their skills against speed and power in isolated settings including freeform sparring with light contact, but now they will begin to “pad up” and test their skills against more realistic resistance through medium-contact sparring where they work on their standup skills, as well as “Back-to-Back” sparring on the ground. Due to the nature of padded sparring and the inherent dangers presented, we take this extremely seriously and only those who we deem ready are allowed to put the gloves on. Receiving a Yellow Sash is a mark of trust, not only from your Sifu but from your peers.

膀手 Bong Sao (Wing Hand) and 枕手 Jam Sao (Sinking Hand) feature prominently at this level, and as such there is a dramatic increase in the practitioner’s experience with biomechanical manipulation, which Bong Sao and Jam Sao are both very useful in setting up. Moving on now from the fingers and thumbs, the student works on 小手絡 Kote-garami (“Forearm Entanglement”) for the first time – a variety of wrist locks that teach the student how to attack the joint from every direction. The student also continues their study of how to escape from grips by applying what they have learned to strangles and clothes grabs. Their understanding of how to take down opponents makes great progress as well here, as they learn not only how to use wrist locks to effect a takedown, but make extensive study of 抜き払い Nuki-harai (Reaps and Sweeps).

In 轻 功 (Qīnggōng – Agility and Mobility), fall absorption is developed further with the student dealing with being pushed to the floor, and rolling also becomes more dynamic. This will set them up well for the demands of future training.

Coupled with a significant increase in the practitioner’s mobility, incorporating new angles and methods, their offensive capabilities in terms of striking really begin to flourish here, with different variations of strikes that land at different ranges, and new striking angles explored with the uppercut and overhand, as well as striking with the forearm. Kicking becomes devastatingly effective at this stage, with horse kicks, back kicks, hook kicks and rising knee strikes being prominent features. Their use of The Fence must now be much more dynamic, switching between it and Combat Stance (and back again) efficiently as the need arises and situations change and develop.

Students at this level move on with their study of 五步拳 Wǔ Bù Quán – the Five Fundamental Stances – to put the stances together and demonstrate their ability to transition between them through the first half of the form.

To move from beginner level to intermediate, students also must demonstrate a good understanding of Threat Awareness, Threat Evaluation, Threat Avoidance, Communicative Strategies, Force Deployment and the Force Continuum. They must also demonstrate a good understanding of Centreline Principle, which should underpin all they do, and this is reinforced in their high reference and low reference partner work.