Wang Chengjin: Framing & Transitional Attacks in Sanda

How an unusual Sanda stylist dominates opponents by mixing striking & grappling.

The Wushu World Championships wrapped up in September and, if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I always pay close attention to the Sanda event. The performance that caught my eye most this year was China’s gold medalist at 65kg, Wang Chengjin. Chengjin displayed the slick bouncing and long distance footwork typical of China’s Sanda stylists, but he brought a scrappy flare to it, mixing slickness with volume and managing to hurt several of his foes.

Effective infighting is rare in Sanda since clinch striking doesn’t score. If one tries to crowd his opponent with punches, simply grabbing an underhook or overhook will negate any points from then on, turning the exchange into wrestling or stalling. But Chengjin managed to manipulate clinching range in a way I’ve not seen previously in Sanda, hitting effectively in transitions, but also leveraging frames to keep his opponents where they could be hit and hurt.

At long range, Chengjin is a southpaw with a slick one-two and fast open side kicks, hidden behind rhythmic bouncing. But as the distance tightens, his more unique qualities show through. He appears to be a converted southpaw, possessing a dexterous and unusual lead hook.

Instead of sitting down on the lead hook and rotating his hips into it, he thrusts it out in more of a stabbing motion.

The stabbing hook doesn’t hit as hard as a full power rotational punch, but it lets Chengjin sneak it through at awkward angles and double up on it in quick succession, since the delivery eschews exaggerated hip motion. It’s one of his most useful tools for applying volume, continually occupying the opponent’s vision and threatening to interrupt them if they settle into an exchange, while at the same time setting up his bigger strikes. Since Chengjin is a southpaw, the hook comes from a blind angle outside the shoulder, and stabbing with it gives him a lot of control over the angle, so he can direct it over the shoulder if their chin is hidden.

Chengjin’s left hand is used more sparingly, typically as an intercepting counter or set up off a quick leg kick.