The form Sam Chin (三战) is common to Fujian styles particularly the different variants of White Crane Boxing, Dog Boxing and Tiger Boxing.

Ngok Gar Kuen (岳家拳) is a Hakka style so it is no surprise that there is no Sam Chin form in the system. NGK training begins with tension standing stake practice of various postures (行功头). This is followed by a series of 18 movements made up of a basic footwork pattern and various basic techniques (二行功, also known as 行功尾).

In Sam Chin practice I see practitioners walk through a set of basic techniques while holding muscular tension, controlling the breathing, maintaining body structure and learning to issue power by compressing and suddenly releasing the force. The core principles governing this is Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink (吞吐浮沉).

I once asked Master Cheong if we have Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink and he said we do Sink, Swallow, Spit. However, after learning from L recently, listening to his explanations of how to move and observing his movements I would say that it is highly likely that we actually do Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink.

If that is the case then in 行功头 we do the practice by first learning how to hold the posture properly. Then each time we change posture that is when we will do the Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink in a sudden burst of explosive macro and micro movements. In effect, there are several things to be learned such as how to form the correct body structure, how to connect, stretch and extend out the power, and how to issue power.

Once these things are learned properly then we move on to the 二行功. This time we put into practice what we have learned in 行功头. Because we are now practicing techniques the focus in on doing the techniques quickly while at the same time executing the correct biomechanics.

In effect, instead of practicing one Sam Chin form we practice two different sets of exercises that complement each other and when added together is teaching us the same thing we would have learned from a Sam Chin form.