The CRCA Wing Chun fighter will always consider the resulting Facing relationship before making footwork that will change that relationship. He will always, no matter how slightly, take a step in the direction that will give him the Advantage of Facing. This strategy is because the slightest Facing Advantage created by the Wing Chun fighter’s first step may be compounded, possibly unintentionally, by the opponent himself. Thus, even if you take a small step to the inside or outside of the opponent’s leading foot from a ready position for the slightest Advantage, the opponent may add to it by stepping further inside or outside of your foot—possibly unaware that he is giving up Facing Advantage as he moves in the only direction that is not blocked by your foot. He is simply following the unobstructed path, which can lead him to the disadvantage of Facing if you have stepped correctly to “set him up” in the first place.
The opponent may be utterly unaware of the advantage. When executing a technique from an Open relationship (you are in a left lead, and he is a right), you will almost always step your leading left foot to the outside of his top right foot. Although the Facing inherent advantage that you are creating may not be obvious, if you continue to move in, or if he moves forward inside of your foot, he will end up with his back to you—Dead Side exposed. When executing Tan Da vs. his lead left Jab from a Closed Left relationship (both fighters in a left leading stance), step to the inside of his leading left foot. Stepping to the outside world, “give him your back” works in conjunction with the Centerline Theory. The ultimate goal is to gain at least one, if not both, benefits whenever you use footwork. Stepping with the correct Facing in mind is also extremely practical with Self and Applied Structure.
The Theory of Facing also establishes the spectrum limit within which you can pivot about the opponent—you must never shift beyond the point where either the outermost boundary of your Live Area coincides with the Centerline, or you will give the opponent the Advantage of Facing. As a result, it is usually in the fighter’s best interest to keep his Self-Centerline directly referenced to the opponent’s Dead Side. This positioning provides him with at least an equal opportunity to attack. It keeps his Dead Side referenced 45° or more from the opponent’s Facing.
This is why, regardless of foot placement, the upper body of the Wing Chun fighter is always referenced within the 90° angle spectrum introduced by the Choh Ma stance pivot. In other words, if the entire lower half of your body were shrouded in a heavy mist from the waist down, the opponent would have no way of knowing whether you are in a turned, braced, forward, or rear stance, only that you are turned to face him somewhere within your own 90° of “Live Area.”