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We want you to know a seriously important point and not be confused. Here it is: Ip Man Wing Chun is a toolbox. The toolbox exists for us to use in the event of unavoidable aggression. In other words, self-defense. There's no such thing as "self-defense" in action anymore than there is "furniture." I don't sit on furniture, to be exact...I sit on a chair, a sofa, or a bed. Furniture is a classification just as self-defense is. Likewise, i don't eat "food" - I eat a taco or a

To move in the theatre of combat requires footwork that’s consistent with the terrain and type of violence forced upon the defender. The idea behind a systematic is the logical integration of all elements to the facts of reality. Adding long-range, bouncy footwork to one’s method is not a sin, that is to say, an ethical issue, but it is far less likely to be useful than that which is lower-to-the-ground and moves through a series of short, rapid steps/shifts. Ali would have a

When Push Comes to Shove Most people see Wing Chun as an art dominated by the ubiquitous chain punch and chi-sao practice – at least when you judge by YouTube videos. Though these things are important, they are certainly not the entirety of the system, but aspects of it. Because of their appeal, it’s unfortunate that they tend to dominate the Wing Chun fighter’s training time and this is a gross error in understanding and application. In fact

Wing Chun is a comprehensive system of simplicity. That’s a simple sentence but a profound truth that takes a lifetime to wrap one’s head around. Simple and comprehensive? Yes. Siu Lim Tao and Chum Kiu concepts dominate the hierarchy of application principles. What we mean by this is that in Wing Chun we seek to do the simplest thing first and the early forms - and the first movements of those forms - generally provide the roadmap to self-defense success. If a bloke is rearin

The object of footwork is twofold. First, it’s to nullify the enemy’s attack. Second, to establish position to launch your own. The second objective is dependent upon the first and should never supplant or compromise it. Sifu Jaz, using the shift, has expertly angled offline so she can both avoid and deliver a blow. The mechanical guide for footwork is governed by the simplicity principle. Because combat is wrought with so much peril, so many unknowns - especially but not lim

Many people ask why our family’s footwork is different than other Wing Chun lineages. The short of it is that we recognize the difference between bridge and non-bridge realities. If you look at boxing, for example, you’ll notice that there’s a significant difference in their structure/stance when they’re in a clinch and when they’re not. Non-bridge range requires more mobility to avoid being a target and to gain access to one. Once in contact with the enemy, however, the brid

The hyper-aggressive adherents of Wing Chun are correct in that the defense is a good offense. Where they err - and painfully - is in their definition of a good offense. The foolhardy rushing in, throwing chain-punches like one is trying to put out a fire, can certainly be effective…if the opponent is simply overwhelmed. But that’s a dangerous plan. It assumes that there’s nothing the other fellow can or will do other than take his beating at the paws of a superior system. He

A fight is much too diverse and dangerous to adequately train apples to apples. WIng Chun addresses this by developing a strong structural foundation (forms) and conditioned/contact reflexes via drills. These reflexes of logical mechanical structure must be governed by the tactical principles learned from Wing Chun. In other words, mind and body. A boxer or MMA fighter can test their training “apples to apples” because of the nature of their discipline. The Wing Chun defender

Wing Chun, Keep it Simple You’ve probably heard Mike Tyson’s statement that, in effect, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. We’ve all heard it (at least those of us in the martial arts) and remember it because, truth be told, it’s as obvious as saying it always helps to have a little bit of money. It’s nearly self-evident, for crying out loud. But whereas it’s certainly true, it’s actually deep when you think about it. We mean to say that it’s quite easy