What is Ip Man Wing Chun?
Wing Chun is a very unique and scientific form of martial arts. Wing Chun is a style of Kung Fu that
originates from China, the martial art was later refined in Hong Kong by the late Ip Man. Wing Chun's specialty is in close contact combat, using
quick punches and kicks with a tight defence, coordinated through agile stances and footwork for a quick advance. The effectiveness
of this fighting style is achieved by well coordinated attacks with simultaneous defence and vise versa. Due to its effectiveness this
martial art makes for an effective form of self defence. The student must learn to deliver the correct amount
of energy or force, whilst staying relaxed when possible. A good Sifu (instructor / teacher) will teach the student to overcome
force and strength with positioning and turning rather than meeting it head on. The style uses kicks, sweeps, elbows, palm strikes, punches, trapping
and control techniques as part of its fighting arsenal.
The Martial Art Syllabus
There are many different parts to the Wing Chun system. Learning this style of Kung Fu requires knowledge of Chi Sau, the hand form, the weapons and dummy forms and sparring.
Chi Sau
Unique to Wing Chun is "Chi Sau" (or Chi Sao), a
form of training to help develop and put into practice your techniques and theories you learn during your training. Chi Sau teaches
and helps the student to develop a responsive reflex, along with good position, how to overcome your opponents strength, correct
usage of energy and taking advantage of the shortest possible distance between you and your opponent. Chi Sau will also help with
sensitivity, or "reacting to feeling rather than sight". In addition to this Chi Sau helps students learn to react to
unpredictable movements as there is not set of predefined movements.
The Forms
The principles, theories and techniques of Wing Chun are founded on the three hand form and the wooden dummy techniques. Training begins with Sil Lim Tau (little idea), Chum Kiu (bridge seeking), Biu Gee (thrusting fingers). Then the serious of students will learn Muk Yan Jong; (wooden dummy), Luk Dim Boon Gaun (six & a half point pole) and finally Bart Cham Dao (eight cutting double knives).
Kung Fu Lineage
Pictured top left is Grandmaster Ip Man (sometimes referred to as Yip Man). Ip Man taught many famous martial artists
including the late Bruce Lee. The other photos are Ip Man's sons Grandmasters Ip Chun and Ip Ching, and their student,
Samuel Kwok. This linage can trace its history back to the origin of
Wing Chun.
It was Ip Man's dream to make the Chinese martial art Wing Chun, a well respected fighting system around the world, and through
tuition by his sons, Samuel Kwok has played his part over the last twenty five years. Sam Kwok has helped bring Wing
Chun to the forefront of Martial arts practice today. Grandmaster Kwok has wrote a couple of great
Wing Chun Books and made many Wing Chun Videos and DVDs which help students across the
world improve their Wing Chun. There are many martial arts schools and instructors up and down the
United Kingdom, as well as across Europe, in Denmark, Germany, South Africa, Australia and the United States to name a few. Many of
the Sifu's at these schools owe a great deal of their understanding of the art to the influence of Samuel Kwok's teaching
of traditional Ip Man style Wing Chun Kung Fu..
Wing Chun or Ving Tsun?
The martial art Wing Chun is sometimes referred to as Ving Tsun, Wing Chun Kung Fu (or Gong Fu), Wing Chung, Wing Chun Boxing, or even Wing Chun Kuen (fighting) amongst some other names. More recently research shows people write Wing Chun Gung Fu and Wing Tsun. The reason for these differences is because Chinese text does not translate precisely into Western letters or even western speech. However the name is not the important thing. The most important thing is that the student learns an effective form self defence and fighting. The martial art is a style of Kung Fu. Kung Fu roughly means time and effort and originally referred to any skill painstakingly developed. Recently Kung Fu has become synonymous with martial arts. The Chinese characters are for Wing Chun are 詠春.
Samuel Kwok Wing Chun Association
Samuel Kwok, under the guidance of Ip Chun and Ip Ching, continues to represent Traditional Ip Man Wing Chun in Europe, as he has
done for many years. Use the links at the top of the page to navigate the site, and learn more about the traditional Ip Man style.
The Site contains many videos and photos of Wing Chun in action. In the true spirit of Wing Chun and with the aim keeping
the art practical and efficient, Samuel Kwok has trained with many different martial arts masters over the years. This includes
masters from Brazilian Ju Jitsu (BJJ), Mauy Thai,
Kickboxing and professional boxers. This has ensured that Samuel Kwok's teaching of Wing Chun techniques is of the highest
quality and always practical.
Association Vision
Our aim is to respect the wish of grandmaster Ip Man. About 6 weeks before he died he asked his 2 sons and his student Lau Hon Lam to film him performing the Wing Chun system as practice by him. He only managed Sil Lim Tau, Chum Kiu and the Dummy form. This is because he was in a lot of pain and was weak and unsteady on his feet. He was going to do Biu Gee, the Knife form and long pole. However Grandmaster Ip Chun and Ip Ching and Sifu Lau Hong Lam stopped Ip Man because Biu Gee, the knives and full pole form require a lot of energy to perform. I want to pass on Ip Man Wing Chun as taught by Grandmaster Ip Man and Ip Ching and Ip Chun
- Samuel Kwok
Wing Chun Video Footage
High quality Ip Man footage filmed in 1972
Cleaned up footage of the late grandmaster Ip Man. This was filmed in 1972 just 2 weeks before Ip Man passed away from cancer.
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Wing Chun Martial Arts Kung Fu Ip Man Ving Tsun Samuel Kwok Chi Sau