Social Media is changing the world. It has most certainly changed Wing Chun and Martial Arts in general. When I first started training, more than 20 years ago, we had no such tools. Before Facebook, Twitter and Youtube came along, it was virtually impossible to see what other schools were doing. How were they training? How did they execute their forms? How did it differ from what I was being taught at my own school? The best you could do was visit local schools and take a peek. This I did, as often as I could. Today, all that has changed. We have access to videos and articles from schools all over the world. We have access to videos of Ip man, Bruce Lee, Wong Shun Leung and many other legendary Masters training! In many ways, we are lucky beyond belief. I would never have imagined in the late 90s, that I would have an opportunity to see Ip Man doing Siu Nim Tao, or Bruce Lee practicing Chi Sao. We have the knowledge of the world at our fingertips. We can jump on Social Media and see virtually any Master in the world, present and past, practicing Wing Chun. We can take notes, examine their technique and improve our own understanding through a never ending database of videos and articles. And yet, many of us may be squandering the opportunity, because there is also a never ending stream of negativity, criticism and petty quarrels that go with it. The temptation to criticise our fellow Martial Artists when they post a video of themselves, seems too strong to resist. Many a Wing Chun Forum has indeed been shut down due to a permanent dark cloud of negativity, which slowly drove most of its members away, leaving only trolls and keyboard warriors behind. They too soon lost interest, with no one left to torment. We must remember though, that almost anyone has the potential to be our teacher. Even a raw beginner may exhibit some good habit that we, with all our years of training, overlooked along our long and torturous path. I have learned much from the last 15 years of research on the internet. I have often found hidden gems in the most unlikely of places. Even demonstrations that I considered to be of low technical quality at the time, often turned out to be valuable when I realised that I too, was making some of the mistakes I could see in them. It’s difficult to walk away with anything of value when you are focusing on the flaws and are itching to point these out. Even if the flaws are there, what will it contribute to your own training to point them out and possibly humiliate the content creator? What will it contribute to theirs? As Martial Artists, we can and should do better. As Bruce Lee said – ““Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own”. Don’t be so quick to judge others and seek a confrontation. It is a terrible habit that will infect all areas of your life. Look for the positive instead, and the hidden gems that may be within. They are almost always in there, somewhere. You just need to look. 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

We are the creators of our own destiny. That might sound obvious, but how many people blame their failures on anything and everything, but themselves? They blame their family, their jobs, the economy, the Government. I did too, once upon a time. Then I discovered that the rain falls on successful people too. Tragedy is not the exclusive domain of the poor and unsuccessful. It affects us all. So it is not what happens to you that determines your future, but what you do in response. You are not a product of circumstances, you are a product of your own decisions. If you are not satisfied with your life, look in the mirror. Throw away your old list of things to blame for not doing well in life and create a new list with the word “ME”, on it. Now that you know what the problem is, you can finally get to work fixing it. It will change your life. J Garcia 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

Sifu Martin has passionately trained martial arts since 1982. In addition to Wing Chun, he has experience with catch wrestling, Jiu-jitsu, Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu, Boxing, Thai boxing and Escrima. Since 1993, Sifu Martin has primarily trained and taught Wing Chun. In 2007 Sifu Martin travelled around China to find the greatest master alive. On his journey, Sifu Martin trained with and interviewed a wide range of recognized masters of Wing Chun. One of these masters was Sifu Wan Kam Leung, who really stood out from all other Sifus. Touching hands with Sifu Wan was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It felt like Sifu Wan had super powers, constantly controlling the situation and always many steps ahead. Sifu Wan’s theoretical explanations were so enlightening and logical, that Martin had no doubt – he had found his Master.  Sifu Martin saw the extraordinary potential in this system and decided to become a full time teacher and practitioner. Since 2007 Sifu Martin has been traveling to Hong Kong several times every year to train privately with Sifu Wan. He is the first official instructor of Wan Kam Leung’s Practical Wing Chun in Scandinavia and has been traveling around the world with Sifu Wan assisting him on seminars and camps. Since 1994, Martin also studied and taught sports performance coaching, teaching methodology and biomechanics. Together with his interest in philosophy and psychology, his background makes him a unique teacher in Martial Arts. Today Sifu Martin travels the world to spread this amazing art and to honor his Sifu and the beautiful culture in Chinese Kung Fu. Sifu Martin’s vision is to further develop the Practical Wing Chun system, showing the world its greatness and making it accessible for anyone with the right mindset. There are many Wing Chun linages, which differ in strategies, tactics, methods and techniques. But the basic system structure, and most of the fundamental principles are the same. The many Wing Chun academies also differ in training methods, but the training parameters available are alike, as are the physical laws we follow. Therefore, this article is written in a way which is not limited to a specific Wing Chun linage, but focuses on the elements we share. The dummy as a tool The wooden dummy (Muk Yan Jong), is often associated with Wing Chun, but it is actually a training tool used in many different Chinese Martial arts. The legendary story of the special hall of the wooden dummy men, in the southern Shaolin temple has brought lots of interest to the wooden dummy. The majority of martial arts from southern china claim to be descended from the Shaolin temple. Naturally, many of them have some variation of the wooden dummy as a training tool. The Wooden Dummy form Since I started seriously working on the dummy, my Wing Chun skills have evolved to a whole new level. I have seen the same thing happening to numerous of my students. The wooden dummy form is a choreographed selection of techniques from the 3 unarmed forms. The dummy form is not just an “alphabet” you can use as a reference. There is a very specific reason why one technique follows the next. The sequences of techniques relate to specific combinations, which contains strategies, tactics and methods that should be understood. In that way, the wooden dummy form contains fundamental insights, which will help the student to obtain a deeper understanding of various aspects of their Wing Chun. But once you master the form and the purpose behind the sequence, most of your training should be a mix of movements which isn’t dependent on that specific sequence but instead, trains the various changes between different techniques which fit together. After years of training, the sequence will naturally flow with perfect accuracy, coordination, balance, economy of motion and use of force. It is then time for experimentation and improvisation. This kind of strategic creativity will bring you to the next level. Preparation for dummy training Before starting the dummy training, there are certain skills that must be mastered in order to get the intended outcome and prevent injury. First you must understand the basic centreline theories, and then you have to master the fundamental skills of stance and footwork. Once you can move fluently, with the right body structure, without thinking, you are ready for dummy training. But remember, the secret lies in the details, like most things truly worth learning. The 18 focus points The dummy provides a method of training when one doesn’t have a training partner, and never gets tired or complains. Techniques can be executed with a high degree of power, without fear of injuring a training partner. It helps you to integrate and apply various aspects of the system in new ways. 1. Insight: understanding the purpose of each technique and how it relates to the next technique in the form. E.g. positions, movement patterns, speed and timing, including amount and flow of force. This doesn’t mean that you already have all these skills, it just means that you have a clear and holistic purpose in your training, and you know what you need to improve. 2. Positioning: The ability to place your body in an advantageous position and an ideal distance in relation to your opponent. It is about having the right distance, angle, stance and body structure in relation to the opponent. In that way, you can maximize control, target availability and power generation and at the same time minimize your opponent’s ability to have control, reach a target or generate force. 3. Precision: The ability to control movement in a specific direction or at a given intensity. Every single movement should be isolated and trained separately over and over again until optimal precision is mastered. You can use the dummy to reinforce the alignment of all the body plains, axes, lines, angles and rotations that you need to consider. Your focus should constantly include direction and amount of force, speed and economy of motion. Even the slightest error in your

Chum Kil is the second of the empty hand forms. What is it that makes this form so interesting? Is it to search for a bridge or is it to sink the bridge? Is it the precursor to Bil Gee, continuation of Sil Lum Tao or a stand-alone form in itself? What concepts are being trained and do these techniques actually work in application? These questions have all been asked at some point as we progress from beginner learning to intermediate skill level. The answer to these and many other questions is Yes! What do I mean YES? Now before you say this guy is off his tree, ponder this. The term Chum Kil has meanings that translate to both search and sink the bridge. Once we have established a bridge with the oncoming energy of the opponent, we must endeavour to disrupt the opponent’s flow by “sinking” their bridge. Now, this can be done with various techniques dependent on the direction, intensity and commitment of the attacker. In the style of Wing Chun that I practice which is Grandmaster William Cheung’s Traditional Wing Chun (TWC), Chum Kil trains the practitioner to employ the use of what we call the B.O.E.C concept. B. is for balance. During Sil Lum Tao the Yee Gee Kim Yeung Ma is developed & we have instilled the muscle memory for a solid base and balanced centre of mass. Our COM should be balanced on the front 2/3 of our feet with 50/50 weight distribution between the two, allowing for efficient movement whilst maintaining a solid base. Chum Kil will take this foundation and teach us to maintain this balance and spring-like tension while putting it in motion. The body must move as a single, cohesive unit so we do not lose our structure or telegraph our attack. The “B” in this acronym also pertains to our opponent’s balance. We must employ our own balance and structure to displace or disrupt our opponents balance. O. is for opening. When our opponent has thrown the incoming strike, an opening will be created either by the act of striking itself or the redirection of energy or intent brought about by our defensive technique. Timing is critical to make use of these openings and this is where Chum Kil trains us. If I have perfect technique and perfect structure, I can’t lose, right? Wrong! All of these attributes account for nothing if the timing is off. Your feet must be moving in time with your hands. Your shoulders must be moving with your hips, changing your centreline & creating power. E. Elbows! Watching the leading elbow is probably one of the best ways to counter the oncoming attack as it is being thrown. The human brain cannot physically keep up with a fist/foot being thrown from close range. The time it takes for the eyes to see it coming and for the brain to recognise that signal and send an impulse to the required body part required for defence is about .04 of a second. A good striker can throw leather in about .02 of a second. See the deficit? Now, the elbow moves around half as fast as the fist thereby giving the brain time to register and respond. Once the bridge has been made, contact reflexes take over and your Chi Sao training will come into play. Controlling the elbow will disrupt your opponent’s balance and interrupt the inevitable next strike. This can be done by pulling, pressing, pinning, lifting or just stopping the elbow and delivering a counterstrike or taking the base/balance. One of the Chi Sao drills practiced in our school involves no striking & only getting to the elbow. Once elbow control is gained the players reset and start again. C. Crossed Arms. The use of trapping is used in many martial arts. The act of crossing arms can be taken in the literal sense, where one arm is crossed over the other limiting movement and allowing control and counter striking. It can also be the act of putting the offending limb across the path of the next potential strike, thereby forcing the opponent to shift in stance or direction. This allows us to capitalise on them having to take the outside path and also exposes their centre. So the answer to all these questions is…..Yes. It is the continuation of Sil Lum Tao. All the base techniques and structure can now be applied using correct timing and motion. It gives us the grounding in motion that will allow us to regain control of the centre or central line should we find ourselves taken outside of the parameters of Wing Chun (Bil Gee). Without the solid understanding of the body moving as one unit as trained in Chum Kil, the Bil Gee techniques won’t be as effective. So again, the answer is Yes! It is the precursor to Bil Gee. B.O.E.C is just one concept that we utilise when training Chum Kil here at Kungfu Southside. This form is just as rich and complex as Sil Lum Tao if you allow yourself to explore it beyond face value. I could go into the applications of the techniques contained within the Chum Kil form, but that will have to wait for another day. It doesn’t matter what lineage you are from, or who your Sifu is. The combination of techniques may differ to yours & what you’re used to and your perception may be different to mine. But the fact is that the concepts and principles should be the same no matter how they are expressed. This is the difference in lineages & we are all merely branches from the same tree who must grow together lest the tree wither and die. Peace to you all. Ω Sifu Dave Richardson has a school located in Hillcrest on the southside of Brisbane, Australia. Sifu Dave began his study in Wing Chun in 1989. When that school closed and with no other wing chun schools

The correct translation should be “Beneath the Elbow Force”. The power is actually not generated via the elbow joint, but referring to the Force vector generated beneath the elbow. During Chi Sau, pushing with your forearms is wrong; trying to open your elbows is equally wrong. Pushing with your elbows, is better. The best way is to mentally project the tip of your elbows into the opponent’s space. This is similar to the projection we use when using weapons. Imagine having  protrusions that come out of your elbow and extend downwards into the opponents base – this is the feeling! www.kulowingchun.com 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

I started training in Shorin Ryu 50 years ago under Eizo Shimabukuru when I was a U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa, after my first tour in Vietnam. When I came back to the States from Vietnam in 1970 I began Kung Fu.  I eventually became a Sifu in Wing Chun under Henry Leung before I met GM Cheung.  I did the Bai- Si ceremony (closed door student), with GM Cheung in 2007.  Through the years my Wing Chun has changed a lot.  I see things differently from when I first started. There is no more mystery to Wing Chun, like I thought there was before.  I also don’t believe everything a Sifu says if it doesn’t make sense. I lived in some very rough neighborhoods in NYC and some people did not believe in the Kung Fu hype of the 70’s.  If you said you knew martial arts, it was almost guaranteed that someone would test you.  If you look at the photo section on my website you’ll see a group photo of some of the guys I trained with and my Wing Chun brother Johnny Lee who is seated next to me. When I told Johnny that some guys in the hood did trapping and simultaneous blocking close to what Wing Chun does, he didn’t believe me.  A style of fighting called Jail House Rock or 52 Blocks was practiced by prisoners in NYC jails.   Most Kung Fu students won’t come at their Sifu full power. These guys did. They were good at fighting because they had to survive in jail. Mel Gibson learned some JHR for the Lethal Weapon movie. Johnny Lee would come with me to East New York and spar with guys I knew in the neighborhood that fought in jail.  He was really good at Wing Chun.  His brother is Benson Lee, a well-known Eagle Claw Sifu. I helped Benson train for his first full contact Fu Jow Pai event in NY Chinatown. Back then in New York, Karate people laughed at Kung Fu.  They said we had pretty forms but couldn’t fight.  I wasn’t going for that. I was a Marine that recently got out of Vietnam.  I fought hand to hand combat with NVA and Vietcong who infiltrated our position. We had to resort to fixed Bayonets because of the close quarters. During the melee my M16 was knocked from my grip. I had to resort to my K-Bar. That encounter made me take hand to hand combat seriously. I look for what’s practical in a martial art. I don’t care about lineage or style. How did you meet Grandmaster William Cheung? I studied with eight different Wing Chun Sifus since 1970.  Two of my Sifus were not Yip Man lineage.  Four of my Sifus were students of Yip Man. Both Moy Yat and Duncan Leung told me that one of the best fighters under Yip Man was Ah Hing.  None of us knew who that was in the 70s.   In 1983 I saw an ad in a martial art magazine about a two week seminar at UCLA with William Cheung (Cheuk Hing) Cheung.  I immediately realized who he was.  I decided to book a flight from N.Y. to L.A.  The seminar fee included a shared dorm room at UCLA and free breakfast and lunch.  My first night there I met Sifu Blaine Collins.  He was in the U.S. Navy and his ship docked in Australia. That’s where he met GM Cheung in Melbourne for the first time.  Blaine got GM Cheung a position to teach the Sailors and Marines on the ship and eventually got him to come to the States to do seminars. Blaine knew that I was a Sifu in another lineage and asked me to do my Chum Kiu form.  UCLA had some plush carpeting in the dorm lounge.  Because of that I was unable to do the left and right shifting in the Chum Kiu form.  I even stopped and apologized to Blaine because the carpet didn’t allow me to shift smoothly. When I was done with the form Blaine explained to me that in the version of Wing Chun he learned from GM Cheung he was taught to pick up your feet and step right and left.  That made so much sense to me.  You can’t shift on an uneven surface and in my case it was a plush carpet. You had trained in Wing Chun before you met Grandmaster William Cheung.  What persuaded you to stay with Grandmaster Cheung? During the L.A. seminar, I asked GM Cheung if I could be his student.  He said that I was already a Sifu with students and that I didn’t have to forget the Wing Chun I knew but to think more critically about Wing Chun.  I was adamant that I wanted to be his student.   When I came back to N.Y. I told my students that I was no longer a Sifu and was closing the school until I learned more from GM Cheung. ​ I stayed with him because I was kickboxing at the time and what he showed me made sense for full contact fighting.  I’m too small to fight a bigger person head on.  I liked the concept of fighting on an angle.  Some people can fight very well square on.  Side body was better for me. You are experienced in many different styles of Martial Arts including Seven-Star Praying Mantis and Aiki-Jujitsu.  What does Wing Chun provide for you personally that other martial arts do not? My ex-wife did Seven Star and taught me.  She studied with Master Chiu Leung in N.Y. Chinatown.  I studied Fu Jow Pai under GM Ng Wai Hong in N.Y. Chinatown. I also learned Hung Ga with Sifu Bill Chung when I was in Hung Mun/ Hung Ching (Chinese Freemasons). There were many Kung Fu styles available N.Y.C.’s Chinatown and I lived in Brooklyn, right across the Manhattan Bridge from a wealth of Kung Fu knowledge. 

We reach 500 000 people a month cross platform with a simple message – Self-Development will change your Life! You see, we cannot control the weather, or the wind, but we can adjust the set of the sail. When Bruce Lee said – “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” – This is what he meant. We can go through life with our fingers crossed, hoping nothing bad will happen to us, or we can devote our life to developing the skills that will allow us to deal with adversity when it happens. Self-Development gives you control of your destiny. By devoting each day to the idea of making yourself better than you were yesterday, you will develop the skills that will ensure success in all walks of life, no matter the circumstances. Wing Chun, and Martial Arts in general, provide us with the discipline and mind set necessary to the devotion of Self-Development. We are here to teach and to inspire people all over the world to undertake this path. It will change your life. That is a promise! Javier Garcia Wing Chun Origins Editor in Chief 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

Chi Sau is Wing Chun’s most distinguishable exercise. Often, when people think Wing Chun, they think Chi Sau. There can be no doubt that this peculiar exercise is at the heart of our system. The theory behind Chi Sau is simple. You train yourself to create a bridge with the opponent so that you no longer have to rely on speed or reflexes to avoid his strikes. By sticking to him, your arms can react like antennas that tell you what the opponent is about to do. Almost like a “Spider-sense”. You then use Wing Chun’s unique shapes (Tan Sau, Bong Sau, etc…) to absorb, deflect or simply crash through, depending on the situation. It’s a great theory, and when put to good use it can be a devastating strategy. You can see it being used amongst elite boxers who immediately clinch after throwing combinations. Sticking to the opponent allows you to shut down their offence. The Wing Chun fighter then uses his greater experience in close-range fighting to dominate. It’s the same thing BJJ guys do. They take the fight to the range they feel most comfortable with. Having said that, there are a few things to consider. Here are our top 5 ways to improve Chi Sau. NUMBER 1 – ENTERING Rather than standing next to each other, lifting your arms and then proceeding to roll, Chi Sau can begin before contact is made. As you approach your sparring partner, you can both make a controlled attempt to enter each other’s defense, after which you can continue rolling. NUMBER 2 – NO CHEAP SHOTS Often in Chi Sau, you will see a person straightening their arms and hitting their opponent. All good, right?  Isn’t that the point?  Well, no. Chi Sau cultivates the art of hitting and not getting hit. So before you strike your partner, think to yourself: “Can he hit me at the same time?” If the answer is yes, you are only engaging in a tic for tac game which will cultivate little Martial Skill. The idea is to use angles to achieve a win-lose situation. You win, he loses. You can hit him, he cannot hit you. NUMBER 3 – BENT ELBOWS This one is related to number 2. Fully straightening your arms creates gaps that can be exploited by your opponent. Grandmaster Wan Kam Leung often talks about maintaining the angle 135 degrees at the elbows. This creates a wedge-like, shield-like structure that provides superior coverage. This makes sense when fighting at close range. NUMBER 4 – CHASING HANDS Rolling is great, but the ultimate purpose is to get your opponent’s arms out of the way so you can hit him. That should always be the first priority. Don’t get too used to rolling back and forth for hours, because this is not the ultimate goal. In a controlled fashion, use the rolling to suppress your opponents’ defense and deliver a blow. In real combat application, your aim is to deliver a knock out blow. Suppressing your opponent’s arms should be a secondary consideration. ​NUMBER 5 – RANGE Do not stay at the same range throughout your rolling. The purpose is to close the gap and strike, so rolling back and forth in the same spot will not help you achieve this goal. Again, in a controlled manner, move in as you suppress your opponents’ defense. From the wrist, to the elbow to the shoulder blade, and ultimately the back, if possible. Your goal is to enter and strike your opponent at extremely close range. At this range, you have the advantage. Wing Chun is built for this.  Those who are not used to fighting at this “hugging” range will feel cramped, uncomfortable and unable to generate real power. Ω JAVIER GARCIA 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Linkedin 0 Pinterest 0 Viber 0 Whatsapp 0 Telegram 0 Email

It is said that the Baat Cham Dao (8 Slash Knives) or Butterfly Swords, originated in the Shaolin temple and were designed as a self defence weapon for the monasteries monks. These knives are not exclusive to Wing Chun, and can also be found in systems such as Hung Kuen, Choy Li Fut and White Crane. However, the forms and applications vary with each style. With Buddhist beliefs dictating the original use and structure of these weapons, the Butterfly knives were designed with a single edge that was sharpened only on the front 1/3 of the blade. This design allowed the practitioner to deliver non-fatal strikes with surgical precision, to maim rather than kill the opponent. This also allowed the weapon to be used to parry and deflect other edged weapons and prevent the blades’ sharpened edges from getting caught together. With this style of edge, the weapon employs the same concepts and principles of wing chun’s empty hand forms, such as not fighting force with force, simultaneous attack and defence and using the contact reflexes honed during chi sao practice to control and redirect the opponents oncoming attack. The Red Boat period in southern China saw a rise in rebellious activities, and the Baat Cham Dao was a weapon that was easily secreted on a person and could be utilised quickly and efficiently. With these rebellious activists, the maim rather than kill mentality likely disappeared, and individuals made knives to suit their own purposes, bringing about styles that favoured stabbing as well as slashing as well as full length sharpened edges. The Baat Cham Dao are said to be extensions of the hands, and while I feel this is true, you can see how they could also lead a practitioner into trouble if they do not fully understand the principles and concepts of empty hand Wing Chun. If you make a mistake with empty hands it can have serious consequences. Make that same mistake in a weapons altercation and the result could be fatal. All the training that has preceded to you picking up the swords for the first time should have perfected your hand techniques, footwork and timing. It should also have strengthened your limbs, and more importantly, perfected your mind set. If you doubt yourself and don’t engage with a strong mind, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Look at a person learning to walk a tightrope. If they slip and fall, they will die. So, do they start training 100ft in the air? No, they start a few inches off the ground and repeat the steps & sequences. They will encounter all types of variables (crosswinds etc) and will increase the height gradually to overcome their minds’ innate fear and self-preservation tendencies, until height is no longer an issue. The fear is always there, but they have conditioned the mind to control that fear and stay calm under pressure. This is what keeps them alive. We too, start a few inches off the ground by training first with empty hands. We then hone these skills while introducing multiple variables and we learn to control our fears and strengthen our mindset. When we can control this fear of being struck and keep a calm mind under extreme pressure, we can then raise the “height” by introducing the knives. So which sword is right for you? Buying generic blades can be fraught with danger and I strongly recommend you DO NOT get a live pair. It may seem cool to have a pair of sharp swords and brag to your mates about how you can disembowel someone or efficiently cut tendons, but the truth of the matter is, it’ll most likely be your own hands and arms that get cut. Get a blunt training pair and see how much it hurts first. Then move on to a live pair, if you feel you can’t live without them. When choosing your Baat Cham Dao, the blade length should be the equivalent of your forearm, measured from the knuckles of your clenched fist to the inside crook of your elbow. This will allow for free rotation on the inside gate and prevent you from slicing the afore mentioned tendons and muscles. Modern laws prevent us from carrying around large knives, and today’s legal system should keep us safe from bandits, right? Why do we even need to train weapons at all? Because training with the knives will quickly point out what part of your empty hand game you need to work on (most likely it’ll be your footwork!). It will also provide a means to further build up the tendon and muscle strength that is inherent to good Wing Chun application and, like I said before, will give you a stronger mental game. It will also allow you to apply these same concepts to short sticks, knives or other improvised weapons you may happen to get your hands on. With a large percentage of practitioners training weekly for a fight that will most likely never happen, it can be said that the weapons forms are now primarily ceremonial in nature, rather than practical. However, they must be learned to preserve the art for future generations and to help you become a stronger more complete martial artist. Wing Chun has undoubtedly become one of the most widely practiced styles of southern Chinese martial arts. And, as we know, this can be attributed to GGM Ip Man having taught publicly in Hong Kong to students that spread this knowledge across the globe. Wing Chun’s history would be very different I think, had he stayed in Fatshan and not moved to Hong Kong. But fate saw him flee Fatshan, and necessity forced him to teach publicly to survive. We must be thankful that Wing Chun has been passed on to us, and not lost to the sands of time like so many other styles. Fate has also led you to pursue your interest in this beautiful art, just as it has