Wing Chun is arguably the most effective self defense system in the world. A highly effective combat-tested system of self defense, fighting skills and defensive tactics, Wing Chun has been taught and integrated into the training programs of hundreds of military & law enforcement agencies around the world such as the US Navy Seals, the FBI, CIA, and SWAT teams.

Wing Chun Kung Fu, also known as Wing Chun Kuen (Beautiful  Springtime  Boxing) is a composite system that was created from synthesizing the different methods of Shaolin Boxing to create a highly effective and easy to learn system of fighting. According to the legend of it’s creation, the style was conceived after watching a crane and snake fighting. Wing Chun is generally regarded as one of the most efficient combat self defense systems available. It has been referred to as a “Back Alley, Bar Room fighting style.”  It is noted for its simple, practical and effective techniques that use simultaneous offensive and defensive movements, making it the perfect art for self-defense.

Wing Chun goes beyond fighting. It encompasses the full mind, body & spirit of martial arts. Wing Chun can easily influence every aspect of your life. The concepts and philosophies found in Wing Chun training bring about a new way of looking at everyday challenges. They help you to see and respond to situations in whole new way.

written by Dustan Carroll

(USA Today) — Hong Kong Airlines is asking its flight crews to learn a form of kung fu, something the carrier hopes will help its staff deal with drunk and unruly passengers, AFP reports.

AFP writes “Hong Kong Airlines said all staff had been invited to undergo training in wing chun — a form of kung fu used in close-range combat — but it was only compulsory for cabin crew, the Sunday Morning Post (of Hong Kong) reported.”

The airline deals with about three disruptive passengers a week, according to Hong Kong Airlines spokeswoman Eva Chan.

She says the benefits of adding martial arts training came into focus two weeks ago after a flight attendant used her previous training to help resolve an incident on a Beijing-to-Hong Kong flight.

“One of the passengers was sick but he was probably drunk and felt unwell. The crew member attended to him and she realized her fitness was helping her, especially because the guy was quite heavy,” Chan told the Morning Post.

One of the airline’s newest attendants, 22-year-old Lumpy Tang, tells the Morning Post the martial arts training came as a surprising — but welcome — addition to her job description.

“You cannot predict what will happen on the plane, so wing chun is good because it’s so fast,” Tang said to the paper. “I feel safer because I can defend myself and I’m happy to be one of the first cabin crew to learn wing chun in the world.”

(USA Today)

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IMPORTANT!

Please Read and follow Wu-De

WU-DE – Class Etiquette

1. Arrive on time for class. Conscientious students arrive a little early (if the space is open) and clean, clear, sweep, rake or tidy up. If class has not yet begun, students may engage in individual practice of forms or warm-ups from that class or teacher.
2. Honor the space of teaching.
3. Honor the art and all who have contributed to it in the person of your teacher.
4. Come to class with an open mind: “an empty teacup.” Suspend your skepticism, preconceptions, or prejudices and cultivate modesty. Check your mental “baggage” at the door: you can pick it up on your way out if you still want it.
5. Turn off your cell phone and all alarm/chime functions on your watch or other devices before class. If you absolutely must remain available, you may leave your phone or pager on “vibrate” as long as it is not audible. If you leave class to answer a call, step out discreetly. If you return, wait for the teacher to permit you back in.
6. If class starts with a circle or other set formation and you arrive late, do not barge in or cause other students to feel they must make room for you. Stand outside the circle or group and participate in the exercises; do not do your own warm-ups. The teacher will take a break between exercises and invite you in.
7. Set an example of focus and attentiveness. Even if the material seems familiar, class is a learning opportunity for you as well as for those with less experience.
8. Continue practicing a given exercise until the teacher is ready for the class to move on. This attitude of perseverance develops devotion, and earns respect and personal attention.
9. Keep an eye on the teacher during form practice for refinements and variations. This is what class is for, even if sometimes you have to look over your shoulder.
10. Be aware of “group qi (ch’i)”: the shared energy of individuals who voluntarily harmonize with one another. If you allow yourself to match the timing and spacing of others around you, “group qi” can reinforce and augment your personal qi and increase your sensitivity.
11. Avoid correcting, teaching, or conversing with other students during class.
12. Assume that whatever is happening at every moment is for your personal benefit. A comment or exercise introduced to the class as a whole may be especially directed toward a single student, and be exactly what that student needs at that time. That student might be you. A single word or gesture could be worth the cost of an entire course.
13. Assist others in acquiring certain skills when asked to do so by the teacher. This is for your own development as much as for those you are helping.
14. Help your classmates, your Wing Chun brothers and sisters, by getting together outside of class to practice, share, and encourage one another.
15. On your own, practice whatever you remember, as much as you remember, whenever you like, as often as you can. Even if you feel it might be “incorrect,” practicing something is better than just waiting till the next class.
16. Notify the teacher each time you cannot attend a class, any time events or injuries are affecting your Wing Chun practice, or if you plan to discontinue study.
17. Wing Chun study progresses in a spiral, along which the same material is encountered again and again at higher levels. Taking a form course once is not enough.
18. As devotion to this art deepens and desire for personal improvement increases, students are expected to request private lessons every so often– especially after completing a form.
19. As Laoshi Paul Gallagher says in Filling the Teacup, The Little Known Art of Chinese Etiquette:

“In older times…cash was not the usual medium of exchange. Still, no student would even think of accepting instruction without a return of some kind. At times, if a student did have cash, a master might be given a red envelope full of money. This would be considered more appropriate than simply handing cash directly. Some…teachers, even today, like to be given a financial token of respect in a red envelope.”

Money is a symbolic form of qi. It represents a medium of exchange of the vital force of one person for the energy of another. In our culture, it is easier for students to pay a set price than to enter into the complexities of guanxi (relationships of obligation and influence in Chinese society). Nevertheless, money balances the account between teacher and student only if the student is satisfied with remaining at the most basic level of the art.

Proper and discrete handling of money is a way of showing respect for the teaching. Money, whether check or cash, should be placed in a “hong bao” (red envelope). Regular envelopes are also acceptable. Checks should be written in advance—don’t make the teacher wait while you write your check. If paying in cash, be sure to mark the envelope, or insert a note, with your name and the class(es) or date of the lesson you are paying for. If you would like a receipt, you should provide one for the teacher to sign.

Payment up front, before instruction begins, is proper– whether for single classes, a series, or a private lesson. This is simple courtesy: fill the teacher’s cup instead of waiting until the teacher fills yours. It settles the question of compensation so that both teacher and student can concentrate on the instruction. We understand cash flow problems and allow students to pay in installments for a slightly higher total fee. Please accept responsibility for keeping track of the installments you owe and the dates due. If you can only attend class sporadically you should pay the higher price for single classes.

1. As a courtesy, consult with your teacher regarding things related to your study, such as: questions, difficulties, or experiences; if you are thinking of studying another art or with another teacher; if you do not want to use bad manners in your interactions with your elders; or if you have a “different idea” regarding a principle or form.
2. Completion of a course or the ability to perform a form are not sufficient qualifications to teach.

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