Wing Tsun
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WingTsun™, often shortened to WT, is a particular school of the "Wing Chun" style of Kung Fu developed by a student of Grandmaster Yip Man named Leung Ting. Grandmaster Leung Ting's organization, the International WingTsun Association™ (IWTA), is headquartered in Hong Kong and has branches in over 64 countries worldwide.
In practising WingTsun, rather than drilling pre-determined sequences of movements or emphasizing specific techniques as found in many martial arts (such as Karate and Tae Kwon Do), students learn to apply WingTsun's concepts in fighting. The fundamentals emphasized include bridging the distance between an opponent and oneself, attacking without muscular tension nor reliance on muscular strength, and responding immediately to tactile stimuli provided by contact pressures from an opponent. Using superior concepts, angles, and biodynamics, a smaller WingTsun practictioner can defeat a much larger opponent.
One characteristic of WingTsun is Grandmaster Leung Ting's development of a systematic teaching system for transmitting the art. The WingTsun curriculum contains 12 student grades which cover the first two forms, Siu Nim Tau and Chum Kiu, as well as their Chi-Sau ("clinging" or "sticky" arms) reflex training and applications. Following the student grades are 12 instructor grades, beginning with the 1st - 4th 'Technician' levels (the 1st Technician Grade is sometimes considered the equivalent of the WT black-belt), the 5th - 8th 'Practician' (or Master) levels, and finally the 9th - 12th philosophical levels. At the instructor levels, the student begins his training in the more advanced programs of WingTsun, beginning with the Biu Tze form and chi-sau, and later the Mook Yan Chong Fa (Wooden Dummy), Luk Dim Boon Kwun Fa (Long Pole), and Bart Cham Dao (Eight Cutting Broadsword) techniques.
WingTsun has gained a following in the western world, where most teachers descend from Grandmaster Leung Ting's German headstudent, Grandmaster Keith Kernspecht. Grandmaster Kernspecht developed a simplified but effective sub-art of WT designed to be learned quickly called 'Blitz Defence'. Due to an unfortunate split, one of GM Kernspecht's most skilled students, the Turk Emin Boztepe, has now formed his own organisatin which teaches widely in the USA. In 1997, another highly skilled student of GM Kernspecht, Sifu Salih Avci, created his own organisation the WTEO. The headquarters of the WTEO are at Eschweiler, Germany. Avci Wing Tsun and Avci Eskrima is currently only instructed in Europe (2004). The European headquarters of the EWTO are at Langenzell Castle near Heidelberg in which members of the EWTO conduct intensive training and research into both Asian and European martial arts.
External links
- International WingTsun Association (http://www.leungting.com)
- EWTO Online Magazine (http://www.wingtsunwelt.com)
- IWTA - North American Section (http://www.leungtingwingtsun.net)
- UK Wing Tsun site (http://www.wtdefence.com)
- Avci Wing Tsun (http://www.wteo.org)
- Wing Tsun Austria (http://www.ewto.at)
- Wing Tsun Scandinavia (http://www.wingtsun.dk/)
- Blitz Defence (http://www.blitzdefence.com)
- Wing Tsun Denmark (http://www.ewtodanmark.dk)
- Wing Tsun Portugal, Évora - treinos e prática (http://www.wingtsun.pt.vu)
- Wing Tsun Netherlands NWTO & SCD (http://www.wingtsun.nl)