Possibly taking up Wing Chun in Arizona

[Striker]

Hello all and thank you for welcoming me aboard.

I am a past student of Ed Parker American Kenpo (EPAK), but haven't studied martial arts for many years and want to get back into training. Where I currently live in the East Valley of AZ, there are no good kenpo schools. So I have decided to shift gears anyway and possibly start training in Wing Chun.

I've been really reading up on WC and I'm fascinated by the style now. It's concepts and theories are mindblowing, especially coming from a karate background. One of the key points of WC that really caught my attention was the lack of the choreographed memorized techniques! WC just seems to flow as to how you want to attack your opponent, which I like. It seems very offensive minded and not just necessarily defensive. I also like there are not a lot of forms, but I do understand you will continuously be perfecting and refining the few forms you do learn.

I have found a school located here:
Hung Fa Yi Arizona

What I like about the school is it looks to have nice WC training equipment, including wooden dummies. I'd prefer to train at an actual school as opposed to someones home. I have visited a few instructors that either teach in their backyard or garage and that doesn't work for me, plus they seem to lack in proper equipment. Can anyone here vouch for above listed school or give an educated opinion otherwise?

Thank you...

[Eric_H]

I can vouch for it, but I've been there since 2002, so I'm a little biased

What do you wanna know?

[Striker]

Hi Eric - Just want to know if the HFY kwoon provides quality instruction in WC. I'm picky in that regard as I consider myself a hardcore MA as I take my training very seriously.

I also noticed on the web site that they use some type of formal ranking system using colored sashes. Having a background in kenpo, I'm used to progressing through the ranks/belts and like the feeling of advancement and or goal setting. When I looked through the picture gallery I did not see any students wearing sashes though.

[Eric_H]

Striker,

IMO, they do a good job and don't hold back on the material. The first 18 months are scheduled into 6 month blocks, each making up a student level. The very first thing they teach people is call Chuern Kiu Saam Jin (Long Bridge, 3 expressions) and it teaches how HFY practitioners relate to long arm fighting.

Not sure what photos you saw but our students do wear sashes during regular class, not during workshops though.

[mjw]

If you are close to Augustine Fong in AZ I would check him out....

[Striker]

If you are close to Augustine Fong in AZ I would check him out....

I know of him, he's in the Tucson area which is way too far from me, but thank you for the referral.

[Striker]

Striker,

IMO, they do a good job and don't hold back on the material. The first 18 months are scheduled into 6 month blocks, each making up a student level. The very first thing they teach people is call Chuern Kiu Saam Jin (Long Bridge, 3 expressions) and it teaches how HFY practitioners relate to long arm fighting.

Not sure what photos you saw but our students do wear sashes during regular class, not during workshops though.

Sounds like the curriculum is structured, which is how I like to be taught. So I take it that a new student does not start out by learning Sil Lim Tau first?

[Eric_H]

Striker,

You'd have to fact check my info with the resident Sifu (Mark Jones), but I'm pretty sure that they teach one section of the Siu Nim Tao form with each one of the 6 month blocks. To be honest, you might have trouble fitting it in unless your attendance is good, the first 6 months are pretty packed. Cheurn Kiu has a wooden dummy form and lots of different skill challenges (Punches, takedowns, kicks you have to deal with etc).

You can drop by most any time and join in a beginner class or two, see if its for you or not.

[Striker]

@Eric H

I take it you're one of the instructors there? Sounds good, I will definitely make a trip down there this week as a matter of fact.

Can you fill me in with a few more details about the first 18 months and how the training is broken down?

[Eric_H]

Striker,

I used to help out with the wing chun program a lot, and still train regularly with the instructors but haven't actively been teaching Wing Chun at the school (except in a backup capacity) for the last 8 months or so. As you can see in my signature I've been focused on building up a Chinese Fencing club instead.

The three main subjects (assuming I remember right) are:
Level 1: Chuern Kiu Saam Jin
Level 2: Ng Ying Sao (5 shape hands)
Level 3: 4 and 1/2 point Kiu Sao (forearm bridge training)

Generally in all layers you go through four phases:
1. Solo Form/Body Mechanic
2. Fixed Time + Space
3. Reaction
4. Actual Battle/Freeplay

If you'd like to know any more we can move the conversation off thread, and send me a PM. Hope to see you at the school.

Best,

[Darris Larsen]

What I like about the school is it looks to have nice WC training equipment, including wooden dummies. I'd prefer to train at an actual school as opposed to someones home. I have visited a few instructors that either teach in their backyard or garage and that doesn't work for me, plus they seem to lack in proper equipment.

The best WC teacher I know trains in his backyard.

[donbdc]

The best WC teacher I know trains in his backyard.

Me too! Some of the best fighters i have ever met have trained out of basements almost dungeon like establishments. But my favorite trains out of a barn!

Don Berry

[mjw]

^^^^
Mine is a garage sifu who used to have a school many moons ago.......

However if one wants the school environment it is what it is.

[KPM]

I know of him, he's in the Tucson area which is way too far from me, but thank you for the referral.

Hi Striker!

Joy Chaudhuri is a long-time student of Augustine Fong and teaches in Tempe as well. His website is:

http://www.tempewingchun.com/

I'm not trying to talking you out of the HFY school, just making sure you're aware of all of your options! Good luck!

[Phil Redmond]

Me too! Some of the best fighters i have ever met have trained out of basements almost dungeon like establishments. But my favorite trains out of a barn!

Don Berry

I agree, to many mcdojo/mwkwoon schools have all the trappings but not really good instruction. Many of the best instructors I knew in NY taught in their apartments, in parks, in high school gyms, at the Y, and in basements.