© 2012 IAW-US 1

WingChun ≠ Wing Chun

From Evolution to Revolution

Sifu Klaus Brand

Commentary by Sihing Paul Wang

Introduction

linguistic reply to the question “What is WingChun?” is at

best an approximation. However, enough insight may be

articulated to motivate the reader towards engaged action,

which is the real answer.

Over the last few years, Sifu Klaus Brand — and I myself via my

blog SihingPaul.com — has defined and refined the primary

attributes of the IAW system through specific writings that

supplement live teachings.

This helps training members to more fully apprehend what

they learn. And it prompts practitioners of other styles to

assess their own practice relative to our distinctive approach.

Thus, I collected these essential expositions of Sifu Brand into

one publication. As the IAW Founder and WingChun

Grandmaster, both his conceptual logic and physical

movements are the premier standard of our methodology.

I’ve taken the liberty to append a few comments from my own

experience as his long-time private student and literary

translator. Hopefully, the value of my words enhances his.

Train Well,

Sihing Paul Wang

A

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International Academy of

WingChun

am pleased for this opportunity to

present to you the International

Academy of WingChun® (IAW).

Approximately 25 years ago, the combat

art "wing chun" came for the first time

from China to Europe. Soon thereafter,

the first wing chun schools opened in

Germany. However, this "new" martial

art had its difficulties establishing itself

against the different kinds of martial arts

that had long existed for years in the

West. Perhaps this was simply because

of its opposition to popular concepts.

Up to this time, a scientific combat

method dependent upon neither strength

nor athleticism, and leaving nothing to

chance, was completely unknown.

To this day, the attitude exists that you

must be strong and in top physical

conditioning to pursue a martial art. We

are so influenced in such a manner by

these portrayals, that we have total

belief in what the media suggests. It even goes as far to seem that men and women

consider themselves ailing if they do not match up to this "norm". Unfortunately, the fact

is that this attitude manifests itself more and more. The differences between advertising,

movies and reality become increasingly difficult for society to recognize. We should

finally wake up and accept that we are as we are: large or small, brawny or gracile,

masculine or feminine. We can anyway change nothing in these facts, because these are

our individual characteristics. Every one of us is unique. And it is not only the imposing,

huge and muscular man, who is, coincidentally, the ultimate martial artist. I never

actually experienced this in my 33-year martial arts career. The truth of life teaches us

otherwise. We should stop fighting against the future. Not with the ever-newer anti-aging

ideas, which everyday become more paradoxical. Nor with a trivial group stuck exactly in

the other direction of things, having decided upon resignation to the excuse: "I am too

old". Most interestingly, I hear this excuse for the most part from young people who

haven't even reached their 50th year.

It has taken years to establish WingChun as a martial art. One reason probably lay in

the fact that there are no tournaments with WingChun. The concern here is that as a

combat art developed for emergencies, to set up rules would estrange it from its purpose.

It must be mentioned here that WingChun is not only an effective Self-Defense art, but by

the development of one's abilities and improvement of coordination, it confidently

strengthens the entire human body in a healthy and natural way. Already for hundreds of

years the forms of WingChun have been used for therapeutic purposes.

In an actual defense scenario there can be neither fixed attacks, nor sporting techniques.

In such a situation, the singular concern is surviving as soon as possible in order to

minimize risk. WingChun is conceived in such a way that a defense situation takes only

seconds. "Fighting" is not the training priority, but instead a technical reaction and a

rapid victory. Fights have nothing to do, therefore, with the true sense of triumph or not.

Anyone can fight! Since my youth, I was surprised by the fact that in the martial arts there

I

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The sum of

realizations that

the Way offers us

is the only one

that has true

worth in our life.

were so many fighters, but at the

tournaments only one winner. Also to

those who had lost a sporting fight, one

said, "You fought well, however". And by

the end all had fought.

Why then must one (our Ego) measure

oneself against others? Are such

comparisons at all possible? In my

opinion, they are a fantasy. If two

fighters wanted to really measure up

against each other, there would be no

distraction of spectators or judges, and

obviously no time limits or regulations at

all. Moreover, one may not separate

according to weight class nor gender,

nor according to constitution, which

would hold as little consideration as

your age or the physical methods which

you employ. Such a fight would look

totally different than that which we

commonly expect. Which human would

want to voluntarily fight (for their life)

under these conditions?

Imagine, how it would have been if

Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso

encountered each other in a contest.

How should one assess who the "winner"

is and who the "loser" is? How should one compare, for example, Surrealism and

Dadaism with one another? Would you count the colors? Maybe by which one finishes

first? Do you recognize the senselessness of such contesting?

With WingChun instruction we do not fight against each other, but practice for the

situation of defense, in which we do not fight, but want to unconditionally win. The

training program is prepared in such a way that the student learns a fascinating

movement art, which is effective, enjoyable and healthy at the same time.

The study of WingChun is not to be

compared with a course that can be

completed in a short time. With WingChun

one remains a student, always constantly

searching forward to discover new

developments and possibilities. Such

learning is like swimming up a river. So as

long as we live, we do not stop learning.

And this is precisely the attraction of our

extraordinary Self-Defense art.

The Way is (already) the Goal. The sum of realizations that the Way offers us is the only

one that has true worth in our life. From mistakes we can truly learn and develop. These

newly attained insights form our character and further our intellect. The past has made

us what we are today. The future is a fiction, which solely delivers us an abstract picture

of the path in front of us. We all create our future through our thoughts and the acts that

result from them in this exact instant. Each of us is responsible for his or her own future.

Welcome the uniqueness of each instant, the consciousness of eternity with every new

breath. Welcome life.

© 2012 IAW-US 4

After 17 years delving into WingChun, I created the "International Academy of

WingChun". We are presently represented in Germany and the United States. My desire

is to produce professional instructors, enthusiasts who continue their education and

teach with love. The quality of instruction has the highest priority.

In our Academies you decide to learn as much as you would like. The goal of the IAW is

to pass on the principles of the art in order to safe-keep a uniform and complete system.

The IAW is mindful of teaching WingChun in its traditional way.

You have the possibility to learn the complete and unique WingChun. Even after one

year you acquire a strengthened self-confidence and new abilities. When you train

diligently, you can conclude the Student Levels in three to five years, and therefore strive

for the first stage of teaching. With the 1st Technician Grade you are able to lead your

own Academy. For this, the International Academy of WingChun assigns worldwide

licenses. Maybe you are a future IAW instructor?

In this this link you will find our Graduation System. For the WingChun student we have

11 graduation stages. After the "11th Student Level" one trains to reach the "Pre-Primary

Level". After concluding this stage, there are four graduation stages, the 1st to 4th

Technician Grades. The last graduation of our WingChun system is the 5th Master

Degree. With this graduation one learns the complete art of the WingChun system with

all its movements, forms and applications.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

ifu chose to designate his unique

approach “WingChun”, written as a

single word of eight letters with the W

and C capitalized. The abbreviation we

use is simply W, as in IAW. When we

write “wing chun”, it indicates the

generic art in all its stylistic variations.

Since the writing of this article, in

addition to Germany and the United

States, the IAW has now spread to the

United Kingdom, France and Malaysia.

Locations within those countries have

also expanded. Our growth has been

gradual, while adhering to the priority

of quality.

What I love about learning and teaching

WingChun, besides the technical

sophistication of the system and raw

physicality of the movements, is the

authentic passion of the people. Our

international community is a diverse

family of multicultural individuals.

For years, I thought WingChun was

appropriate for anyone. But this has

unfortunately proven somewhat false.

It’s true that physical attributes are

inconsequential. However, by travelling

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and meeting many members worldwide, there appears to be a particular IAW type.

Despite a breadth of personal backgrounds, our shared attitude is pragmatic and

diligent, our collective disposition is amiable and welcoming. Evidently, cerebral

fantasists and lazy complainers don’t seem to stay around very long! We’re left with

happy, hard-working folk.

I’m so grateful for that.

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 6

Questions and Answers

often answer the same questions regarding WingChun via email. Therefore, I have

decided to answer the six most common questions in a few words:

Question 1: Do you teach WT?

Answer: No, in fact the opposite.

Question 2: Do you have chain punches?

Answer: No, we do not.

Question 3: Do you teach passivity in your school?

Answer: No, absolutely not.

Question 4: Do you have rules such as “stick“?

Answer: No, definitely not.

Question 5: Is there a rule such as “get rid of your own power“?

Answer: No, of course not.

Question 6: Do you teach about a centerline in your school?

Answer: No, what for?

A Self-Defense art must provide the

individual with a clear overview and a

good amount of safety. Rules such as

―more is better‖, ―borrow power‖, ―seek

contact (perhaps, paradoxically, with the

arms of the opponent)‖, ―do not apply

your own power‖ or ―stick to a specific

line while attacking or defending― not

only impose limitations, but also make

an abstruse game out of a combat art.

And these rules work, of course, only

when the opponent (partner) plays along.

In such a case, the Self-Defense art

would produce more questions than

answers.

An art such as that of Self-Defense must

be clearly structured and provide

answers — and it must do this from the

very first day!

— Sifu Klaus Brand

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imilar emails appear in my inbox. Another forum where I get to directly hear from

and interact with the curious, critical and sometimes antagonistic is via our

YouTube videos. As I stated in the Introduction, it’s difficult to accurately, let alone

fully, present a living art in print or digital media.

In this brief piece, Sifu opts for conciseness. It is effective by blunt retort and abrupt

negation — quite like applied WingChun in action. This may not be what the listener

hopes to hear, but can provoke a curiosity to train that protracted conversations often

dull.

We offer neither mystical secrets nor

ultimate techniques, neither fanciful

theories nor futile doctrines. From

outset to outcome, straightforward and

sound Self-Defense is foremost and

utmost. Regrettably or otherwise, that

keen objective frequently renders wing

chun the inverse of WingChun.

— Sihing Paul Wang

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In the end, what

connects us is

unfortunately

nothing more

than a common

root name.

Statement of Styles

ue to the fact that there are ―wing chun‖ styles nearly or

completely indistinguishable in name from my spelling

―WingChun‖, I feel obligated to record a few words on the

matter.

The martial art wing chun was developed in

China around 360 years ago, after (and

due to) the fall of the Ming Dynasty. From

then on, each master reformed and shaped

the art in accordance with his abilities,

experience and ―philosophical‖ upbringing,

as well as his personal characteristics and

traits.

Up until around 30 years ago, one could

hardly speak of any wide proliferation of this

art. Despite this fact, we may assume that in earlier times there

likely were a handful of exemplary masters who taught wing

chun according to their own understanding in various parts of

the world.

It was in the 1970’s that the first Europeans and Americans

began to pay attention to this effective art of combat. From then

on, one could observe an enormous propagation worldwide.

The number of both masters and interpretations rose. The two

Chinese characters 詠 and 春 were commonly transliterated into

English as ―wing‖ and ―chun‖, respectively. With the spread of

the art in the seventies came variations of the spelling based on

different dialects and pronunciations. In a real sense, the way of

its writing is insignificant. The actual difference lies in the art

itself.

I have heard that in the meantime, some of

the existing styles of wing chun have been

reduced to such a level that one can learn

them completely in 3-5 years and may then

even call oneself a ―Sifu‖ or ―Master‖. This

reflects how meager the offerings there must

be. Others call themselves ―original‖

because the ―instructors‖ go once or twice a

year to a training course with an ―authentic‖

grandmaster. However, even after many

years, these ―instructors‖ remain totally

unknown to him. Is that not rather original?

Furthermore, graduations are doled out by a representative, also

admirable from a distance, once or twice a year at a training

course. Then there are those styles in which testing is based not

on ability, but rather on the length of time one has been in an

organization. It is thus evident how a once perfect art has

degenerated into dream styles. I was informed that there is an

even further, but less serious, fringe group out there: they meet

in so-called chat rooms, where they swap their virtual wing chun

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© 2012 IAW-US 9

fantasies. I never thought the time would ever come for such a

dilemma.

The differences in styles are thus so great that there is often

hardly a discernable trace of similarity between them. In the end,

what connects us is unfortunately nothing more than a common

root name. I therefore entreat you to choose your style only

according to your personal aspirations. Although I cannot give

recommendations here, it is certain that with a portion of

persistence, you can find a good WingChun teacher.

For these stated reasons, I necessarily cannot take into

consideration levels from the grading systems of other wing chun

styles. There would have to be similarities in this regard which

regrettably is all too often not the case.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

llow me to share one of my favorite Daoist quotes that is

germane to the discussion:

“A trap is for fish. When you've got the fish, you can forget

the trap.

A snare is for rabbits. When you've got the rabbit, you can

forget the snare.

Words are for meaning. When you've got the meaning, you

can forget the words.

Where can I find someone who's forgotten words so I can

have a word with him?”

— 莊子 Zhuangzi, Chapter 26

The prime point is meaningful Self-Defense in movement,

rather than its variable label in language. Even catchy

monikers or mere cosmetic tweaks can’t ultimately ameliorate

dysfunctional strategies or obsolete methods.

Just because someone is named Brian Smyth doesn’t imply his

behavior or goals are anything like those of Bryan Smith. Nor

will abbreviating his name as BS fundamentally alter his values

or personality.

Sifu began radically reformulating WingChun in the 90’s. We

share a joint ancestry with wing chun no later than 2003, when

the IAW was founded. Thus, I consider myself a first-

generation student in this newfound lineage.

Evolutionists assert a common ancestor among extant

contemporary primate species. But a lot can happen in several

million years hence! The pace of technological advancements is

even faster, rendering current gadgets obsolete in a matter of

months.

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In our profession, you can’t avoid two names. One is Bruce Lee,

the other is Yip Man. From age 13, Bruce Lee was an occasional

pupil under Yip Man during 1954-1959, over half a century ago.

They died just one year apart, Lee in 1972 and Yip in 1973.

Nearly four decades have elapsed! With all due respect to the

worthy lessons and renown personages of bygone generations,

we live in the present moment.

I respect them for popularizing a past, older version of wing

chun in the 70’s. Alas, they are long deceased. I respect Martin

Cooper for popularizing the first (barely) handheld cellular

phone in 1973. Looking backwards — although I prefer

examining further into the Paleolithic era — is informative and

inspiring, but the IAW concentrates on people here and

relationships now.

I respect Steve Jobs for creating the sleek, trendsetting iPhone

in 2007. I respect Sifu Klaus Brand for creating this modern,

revolutionary WingChun in 2003. Luckily, they are still alive.

Moving ahead with updated upgrades and radical innovation is

as profound as, and can be more relevant than, mere invention.

WingChun is a rose by any other name. And I’d claim it’s a

novel genus at that!

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 11

There is only the

right technique at

the right instant,

free from interfering

thoughts and

emotions.

The Part and the Whole

very so often, at seminars, I come across fascinating

approaches to WingChun. Only recently, I stood before a

puzzle:

During the break at one of my seminars I

had a discussion with representatives of

another style of ―wing chun‖. At first the

questions that the young men posed were

actually quite interesting. And since

answering questions has meanwhile

become one of my favorite activities, we

came to a point where it just should not

go any further. It was about the logical

construction of a system, which I like to

explain on the basis of the meaning and

purpose of each specific Program and Chi Sao Section.

Chi Sao Sections are practice series that are only trainable with a

partner. The object is to control the attack of the opponent so

that one may land an attack oneself, and vice versa. Sections

have an exact flow and sequence whereby it is ensured that no

single movement is lost. As such, nothing is left to coincidence,

since we rehearse both favored and unfavored techniques to

completely exclude partiality and valuations.

Every movement in the Sections imparts security, control and

offense. Chi Sao Sections are the basis of WingChun and run

through all stages and phases, up to that of Master.

And now comes the punch line. These young men claimed, in all

seriousness, that the Sections had

actually been abolished in their style, and

that they concentrate solely on simple

things and efficacy.

At this point, I was almost speechless.

Now, it took hundreds of years to create

a training methodology that picks up

from the point where the so-called simple

things cease to work. (Are the simple

things not those with which one is

familiar and the difficult ones not those

with which one is not?) And it is precisely

that which constitutes an advanced WingChun practitioner, who

is — as a matter of course — trained to go the simplest of all

ways, yet always knows the next course of action in case the

intended way is obstructed. To not let anything be left to chance

requires that everything be practiced thoroughly, without any

holes or gaps.

There are no preferred techniques. There is only the right

technique at the right instant, free from interfering thoughts and

emotions.

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Now I asked the young men how well they could perform the

Sections which they had gotten rid of and found myself staring

into surprised faces. I said that they could only do away with that

which they possess, and then added:

―I cannot, after all, assert that I have gotten rid of my Ferrari

because it was too slow for me, and then later it is revealed that

in fact I never had one in the first place.‖

I am of the opinion that if one is to do away with something, one

has to have mastered it. Only in such a circumstance could I

conceivably accept this statement.

I am now waiting for the day when someone tells me that he has

decided to do away with the Forms. Forms constitute the

foundation of the system. They expound the movement

mechanics of each individual technique, which, in the Sections,

we later piece together into various constellations based on

tactile stimuli. In order to handle such a statement I would surely

need to grant myself a few days of vacation.

The bottom line seems simple to me. A few people cannot do

anything other than smash and clobber, and they now so easily

assert that they have done away with that which they do not

know nor comprehend. What remains is the question: For what

reason does one still call such a style ―wing chun‖ or something

similar? Couldn’t they just please do away with this name? That

would at least be honest and more pleasing to all professional

teachers of the various branches of the Self-Defense art of

WingChun.

My regards to all of my colleagues!

— Sifu Klaus Brand

odern life imbues us with enough complication as it is.

To reduce overwhelming burdens, I’m entirely for

simplification with a caveat:

“It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all

theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple

and as few as possible without having to surrender the

adequate representation of a single datum of experience.”

— Albert Einstein, On the Method of Theoretical Physics

In other words, optimally simple is good, overly simplistic is

not. A cognitive blunder is mistaking the part for the whole. Or

it is fatally resecting a vital component essential to the

functioning whole. Like a body trying to live without its brain.

WingChun without Chi Sao is dead. I must state that IAW Chi

Sao has a purpose which is the exact opposite of most wing

chun. The latter tries to “stick” with an opponent, whereas we

train to rid ourselves of him. Better to leave sticky situations!

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Our Chi Sao is about impact, freedom and sovereignty, not

contact, restriction and dependency.

Over the years, I’ve encountered a recurring kind of visitor to

my classes. Former devotees of other wing chun styles often

search for a clone of what they left behind. Due to this

impossible expectation, they doom themselves to eternal

discontent like a deserted dog pining for its previous master.

Why not find a better one? Unwilling to open their body to

WingChun, they close their mind to wing chun.

And then there’s the superficial obsession over my lineage and

the late, great grandmaster so and so, preferably and

presumably Chinese. By the way, I usually just reply, “IAW”. If I

proudly proclaimed my father was a Yale graduate does that

mean I automatically inherit his higher education? Will I

become a president if he was one too? “Superior” academic

pedigree, “elite” familial connection or “authentic” traditional

lineage is at most nominally pertinent.

The quality of my direct relationships with the dynamic art

through its living artists is paramount. To assess that involves

suspending mental projections and emotional hesitations long

enough to attempt physical participation. I recommend novices

to WingChun invest this effort for at least one month. That is

not a guarantee of skill but a sufficient interval of interaction to

inform an initial opinion.

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 14

WingChun

Self-Defense has a Name.

he development of WingChun marked the creation of a

unique Self-Defense art. Since 2003 we have offered this

highly developed system through the International Academy of

WingChun (IAW). Self-Defense is our primary concern.

The origin of the WingChun was the result of extensive and

complex research and began with my experience of one of the

more inventive styles of ―wing chun‖. Incidentally, when I write

wing chun, I mean those styles which have developed away from

the original 17th century combat art. To this day, there are

indeed several styles which have developed and have affiliated

themselves to the same root words (wing chun), with various

spellings, but the similar sounding name is actually the only

connection between these martial arts.

Choosing a different name actually denotes an autonomous and

distinctive style. The grandmaster of each style is responsible for

its character and development. In a book I will deal with the

historical developments in much detail. Here I would like to offer

an edited version, in order to bring a little clarity into the world

of wing chun.

After the fall of the Ming dynasty (1644), resistance fighters

developed a new style with the ultimate purpose of winning back

the beloved cultural and economic glory days of China. The

time of the Ming 明 is considered the Renaissance of China. The

existing kung fu styles could not meet the demanding

requirements of the resistance movement because they

contained only partially combative aspects. Something

innovative and functional had to develop. Therefore I regard the

style, WingChun, not as a style of kung fu, because the primary

idea is applicability, which is not the main concern with kung fu.

At the time, the name wing chun meant ―eternal springtime‖ and

referred to the period of cultural flourishing in China, which they

tried to conquer back in vain.

At the beginning of the 80's, a widespread interest in wing chun

developed in Germany. Suitably for that decade, came an

abstruse development of this style. Many of us were drawn to this

―new‖ martial art for various reasons. You must know that in the

80's many Asian martial arts films captured the world of the

cinema, which contributed to an extremely naive view of the

Chinese combat arts. Film and reality merged into a fanciful

perception. Many of us dreamed about the ultimate style with

which one learns to fight without effort, just like the actors in the

films, with yielding and soft movements. And this cliché was

pursued until the bitter end.

An incompletely taught and, in my judgment, degenerate wing

chun was subjected to a destructive renovation. After they had

changed the name (to just two consonants), a rather vague

history of a combat nun (in China?) was invented. They called

her simply Ng Mui 五枚, which translated means ―five

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I took WingChun on

a journey through

time to arrive once

again in the 21st

century and, above

all, reality.

classifications‖ and actually refers to the development of the style;

i.e. the five masters who created it. For the purposes of

advertising, even more interesting histories continued to develop

around the whole subject. One absurd fairytale was that the style

was developed by a woman. They gave her, quite simply, the

name of the style, with the addition of the Chinese character 嚴

―yim‖ (for ―strict‖) which served as a reference to the verbal way

in which wing chun was taught, person to person, with nothing

written down. At the time nobody knew

any better and therefore they could

completely and freely create things. From

this starting point they began to refer to it

as a soft style. So the basis for a quite

inventive concept was created.

Now it rapidly progressed. As crazy as it

sounds, they taught passivity in

movement. Drawing back to prepare a

strike and long, dynamic movements as

well as the use of muscular force were

smirked at and scorned. They invented a

wedge principle contrary to any physical logic and thought that

with this principle they could use their arms to displace attacks

from the outside. The only straight line that they thought existed

was in front of one's own body and only on this line were they

allowed to move. Anything else simply could not be. They even

believed that an opponent’s energy can be used. A martial arts

version of the geocentric model (from the Middle Ages) of the

world was created. Eventually, they produced a game with

childish principles. The idea of waiting until physical contact

before reacting with a tactile response was a crowning nonsense.

The king of senses, vision, to a large extent they did without. This

led to fundamentally late reactions, but nobody cared about this

at the time. They even published books with pseudoscientific

explanations on the market, in which the art of Self-Defense was

almost turned on its head.

Yes, you read correctly. Exactly the

opposite of that which functions in

defense was taught and in addition a

suitable history was invented. Naturally,

we suspected that we could not defend

ourselves with these principles, but the

dream was too beautiful. By the time we

admitted this to ourselves, years had

passed. This dreamy sort of a martial art

continued up to the mid-90's.

Then a few of us gradually returned to

reason. The way back was certainly not

easy. After some years of trials and hopes, we needed even

more years to finally give them up. Astonishingly, this self-

dependent style still exists to this very day. Meanwhile, there are

numerous derivatives, with their only act of creativity being a new

name. In the end, they offered the same castle in the sky with the

same legend of the woman and the nun. To this very day, many

thousands still try to defend themselves with softness, passivity

and relaxation. The statement, ―you have to become softer‖,

© 2012 IAW-US 16

which would lead a genuine fighter into depression, is regarded

as praise in these circles.

Today I can look back with a smile because I witnessed it myself,

and therefore I know what I am talking about. Many times I have

asked myself how I put up with it at that time, but on the other

hand it's probable that today's WingChun could only have

resulted from this journey. I have rediscovered the actuality

through the bizarre; a realism which had to play the leading role

in the emergence of the art, because there was only one goal at

that time – effectiveness. So, I set myself to this task and through

painstaking and considerable work crafted a completely original

system, making use of my detailed research and a 40-year

experience in martial arts. I took WingChun on a journey

through time to arrive once again in the 21st century and, above

all, reality.

Thus, WingChun developed. The enhancement of precise

coordination is an important element of our system.

Strengthening the musculature, the ligaments and even the

bones are an indispensable result of the training concept.

Powerful and strong defense and attack movements distinguish

WingChun. To be successful in a Self-Defense situation one

needs first and foremost a sophisticated technical ability put into

action by functional power. In Self-Defense it is the same

whether you are a woman or a man, large or small, heavy or

light. There are neither differences nor pros and cons. Everyone

learns and trains the same educational programs and achieves

the same goal in the end.

I hope with my remarks I can bring some light into the world of

the Self-Defense arts. As the leader of the International Academy

of WingChun, this clearing up is my obligation, particularly

regarding wing chun. Again and again I receive emails with

many questions concerning the styles of wing chun.

Unfortunately, marketing ploys are very often accepted as fact.

Therefore my personal hint: Go and look at as much as you can,

take time before you decide and above all — ask questions.

Only you can decide which martial art and which teacher you

place your confidence in.

If you are interested in the Self-Defense system WingChun, you

can directly contact the Academy or Group Leader (found in the

Academies and Groups) in your area. Our WingChun instructors

look forward to meeting you and will take time to plan your

goals with you. Whether you would like to learn or teach Self-

Defense, regardless of if you possess previous knowledge from

other styles or not, you are welcome at any time.

Vivere militare est!

— Sifu Klaus Brand

WingChun

Learn to Defend Yourself.

© 2012 IAW-US 17

ost of us enjoy a good story, even if it has no fidelity to

history. Such narratives are fine for entertainment.

However, when applied to Self-Defense, a quandary arises. The

way you think affects the way you train.

Arbitrary premises can get you killed! Expecting the opponent

to attack you in a predictable way is foolish. Confusing physical

softness with mental flexibility is dangerous. Substituting

dogmatic conventions for natural biomechanics is awkward.

Ignoring reality is hopeful ignorance.

Yes, in the IAW, we deliberately make assumptions too. We

believe an attacker attacks in whatever way he will. We believe

WingChun is for actual Self-Defense. We believe anyone can

develop technique, power and speed.

I realized a crucial communication strategy. It saves time and

preempts debate. You can’t tell if any martial art or wing chun

style is better or worse as a universal assertion. But you may

evaluate it relative to a given parameter.

For instance, are you looking for what is most fun, healthy,

traditional, spiritual, cheap or popular? Or maybe the one with

the coolest uniforms, closest location, nicest facility, most

women or cutest teacher? Who knows what you want but you!

My insight is that some wing chun practitioners don’t give pure

precedence to Self-Defense. To them, it is more about theory or

money, orthodoxy or culture. That is absolutely acceptable.

But is comparing apples to oranges, wing chun to WingChun,

martial art to Self-Defense possible? Perhaps contrasting is

more apt.

— Sihing Paul Wang

M

© 2012 IAW-US 18

WingChun Principles and Mottoes

WingChun Principles

1. WingChun has two types of attack: the attack to the body of

the opponent (primary objective) or, first of all, to his arm

position.

2. Defense is an attack against the attacking arms or legs of the

opponent.

3. In combat there is always an Attacker and a Defender. The

Defender must first repel the attack. A trained WingChun

practitioner determines whether he can attack directly or must

defend first and then attack. Directly responding to an attack (to

the body) with a counterattack (to the body) can be described as

combative disaster.

4. Engage in Self-Defense without hesitation as soon as the

Main Distance is reached. If the opponent initiates the attack you

must first attack his attack (to defend) and then his body (to

attack).

5. Attack from the outside or at an angle if possible and avoid

attacking straight from your body midline because this is too

easy to defend. Attacks from the outside cannot be ignored or

displaced and can only be stopped with trained skill. You can

attack straight only when the opponent displays no credible

threat.

6. Never maintain contact with the arms of your opponent.

Maintaining contact in combat is equivalent to stopping and is

due to a technical misunderstanding.

7. Always use all of your available power to defend and to

attack.

8. Never defend and attack at the same time. The defense and

attack each require your full attention. If you are attacked you

must put your energy into the defense and only when this

succeeds can you start the attack.

WingChun Mottoes

1. If you think you are too weak, you are.

2. Learn to believe in yourself and trust your teacher.

3. Always improve your technical knowledge and therefore your

physical and mental flexibility.

4. Work on the power of your technique because only technical

power is usable power and is decisive in combat.

© 2012 IAW-US 19

5. Work on your speed without sacrificing power. Technique, power and speed are the

cornerstones of WingChun.

6. Work on toughening your arms with steady and dynamic training.

7. Never let yourself be influenced by the movements of your opponent and never yield.

8. The exchange between defense and attack, as well as an understanding of the two

combat distances of WingChun, is the basis of Self-Defense and all of our training

programs.

9. To fight you must have continual tension. Relaxed muscles are useless in combat.

10. Combat is not harmony. Do not fight if you do not have to. If you have to defend

yourself, harmony returns only after the quick and successful end of combat.

11. The purpose of Self-Defense is to protect yourself, so do not spare your attacker

while defending yourself.

12. Learn to defend yourself, to protect yourself from attacks that could endanger your

health.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

n one of his biannual visits, I

recall picking up Sifu at the San

Francisco airport. During the drive to

our customary first stop, Café Gratitude

in San Francisco, he was eager to tell

me what he had been working on en

route. It was a rough sketch of the very

Principles and Mottoes you see

finalized above.

Most styles of martial art have their

own prescriptive schema. The

WingChun system founded by Sifu

Klaus Brand and transmitted by the

IAW bears certain concepts based on

our own research into functional Self-

Defense.

These guidelines coordinate the

performance and optimize the efficacy

of our technical movements. Many of

them are in stark contrast to, and even

conflict with, the ideas of more

conventional lineages. Yet we are not

seeming iconoclasts for mere sake of

uniqueness. The evolution, or perhaps

revolution, of IAW WingChun is

towards a theory and practice of Self-

O

© 2012 IAW-US 20

Defense unlimited by past doctrine and delimited by present applicability alone. To

paraphrase an old adage:

Theory without practice is fake art,

Practice without theory is dumb art,

Theory with practice is true art.

理論沒有實踐是假功夫，

實踐沒有理論是笨功夫，

理論擁有實踐是真功夫。

The practice (Forms and Applications) and theory (Principles and Mottoes) of IAW

WingChun are mutually consistent and collectively integrate a simple and expedient

mode of Self-Defense that is accessible to all via our natural teaching methodology and

clear learning curriculum. The intention of Sifu Klaus Brand in defining our WingChun

Principles and Mottoes is to succinctly identify the core attributes of our unique

approach.

Obviously, each of these short

statements is the condensation of

extensive experience. They must be

analyzed in the live context of actual

application. Hence, I encourage IAW

students to ask their instructor for

clarifying explanations and illustrative

examples.

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 21

Sapere Aude

or the last 13 years I have been

offering a unique and newly

designed WingChun system. In 2003, I

established the International Academy of

WingChun (IAW) in order to offer this

style internationally along with my first

professional WingChun teachers.

To date, no other style can remotely be

compared with ours. We, the IAW, are

the only ones that practice an extremely

powerful, strengthening and, at the

same time, flexible style of WingChun. It

is our wish to teach our WingChun

students the ability to defend themselves.

This is why the Basic Level Programs (1st–

4th Student Level) contain some of the

most important techniques of the entire

system. Of course old, time-honored

values should not be lost. The

responsibility lies with every grandmaster

to create a style which, as originally

intended, is suitable for an emergency.

Fantasies have no place in a martial art like WingChun. It is necessary to understand

what a system was created for, so that it may grow and progress healthily.

At present it must be quite distressing for a professional teacher who has, for the last 20

years, had to bear the derailed world of ―wing chun‖. The direction of most styles have

never left the dream world and since the 80’s have been bombarding us with trite poetic

slogans like ―defend yourself without power‖, ―learn to fight without fighting‖ or even

―use your opponent's strength" and other mindless statements. I still remember very

clearly when it was advertised that one could defend oneself ―passively‖ (just try to

imagine that). Even now, in the 21st century, those sayings from the 80’s still grow in an

esoteric world in which catchphrases can make things look a lot better than they are.

So it comes as no surprise that some Self-Defense styles have been established that have

forgotten how an ordinary attack works and instead one spends time on how to touch

and bend the other's arms. In those clubs, these compliant distortions are quite aptly

called ―sensitivity training‖ and are occasionally demonstrated, to emphasize entire

mental stultification regarding Self-Defense, with blindfolded eyes. Even a child

understands that you cannot defend yourself if you are unable to see anything. Self-

Defense is already difficult enough with both eyes wide open. What kind of dupe would

put his trust in his tactile sense as an attack escalates? Some styles foolishly call this

touchy training ―chi sao‖, whereby the original Chi Sao had nothing to do with sensitivity,

but initially focused on the assimilation of collisions (with real hits and attacks).

The focus of Chi Sao is reducing reaction speed with the indispensible training of seeing

or fast recognition. WingChun Chi Sao, an exercise to toughen bones and strengthen

muscles and ligaments and thus the entire body was, in many styles, degraded to a form

of feeling training in which mostly adults meet one other to stroke and bend arms.

Nothing more is involved, which can be verified on the internet at any time.

F

© 2012 IAW-US 22

After all, it's all

about the precise

combination of

technique, power

and speed.

Sadly, a little bit of shoving and patting is then supposed to indicate a dangerous

counterattack.

Check out ―chi sao‖ on the internet and have a look at the result of these mistakes. Have

a friend or your parents interpret what they see there. This could get very interesting, as a

participant may not be able to consider the whole thing objectively and only sees what

he or she wants to see. The observer does not need to have any knowledge of martial

arts. Most of those portrayed in these little video clips do not have a clue either. That this

has absolutely nothing to do with Self-Defense is clear, even for an amateur without any

basic knowledge. The internet is full of these funny video clips by comedy specialists.

My favorites include one of an old man in a

black bathrobe showing a very strange

cuddly defense or four students standing in

a circle senselessly groping at each other.

One can barely believe one's eyes. Take a

look. The bad thing is that the uninformed

in search of Self-Defense training give

credibility to those calling themselves experts.

And you cannot blame anyone for this error.

I would love to show you some of the best examples of this mass suggestion. But you

should find your own personal favorites. You will find indescribable ―wing chun‖ styles

where you first contact and then paw at each other. This is as far away from Self-Defense

as a hawk from the moon. I have no idea what the followers of this abnormal art once

looked for. Was it really Self-Defense?

Try to recognize which movement is supposed to simulate the attack. In most cases you

will see two people. One pretends to be the attacker, but does not really attack. The

other attacks the non-attacking attacker

with a sort of speed petting as if there

are no principles in a fight. It's so

comical that you should definitely take a

look. The main points (facts) of Self-

Defense, like collision, stability and

powerful movements don't seem to

interest anyone anymore. On the

contrary, everyone seems to be

delighted although nobody seems to

know why. You need to have seen it: not

a single strong attack, audacious Self-

Defense games, fidgety movements. And

even though it's complete nonsense,

there are content and applauding

students in the background.

This might be unthinkable, but this mass

suggestion resulted in these followers

believing they could feel an attack. This

insult to human intellect is currently

making its rounds through many systems.

In the 90’s when this dreamy touch art

reached its peak, it was copied but

seldom questioned.

© 2012 IAW-US 23

Of course, it is a challenge to practice realistic Self-Defense without hurting the partner

and to have fun while doing some serious training. Brutality, on the other hand, has no

place in WingChun. After all, it's all about the precise combination of technique, power

and speed. However, dealing with a collision, namely the first contact, remains the most

important aspect of Self-Defense. The counterattack can only begin when the defender is

able to cope with the powerful impact of attack and defense. The ability to resist a strong

attack is critical to build up self-confidence. This is why practicing a stable defense is the

most important experience in the initial training days. Never lose sight of the essence.

Without using eyes, Self-Defense is not possible. Lastly, it is necessary to commit

earnestly to maintaining the realism of the art of combat.

The 8 WingChun principles are there as your tutor on your path through the art of Self-

Defense. They will quickly help you to recognize what is right and wrong.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

here are widespread and persistent myths about wing chun, which are

meaningful and compelling to their advocates. Never mind that they are typically

more fictional than factual, although we cannot dismiss their persuasive effect.

“Every myth is psychologically symbolic. Its narratives and images are to be read,

therefore, not literally, but as metaphors.”

— Joseph Campbell, The Inner Reaches of Outer Space

We cannot live without paradigms,

frameworks and constructs. They are

mental tools. Yet we have it in our

agency to select the most suitable ones.

That may oblige us to let go of what we

knew well, invested in and cherished

deeply. A conscious warrior cultivates

courage to give up the old and pick up

the new when appropriate.

Waking up from a cozy delusion to the

unsettling nightmare of truth takes guts.

If the shock is too great, we prefer to

quickly pull the covers over our eyes,

even if this is only a false sense of

security. Dare to be wise! It is alright to

press the snooze button and awaken

incrementally. That can mean heeding

Sifu’s advice to check out a few videos

online and survey what’s out there.

A caterpillar can indefinitely suspend

itself in the protective cocoon of

unimaginable potential and die having

never wandered the infinite skies. Or,

the freedom and beauty of its true

butterfly nature can be actualized.

Metamorphosis is terrifying and painful

but essential for maturation and

transformation. Change is chance!

T

© 2012 IAW-US 24

WingChun is a challenging path leading you towards your sovereign self — the same

one we cultivate in Self-Defense.

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 25

Let’s Collide

The Way to Become Skilled

functional Self-Defense art strengthens the ligaments, the

bones and, of course, the musculature of the whole body. It

is a fact that one has to toughen and harden specific parts of the

body to resist the initial collision of a real attack. There is no

doubt that if you do not fortify your arms adequately you will

never be able to defend yourself. Because we use our arms for

both attacking and defending, the forearm bones (ulna and

radius) and surrounding musculature should be especially

conditioned. A few bruises in the beginning are entirely normal.

This is no different if you are a man or a woman. Everyone has

to go through it. True ability is the reward.

For IAW non-members I should, at this point, explain that we

do not teach "wing chun" but WingChun. Our WingChun is the

opposite of wing chun. I myself learned the complete wing

chun system as a second generation student of Yip Man from

his Master student. Thereafter, it became clear that wing chun

was an illogical, non-functional and un-structured method by

which no-one can defend themselves with, so I could no longer

teach it. I came to realize that it was all just a mixture of rubbish

and fantasies. At that time there were no alternatives and only I

had doubts about this style.

Now I am grateful that I began that way for only in doing so

would I realize how senseless it was. The further I progressed,

the more grotesque that wing chun became. With every new

technique came ever more discord. As a traditionalist, the

developments of that time became unbearable for me. There

was no other option for me but to immediately begin creating a

system which worked with the fundamental concepts of the

combat arts. I searched for the original intentions in the

development of this martial art. For more than 10 years, I

worked tirelessly to complete my WingChun system. Today, I

offer an alternative to those people who are looking for real

Self-Defense with traditional values. Our style is called

"WingChun".

I have explained my standpoint regarding the degeneration of

wing chun in previous articles. This atrophy has resulted in

students becoming weak and compliant. For Self-Defense these

are fatal conditions. Weakness and compliance are the

precursors to failure and mark the end of any possible progress.

Back to WingChun. Most of our students need several months to

strengthen themselves and acclimatise their forearm bones to

collisions. Whoever perseveres with this and, perhaps after

approximately one year, reaches the 4th Student Level (SL) is

already successful. With the beginning of Chi Sao (Adhering

Arms) training (in the 5 SL) that follows this core Self-Defense

training, the next step of conditioning begins.

A

© 2012 IAW-US 26

You can never

fool your

subconscious.

Sections contain a vast array of strong collisions. The First

Section, besides teaching you superior technical functionality, is

for integrating the entire body with the goal of using it as the

basis of a coordinated unit. The forearm bones have to sustain

many powerful impacts. Thus, they become extremely stable and

desensitized. As a result, after a solid defense, you are capable

of performing a decisive counterattack.

With the completion of the First Section,

students reach the Upper Level (9-11 SL).

Their awareness of a collision is now utterly

distinct. Their body is more resilient, with

forearm bones that can withstand forces

which could never have been imagined at

the outset. During this phase, the students

repeat strikes hundreds of times and become steadily stronger,

harder and, ultimately, faster. It is at this stage that they begin to

miss such training if they do not attend classes regularly.

Strengthening and conditioning is enjoyable and changes the

experience of your physical totality. Authentic Self-Defense

competence is a very particular perception. Speed, power and

advanced technical ability combine to give a sense of real

freedom and confidence. The student begins to become one

with every muscle in their body and feels capable and liberated.

You can never fool your subconscious. A combat art has to be

trained correctly. Only in that way can you develop the correct

attitude and a natural conviction of security and confidence.

I and my Academy Leaders tire of hearing about sensitivity,

yielding and softness in connection with Self-Defense training.

This is simply absurd. If you do not want to train seriously, it

would be better to look for a new hobby rather than ignore the

logic and tradition of combat whilst pretending you are learning

Self-Defense.

To my students, an important piece of advice:

Don’t let anyone who plays martial art

games in certain clubs tell you how Self-

Defense works because you are too well

trained. After a few months of the education

described above, it should not be a problem

to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

Remember the bruises on your arms in the

early stages and recall the effort it took to acquire every single

technique. Not everyone can achieve that. You can be proud.

Fighting is a conflict or war (and not a sport) that has nothing to

do with yielding and softness. Even the effort to master adversity

in life can be called fighting. Therefore fighting is part of living,

of being human.

Living means fighting. Those who live, fight — those who fight,

live.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

© 2012 IAW-US 27

“Men wanted for hazardous journey.

Small wages, bitter cold, long months

of complete darkness, constant

danger, safe return doubtful. Honour

and recognition in case of success.”

— Ernest Shackleton

ingChun confronts truth. Its

core value is moving to directly

address, rather than persistently ignore,

problems. We can use our conscious

mind to rationalize putting things off

because we don’t feel good, smart, rich,

sexy or ready enough. This results in

the procrastination of a perfectionist or

the passivity of a sloth.

In Self-Defense, situations are simulated in which running away is untenable. Self-

distraction is not an option, you must focus. Avoidance is impossible, you need to act.

Peering directly into the unblinking gaze of reality is paralyzing, especially if it is about

to hit you in the face! Occasionally, you can escape into your headspace allayed by

thoughts of safety and hope for the best. But sometimes hiding out is riskier than

stepping up. So WingChun empowers you with embodied skills, but only when you are

finally willing to proceed despite fear.

As a warrior, go forth and slay your demons. Hunt those that haunt the abyss of your

subconscious and convince them of your supremacy. Doubts evaporate with the heat

of action. Unlike fickle mental chatter, the solid body does not lie. Thus, train in a high-

impact way to physically prove yourself via each and every musculoskeletal collision.

Don’t cease until all your questions are answered.

This voyage of Student to Technician to Master as led by Sifu Klaus Brand is a grand

adventure, one of the toughest and finest in my life.

— Sihing Paul Wang

W

© 2012 IAW-US 28

The 8 Most Dangerous Mistakes

of “Wing Chun” Systems

1. The Arms (Man/Wu) too low

Every able and intelligent attacker would initiate a fight by

attacking an opponent’s upper body. He would use his arms to

strike and never give up the flexibility provided by his stance for

a kick. The skill and knowledge of an experienced fighter would

indeed never permit such a vulnerable attack. One who uses his

leg to attack hopes for a sporty defense and has thus long bid

farewell to Self-Defense capability.

For the protection position, which is actually the preparation

position, the wrists should start at the same height as the upper

sternum bone. A reasonable defense from a lower position is just

as impossible as an attack from such a height. Good positioning

saves time. And time is truly one of the most significant factors in

the art of war. Anyone who wants to achieve his objective should

utilize, and not conceal, his arms (weapons) at the outset while

using his legs for standing and stepping. I will not assert that one

cannot also deploy his legs for fighting. However, to instigate a

fight as such is a farce.

2. Stance (Zi Ng Ma)

The weight must never be shifted to the back leg in a combat

stance. When the body is not tensed and pushed anteriorly,

there is no potential to advance quickly. One who stands

completely on the rear leg pushes his body upwards physically

and therefore cannot defend himself from the front because his

own power, or that of his opponent, would throw him backwards.

This tension and urge to go forward are fundamental not only

for the physical, but even for the mental preparation. The stance

is a preparation to step. One who knows which step leads to

which stance and which stance follows which step has

recognized the function of his legs. One who comprehends what

stance fits a suitable step in combination with a proper arm

technique has understood the meaning of stances.

3. Waiting for contact

The greatest flaw in the evolution of the art of war is the heresy

that one could respond appropriately after contact with the

opponent’s arms during an attack. Evolution will ensure that this

absurd thesis will soon perish. This error defies all logic and is

typical of the myriad of dreamers and fantasists of the scene.

Anyone ensnared in that faith cannot possibly know what an

attack or a defense situation looks like and especially not how it

feels. It is imperative to survive the first collision. The start is the

most violent moment of confrontation.

© 2012 IAW-US 29

If you want to

learn to defend

yourself, you

should be

prepared to delve

deeply into the

art of war.

4. Too many punches (Tsong Kuen)

In a Self-Defense situation, you can only execute one powerful punch in one second.

There can only be one useful punch per second. If your first punch hits you do not need

a second. One who needs two punches in Self-Defense should practice until he masters

the first and no longer needs a second. A functional punch is the basis and target of

every martial art. One should be careful in training to perform a maximum of no more

than one single punch in one second and never seek to hit again in the same second as

the first strike. The highest priority has to be given to this in Self-Defense instruction. One

who trains exercises with two punches per

second is interested in quantity and

therefore guaranteed incompetence in Self-

Defense. With two punches a second one

can certainly not scare or stop someone.

A Self-Defense instructor who teaches drills

with more than one punch per second

cannot be taken seriously. More is not

necessarily better. One who does more than

two punches per second cannot possibly be

interested in Self-Defense and would rather

be an asset to any massage studio.

5. Hitting from the center of the body

Since the esoteric cuddly-wave of the 80’s, hitting from the middle of the body has been

touted as a universal solution. And since that time, there has been no sensible

justification for it. Strikes from the center of the body are the weakest of all and

applicable only in a few situations. Of

course, they must also be trained, even

if their applications are extremely rare. It

was simply forgotten or ignored that

outside strikes are not only the strongest

but also very easily displace strikes which

come from the center of the body.

Outside strikes cannot be displaced and

require an extremely strong defense.

Thus, in Self-Defense, avoid striking

from the center of the body as much as

possible. One of the most important

aspects of our system is learning to repel

straight and curved strikes from the

outside. Therefore, not even one Section

contains a punch from the center.

As far as I can remember, hitting from

the middle of the body came from the

same jesters who tried to defend

themselves by training blindfolded (see

my essay Sapere Aude above). For this

group it is okay. They can stay nice and

soft so that nothing happens in order to

maintain their comradely feel-good

sessions.

© 2012 IAW-US 30

6. Maintaining contact

A worse mistake is to maintain contact

with the opponent’s arms after an attack

or defense. This error is caused by

incompetence in the implementation of

techniques, but can be quickly corrected

with even the simplest of exercises and

some dedication. Our first 5 Programs

of the Basic Levels already contain the

most important applications of all the

Forms, including the Wooden Dummy

(Mok Yan Jang). We therefore like to call

these Basic Level Programs ―The Best

Of‖. They are a cross-section of the

most essential and connectable

techniques in the system. One who

masters understanding of the Basic

Levels has committed to the path.

7. Yielding

An adept combatant never gives up.

Due to physical or technical weakness,

the inexperienced tend to destroy their

positions by yielding. Yielding results in

the loss of control. In fact, many of these

people advocate voluntary loss of

control and have subsequently invented

an effective exercise for a passive touch art. Of course, this saves one from the tough

and realistic version of training. But in order to spare yourself you could also stay at

home. The effect would be the same.

You should never confuse flexibility with yielding. One who yields definitely gives up his

flexibility because he only allows for one option. Yielding is a synonym for resignation

and capitulation and is the opposite of flexibility. Flexibility is the freedom to remain

open to all possibilities.

8. Not using power

Not using your full power in a dangerous situation is not only reckless but also rather

idiotic. Via the release of adrenaline in a stressful situation (in the first phase) heart rate

and breathing are stimulated. Adrenaline, among other things, releases glucose from

energy stores in the muscles. Even if one trains for years to not use this energy, the

training will never work. Anyone who does not develop his muscles to exert their full

power cannot defend themselves against strong opponents. One needs to strengthen

oneself. Good Self-Defense training not only fortifies the muscles, ligaments and bones

but also, ultimately, the technique and spirit. Anyone who feels strong, feels well and

healthy.

To be weak, soft and passive is not the goal. That was in the beginning when we drank

milk from a feeding bottle and our mother wiped our posteriors.

Conclusion

The mistakes described above might confuse a stranger to the scene. My essays serve as

general elucidation and to help people avoid worthless training offers. In my time from

instructor to master to grandmaster, I met many teachers of other styles who began with

© 2012 IAW-US 31

these very errors and finished in a dead-

end of helplessness. Some of them

commenced under my direction straight

away, others unfortunately resigned after

numerous years of training in the wrong

direction. Actually, resignation — in

other words, yielding — was precisely

what they had learned. In our scene,

almost everyone in his younger years

failed because of the misconception that

he could defend himself without power.

In retrospect I’m not quite sure why it

happened, but we searched for softness,

yielding and other nonsense that the

world did not need. Today I can heartily

laugh about those years. Nothing works

without power. Power is the foundation

of our existence. But these silly sins of

one’s youth are forgiven. The healthy

human mind sees very quickly if

something is incorrect, but sometimes

does not allow us to admit it. Especially

when one has devoted oneself to a

cause for many years, it is hard to throw

one’s convictions overboard immediately

even if the specified (specious) target is

absolutely unattainable. Such a mistake

costs us our most valuable years.

However, those who realize it do not lose these years.

If you want to learn to defend yourself, you should be prepared to delve deeply into the

art of war. You must be ready to discern all facets of combat and study their consequent

risks. In order to master others, you have to master yourself. You will need to acquire

particular and even extraordinary skills, then learn to apply them in the right moment. To

accomplish this requires a strong will. A qualified instructor leads you step by step on

your path through the Programs of our system.

Will, attitude, technique, power and speed are the foundation of success in the art of

Self-Defense. All you need to bring is ―will‖. Will is the ability of self-determination, the

responsibility for one’s own actions and the conscious decision to want something. It is

the engine that propels you.

— Sifu Klaus Brand

e were on the TGV from Strasbourg to Bordeaux for Sifu’s first IAW seminar in

France. I took advantage of the seven hours en route to start translating this

article. Sifu identifies common traits of many “wing chun” styles and explains why they

are liabilities. Due to progressive research on Self-Defense efficacy, our WingChun

system has adopted an adapted approach. Actually, it is a return to our origins in

primal corporeal combat. This makes us different in many ways to status quo wing

chun interpretations that have strayed into excessive rationalization and idealistic

fancy.

W

© 2012 IAW-US 32

In short, WingChun serves Self-Defense, and not vice versa.

If you’ve read my YouTube video commentary, you’ve noticed the often emotional, and

occasionally adverse, response to our presentation. Consequently, our ratings are

rather mediocre! Our technical expression of power and violation of occupation on the

centerline is scrutinized and likened to boxing or karate. In their view, the strength of

WingChun is far from the softness of wing chun. Such cognitive incongruence and

rose-colored bias is more than understandable and prompted me to produce the

document before you. Stepping outside of the orthodox box, however fragile or

limiting it is, exposes us to the snap judgment or uncouth ridicule of conformists.

“When a foolish man hears of the Dao, he laughs out loud.

If he didn’t laugh, it wouldn’t be the Dao.”

— 道德經 Daode Jing, Chapter 41

The eight points above differentiate our unconventional — perhaps heretical or even

renegade — application of WingChun from wing chun. Inevitably, words and images

are inadequate conduits of reality. If you aren’t already an actively training member of

the IAW, I’d encourage you to maintain an open mind while reading and rereading.

Better yet, if you have the opportunity,

I heartily invite you to attend one of our

classes or events.

Furthermore, our certified instructors

are personally available to groups

worldwide for seminars in your area.

Please feel free to contact us for details,

especially if you’ve been intrigued or

even a bit upset by this book. Long

evolution is punctuated by sudden

revolution. You may find the resolution

to join ours.

I do look forward to hearing from you

soon!

— Sihing Paul Wang

© 2012 IAW-US 33

Contact Information

International Headquarters

Sifu Klaus Brand

www.IAW-HQ.com

United States Headquarters

Sihing Paul Wang

www.IAW-US.com

United Kingdom Headquarters

Sifu Ed Pettit, Sifu Tony Hollander

www.IAW-UK.com

France

Vincent Mercier

www.IAW-Bordeaux.com

Malaysia

Nathan Heissler

www.IAW-Malaysia.com

WingChun

Learn to Defend Yourself.

Second Edition, Revised 6/22/12