Afterschool Kung Fu Fun

Posted on December 19, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

When it comes to teaching children anything it can be either a complete drag, or the most fun you will have the whole day. Your attitude will determine whether or not the clock will slowly inch it’s way to the next minute or run out before you realize class is done. I will explain here in Afterschool Kung Fu Fun the three ‘E’s to actually enjoy teaching a kids class no matter the age.

Afterschool Kung Fu Fun

Establish Discipline

The first thing that must be done is to establish a line of discipline with the student’s. Without discipline there will be utter chaos in the class. No matter how fun the class is there will always be some sort of disruption. In my article Afterschool Martial Arts: Showing You Care I explain in details a few details about establishing discipline. Understanding the line between fear and respect is crucial. Contrary to belief you cannot force someone to respect you. You can make them act a certain which may be perceived as respect.

Respect is only achieved when the student’s know that you truly care about them. “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” This is a phrase I live by. Before class starts I try to speak to as many of them as possible. I can build individual relationships with them and they can connect with me. We build trust and respect this way.

Embrace Your Inner Kid

Once you have established your discipline your class will go much smoother than without. A focused energy rises in the class when discipline is held across the room. You must capitalize on this energy. To use it you must embrace your inner child. If your 12 year old self were to be in this class what would make it fun? Answer that question over and over and you will find you are making new and exciting ways to do drills. You will find yourself looking forward to class. It becomes a chance to really have fun with your class.

By “becoming a kid” again you’ll see that you have the ability to take the same workouts and put a new spin one them that the kids will love. A perfect example is around Christmas time. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we have the kids to military crawl for part of the warm. The spin I tell them is that they are the Grinch and they have to sneak through the house without getting caught. Another fun warm up spin is something I call “ninja mode”. The students pretend to be ninjas while I give them instructions. Whether it is running quietly or jumping to avoid the incoming “sword”. They are able to get a good workout hidden under the guise of pretend.

Explain Quickly

The last thing that must be done is crucial. You must learn to be efficient with your explanations. Since their young minds have trouble focusing you must be potent with your talks. Clear and concise are your best friends. If you are able to explain techniques quickly you can spend more time drilling, working on their focus and persistence. Long explanations can also wear them out. While you don’t want to skimp on good info you have to find the balance or their little legs won’t be able to handle standing still for too long.

Summary

To wrap things up. Three keys to having a good kids class: Establish discipline, Embrace your inner kid, and Explain quickly. If you can put all of these things together you will really enjoy teaching your kids class no matter the age.

The Strength of My Wing Chun

Posted on December 12, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

The Strength of My Wing Chun: By Ryan Beck

Wing Chun is different for each practitioner: how they move, when they flow and even the strength used. Each person is trained and trains differently; they all have different weaknesses and advantages. There are skills we all must learn and others that must be figured out individually. These gains can come fast while others take years to achieve. After approximately three years, I have seen these gains made by myself and others.

My Wing Chun Start

When I first started training with Sihing Garret in Tampa, I was the only regular student. His boxing background, plus his time training in Wing Chun really set his skills apart. After the first class, I told myself, that no matter what, I would commit to training for at least one year, at that point I would re-evaluate. Not even two months later, I came to the realization that Wing Chun was in my soul and I was hooked.

With any form of martial arts, there are typically two types of gains: physical and mental. Physical goals are the easiest to see. I noticed I was moving faster, able to go longer, and could even tell my eyes where processing information faster. Slowly, was becoming a better fighter. I believe this primarily has to do with my instruction, training and dedication. These physical gains are generally noticed fairly consistently by all. You get out what you put in. These are the gains that pushed me through my first year.

Wing Chun Year Two

When my one-year marker hit, I looked back on all the gains I had made. The surprising part about this reflection was the mental and lifestyle achievements. These types of gains are much harder to identify. I saw my temper cooled, I was eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle. The craziest part was that these changes, these gains started to become evident, when I saw the people around me changing as well. They were growing through my growth. My wife and our two daughters started eating healthier, drinking water and working out. In addition, my wife and our girls are on their own martial arts adventure too.

The only limitation Wing Chun has to personal growth, is people’s willingness to grow. It’s not always easy to train. Let’s be honest, it’s hard work. After a long and hot day at my job, I don’t always want to train. We can always find a reason. I will never forget my Sifu once said, “instead of an excuse, just say it’s not a priority.” This is something I strive to apply to all aspects of my life. The interesting part is that once I am at class, I am always glad that I went. This is true in life, it’s never as bad as we thought it was going to be.

Wing Chun For Life

Over the course of my Wing Chun journey thus far, I have found three strong reasons why I will never quit Wing Chun. The first reason is my family, I see the change in them and they look to me for guidance in life. Without martial arts, I am not sure I would know what direction to take them. The second reason is the tradition and culture, I have always been interested in the history and where Wing Chun comes from – not only the fighting, but the lifestyle as well.

There is such a history, that every time I Chi Sao, I feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself. The third and final reason I will never quit Wing Chun is the personal and physical aspect. I have grown tremendously since starting Wing Chun. The best part is how much growing I still have left to do. I know I can be faster, I know I can be even more technical and I know I have a lot more to learn and for me this is exciting!

Your Wing Chun Journey

Gains can always be made in Wing Chun as long as goals are being set and matched, as long as a person is dedicated to train and as long as the community is strong. Wing Chun is limitless! If I can train hard even when I don’t want to or kick open new doors when I am too tired to, then there is nothing I can’t do, in life or in Wing Chun.

Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training

Posted on November 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Sal Ficaro came to Sifu Och Wing Chun about one year ago. He tried one of our classes and got very frustrated with himself and decided to leave. Sifu Och was able to talk to him and arrange for private lessons instead to help him through those first steps of learning. When I took on Sal and his private lessons I knew this would be a difficult task. Sal was not used to Wing Chun and it’s movements. However, I knew that it could be done because Sal had the right mindset. In this article, Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training, Sal will tell a little bit about himself and his training here.

Sal Ficaro: Ageless Training

“Hello, my name Salvatore Ficarro I am 58 years old. I’ve been training at Sifu Och Wing Chun it’s been a learning process. Timothy Kittelstad is one of the trainers at this studio and he is absolutely wonderful. Even though the journey has been tough I absolutely love it.

If anybody is in the 40s or 50s age and would like to learn some self-defense they should not hesitate. They should come down to Sifu Och and start their own journey! Your age shouldn’t hold you back. I’m 58 but that is just a number. I don’t allow that to be an excuse to not learn something new. Life can be very hard. And many times you want to just give up. But the wonderful things in life take some time to learn.

When you are working hard to learn something you may fall a little short. And when that happens, as long as you get back up and come back stronger that day was a success. There are days I feel I’m only at maybe 60% where I should be. But if I leave at 61% that means I am improving. Then next time maybe I’m at 70% or 80%. As long as you work hard and improve, no matter how small the improvement, you will always be able to grow. The staff at Sifu Och Wing Chun are the best trainers I’ve ever seen. They are their to help you. All they want is for you to be your best. And I want you to succeed. I feel if you give it a try your will fall in love with it.”

Age doesn’t Stop Hard work

Sal shows that now matter your age you can accomplish anything with hard. Day after day Sal comes into class and puts in a hard days training. Starting from private lessons he has been able to work himself into the group classes. The most impressive thing about Sal is his determination. He doesn’t care about belts, or awards, or flashy techniques. He simply wants to know that he can take care of himself. Each day he comes in and builds himself from the last class.

Age is just a number. Everybody has hurdles they have to learn to overcome. Everyone has their own life story. Once you learn to accept your story and do the best you can with what you have you can start to really learn new things.

Instead of complaining about his age, or “not being able to move like he used to”, Sal trains his body to move the best it can right now. Because that’s what matters, the now. Not the past, not the future, but right now. What are you doing right now to make a difference in your life? If nothing than you should find the reason why. And then find a strong reason why you need to change that. Sal is a great example of someone who tackles life no matter what happens.

My Journey Toward Wing Chun

Posted on November 21, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

My Journey Toward Wing Chun

My martial arts training started late in 2006 at Dan Parrish’s Taekwondo school. The sole purpose of me training there was for it to be an outlet for my anger issues. When my training first started, my attitude toward others, school, and life in general was horrible. At the same time that I was practicing Martial Arts, I was also regularly seeing a “Guidance counselor“ . With the help of my “guidance counselor“, my instructors at my Martial Arts school, and my parents… I was able to reduce the amount of anger I’ve always had and calm down as much as possible.

Introduction to Ip Man

As years went on I became a black belt at the same martial arts school but under a different instructor who’s name is Master Gary Hernandez. Around that time is when I watched the first Ip man movie. That’s when I wanted to start to learn any new style of Kung Fu, but Wing Chun in particular. Something terrible occurred I was working towards my 2nd degree black belt. A near fatal incident happened to my mother and now ex-stepfather. Once that happened, my training drastically went downhill. I wasn’t wanting to throw a single punch or block a single strike.

Re-Focusing

After a while, when I knew my mother would be OK I began to start training again. But this time I was traveling with a friend every Thursday and Saturday to Zephyrhills to continue my training. I was also training and teaching as one of the head instructors at my Lakeland taekwondo school. As 2014 was coming to A conclusion, my taekwondo school and Lakeland shut down because of financial issues which allowed me to become A full fledged student under Gary Hernandez. Once I became a student under Gary Hernandez I started training in the super foot system and earned my 2nd degree black belt. Soon after I received my next rank, I moved further away to the city of Winter Haven which kept me from training because of transportation issues.

Lakeland Wing Chun

Fast forward towards 2016, I stumbled across the Wing Chun school in Lakeland. At the time I was very hesitant about walking in and asking questions because of the simple fact that I did not know how I would be able to make it to classes without there being A problem. I am glad to say that I do not regret walking into the front door. I met both the manager, Timothy Kittelstad, and the owner, Sifu Justin Och. They immediately made me feel welcome.

sifu justin och, ip chun, hong kong, florida, son of ip man, master One of the many reasons why I love to train at this particular school is because of the authenticity of the Wing Chun that is being taught. There’s no place else like it, and there’s no other place that you can learn wing Chun from one person that’s been certified under multiple lineages. So far what I’ve gained and hope to continue gaining is the realness of Wing Chun and how the principles of Wing Chun affect more than just a persons martial art aspect, but also different aspects of every day life and activities. I’ve also learned and have gained many different techniques that is and will be always important to any true martial artist.

Wing Chun’s Greatness

Lastly, one thing I’ve gained since I’ve signed up at Sifu Och’s Wing Chun is the love and care that he provides and all of his students. Anyone who signs up will be able to experience the greatness and directness and effectiveness of Wing Chun. They will also be able to see how family oriented the school and the atmosphere is. They will also how hard and dedicated all the students are to their training.

Wing Chun Entry Techniques

Posted on July 18, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

The ability to close the distance with an opponent is essential to any Wing Chun practitioner. You must be able to quickly respond to an opponents attack and shut them down to avoid follow up attacks. Different ranges call for different responses. That being said we will cover a few Wing Chun Entry Techniques here in this article. Before reading this article we suggesting checking out our previous article Wing Chun Vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo. We explain the difference between committed and non-committed strikes which is essential to your training.

Hand Entries

Paak Slip

In our previous article Wing Chun Vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo we touch on the idea of using the Paak to simply slip off the first punch. Connected is a video of Master Sifu demonstrating this technique. He explains how to utilize the Paak to deflect the initial blow and then glide off into a strike. A very effective and quick technique.

Paak Punch

The Paak Punch is a very effective combo to use. Instead of trading blow for blow with an opponent, the Paak Punch allows you to strike and defend at the same time. When countering a cross or straight punch this is a definite must. You are able to either crush a punch and counter above it with a punch of your own. Or, you can slip the punch and strike the ribs. Either way you are able to immediately counter straight punches and close the distance.

Paak into Bui or Tan

If an opponent does not throw a committed strike it can be very difficult to throw a counter. In this case it would be prudent to defect the first punch with a Paak and then counter the second punch. Two great choices would be either a Tan Punch or Bui Sao Punch.

A Tan Punch would be a great choice against any sort of straight punch. Since the Paak would have simply deflected the first punch you can use this as a set up for the second punch counter.

If he throws a haymaker or wide hook the Bui Sao Punch would be the best choice. The curved shape of the Bui Sao would match the trajectory of the hook allowing for maximum protection.

Kick Entries

Shadow Kick

If facing an opponent that moves a lot, pushing off the front foot, a Shadow Kick may be a option to consider. Our article Kung Fu Kicks goes into more detail about this kick. The idea is to crush into your opponents leg with a stomping motion. Typically aimed to blow out the knee the lead hand will typically drop as a result opening up an nice window for an attack.

Crescent Kick

Finally, the Crescent Kick. One of the most effective ways to use this kick is to the ribs when they extend their punch. This has the same shape as the Shadow Kick but instead of going down it strikes forward. You must thrust your entire body behind the kick. When this is done the head usually comes down as a result of the body caving into the kick. This allows for an easy strike to the head.

The Key to Closing the Gab

All of these techniques are futile if you do not close the distance with the right timing. You can only develop timing with hours of practice. Doing techniques in lines are a great way to build the structure for them and speed. However, if you do not consistently keep up your training your timing will be off an no amount of skill will help you if you do not time it correctly.

The Infinite Wing Chun Difference

Posted on June 12, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

wing chun difference

The wing chun difference for me started at Sifu Och Wing Chun about a year and a half ago and couldn’t be happier that I did. Prior to Wing Chun, I had practiced Karate for ten years and had already fallen madly in love with the martial arts. The Karate that I do incorporates a mixture of Tung Su do, Aikido, and Jujitsu and is infinitely different than Wing Chun. But when I moved to Lakeland for school, I knew that I had to find somewhere new to practice. As a broke college student, I also knew that I couldn’t really afford to train, but I really couldn’t afford not to. After doing a trial month at Sifu Och Wing Chun, I decided that I had to make it work.

First Weeks of Training wing chun difference

The first two weeks of training I was extremely cautious and suspicious of everything that Sifu taught. It was so different from everything I knew, that at first it felt like it couldn’t possibly be right.

But over those two weeks I grew to trust Sifu and appreciate Wing Chun as a martial art. Now whenever I feel like something isn’t right, it’s usually because I’m doing it wrong. Wing Chun is so different than Karate that it took a lot of getting used to. I constantly wanted to use my legs and felt trapped in all the hands only combat that they focus on in beginner Wing Chun.

Though I was reluctant to rely heavily on them, hand work was something that I desperately needed to improve. Another major difference that messed with my head was how Wing Chun fights squared up instead of sideways. I had to constantly force my back shoulder into a square position effectively distracting me – but I quickly learned to love having both hands up and in front of me.

Karate girl Learning to Love Wing Chun

Learning to love Wing Chun was a struggle at first. Because some of the techniques were contrary to my first love of Karate, it felt a little bit like betrayal. I had been training Karate for ten years! For the past five years, I had been teaching and instructing the art that I love. Now suddenly I was at the bottom of the food chain, knowing absolutely nothing about Wing Chun – it was a hard transition to say the least, but one well worth making. I was soon able to respect and appreciate each art for their differences, and have started down the road of incorporating them both.

First couple of months in Training

Learning Wing Chun in and of itself is hard. For the first couple of months I was very confused in my training. Trying to keep up with all the Chinese terminology and different techniques. It took about 2-3 months for my confusion to subside and for me to feel comfortable, performing all the moves that I’d learned.

Too many give up to quickly

Unfortunately, a lot of people give up in those first few months feeling like they won’t ever get it. Every single person that I got my first sash with has left as well, and it is so sad! What I have learned from Wing Chun has been exponentially beneficial to almost every aspect of my life. My overall health and fitness has improved including strength and endurance. My mental health improved as well, relieving the stresses of daily life in class every night. This year I started a very emotionally draining internship dealing with girls that have been sex trafficked. Wing Chun allowed me to refrain from going insane and relieve my frustration.

I would recommend Sifu Och Wing Chun to anyone that wants to be able to protect themselves. If you want to better their health, and make friends – and who doesn’t want that? You should be down here training.

Written by Sarah L. (recently passed her year and a half mark!)

For information on classes contact us at
call us now at 863.800.0171
116 east pine street, lakeland florida 33801
With classes 6 days a week for Adults, teens and kids ages 3 and up.
https://sifuochwingchun.com/classes/lakeland-wing-chun-kung-fu-classes/

Afterschool Martial Arts: Showing You Care

Posted on June 8, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

“People don’t care what you know until they know that you care”. That statement has never been more true then when it comes to dealing with kids. Children these days have a serious struggle with staying focused. Lack of focused is compounded in a class setting. As an instructor we must take every advantage to maintain our student’s focus. One of the biggest ways to help them maintain their focus is helping them understand how much you really care about them. In this article, Afterschool Martial Arts: Showing You Care, I will go over some tips on how to accomplish that.

Afterschool Martial Arts: Showing You Care

Mat Chats

Mat chats are a great way to intentionally impart wisdom to the next generation. At the Sifu Och Wing Chun and Just Dance Afterschool and Summer Camp Classes we take 5-10 minutes every class to sit and talk to our students. Each month we go over new concepts to help them grow as people. This can range from peer pressure to manners. These mat chats are not lectures. They are a time to engage with your students and listen to their responses. Getting them to open up to you shows them that they can trust you. When you listen to their responses you are leading by example. By showing them how to listen respectfully they can see what it means be respectful.

Listening When Disciplining

Many times I have seen, and experienced, instructors in martial arts and sports doing blind discipline. A child acts up and immediately they are jumped on and made to do some form of work out for a disciplinary action. Before moving forward let me confirm that discipline is key, without it classes are chaos and nothing is accomplished. However, maintaining discipline is a two sided coin. True discipline is achieved when the student is maintaining discipline out of respect, not fear. I accomplish this in my classes by taking the student’s aside that are acting up and talking to them.

When I have engaged a student I seek to explain to them my point of view. Helping them understand why I am pulling them out of class or off to the side. What I am trying to accomplish is to show the child that I have perceived a wrong has been committed. And then due to that perception something must be done about it. I then allow the child to explain himself. Allow him to share why he was acting up or not staying focused. Most of the time there is no good reason and proceed to explain why I must discipline the child. However, there are times where the child was not deserving of punishment.

To Punish Or Not To Punish

Many times when speaking to the children I have found that outside factors played a big role in their distraction or outburst. If they are having a hard time focusing on their training sometimes it leads back to family or school problems. In that scenario I have the chance to teach them another lesson. This can be anything from perseverance in a hard time to forgiving a friend for doing something wrong to them. In any case a punishment would have only hurt their growth.

Most of the time, unfortunately, the child is acting up because they simply have not learned discipline yet. In that is the case you must be consistent, firm, but caring in your punishment. If it is a repeat offender in the same day I will again take them aside and speak to them. If after I have spoken to them, and punished them multiple times then in might be time to speak to the parents about what you can do as a time to help with his discipline.

Conclusion

Children can be wonderful to teach. Their mind can absorb very quickly and they have a very high energy most of the time. That being said, your kids classes are what you make them. If you make them a time that the children feel safe and cared for, they are more likely to listen and enjoy your classes.

Tampa Bay Asia Fest FIGHT – Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu

Posted on May 26, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

Tampa Bay Asia Fest FIGHT Demo – Sifu Och Wing CHun kung Fu

This years Tampa Bay Asia Fest had a fight present, one that challenged the skills of Sifu Justin Och and his Central Florida schools. Tampa Bay Asia Fest had a lot going on that day. From the wonderful Asian food vendors that come each year to show case their culinary skills. To the art work inspired by the cultures of China, Japan, Malaysia and even Thailand were present. IF YOU LIKE KUNG FU MOVIES, Watch it ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

Most Noteworthy, the ENDING is Completely UN-CHOREOGRAPHED. The day started out with all of these vendors coming together showcasing their regional cuisine. Sifu Och Wing Chun kung fu group started practicing early for the event. They were a special guest demonstration on stage for Tampa Bay Asian Fest.

TAMPA BAY ASIA FEST FIGHT DEMONSTRATION BY SIFU OCH WING CHUN

Once the speakers were ready, it was the Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu group turn to go on stage at the Tampa Bay Asia Fest. They started with the Wing Chun first form, Sil Lum Tao or Siu Nim Tao. Then they transitioned into first year students demonstrating their sparring and reaction ability. Then moved onto intermediate level students, ones that have only been in between 3-5 years. In addition they moved onto one of our youngest brown sash instructors Neckodemos Davidson. Davidson fought and sparred in the Wing Chun Kung Fu Demonstration against multiple attackers.

Furthermore our Chief Instructor Sifu Justin Och of Lakeland, Florida headquarters and Senior instructor Garret Brumfield perform. They started with the Grandmaster Ip Man long pole form. Long pole is also called luk dim boon kwan or dragon pole. Immediately after this they started fighting in Chi Sau reaction sparring. This was without any choreography. It was evident nothing was staged with these two as they demonstrated their free style reaction sparring, within Chi Sau, for the crowd. Crowed were amazed as the action was packed all the way through. At the end of this demonstration the Sifu Och Wing Chun central florida group left the stage only to be asked by staff if they could do more.

Tampa Bay Asia Fest Performance

Prior to the Dragon dance performance starting the Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu group, both the Tampa Bay Florida branch and the Lakeland Florida branch practiced along side the Hillsborough River. As spectators rolled in they spar and fight one another to build up their energy and the enthusiasm of the crowds walking inside of Tampa Bay Asia Fest. Instructor Garret Brumfield and Master Instructor Sifu Justin Och both train Dragon Pole (luk dim boon kwan) and Chi Sau sparring while onlookers wait and watch in anticipation.

Also the rest of the Sifu Och Central Florida Wing Chun Kung Fu group spar and fight to build reaction before the big demonstration takes place. Most of all, the group loves to train so any excuse to do so is a good one for Sifu Och Wing Chun students.

Asia Fest Shaolin Kung Fu demonstration

Though once the skills from another Shaolin Kung Fu group called Mt. Song started, the Sifu Och Wing Chun kung fu group stopped and ran over to watch in support. The Mt. Song Shaolin kung fu group put on an amazing lion dance and Kung Fu weapon demonstration. This demonstration was most noteworthy by the graceful and fluid movements of their students. Not withholding the final demonstration which consequently left the audience stunned. One of the students bared his body to the breaking of wooden sticks. With one last strike to his inner thigh while he was upside down (making it appear as though his groin would get the blunt of the blow) his thigh took the break instead.

Most noteworthy, the Dragon dance that was placed on that day was especially fun as they travelled the length of the event gathering all those around for the festivities about to begin. The style of the dragon dance reminds you of the Great Wall of China as the dragon spins and curves to follow the golden ball. Chinese drums engulfed the air as they are beaten in the background.

There was also J-pop dance performances, Asian fan dancing and even a short unspoken Asian cultural play that had many characters that expressed interpretive thought, feeling and ideas through method acting.

Representing Southern Shaolin Kung Fu system; Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu team

Representing the Southern Shaolin style of Kung Fu for Tampa Bay Asia Fest, enters the Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu Team. They were approached by the Tampa Bay Asian fest judges to return representing Wing Chun Kung Fu for the next Tampa Bay Asian Fest festivals. Their engaging performances, following years demonstrations, of this Southern Shaolin Kung Fu style have earned them the title. We we’re honored to demonstrate at the Tampa Bay Asian Fest. This great event will showcase authentic southern shaolin Wing Chun Kung Fu. Broadening audiences horizons on the benefits and practicality of the ancient art of kung fu. With the Mt. Song Shaolin Kung Fu and the Sifu Och Wing Chun they will provide guests with great Kung Fu entertainment. The up coming years at Tampa Bay Asia Fest will have some of the best kung fu entertainment and food around! Don’t miss Tampa Bay Asia Fest next year, you will regret it if you do.

Train with us. Achieve with us. Win with us. Sifu Och Wing Chun.

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HEADQUARTERS – Lakeland Florida – Sifu Justin Och

863.800.0171

SE USA World Ving Tsun Athletic Association Regional Director

ONLY Florida School tested and certified under 4x Different Ip Man lineages

Trainer of Full Contact Sanda Champion using the Wing Chun system

5th Degree Wing Chun Black & Gold Sash

116 east pine street, lakeland FL 33801

email – wingchunflorida @ gmail . com

– Http://facebook.com/sifuochwingchun

website – https://www.sifuochwingchun.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tampa Bay Instructor – Garret Brumfield

(813) 922-8261

3 Time Sanda Full Contact Gold Metalist

9 years of Boxing a.k.a “Smoker”

10 years of Wing Chun Kung Fu under Sifu Och Wing Chun

Red Sash Advanced Wing Chun Instructor

10405 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33612

– http://facebook.com/tampawingchunkungfu

website – http://www.tampabaykungfu.com

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook Takedown Combo

Posted on May 23, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown was a question a beginner posted for anyone to answer on a Facebook group. He asked for the key to using Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo. Sifu Justin Och and Senior Instructor Garret Brumfield posted a video titled “Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo”.

In this article we will address some of the finer points. Stopping this combo is no easy task but Wing Chun does have an answer.

Wing Chun vs Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown Combo

The Jab

If you are to deal with an attack you must understand it. To understand strikes you must make a distinction between committed and non-committed strikes. A committed strike could be defined as a strike that has the entire weight of the body fueling the power for the strike. Alternatively, a non-committed strike will be much faster but won’t have the power. A jab is a non committed strike. That being the case, the counter must be equally fast. As you can see in the video Sifu Och uses his paak sao but immediately follows up with a straight punch. This allows for quick adjustments where needed.

The Jab, Cross

If your opponent crosses immediately after his jab you may not have time to follow up off the initial strike. Sifu chose is one of the most direct options to counter although there are many variations. The hand that was used to paak the initial strike simply follows its trajectory to the face. In conjunction, the back hand paaks the next strike. This results in and immediate strike to your opponents face.

The Jab, Cross, Hook

Let’s say that your counter does not damage your opponent enough. As a result, he follows up again with a hook. The hook that Sifu Och Demonstrates is a very tight “rabbit” hook. Theses types of hooks are very hard to deal with. A Bui Sao, Bui Jee, Man Sao will be very hard to execute in this scenario. You must be able to fully extend these techniques for them to become effective. When the opponent throws this hook, it will be very tight to the body with a lot of torque. Torque equals power, and if you are unable to fully extend your technique it will crumble. In this scenario Sifu chooses to utilize upward elbow to cover the opponents strike. He is now able to strike with is other hand and move on with his attack.

The Jab, Cross, Hook, Takedown

Finally, we moved on to dealing last part of the combo. None of your counters have successfully stopped your opponent but because you are in so tight he feels the need to shoot in and take you down. There are two scenarios to be address when an opponent shoots in on you. If he gets under your elbow or not.

If he does not get under your able a you can simple remove the foot he is attacking and stop his forward motion with a Gum or Jum Sao to the neck\head. This is addressed in our article Fighting Footwork where we go into a little more depth. However, if he does get behind one of your elbows you must sprawl back or you will be taken down. Once you have sprawled you can then establish a line of defense again with your Jum or Gum Sao. This line allows you to regain your structure and move on with your attack.

End the fight

At each stage of the attack your goal as a Wing Chun practitioner should be to the end the fight. When you respond to an attack you should be immediately seeking to follow it up to finish your opponent. You would only utilized these counter techniques if you are unable to flow into and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. follow up. So in theory, your opponent will never get to his takedown, or his cross for that matter. However, that is why we as martial artists should always be prepared. If the worst happens, you will be ready.

Kung Fu Belt Ranking

Posted on April 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

Kung Fu in its origins does not have any sort of belt system. The Chinese would wear sashes whether they trained martial arts or not. Sashes were used to help with carrying day to day odds and ends. So then why do you see modern day (typically American) Kung Fu Belt Ranking used by schools? The main reason is here in American we feel the desire to achieve or attain very strongly.

Kung Fu Belt Ranking: Goals

Karate and Tae Kwon Do as businesses have flourished in America. This is partially due to their dynamic movements but also due to their ranking. Attaining a Black Belt brings with it not only a social recognition but also sense of accomplishment. Setting short term goals and hitting them on the way to a larger goal is the key to achieving long term success in anything. Since these systems already had these concepts in place their transition to America was very fruitful.

Kung Fu (Wing Chun in particular) while popular hasn’t been able to reach the same level of success. Since Wing Chun is a conceptual art it is very hard make the teaching uniform. Without a standard it is difficult to reward someone for their achievement. This concept is difficult for Americans, generally speaking, to let go of and stick to for a long period.

The need to feel achievement is not only reason, after all american’s are used to instant gratification. Technology is a big part of that. If a student trains for years on end and feels no achievement or sense of accomplishment their spirit can get dampened. As a result of our culture conditioning us many masters decided to implement something to combat that.

Sifu och wing chun: Belts and curriculum

5th level Master, Sifu Och has been able to create a curriculum and belt system that works very well. The belts provide short term goals that are attainable within 3 months for the lower ranks. As a student progresses the term in between ranks increases and the amount of material grows.

Sashes

Sifu has broken up he stages to a Black Sash into 4 main sections. Subsequently, he then broke those sections into smaller sub sections. Shirt Colors divide the main sections: White (beginner), Blue (intermediate), Red (advanced), Black (Sifu). The Sections within those shirt colors are divided again by sashes:

White Shirt

No Belt
White
White Black
Yellow
Yellow White
Yellow Black
Orange
Orange White
Orange Black

The above list about a year to year and a half of training depending on how hard someone pushes.

Curriculum

Sifu Och uses a rotating curriculum. We group students together by their main sections and have them all work on the same material. For example: if you have a white shirt, whether you are a white black belt, or a yellow white belt, you will all work on 1 of the 5 sections going towards blue shirt. As a result we accomplish a couple of different goals.

First, brand new students are able to work with more experienced students. It is not wise to pair up two brand new students with each other. The old adage, “blind leading the blind” applies perfectly. Neither of them know the techniques but more importantly they do not know how to help the other person train the technique. Having that person a few steps ahead of you when you start out as a partner can make the difference in someone staying or not.

Second, it keeps things fresh. We are able to continue to challenge students who are unable to actually make it to testing. Instead going over the same material again and again, they are able to go over new things and continue growing until they are able move to the next level. As a result of this, students also get a good review of the material once it cycles back around. This ensures that the material is well known before graduating to the next big section.

American Kung Fu

Even though traditional Kung Fu does not use any sort of ranking system, there can be great benefits to having them. Goals and purpose bring a powerful dynamic to ones training.

Fighting Footwork

Posted on April 17, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

You can have the fastest hands in the world, but if you aren’t at the right place at the right time that won’t matter. Foot work is literally the foundation to any style. You may be able to block or evade an attack here and there with good hands or head movement. However, if you do not base your counter with fighting footwork, it will be difficult to execute.

positioning your Fighting footwork

Superior angles will make your life much easier. It is much simpler to deal with an opponent when you have minimized their ability to use multiple “weapons” at once. In the same way, striking your opponents key points will also be easier when you are positioned correctly. Wing Chun seeks to dominate the outside angle allowing maximum trapping and striking to occur.

Weight distribution

There is a big debate among Wing Chun practitioners. Not only about weight distribution through the feet but also between the legs. First let’s address weight through the feet.

Heels

When a weight lifter squats his weight must drive from the middle portion of his foot to his heels. With proper skeletal alignment his structure is locked in place and only the strongest muscles are recruited to move the weight. If alignment is broken serious injury can occur. When finished correctly the weight will be completely on the heels as seen here.

Just as the weight lifting supports his weight with structure, the Wing Chun Fighter supports his power through his alignment. Following the same rules through physiques the weight is on the heel when engaged. This allows strikes at full power to be stopped and maximum strength can be delivered through blows.

Toes

Even though the heels are the source of power and structure, speed is seriously inhibited when the weight is focused there. Weight should only be distributed to the toes when looking to utilize speed. Speed is used to gain the correct position. This is typically done before contact is even made. Once connected to your opponent weight should immediately be transferred to the heels to again for power. Closing the distance with an opponent is essential to the Wing Chun Fighter. If he is unable to get to the trapping range it will be difficult to execute proper techniques.

Stance Distribution

The final aspect of weight distribution to cover is the amount of weight on each foot. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we typically keep our weight 50-50. The reason behind this is to keep our ability to defend against takedowns. If the weight is distributed to far to one leg you can become susceptible to those types of attacks. Sweeps and single leg takedowns are difficult to stop without even distribution of weight.

To give a specific example, we will look at a single leg takedown defense. First, hand positions: jum to the neck, gan to the arm. (Essentially a Gan Da). This will then become a tan and a fook. The Jum to the neck stops the person from getting to your core. The gan to the arm is used to block them from getting your leg. As a result you gain an underhook. (illustrated below).

In unison the foot that is being attacked must be retracted. The foot must be swept back to avoid getting caught. This all occurs within a split second. If the weight split 70-30, or 60-40, it will be very hard to adjust and defend this type of attack.

In Conclusion

There are many different opinions and reasons about weight distribution. At Sifu Och Wing Chun we keep it mostly 50-50 to maintain the ability to adjust in any direction as quickly as possible. We are then able to shift and adapt to any attack that is thrown our way.

Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World

Posted on April 6, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Ask any martial artist if what they do is realistic self defense, and the most common answer will be something along the lines of “Yes, of course. Why would I do it if it weren’t?” But the honest truth is that a lot of martial artists are not equipped to defend themselves in a real world scenario. So where is the disconnect between Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World ? Why are so many people practicing ineffectual martial arts? And what does a truly effective martial art look like?

The Disconnect in Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World

When people try and understand why the martial arts have drifted away from effective training methods there are a few factors to consider. Primarily the difficulty of taking an individual and training them to be able to defend themselves in any scenario is no easy feat. There is no conceivable way for an individual to practice every possible scenario. So what do we do? We have to train our instincts and expand our knowledge base, to prepare ourselves for any given scenario though we may not have practiced for it. Another problem lies in an instructors innate desire to gain and keep students. Sometimes this desire may lead schools to adapt an easier, less effective curriculum in order to keep students entertained and engaged. When this happens it can be easy to fall into a lull of safety and easy money, perpetuating a sense of accomplishment.

The biggest danger comes when the student, having done exceptionally well in class, is now faced with a real world scenario that they are not prepared to deal with. The student enters into this scenario with a false sense of confidence and may end up making things worse. We find another difficulty in lack of experienced instructors. Though the instructor may have plenty of martial arts experience, they are completely inept when it comes to real world fighting experience. And how is someone with no experience expected to give a complete curriculum to their students? This is the main question when comparing Kwoon Self Defense and the Real World.

Ineffective vs. Effective Martial Arts

Let me be clear, no martial art is in and of itself ineffective, the effectiveness lies within how we train that martial art. Drills in the martial arts can be effective tools at making certain techniques ingrained in the student’s mind and muscle memory; however, many drills isolate a certain skill with the intention of honing that skill while we ignore other skills.

Major problems occur when teachers fail to integrate those isolated skill together. Take for example point sparring. Many martial arts accept point sparring as a means of being able to practice all of one’s martial skills. But what if the fight goes to the ground? Or the opponent doesn’t back off after you score a point? Point sparring can be an effective training tool, but it is important to accept that it does not simulate a real fight.

lakeland fl advanced martial arts classes sparring

In an effective school of martial arts, there must be a comprehensive curriculum. One that teaches not only good techniques, but also when, where, and how to use them. It is important for a student to be able to deescalate a fight before it starts, and only consider fighting as a last resort. An effective martial art will teach all aspects of self defense: technique, execution, timing, and distancing. They must also teach determination. Students must drill regardless of whether or not they get bored. In modern martial arts there seems to be a dangerous trend of catering to what the student wants. But if we were really doing what was best for the student, wouldn’t it be catering to what they need instead of what they want?

Why wait until your child is a victim?

Posted on April 5, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Children will always be susceptible to acts of bullying, but why wait until that happens? Don’t wait until your child’s already a victim of bullies, harassment, depression or a habit of disrespect. Enrolling your child in the martial arts under individuals like Sifu Och Wing Chun has the potential to solve the problem before it begins. Creating a proactive solution to the problem that so many face. Putting your child in martial arts has the ability to increase respect and self-esteem, and improve peer relationships. Why wait until your child is a victim?

Respect and Self-esteem

Sifu Och Wing Chun kung fu and other martial arts for kids can help increase respectful talk, and respectful behavior. This can go a long way in life and with teachers in the school system, making learning and education a more enjoyable experience for all involved. But fostering a sense of respect is no easy task and takes time, effort, and lots of parental involvement. If the child is only disciplined and in a structured environment once a week, it may take years to see change; however, if the parents are continuing the effort put forth in class, results may occur in as little as a few weeks.

Respect and self-esteem are two values that often influence one another. When the child is respectful to others, he or she is more likely to respect his or her self – encouraging good self-esteem. Having good self-esteem is imperative to warding off bullies. Bullying leads to a lack of self-esteem, but a lack of self-esteem may also lead to bullying. When the child’s self-esteem is low, they begin to believe what the bullies are saying about them and start to identify with that image. Children with higher self-esteem are more likely to disregard bullies, easily believing their words to be untruthful. In the martial arts, children are taught their worth and encouraged to build themselves up. Martial arts give children goals to set and achieve and, with the right school, instructors that mentor each child to reach their full potential.

Peer Relationships

Sometimes your child may be their own bully solution. By increasing their self worth they reduce depression and anxiety. Sifu Och Wing Chun can also help with their social skills which can help them to make new friends. When children are suffering with depression and anxiety, they are at a greater risk to become a victim of bullying. Physical activity of any kind has a positive effect on depression and anxiety, when that activity meets with the structure and discipline of martial arts the effect is twofold.

But on top of benefiting the child physically and mentally, the peer relationships that they make in class encourages good social development. Often times in school, certain children have a tendency to get left out. Either by the group as a whole or ostracized from different cliques. In a martial arts class, children work with everyone in the class as well as in groups and individually. When doing partner work the partners will switch up every round. This gives each child the opportunity to meet and make new friends as well as work with different body types. Simultaneously promoting social and martial arts skill.

Choose Now-Why wait until your child is a victim?

People of all ages are susceptible to bullying, but why wait until after the fact to do something? Most adults have learned to cope and deal with bullies, but it is usually after years of being bullied themselves. Enrolling your child in a martial art does not mean that they won’t get bullied. It does, however, ensure that they are better equipped to deal with it when it happens.

Western vs. Eastern Martial Arts

Posted on April 4, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

When asked about the origins of martial arts, most people will gravitate toward thoughts of Asia and the east. And though the majority of martial arts do originate in the east, the west has certainly produced credible martial arts as well as adopting eastern martial art practices. A few western martial arts include: boxing, fencing, wrestling, and jousting (as well as eastern martial arts that have adapted to the west). While some eastern martial arts include: kung fu, aikido, escrima, and karate. The differences between training in west versus training in the east are primarily in the mindset of the practitioners and the rituals of the dojo, rather than actual differences in technique (though those are sure to exist as well).

Western Martial Arts

In the west the time it takes to learn a martial art is shorter and more optimized. Allowing for practitioners to achieve the rank of black belt in as little as three years (with some programs promising less). This optimization is in line with the (often) western mindset of consumerism. The craving for immediate results can cause much disappointment to those who are use to short term satisfaction. They often compare themselves to students who have been practicing for years and wonder why they are unable to produce the same results. This frequently leads to students quitting early on, due to either disappointment, frustration, or boredom.

Because of this phenomenon, western martial arts felt the need to streamline their programs. This helped to keep students both physically and mentally engaged in their classes. On top of wanting a shorter martial arts program, westerners are also highly concerned with the practical. Western martial arts generally have no room for ritual. And less practical practices that may be present in their eastern counterparts.

Eastern Martial Arts

In the east there seems to be a greater respect for the amount of time it takes to truly learn a martial art. Eastern martial arts will (generally) take longer to achieve the rank of black belt. Many requiring ten years and some even longer. That is assuming that the individual is regularly practicing multiple times a week, pushing themselves toward their goal. Eastern martial arts also emphasize the concept of loyalty and perseverance. Loyalty to the martial art and to one’s dojo and master are key components in the practice.

Many eastern martial arts developed from a need to be able to revolt or defend themselves in times of war. For example, slave would do Karate forms to defy to their drivers. After a long day of work, they did these forms in a line on the rail-roads they were being forced to build. The slaves sought to display strength, power, and endurance despite the work that they were being forced to do.

© NHNZ. Ta Gou Shaolin Kung fu School, Deng Feng, Henan (Not Shaolin Monks). Inside China Shaolin Temple

Adaptation

Both western and eastern martial arts have great merit and training techniques. Easily improving discipline, fitness, and overall health; but there are some major differences. These differences can affect the entire training regimen and lead to the overall perception of the art itself. If someone is looking for an eastern martial art in the west, has the art adapted to cater to the western mindset or does it hold true to the east? In the same way, looking for one of the western martial arts in the east that holds true to western values may be difficult as well. Does an art exist that is purely eastern or western? Free from ideals from the opposing side? When choosing a martial art the decision is not necessarily eastern or western. Instead one should look at has the art developed over time.

Wing Chun’s Weakness: Long Range Fighting

Posted on March 28, 2017September 6, 2020 by Tim Kittelstad

The idea that Wing Chun has no long range “game” has circled the internet for a while. It is true that Wing Chun focuses its techniques on “in” fighting but that does not mean it is not effective further away. Wing Chun, although it has longer range techniques, simply prefers to close the distance as soon as possible. This may give the impression that there are no long range techniques to those unfamiliar with the art.

Wing Chun’s Goal

To understand this topic one must remember what the goal of Wing Chun is: to end a fight as quickly as possible. Many people consider Wong Shun Leung to be the greatest fighter to come out of Ip Man’s training. This can be attributed to his history of Beimo fights. As the story goes he won between 60-80 street fights all in under 3 seconds. With Wing Chun creation at a time of war this makes sense. One needs to end the fight as quickly as possible. That in mind, lets explore the idea of long range fighting versus short range fighting.

Long Range Fighting Versus Short Range

There are 3-4 main ranges in martial arts depending on who you are talking to. Striking (Kicking and punching), trapping, and grappling. Each range has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Striking is the range with boxers and Tae Kwon Do Fighters. Grappling is the home to Judo and Bjj Practitioners. Trapping is found between the two and is where Wing Chun mostly operates. For this discussion we will focus on the Striking range versus the trapping range. Examples of “Striking” range attacks would be a boxers jab and cross or a Tae Kwon Do fighters roundhouse and spinning back kick. Examples of a “trapping” range attack would be a Paak Punch or Huen Sao strike in Wing Chun.

The main advantage of the Striker is distance. If a striker can successfully fend on an opponent they can never enter into the other ranges nullifying their abilities. Quick foot work combined with deceptive fakes can quite difficult to deal with. Wing Chun seeks to close the distance as quickly as possible. However, if the Wing Chun practitioner cannot do that, it may be difficult to end the fight.

Wing Chun’s Answer to the Long Range game

So then how does a Wing Chun fighter deal with an opponent that will not commit and fully engage at the same range? There are specific techniques that need to be used with certain attacks but before that even happens there must be the strategy. The strategy is baiting. The techniques come from Wing Chun’s ability to use 2-3 “weapons” at the same time.

Strategy

Let’s look a the strategy first. If the opponent tries to stay “out of range” the Wing Chun fighter must draw in the opponent until they through a committed strike. When they throw that strike the counter must be fast and ferocious. Jabs and front kicks are to of the main weapons seen when trying to keep an opponent away. Trying to counter these can be difficult due to their speed. These are best deflected with an equally quick defense. Man sao’s, Paak Sao’s, and Jum saos are usually the most effective.

Technique

With the strategy in place the Wing Chun fighter can counter. Again, the emphasis must be place on using multiple weapons at once. When the opponent throws their “knockout” strike they must be overwhelmed immediately. If not they will retreat and continue to attempt to break down the Wing Chun Fighter. Against crosses Paak Punches and Intercepting Fist strikes do well.But to prep the counter a shadow kick to the lead thigh slows down the movement of the opposition. If an opponent throws a kick one of the most effective tactics is to kick out the support leg. These can be done simultaneously with a block when used against roundhouses. When a front kick is through it should either be passed off with a jum or it can be caught. Once caught the support can then be accessed for a kick or sweep.

Wing Chun’s Weakness is the student

The idea that Wing Chun has no long range game is not necessarily correct. Rather, Wing Chun seeks to disrupt the core of the fighter which can only be done when close to the opponent. Therefore, the Wing Chun fighter simply closes the distance as quickly as possible. When a ranged attack it should be countered and then followed with and flurry of overwhelming attacks that do not allow for a recovery. Wing Chun as a system as many tools at it’s disposal, whether they are used correctly is up to who uses them.

Why Sifu Och Wing Chun After-School Program?

Posted on March 21, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sarah Lister

Importance of a Strong After School program

Parents all over the United States rely on an after-school program to take care of their children while they are finishing their day at work or at home. With an increase in dual-income families and single parent homes, these after school programs have become a necessity for a vast number of families. This has created a great demand for after-school care programs; however, all programs are not created equal. Parents have many options to choose from in picking an after school program and the amount of time the child spends at that program makes it an incredibly important decision, so what makes a good program?

Sifu Och vs Other After-Care Programs

Most after school programs have a singular focus with only one program to offer. Our children have the opportunity to learn both martial arts and dance. Let’s face it: children have very short attention spans. The opportunity to attend two completely different aftercare programs every week allows for a greater ability for them to learn and enjoy themselves. The two skills of dance and martial arts in themselves are invaluable. The dance classes teach coordination, flexibility, and self-expression. While the martial arts classes teach children discipline, respect, and to defend themselves. As well, children in both classes will learn a number of skills that teachers cannot explicitly teach in the classroom. Some of the additional skills taught include: etiquette, manners, team building, organization, social interaction, and cleanliness.

Curriculum

Sifu Och Wing Chun and Just Dance offer a unique program curriculum that encourages both personal growth and learning. We place children into different classes based on age. The older children working on Wing Chun Monday’s and Wednesday’s while the younger children follow Just Dances program. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s the older kids go to Just Dance and the younger ones do kickboxing. We offer kickboxing to the younger children instead of Wing Chun, as it is a little bit easier for them to comprehend and practice. In the Wing Chun classes, we teach children the same curriculum that adults learn throughout the week; including punch and kick defenses, forms, and combinations. The kickboxing classes incorporate a mixture of principles from Wing Chun, Karate, and Boxing all done in a kid friendly class.

The Just Dance classes teach dance from a variety of styles including: Ballroom, Ballet, and Hip Hop. Summer Camp is also offered along with the regular school year after-care. In summer camp kids will continue taking martial arts and dance. They will also participate in a plethora of activities to keep them busy. Activities range from museums to amusement parks to arts and crafts, and are all monitored by an attentive staff.

Lifelong Benefits

The benefits gained from our after school program reach beyond the immediate. They have the potential to greatly affect each child’s future. We give these children valuable time to be physically active and interact socially with their peers in a way that their school is unable to provide for them. Being active in the younger years has the potential to decrease the likelihood of various diseases and boosts immunity, allowing for a healthier future. It may also have the ability create fewer emotional and behavioral problems. At Sifu Och Wing Chun, our program also strives to instill good leadership qualities in the children. Rewarding leadership in students and encouraging success by positive reinforcement. An investment in your child’s future, is always worth the effort. This investment made early on will have lifelong physical and cognitive benefits, make sure it’s a good one.

Worst Case Scenario Self Defense

Posted on March 10, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

Worst Case Scenario Self Defense

In a worst case scenario the best and most useful tools at your discretion are violent aggression, self confidence in your ability, and the will to do whatever is necessary to survive. These are weapons that can only be disarmed by you and are carried with you everywhere you go at all times.

“Common self defense is not that common.” Pressure testing techniques with other students to increase your endurance and ability under difficult situations is also key.

There is no such thing as a secret combat technique only those that have been practice to be both simple and effectively devastating, this is coupled with the will and determination to survive at all costs. Making use of soft targets in Wing Chun close range combat is also an effective pressure tested way to deal with an assailant.

We can agree many martial arts instructors talk about worst case scenario self defense, situational awareness, fighting fitness and how to be good at sparring. Though that is not a worst case scenario for self defense, in our experience 98% of martial arts studio’s teach for a friendly environment that caters to uplifting a family fun atmosphere, most people want to feel confident but not go through hard and real ways to cause massive damage to another person. When it comes to training special forces and military personnel they taught how to deal real damage to enemy combatants.

“the Sifu Och Wing Chun studio, this article and its writer do not advocate violence, this piece is for information only.”

Unrealistic Self Defense for a worst case scenario

When its life or death the decisions and training you make matter. In my experience less than 5% of people train worst case scenario self defense with the dedication and intention on personal survival. Most people think about weight loss, fitness, having fun in the martial arts over practical realistic training. Some people love the competitive sparring but even more people attempt to ignore that there is danger and choose not to think about it and therefore hope it never happens. Even worse when those same people are asked about a bad situation most believe they will miraculously have the skill and ability to stop a real attack which means they couldn’t be more wrong and unprepared for one. Even trained self defense practitioners wouldn’t believe this is possible.

Ordinary individuals can find themselves in danger and if you can’t get away, run, or escape by another fashion then the most efficient reaction could clearly save your life. Circumstances against a citizen on the street may be less extreme than those in war but the threat to your life and future is no less real. Even if you are hospitalized then the loss of money, time, and skill could heavily impact you and your future. Proven Training comes down to the instruction and your diligence in pushing yourself even Wing Chun Self Defense has to be used in tested to be effective, many schools may do drills but real information may escape them.

Ordinary people might have to stop a drunk with a weapon or a mugging especially if you can’t escape. or prevent the event from progressing. Situational awareness is another weapon in your arsenal to give you a pre-awareness of what may be around you.

Is your Training realistic for a worst case scenario

You must train for all ranges of possibilities to deal with low and high level threats. This is just one difference in the reality of worst case scenario self defense training under a instructor. Most of these questions expect you to be truly honest with yourself and what kind of instruction your receiving. There is a huge difference between Martial Arts and Realistic survival of a worst case scenario self defense.

Finding a real school to train in can be hard, ask yourself these questions.
1.) Are you training alot of hand forms, fancy applications, or touch sparring?
2.) Can you stop someone from aggressively attacking you?
3.) Is your instructor training you in truly realistic techniques?

Many people have a hard time being objective with their martial arts training as they get attached to the “idea” of their studio or school and the people there. But remember why you started and what your trying to achieve.

“the Sifu Och Wing Chun studio, this article and its writer do not advocate violence, this piece is for information only.”

Sifu Justin Och
11 Countries Traveled
Contact us at 863.800.0171
Regional Director for World Ving Tsun Association in charge of entire Southeastern USA
3x certified and tested as an Ip Man lineage Sifu
116 E. pine st, lakeland FL 33801
Fan page – Http://facebook.com/sifuochwingchun
Website – https://sifuochwingchun.com

Serious Unarmed Combat thru real Wing Chun Kung Fu

Posted on March 3, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

Serious Unarmed Combat thru real Wing Chun Kung Fu

Military and Special Forces train in Close Quarter Combat to quickly take down enemies. Private citizens can learn it as well. To learn such a skill a person must undergo rigorous training. Training that involves using sudden, overwhelming, and relentless application of violence to give enemy no real chance to respond.

Serious self defense Unarmed Combat techniques are practical for everyone in everyday situations. From military personnel to the average citizen. Sifu Och Wing Chun Unarmed Combat trains the non-expert in how to deal with unforeseen assaults in the home, street , parking lot or on a night out on the town.

Through repetition and clear training methods we go over precise applications on how to deal with sudden confrontations and escalating attacks. Our classes will help prepare you on how to win a fight quickly whether the attacker is armed or unarmed.

Though premeditated attacks are hard to de-escalate without fighting we will go over ways for you to win, fight or run when the situation calls for it.

Unarmed Combat in Lakeland

Overall, our school focuses on teaching real Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu striking methods, controlling positions, locks, throws, grabs and deflections.

From defending against edged weapons, firearms and ground fighting we go over one and multiple armed and Unarmed Combat assailants, fighting against strangles, chokes and improvised weapons.

Your going to need more than three moves for Self Defense. The tactics of fierce unarmed combat are used by special forces. These tactics emphasize simple, quick and devastating response to any and all threats that represent themselves to the practitioner.

Through intensive and consistent training you can be enabled with the skills needed to deal with opposition effectively and concisely. Though there will always be circumstances that require more than Unarmed Combat tactics using Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu. From long distance threats, weapons and close quarter encounters that have come unexpectedly while distracted or otherwise engaged.

Its when things can go wrong and out of plan, such as falling onto the ground with one or multiple well trained assailants around, your going to need ground game tactics. All martial arts like to talk about size not mattering, but when the size of a opponent also has skill and training that may not always be the case.

Unarmed Combat versus Armed Combat

Carrying other weapons on you can be a risk versus reward situation. Meaning if your good at using the weapon and have consistently trained with it, then there may be a benefit. However, if your assailant gets a hold of your weapon, you drop it or can’t reach it you could compound your current problems. Lets say you carry a concealed gun and you are attacked it may be too hard to get out in time before you would be seriously injured attempting to do so. Remember a attacker within 21 feet with a edged weapon can close distance before a trained officer can draw and shoot their weapon, so with that in mind what are your chances as a citizen pulling your weapon, firing with accuracy within that 21 foot range? Don’t kid yourself its dangerous.

Making sure you train under a instructor that is looking to cut the fat and show you real skill is like finding a golden needle in a barn sized hay stack at times. If you find one then know that it is worth the travel to get real information and training. Sifu Och Wing Chun has an internationally trained master instructor in Wing Chun Kung Fu Unarmed Combat that can help prepare you for an unsought unprovoked attack in everyday situations.

Florida Chinese Lion Dance Performance | Entertainment

Posted on February 5, 2017September 6, 2020 by Sifu Justin Och

Florida Chinese Lion dance Performance | Entertainment

Welcome to LakelandKungFu.com and SifuOchWingChun.com, this is the official site of the Sifu Och Wing Chun Kung Fu Institute. We specialize in Southern Chinese Kung Fu and are a Asian Lion Dance and Martial Art troupe headquartered in Central Florida, Lakeland Polk County. Our Kung Fu school trains people in realistic protection using Traditional Martial Arts while providing corporations and weddings in Florida Chinese Lion Dance and Dragon Dance performance entertainment. You can book your event with us online, Our team travels all over Florida and will gladly provide you and yours with a variety of exciting, fun and energized performances.

The SIFU OCH Wing Chun Kung Fu Institute is dedicated to preserving Chinese culture, education, Martial Arts effectiveness, and presentation.

Florida Chinese Lion Dance Performance

Places we have performed in the past have ranged from P.F. Changs, Brandenton Museum, Jacksonville Zoo, DLP, Traders Bar and Grill, OM BAR, AA Garden Fusion, PFA, Premier Financial Alliance, Downtown Lakeland Partnership, Lincoln Academy, Many Many Asain Weddings, just to name a few.

Our Florida Chinese Lion Dance performance entertainment group caters to many different events and client needs through a variety of services. Our coaches are professionally trained to make sure each unique performance is done with your goals and vision in mind. We customize our patterns and performance team to your venue.

Our Traditional Southern Lion Dance group provides a modern adaptation using fun animalistic movements and behaviors with small acrobatic jumps and shoulder lifts. The SIFU OCH Florida Chinese Lion Dance Performance can be with one of our chinese lions or up to four chinese lion dance costumes with or without a 12 person dragon costume.

TRADITIONAL ASIAN LION DANCE Performance

Traditional Lion Dance performances uplift the spirit and embody the culture of Chinese New Year. The Footwork of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts while overcoming puzzles, obstacles and retrieving Bok Choy green leaf cabbage symbolizing good luck, fortune, and prosperity.

The Florida Chinese Lion Dance performance music is provided by a live Drum, gong, symbols providing live music for our clients events.

Book your Lion Dance Performance today!