Later today the popular Summer Seminar commences. Within the classes you can sense the ‘buzz’ leading up to this; indeed, for quite a number of years now this has been the highest attended training event of the year. Last year’s occasion will be a particularly hard one to follow, being the very first tuition to take place in the new Bromley Kwoon. However, I have a feeling that this one will also be cherished…

 

The Summer Seminar tends to be well-liked for a number of reasons. Firstly it is a 5 day seminar, which not only offers extensive training opportunities but a chance to intensely ‘push up’ a student’s ability to a greater level. Secondly, there is a significant variety of material being taught at the seminar, with each day specialising on a different topic. Thirdly, the seminar teaches numerous amounts of techniques from some of the most ‘guarded’ parts of the art. This year’s teaching includes material from Biu Jee, Wooden Dummy and even the odd technique from the enigmatic Saam Sing Chong…

 

The overriding theme of this seminar is improving fighting ability. This may sound strange, as all the techniques you do in Chinese Wing Tsun are, one way or another, trying to achieving this aim. However, it is an unusual seminar from our schools in that it does not have much focus on the spiritual aspects, which all the other seminars do. While the spiritual side is equally as important (or even more so) as its physical counterpart this will be covered at later events, although I may touch in on one of the days.

 

Each day of the seminar starts with the theory, strategy and tactics of the techniques involved, along with the relevant Chinese Wing Tsun principles. Although I frequently teach theory such as this, this is pretty rare within the Wing Tsun community. It is not uncommon for students to leave the seminars with over 15 pages of notes, and every year the students build on their knowledge. I am forever grateful for all the time that my Sifu spent with me discussing and training Wing Tsun. From long car and train journeys to sitting in my Sifu’s kitchen, we were always discussing this amazing art...

 

Students will be learning special techniques and combinations that have been ‘battle tested’ in the ‘Wing Tsun Wars’ that took place in Hungary in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Indeed, when I first met my Sifu this was the ‘staple diet’ that we used to train every day. Not only did allow me to build a base of strong effective techniques, rising up very quickly my fighting ability, but it enabled me to overcome the many weaknesses that had ensued from learning Western Wing Tsun.

 

The first three days of the seminar will cover unseen punching and kicking combinations, along with an evening dedicated to Wing Tsun elbow techniques. For those that attend the whole seminar, perhaps the highlight will be when all of this information is put together for training in defending against multiple attackers and Chinese Wing Tsun sparring.

 

Sifu