My Headquarters Visit 2011, Part 6

Sihing Paul Wang Sifu Tony Hollander WingChun

Happy strolling with Sifu Tony in Bordeaux.

Continued from Part 5.

What a WingChun Tour de France!

On Friday, I had the pleasure of reuniting with my IAW-UK counterparts Sifu Ed Pettit and Sifu Tony Hollander. I hadn’t seen them since my 2009 trip to England, where they initiated me in my first glass of genuine Guinness. But even without the easy cheer of beer, I always enjoy their unpretentious company.

Later that evening, I was happy to see Sihing Ralph Dahl who, along with his assistant Sihing Simon Doberanske, drove 11 hours from Frankfurt to join us. Such dedication proven as action taken and obstacles overcome always impresses me. It was invigorating to train with him. As two of Sifu’s senior students, we acknowledged the pleasure of toasting each other as old friends, having first met in 1998 in California. Continue reading

My Headquarters Visit 2011, Part 5

TGV Train à Grande Vitesse

All aboard le TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse). On y va!

Continued from Part 4.

Despite it’s name, the high-speed train still took 7 hours! But it was a scenic and informative ride to Bordeaux. I enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation with Sifu. We spoke about strategies of healthy longevity, brainstormed plans for the 10th IAW Anniversary in 2013 and parsed his next article word by exact German word.

Indeed, you heard about it here first! The piece is entitled “The 8 Most Dangerous Mistakes in ‘Wing Chun“. I’m sure you will find it both educational and provocative. Sifu identifies the common liabilities of many styles — such as low arms, rapid punches, sticking, yielding — and their possible origin. Continue reading