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

IAW Headquarters Trip – Day Five

Last night I enjoyed a dusk walk, and even a ripe snack of dark wild cherries, in the smiling countryside. This verdant landscape painted with flowering accents and framed by citrus skies seeped into my sleep.

My morning was mostly free. The only day off this trip. I used it to digest the copious information presented so far. Taking notes is a useful exercise to replay body patterns in mind, even if you can’t read them later on due to illegibilty or unintelligibility.

It wasn’t until evening that I reconvened with Sihing Tobias for one of the regular classes at the HQ. He introduced me as the US National Instructor and asked that I help teach his students. I was more than glad to oblige. Even while vowing once again to learn more German.

The fortunate fact is that WingChun is a universal language. Self-Defense is a basic human concern. Continue reading