Introduction of Weng Chun in Sweden part 2

Sifu Andreas and Sije Maria at Malmoe Wing Tsun School

Among the many things our Grandmaster taught us was the explanation of heaven, man and earth as concepts for distance and height and also the meaning of connecting the parts of your body but also the separation (The Rocket), a precondition for Weng Chun. The more advanced practitioners where allowed to let off steam while doing “Dim-Chi-Sao” which my partner Sifu Henrik from Copenhagen and I did enthusiastically. At the end of the first day every one had his head full of ideas and exercices and got home with a lot of inspiration. The long break in the afternoon and our dinner at the restaurant gave opportunity to many exchanges of ideas about martial arts and we could all get to know each other more. I got a feeling that the people from Malmö were quiet open minded and interested in new things. I stayed in a wonderful youth hostel for the night.Sunday

23.11.2008

On the next morning I headed to the Wing Chun school together with Sifu Jonas Evertsson who lives close to the youth hostel. The beautiful morning an the fresh air immediately rose our desire for training. We used the short walk to the school to exchange ideas about martial arts and arrived at our destination just before the beginning of the seminar.

The program was marvelous again. Sigung talked about circling movements in fights. It was wonderful that again one exercice flowed into another. You could really get a feeling of Lau if your partner was up to the task. I was very happy with the quality of training my partner, a student from Malmö, allowed for. The energy he used when exercising was just right and it was a pleasure to flow from one exercise into another. More and more I got the impression that the trainig culture in the school of our hosts enabled them to have a very instructive training in a relaxed atmosphere. Again and again Sigung compared our daily life and the situation a fighter finds himself in. Unbalance between the external speed of the world and our internal speed leads to stress and a lot of pressure and deprives us of our power. A good fighter always imposes his rhythm on his opponent.

Text: Sebastian Mehler

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

Introduction of Weng Chun in Sweden part 1

Sije Maria, Sifu Andreas, and Sifu Henrik

Saturday 22.11.2008

After a quite uncomfortable night we drove to Malmö which is only about 40 minutes away from Copenhagen by car. We were all pretty curious about how the Wing Chun people whould react to a very different and new martial art. At first sight the school made a really pleasant impression and all the people in the kitchen talking and drinking tee spread an easy and friendly atmosphere. It was very pleasing to see so many people from Weng Chun schools in Denmark and England that had come to support Sigung with his very first seminar held in Sveden.

After Sifu Henrik from Sweden had welcomed Sigung, and all of us, Sigung startet the seminar with an explenation about the common or similar things, in our styles, that you can find throughout our history, the philosophy and our movements. He mentioned places that hat been of great importance to both styles for example the red boat or Fatshan. We started the pratical part of the seminar with the first section of Sap Yat Kuen which Sigung used to explain differences in the styles. He mentioned the dragon riding stance, the hole body movement with a special use of our hip that allows for Lau and Ying and Yang to be expressed. Sigung also talked about our different fighting stances and their meaning as well as our footwork.

As soon as we had finished with this part we started with one hand Chi Sao. Sigung animated our new friends to use all the space available in the training room to try “pushing and pulling” while using big steps in order to get a better feeling of “Lau”. Sigung complemented our new friends from Sweden on their quiet noticable ease with which they realized the exercices shown to them. Many of the Wing Chun people from Malmö also train Bagua, Xinyi Liuhe Quan and Tai Chi Chuan which explains their abilities in flowing.

Text: Sebastian Mehler

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

Welcome Sweden into the Weng Chun family !

It is always a special event when Weng Chun comes the first time into a new country. Wing Tsun Sifu Henrik Nilsson from Malmö, Sweden hosted this historic event with Grandmaster Andreas Hoffmann, assisted by Sifu Henrik Sprechler from Denmark and Sije Maria from Germany. From all over Europe Weng Chun friends supported the birth of Weng Chun in Sweden. The seed is planted and the Weng Chun flower will grow in Sweden under the guidance of Sifu Henrik Nilsson from Sweden, Sifu Henrik Sprechler from Denmark and the Weng Chun Grandmaster Andreas Hoffmann.

Text:Sebastian Mehler

Weng Chun Kung Fu in Sweden

Merry Christmas

It´s been a big year for Wing Tsun / Wing Chun in Sweden.  Thank you to Sifu Wan Kam Leung,  Sifu Donal Mak, Sifu Jörgen Riis, Sifu Andreas Hoffmann, Sije Maria, Sifu Henrik Sprechler, Sifu Allan Jensen, Sifu Thommy Boehlig, Sifu Ricky Croffs and grandmaster Brian Jones, for all the teaching.

What can be a better final for this Wing Tsun year then the movie about Yip Man.

It is not many days left until it is 2009. This year will be different from 2008 in many ways. 2008 was the year of changes for Wing Tsun in Sweden. We have worked us up from total disaster to great succes. We have doubled the amount of students and people that have graduated. We are  not anymore a country out of nowhere , but a country that is conected with the Wing Tsun / Wing Chun world again.

In many ways this have been a hard task. But many people have worked very hard for this succes. A big eloge´to all of you that have been involved. You are the best!

Merry Christmas

Sifu Henrik

Ip Man 2

Donnie Yen och Sifu Ip Chun

November 21 – A press conference (again) was held and Raymond Wong revealed that next year, they’ll be making IP MAN 2, the sequel which will tell the story of Ip Man’s time in HK and include Bruce Lee. Other than that, the IP MAN movie soundtrack album was also revealed during the conference.

Ip Chun who also attended the conference gives compliments, praising both Donnie and Lynn Hung for their close portrayal of his parents and that it brought back alot memories for him.

Wilson Yip was also said to have begun preparing IP MAN 2 and as for the role of Bruce Lee, they might have a worldwide casting call to find a suitable actor. It’s also not determined whether Lynn Hung will return in the sequel as the story tells the Ip couples seperated from eachother, Ip Man in HK while his wife stays in Foshan.

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

Ip Man premiere in Beijing

Ip Man gala premiere was held in Beijing on December 10, attended by producer Raymond Wong, director Wilson Yip, martial arts choreographer Sammo Hung, the cast members Donnie Yen (and his wife), Lynn Hung, Fan Siu Wong, who wowed the audience with a highly impressive martial arts display, as well as Yip Chun, Daniel Chan, Hu Yan Bin and others.

Donnie Yen says that it took him 9 months before he truly comprehended Wing Chun, and also incorporated some of his ideas. In the movie, the quick, successive punches are no special effects, but a result of his training, and he was actually having much difficulty delivering such a chain of supersonic moves, having to endure the pains from his ailing right shoulder.

In Ip Man, what they wish to convey is not the ostentation of kungfu, but its inner cultivation, it’s a film promulgating Chinese martial arts philosophy. It’s not about fighting, but understanding of martial arts essence through sparring, swapping pointers with each other.

Sammo Hung hopes to eulogise grandmaster Ip Man with pure kungfu, “Nowadays, you only see special effects in action films, but no real kungfu. Kungfu has gone above the sentient world, becoming impracticable. I hope to let the people see that fistplay can be humanly attainable, returning to the original forms. Wing Chun is a simple kungfu that anyone can pick up, I have no reason not to use real kungfu.”
Wilson Yip says they intend to make a series out of Ip Man franchise, and hope to shoot the sequel next April. Ip Man opens on December 12 in China, and across other Asian territories next week.

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

More material from Ip Man the Movie

Here are some more material about the coming movie Ip Man.

Major Scene – 1. Cotton Mill Factory

Scene Introduction – 2. Ip Man House

Scene Introduction – 3. FoShan Main Street

Shooting Dairy 1

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

Kuntao

Guru Ricky and Sifu Henrik, Escrima training

Kuntao is a Hokkien term referring to martial arts practiced by the Chinese community of Southeast Asia. The word kuntao means way of the fist similar to Chuan Fa, or Fist Technique. Translating Kuntao as ‘Way of the Fist’ is too literal, it really means ‘fighting art’ or ‘martial art’.Purely Chinese kuntao styles exist in China, and Taiwan, but kuntao styles have been spread for centuries by merchants and other travelling Chinese people.

Forms of kuntao are practiced in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines as well as in some other countries. Some kuntao styles were not changed but many were. This happened because the styles had to be adapted to a new environment, fighting in different terrain, fighting local styles, defending or fighting with local weapons.

Kuntao is a relatively little known art in Sweden. Considered by practitioners to be a form of Wushu it is often called Chinese Boxing or Kung Fu by its practitioners.

Integrated Kuntao System

Kuntao Tai Chi Chuan in Malmoe

Baguazhang and Xinyi Liuhe Quan weekend

Yin Shi Baguazhang intensivday

Place: Malmö Wing Tsun Skola, Celsiusgatan 29

Saturday 13 december 2008

Time: 12.00-15.00

Price: 100 kr

Xinyi Liuhe Quan intensivday

Place: Malmö Wing Tsun Skola, Celsiusgatan 29

Sunday 14 december 2008

Time: 12.00-15.00

Price: 100 kr

About Ip Man the Movie

In the 1930s, Foshan thrives as the hub of Chinese kung fu, with various sects actively recruiting disciples. They often compete against each other to prove their strengths.

While Ip Man is an accomplished martial artist, he is unassuming and keeps a low-profile, and doesn’t run any martial arts school nor accept students. He only stays at home, quietly sparring with his compatriots in friendly competitions, swapping pointers with each other.

One day, Ip Man (Donnie Yen) is challenged by Master Liao (Chen Zhi Hui), who just set up a kung fu school, in a closed match. Ip Man’s teahouse owner friend (Wong You Nam) who witnessed the entire fight, tells everyone about Master Liu losing. Seeing it as a public humiliation, Master Liao gets into disputes with Ip Man.

Henchmen of Jin Shan Zhao (Fan Siu Wong) are going around challenging various kung fu schools in Foshan. In one fight, Martial Zealot Lin (Xing Yu) is mortally wounded. Ip Man comes to his rescue, only to be stopped by Jin Shan Zhao. Everyone gathers around to watch the match whereby Ip Man dispenses the latter with ease using four Wing Chun Forms: fist, footwork, blade and cudgel.

Ip Man becomes an instant hero and there develops a craze for Wing Chun in Foshan.

Following Japanese invasion in 1937, everyone’s life is adversely affected. Ip Man’s property is confiscated and his family is forced to live in a decrepit house. Being one with strong pride, Ip Man refuses charity from his wealthy friend Zhou Qing Quan (Simon Yam), owner of a cotton mill, opting instead to work as a coolie at a coal mine to sustain his family.

One day, General Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), together with his troops, arrives. As a fanatical practitioner in martial arts himself, he sets up an arena, offering rice as a reward. However, to another high-ranking Japanese officer Sato’s (Shibuya Tenma) mind, they cannot afford to lose, they must preserve Japanese superiority and dignity.

Eagerly taking up the challenge, Martial Zealot Lin makes use of the opportunity to demean the Japanese…

Wing Tsun Kung Fu in Sweden

A little bit about Ip Man and Wing Chun

Wing Chun Kuen is characterized by close body combat, requiring practitioners to show speed and power. Its Chi Sao of “sticking hands” is more similar to modern day combat skills and has a rich feel of genuine strikes. This is also why Ip Man differs from the dazzlingly romantic and purely fictional style of previous martial art movies. Its explosive punches and aggressive close-range combat offer a new thrill never experienced by modern day audiences.

The story of Wing Chun began in the 1920s and 30s, in Fatshan China. Ip Man was martial art’s unyielding follower, devoted whole-heartedly to the free learning of kung fu. The fight to be top between the kung fu schools in the southern and northern regions of China had not stopped him having goodwill matches with other practitioners. Nationalistic bad feelings and racial hatred had not lessened his respect for Japanese martial arts warriors. In this great era of hatreds and tragedies, Ip focused only on kung fu. His enthusiasm for martial arts saw him having devastating straight fights with various elite practitioners.

To this date there have been neither movies nor publications about Ip Man. This movie will be the first important record of the master’s life. Ip’s persistent devotion to Wing Chun is a classic example of the love and respect shown to kung fu and the freedom and spirit it represents. This movie will see the making of a modern kung fu representative of Chinese people worldwide. Ip Man is a concept, a spirit, a way of thinking – and it represents a new peak in Hong Kong’s kung fu movies.

Wing Tsun Kung Fu i Sweden

To lovely Yip Man posters

Dec. 18, Yip Man the Movie have premiere in Hong Kong. Wing Tsun practitioners in the whole world are no sitting and waiting.

Wing Tsun Kung Fu training in Sweden

Wuji Channa ‘

Wuji means emptiness. Channa means meditation. Wuji is a concept that comes both from the taoism and the buddhism. The importance here is to empty your thoughts. Chan is the Chinese origin of the Japanese word Zen. In kung fu, you emphasizes the value of being in balance. If you are not in balance, you are not whole.

When one mentions kung fu everybody know that it is about training. You practicing your body in different martial-art techniques over and over again until it is a natural part of you.
For a kung fu practitioners it is also importent to train the mind over and over again so that it is also a natural part of himself. Only by exercising both mind and body you can be in balance.

You practicing martial arts for your body.

You practicing meditation for your mind.

Qigong combines  the two.

So that the mind is with the body,

and that the body is in the mind.

Sunday, dec 7, between 12.00-15.00 we have meditation training again.

Place: Malmoe Wing Tsun School, Celsiusgatan 29

Price: 100 kr

Welcome!

Bruce Lee playing pingpong

Click on picture

This is a fantastic creation. So wonderfull. Thank you Finland and Nokia for this. For many decades Bruce Lee have inspired people all over the world to start train martial art and still does.  Bruce Lee learned the Nunchakus from another legend, Daniel Inosanto.

Daniel Inosanto and Bruce Lee

www.kung-fu.se

Interesting training in Tai Chi and Wuji meditation this weekend

This weekend we have some exciting training  again.

Tai Chi Chuan Pushhands and Dalou
Saturday, Dec. 6

Intensivday in Tai Chi push hands. We will continue with the exciting dynamics of Dalou. Ewerybody are welcome. The level will be adapted to the circumstances.

Time: 12.00-15.00

Price: 100 kr

Location: Malmoe Wing Tsun School, Celsiusgatan 29

Wuji meditation – emptiness
Sunday, Dec. 7

Intensivday in Wuji meditation. We will here  work with sitting and walking meditation. The theme is to get rid of one thing every day. A little bit suitable now just before Christmas with all the commercial stress. Everybody are welcome. No previous knowledge required.

Time: 12.00 – 15.00

Price: 100 kr

Location: Malmoe Wing Tsun School, Celsiusgatan 29

www.kung-fu.se

Ving Tsun Sifu of the year 2008

International Ving Tsun Athletic Associasion rewarded this year Wan Kam Leung (Hong Kong) to Sifu of the year. On the picture above you can see Sifu Donald Mak giving the award to Sifu Wan Kam Leung. Both Sifu Donald Mak and Sifu Wan Kam Leung have been guest instructors at Malmoe Wing Tsun School this year. Sifu Wan Kam Leung will be back in Sweden already 6-7 february 2009. Don´t miss it!

www.wing-tsun.se