Wing Chun (Ving Tsun/Wing Tsun) Fundamental Concepts Study Group
(GTMA Wing Chun Study Group Leader Travis Squyres [standing]
with his SI-FU Phil Bradley.)  
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(Se-Hing Dave McCabe [standing] (Se-Hing Marc Bloomingdale [standing]
with his SI-FU Phil Bradley.) with his SI-FU Phil Bradley.)
General Background
Wing Tsun Kuen is a Chinese martial art that focuses on aggressive close-range combat. It relies heavily on sensitivity to the opponents movements and is noted for extremely fast: Trapping, jamming, blocking and off balancing an opponent while simultaneously blasting with the: Fists, arms, shoulder butting and low line kicking in order to control the opponent's centerline.
While there are other close range fighting "programs" in the martial arts these days. Wing Chun is unique in that it is a CLOSE QUARTERS FIGHTING ART & SYSTEM that is nearly 400 years old and practiced throughout the world, not just a newly developed close quarters fighting program. The Wing Chun style that we teach is from the Yip Man lineage and is soft yet swift and strong.
Anyone can learn this effective fighting art. There are no extremely low stance nor a lot of large body twisting. Instead the style focuses on the economy of motion with direct body movements. Wing Chun gained notoriety in China and throughout South East Asia for being a formidable self defense system. It was brought to world wide attention when it was learned that Wing Chun was the primary fighting art learned by Bruce Lee as a young man directly from the great Yip Man in China.
History *
The common legend involves the young woman Yim Wing Chun (Wing Chun literally means beautiful springtime or everlasting spring). After she rebuffs the local warlord's marriage offer, he says he'll rescind his proposal if she can beat him in a fight. She asks a local Buddhist nun, Ng Mui, to teach her boxing, and the style they develop enables Yim Wing Chun to defeat the warlord. She thereafter marries her sweetheart and teaches him the style, which he names after her.
It should be noted that the system was developed during the Shaolin and Ming resistance movement against the Qing Dynasty, and thus many legends about the creator of Wing Chun were spread to confuse the enemy, including the story of Yim Wing Chun. This perhaps explains why no one has been able to accurately determine the creator or creators of Wing Chun.
Wing Chun Basics and Concepts @ GTMA
This class is offered at our Monaca and Butler locations, and is in a "study group" format. This means the class is like a "club" within the school. There is an evening class each week and students will be given "homework" to prepare for class the next week. Additionally, periodic clinics will be made available to further the practicioners understanding of WIng Chun.
Travis Squyres trains directly under SIFU Phil Bradley, the head man of the Arizona Wing Chun Association (AWCA) and a LEVEL 4 Practitioner/Instructor (Master). Mr. Squyres attended the 2009 AWCA annual camp in the fall of 2009 at Essential Martial Arts of Greensboro, North Carolina. The 2009 camp was an intensive 18 hours of Wing Chun Kuen training over two and a half days.
Dai Sifu Grose is SIFU Bradley's instructor and is the Head Man of the International Ving Tsun Kung Fu Federation along with being a former national Chi Sau champion. Dai Sifu Grose was trained by Master Leung Ting, the last disciple of the Great Yip Man.
SIFU Bradley has been a driving force in helping Mr. Squyres learn the fundamentals of WIng Chun by answering regular questions, providing monthly "homework" or lessons in person or via video conference
The Wing Chun class at GTMA will focus extensively on the BASICS and FUNDAMENTALS of Wing Chun Kuen. NOTE: If you are an experienced Wing Chun Practitioner then you will most likely find the study group training at GTMA to be too elementary for you.
The GTMA Wing Chun Program will focus on the following:
The Siu Nam Tau (The core form of Wing Chun)
Proper Body Structure and Position
Fundamental WIng Chun: Hand, Arm and Foot Striking of Wing Chun
Fundamental WIng Chun: Blocking, Trapping and Jamming
Fundamental WIng Chun Foot Work
Fundamental Classical Wing Chun Solo and Partner Drills.
The Self Defense Application of the Wing Chun Fundamental Techniques and Concepts
Chi Dan Sau (Single Arm Sticking Hands)
Basic Chi Sau (Double arm sticking sticking hands)
Simple applications of WIng Chun Techniques to the Wooden Dummy
Basic Sparring
Informative Links:
http://awcaonline.com/blog/
http://tucsonvingtsun.com/