Frequently asked questions about kung fu.

Q: How do the things I learn in class make me a better fighter?

A: Ving Tsun forms hardwired good habits, information, and reflexes into the body through repetition. Two-person exercises and applications reinforce these reflexes against another person while testing and refining them until they are effective and automatic.

Q: Why no yelling and bowing?

A: We do not yell because we need our breath for energy to fight. We do not bow because we show respect through our actions. Ving Tsun teaches in a natural and relaxed way, like a mother teaching her child how to talk. Learning cannot be rushed. Advanced students see their sifu and kung fu brothers many hours a week. We become like family. Kung fu life is Ving Tsun’s highest form of teaching and achievement. By being around your sifu a lot, you absorb a lot of kung fu.

Q: Why do we only study Ving Tsun instead of mixing other styles like MMA?

A: Ving Tsun does not need other styles to make it work. It was designed for self-defense and fighting real martial art masters in real life. It wasn’t created with a padded floor, referee, one-on-one scenario, or rules in mind. If you train in five styles and are attacked, the half second delay of what response or style to use could mean losing a fight. With proper Ving Tsun training, your body will react before you even have time to think about what is happening. Remember, you will fight in the same way that you train. We avoid wrestling orr grappling on the ground because:

1. You will not see what is going on around you.

2. You cannot move quickly because the body depends on footwork, to maneuver.

3. If you are smaller than your opponent, they can use their weight against you more while wrestling. If you are a woman being sexually assaulted, your attacker wants you on the ground. We will not teach something that would endanger our students.

4. You are at the mercy of any other attackers. This could be deadly in real life, especially with your head near the ground where it is very vulnerable to kicks or stomps.

Q: Does Ving Tsun only teach you how to fight?

A: No. Ving Tsun develops discipline, perseverance, and self-sacrifice. These are life skills. Just like in training, limitations and weakness in other aspects of life can be conquered. This leads to confidence, greater well-being, and achievement in all aspects of life. Ving Tsun contains many other benefits, including improved relaxation, health, overall fitness, and respect for self and others.

Q: What can I do to get the most out of my training?

A: Here are five ways to improve yourself and make yourself healthier:

1. Eat a healthy diet. Avoid processed, chemical-laden foods.

2. Supplement your training with cardiovascular exercises, such as running.

3. Avoid drugs, alcohol in excess, and legal drugs such as weight-loss pills.

4. Read. Not all training is physical. Educate yourself on nutrition, your mind, history, the classics, philosophy, science, religion, the world. Take advantage of the wealth of human knowledge and experience. If you do not, what is the difference between you and the man who cannot read?

From the Student Handbook.