INLAND NORTHWEST WING CHUN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Inland Northwest Wing Chun Student Association is a semi-private informal Kung Fu study group focused on the practice of traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu as passed down by the late Grandmaster Leung Sheung, the Senior-most Disciple of Grandmaster Yip Man. We work together to help build each other up and grow in our daily life and in our Practice.
The word Kung Fu means hard work. Developing true ability in Wing Chun, or any discipline, requires hard work, dedication, persistence, and a hunger to improve. We are looking for people who want to develop as individuals and to be part of a group of like-minded students.
OUR PRACTICE
Wing Chun is a unique southern Chinese conceptual martial art. Some of its key features include economy of motion, conservation of energy, emphasis on one’s own and the opponent's centerline, structure, precise positioning, sensitivity, and executing movements in a relaxed manner. The Wing Chun practitioner aims to defeat an attacker by “borrowing” their strength and using it against them, in a natural and relaxed way.
Training in Wing Chun consists of three empty hand forms, Chi Sau (sticking hands), Wooden Dummy training, Sand Bag training, Footwork, Kicking, and Weapons training. Due to its simplicity, economy of motion, explosive short-range power, centerline theory and sensitivity, Wing Chun is unparalleled in close quarter fighting.
OUR APPROACH
We utilize our structure, position and sensitivity to acquire a sense of timing, speed, and power rather than brute force and athleticism. Muscle strength fades with age, but precise structure and use of internal energy can be developed regardless of your age and physical make up. Precise positioning and use of sensitivity will help you find openings in your opponent and using your whole body together in a relaxed and rooted way will enable you to deliver a lot of energy. In addition to learning how to be an effective fighter, Wing Chun builds strength, calms the mind, and trains you to be present.
OUR LINEAGE
Lineage is as follows:
Yip Man - Leung Sheung - Kenneth Chung - Stephen Elaimy - Karl Winter
Inland Northwest Wing Chun Student Association is led by Instructor Karl Winter under the tutelage of Sifu Stephen Elaimy of Seattle Wing Chun
OUR HISTORY
Grandmaster Yip Man (葉問宗師)
The late Grandmaster Yip Man brought Wing Chun to Hong Kong while he was fleeing mainland China, due to having served in the Republic of China police force, prior to the establishment of the current PRC government. Though he came from a wealthy family in Foshan, upon reaching Hong Kong, Yip Man was destitute. He was eventually approached by Leung Sheung, who witnessed his prowess, and invited him to teach the HKRWA. Many of the Wing Chun practitioners in the world today trace their lineage to the late Grandmaster.
Grandmaster Leung Sheung (梁相宗師)
Leung Sheung was the Senior-most Disciple of the late Grandmaster Yip Man, and his 1st student in Hong Kong. As a Wing Chun practitioner, Leung Sheung’s kung fu brothers knew him for his unquestionable talent. He was referred to as the “King of Biu Zi”. Leung Sheung was an immensely humble man. He was overly modest about his own Wing Chun abilities. As a student and teacher, he consistently chose to promote Yip Man’s abilities instead of his own. Despite being one of the few students that Yip Man ever encouraged to teach publicly, Leung Sheung made sure to keep a very low profile. He never once advertised his school. One of Leung Sheung’s most famous sayings was, “If you find me, you are lucky.”
Leung Sheung’s Wing Chun teaching philosophy was to visualize students as driftwood. Picturing himself living along a river, he imagined driftwood washing up in front of his home. At times, he would look at the driftwood and find a piece that he found interesting. He would continue to collect driftwood and eventually pick one piece that he found interesting enough to begin to shape. As he would learn, some driftwood could be shaped and some could not, due to faults or imperfections. Once Leung Sheung determined that a student was worthy of his teachings, it was then when he became highly demanding of them.
For further information, please visit
https://leungsheung.com/
Sigung Kenneth Chung Maannin (鐘萬年 師公)
Sifu Ken, as he prefers to be called, is a first-generation student of Leung Sheung, co-founder of the Leung Sheung Tong, external Vice President of the Leung Sheung Lineage Wing Chun International Fellow Confederation Limited, and co-founder of the Bay Area Wing Chun Student Association. Sifu Ken teaches Wing Chun throughout North America and beyond.
Sifu Ken began studying with Leung Sheung in 1965 and was regarded as an outstanding student. In 1968, he left Hong Kong to further his studies in the US, where he met his first student, Sifu Ben Der. While in San Francisco he taught Wing Chun for several years. In 1973 Ken returned to Hong Kong for 5 more years and recommenced training under Leung Sheung. During this time, his Wing Chun improved vastly as he gained valuable insights, leading him to focus on developing a soft and relaxed style.
For further information, please visit
Sifu Stephen Elaimy
Sifu Stephen Elaimy began studying Wing Chun in 1990 and has been the instructor at Seattle Wing Chun since 1998. He was introduced to Wing Chun by Sifu Joy Chaudhuri in Tempe, Arizona while attending Arizona State University. Joy is a student of Augustine Fong in the lineage of Ho Kam Ming and Yip Man. In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles and studied with Sifu Hawkins Cheung for a short time until he moved to Seattle in 1994. He met Sifu Carl Dechiara and was excited to find a traditional Wing Chun teacher in Seattle with great fighting and teaching skill. Carl is a student of Sifu Kenneth Chung, who is among the very best Wing Chun practitioners in the world. Stephen studied with Carl for over two years from 1994 to 1997. Stephen began teaching in Seattle in 1998 when Carl moved to California and then on to Ohio.
Sifu Stephen continues to train under Master Kenneth Chung. Sifu Stephen has a hands-on approach to bridging the gap between theory and application and enjoys sharing hands and exchanging ideas with other practitioners of the art. Sifu Stephen loves Wing Chun, and it shows in his approach to teaching.
For further information, please visit
https://seattlewingchun.com
Instructor Karl Winter
Karl began studying Leung Sheung Wing Chun in 2013 under the guidance of Chris Hanson, a student of Wong Siu in Los Angeles who was a student of the late Grandmaster Leung Sheung. Karl Studied with Chris until 2017 and then began visiting Seattle to enrich his perspective and conceptional understanding under the tutelage of Sifu Stephen Elaimy of Seattle Wing Chun.
Karl refers to himself as a "Forever Student" and continues to grow in both conceptual understanding and practical application.
Class Schedule:
Tuesday
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Thursday
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Inland Northwest Wing Chun Student Association is a proud member of the Worldwide Leung Sheung Tong Wing Chun Confederation
(世界梁相堂 詠春同學總會)