Choice of Wing Chun Schools

[[~T~]G]

Hi peeps,

After being a frequent visitor to this board I finally took the plunge and joined. I'm actually after some advice, I need help in choosing a Wing Chun school in London. My choices are Kevin Chan <a href=http://www.kamonwingchun.com>KamonWingChun</a>, Austin Goh <a href=http://www.austingoh.com>AustinGoh</a>, Victor Kan or Simon Lau <a href=http://www.simonlaucentre.co.uk>SimonLauCentre</a>. I have already checked out Simon Lau, but his classes are only once a week and are too expensive...but he teaches all classes himself. Kevin Chan and Austin Goh are reasonably priced and I don't know too much about Victor Kan. Does anyone have any comments to make on these teachers?

Cheers,
G

[Stranger]

Sharky is the resident "expert on London wing chun". He will tell you if a school is good or "pants". :p

I don't get mad.
I get stabby.

[Sharky]

Okay, here we go...

I have trained at austin goh's and also at different kamon branches. Austin goh is not yip man lineage, in fact it is lee shing lineage - roughly translated as being a bit more external (he'll get you doing shaolin forearm conditioning exercises) and there are things like backfists and a few un wing chunny kicks (they are the technical terms, ahem). The point here is that it is a tough class, he'll have you doing lots of press ups, sit ups, and, at the end of each class, heh, he does this thing where you have to do 10 SUPERSLOW pressups, everyone collapses, it's funny, but if you're in shape you should last. Important point - he's have you SPARRING twice weekly (lessons are every weekday and you can goto "shaolin kickboxing" (read: sanshou) classes on saturdays, for an extra fee though). When i was there, it was £50 a month. With that, the lessons were usually 1hr long, EXCEPT when sparring, and then it was about 1hr 30mins. On weds, there was also tai chi classes so you can go for like up to 2-3 hours if you goto both the tai chi and then if the class after it is sparring.

It isn't yip man lineage though, if that is important to you. However an important point - austin goh is... er... a bit of a character. His approach to teaching seems very unpersonal, he won't ever learn your name, and he seems to leave as soon as the class is over. He'll try and get you to buy his books n stuff (have you been to his shop? It's expensive :eek: ), i dunno though. Half the time, I wasn't sure if it was a cunning teaching method, or if he just didn't give a sh*t. It's at the urdang acadamy of dance (round the corner from pinapple studios where kamon hq is). They are both in covent garden.

Now, onto Kamon... i trained in the richmond (ooer) and heston clubs... i think i actually saw sifu chan once. These lessons won't get you overly sweating (you hear that celestial?) and if my branch was anything to go by, they won't teach you chi sau, or the dummy, or any sensitivity stuff, for ages. I mean ages. If you train actually at the one in covent garden, then you will infact get i think 1 lesson a week from sifu chan. He is supposed to be amazing - he's the bjj champion of europe or something too. Anyway... there's no sparring here... i spent like AGES with everyone in lesson at the beginning punching thin air... that's okay i guess, for speed, but after a bit all it does is build up ur lats a bit so you can have ur hands out in front of you for ages - great for winning bets in the pub but...

Don't get me wrong, i liked it there. My sihing (he was the instructor) was steve setters, he is no longer there, i don't know why. No sparring bugged me out though. Now however, i know that hardly any wing chun schools spar. But these dudes didn't have ANY people who chi sau in the class. They keep you on the first form for a stonking time too. My current school thought it amazing that i never chi sau'd, and now, i guess i have the foundations built ok, my chi sau is exploding into a big fat pile of goodness. i am in wales at the mo.

Anyway, onto simon lau. I sent off for a brochure... basically, i've heard good things about HIM, but i don't give a sh*t if his place has air conditioning and a jacuzzi, i'm there to learn how to fight for gods sake. It's in kensington, what do you expect? I was put off by the stupidly over the top brochure he sent me, and then by the price - HOW MUCH??!?!?!!

Finally Victor Kan. I've heard nothing but good things about him, but never trained with him.

You know what i'm going to say aren't you - GO AND CHECK THEM OUT!

Where in london are you exactly? There are loads of schools - none of em were near me tho!

Thanks

Edd

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Sharky]

They'll have you doing lap sau and lok sau (that's a bit more advanced) and also some sensivty drills, for ages, before you get to chi sau. They are of yip man lineage.

Again, all i can say about kamon is that is what happened where i trained. Other branches = other instructors = different......

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Sharky]

Well, that was pretty ****in helpful of me, if i do say so myself.

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Fish of Fury]

good stuff sharky
if i ever get to london i'll be able to dazzle the locals with my indepth knowledge of the intricacies of local wing chun classes!

__________________________________________________ _________________________ "I'm just trying to lull you into a genuine sense of security!"

[Sharky]

lol, you don't wanna go to heston mate, i used to live there, trust me on this one...

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[dre_doggX]

someone who emphasives qi cant be worng.

looks good
wing chun is fighting that is good in the short run. but qi is something good in the long wrong

the problem with wing chun is that alot of masters dont know enough , or show enough about qi
go for this one.
no ifs or buts.
why are you still here
I told you to go
leave
NOW

Andre Lashley

[Sharky]

:eek:

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[[~T~]G]

Sharky,

When you said you spent 'ages' without sparring at Kamon Wing Chun, exactly how long do you mean? I have previously practiced Wing Chun at uni with Alan (Nafanal) for 6 months so its not like I'll be starting from scratch. Also I'd like to know how long you spent with Austin Goh and could you tell me more about the sparring there.

Cheers,
G

[[~T~]G]

Oh yea, I forgot to mention that I'm living in South Kensington (but I'm certainly NOT rich) about 2 minutes away from The Simon Lau Centre, although I don't mind travelling to Covent Garden to train at least twice a week. I actually went down there to ask about the training, and although Simon Lau teaches all the beginners lessons himself they didn't let me watch or participate. I'm considering checking out Kevin Chan and Austin Goh sometime next week, I hope those guys will let me participate? Going back to the university to do Wing Chun is not an option, as I would just be doing the same things I did last year along with all the freshers. Suffice to say that I didn't know what lineage I was studying back there and I still don't know now...after speaking to Nafanal about it, I got the idea that its disrespectful to ask Sifu if he doesn't speak openly about it.

Thanks,
G

[winterm]

disrespectful? to ask about liineage?!! sounds like this guy doesn't know what his lineage is, or has something to hide. Also, if he does just repeat the first year over again, I'd say his knowledge is limited. Having some experience of uni MA instructors this does not surprise me. very suspiscious!!!

if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's something that walks like a duck and quacks like a duck

[Sharky]

you don't spar AT ALL at kamon. (there are a few pics at kamon that have people padded up etc - apparently that's not until you're an instructor level - i've certainly never seen any sparring there). austin goh will ahve you sparring straight away.

you decide which is best for you.

oh, and "thanks" :rolleyes:

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Martin Foot]

[~T~]G
You could check us out. We're in Shepherds Bush, not to far from you.
http://www.body-mind-spirit.co.uk
Call Steve Jones on 07958350819.
£50 a month for up to 5 lessons each week.

Regards
Martin Foot
Body Mind & Spirit Kung Fu

[Sharky]

i've seen ur guys' adverts in combat. buy combat there are loads of schools in london. LOADS

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Wong Ying Home]

Victor Khan is second to none

Austin Goh is a reasonably good fighter and long term is more interested in street fighting

Mind body spirit if memeory serves me is the old Derek Jones school. Derek Jones was awesome

You could also try Joseph Lee who is in Fulham, he is very very good as well, Joseph does not promote much but both he and his students are excellent

[Sharky]

what he Wong Ying Home just said is correct.

to be blunt, i'd rather go to the viktor khan or austin goh place over kamon, and i've heard good things about some place in fulham, i met a guy who went there (friends friennd).

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[S.Teebas]

The Victor Kan school looks the most authentic, from what i see on their webpage and read what their students say. Meaning, closest to what came from yip man.....if thats what your after!?!


S.Teebas