How is This School Different?

Some schools are all about regimentation.

Not here. A typical night at the VTSDA looks a lot like one of Sifu Ip Ching’s classes at the VTAA in Hong Kong. Lots of different things happening all at the same time.  We all train together too. Men, women, kinds, adults. It’s a varied and rich experience.

Here are some pics from tonight’s class.

To start with, Ryan is working with some of the intermediate students on chi sau.

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Also, Sifu Matt was working with a brand new student, having her very first class. So, what is a  punch anyway and how do we do that in ving tsun? Then she lays it down. There was serious punching noise.

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Oh yes, also some gan da and tan da practice…

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Kim here? She  is very serious. She knows her ving tsun, trained right, will serve her right.DSCF5342

And over all, here’s what it looks like from here:

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Everyone Trains Together at the VTSDA

 

Sifu Matt teaches a brand new student the first fundamentals of ving tsun. 
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Young students train together with everyone else, just like in Sifu Ip Ching’s class in Hong Kong.

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Stepping and Punching Practice

 

 

 

 

 

Mat D works with students on coordinating the joints of the body for correct punching with stepping and on feeling the transfer of weight into the foot.
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Matt Johnson Ving Tsun Association Gathering and Intensive Training Seminar

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Ving Tsun Association in Action

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Matt Johnson Ving Tsun Association Gathering and Training Intensive

ImageCome to Chicago for a chance to pick the brain of Sifu Matt Johnson: a sifu with a deep understanding of Ving Tsun, 25 years of experience, total dedication to the system and who travels year after year, to learn directly from Ip Ching. This is also your chance to hang out and chi sau with your Ving Tsun brothers and sisters from all over the coutry.

Sifu Matt is offering an 8 hour seminar specially designed for this once a year event! All aspects of the system will be covered. This will be a hands-on, intensive training seminar addressing all three empty hand forms, Mook Yan Jong techniques, and Chi Sao. 

The atmosphere will be rather informal with LOTS of hands-on training. There will be several question and answer sessions for you to ask any questions about any part of the system. One of the key elements to Sifu Matt’s teaching is that there are never any secrets held back in the closed fist of the teacher. So, come and bring those questions and notebooks. 

This is an oppourtunity to make a real sea change in your understanding of the system, get lots of hands on training and have a great time with the whole association.

$65 for VTSDA Members (students of the academy who are not yet members of the MJVTA)
$50 for Association Members
$100 for all others. 

Lunch included. Please bring your own refillable water bottles.
Please RSVP as soon as possible so we can plan for food and other details. We want you to have a great time here in Chicago!

Not yet a member of the Matt Johnson Ving Tsun Association? This might be a great time to join! $50/year

For those staying the weekend, we have plans for dinner together and other options for weekend sightseeing. Details TBA.Image

Day Two: Sifu Matt Johnson’s Ving Tsun Training Camp

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Training Before Kung Fu Camp

Lots of great training tonight at the VTSDA. Everyone is really gearing up for the Ving TSun camp this weekend. Haven't signed up yet? There's still time! But not much. Contact us right away to reserve your spot. All levels welcome. Great way to get an in-depth exposure to the art if you are thinking about training with us.

Lots of great training tonight at the VTSDA. Everyone is really gearing up for the Ving TSun camp this weekend. Haven’t signed up yet? There’s still time! But not much. Contact us right away to reserve your spot. All levels welcome. Great way to get an in-depth exposure to the art if you are thinking about training with us.

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We’re Moving!

The Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy is excited to announce an exciting move into the Fountainhead Loft Building at 1932 S Halsted St. Suite 505

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The move will be happening during the first week of April. Wednesday, May 1st, class will still take place in the old school but after that, we expect to be fully settling in by Saturday May 6th. In fact we may be recruiting to get help to make that final move on Saturday during our regular class time. It will be all hands on deck! 

Stay tuned for photos and complete instructions on using the building’s security system to enter the building for classes.

It’s going to be a great year for the academy. We are excited to have all of you as part of the school. We hope you will all feel at home here as you did in our last location. 

New meditation class at the VTSDA

To be a true warrior you must understand the mind and learn to control it. So to teach you this, starting in March (March 16th to be exact) the Academy will offer a meditation class to students. Sifu Matt will teach you how to sit meditation and learn to have a calm and more focused mind that will improve not only your Kung Fu, but your life as well.
The class will start at 11:30am and go till Noon. As Sifu says, “to be good at Kung Fu you must learn to train your own mind as well as technique, learning only technique will only take you half way there”.