chicago kung fu

Three Reasons Why Traditional Kung Fu Training is Important Today

Is this you?

Sometimes the fast pace of life feels like too much?
Stress at work can really get to you?
You’ve thought about learning a martial art but are put off by “gladiator academies” and competition?

Here’s a short video of Sifu Matt Johnson talking about why he practices and teaches ving tsun kung fu just as it was taught to him by Sifu Ip Ching.

If you were nodding yes to any of the above, perhaps our school might be right for you.

Give us a call or email to arrange a visit where you can ask Sifu Matt questions, observe classes and even try a few for free.

773-301-6257 Please leave a message with your name and number so we can call you back.

Sunday Siu Nim Tau

In Ving Tsun we have Siu Nim Tau, the first form, which can be translated to Little Idea or Little Beginning. It’s from this first form, this little idea, that everything else in the system comes.

Every week Sifu Matt offers these blogs, these little ideas, as reflections from his practice to help support yours.

Thanks for reading

Sunday, February 17, 2019

I’ve taken up photography.

My wife is a wonderful photographer and she’s showing me the ropes.

I’m not good at it just yet but I do my best and I’m having fun. And the fun? That feels like the most important part right now. I have this great Fuji X100 and I admit, I feel like a guy who’s got great car, a Ferrari, but doesn’t quite know how to drive it yet.

There’s f/stops, shutter speeds, “film” speeds. I do a lot of experimenting.

Then there’s this whole business of looking, of seeing.

It’s interesting learning what takes my eye, what makes me want to take a photo of something. To learn that and to learn about photography in general, feels a lot like the learning process of kung fu training. You must have what’s known as beginner’s mind, a concept from Zen practice. Beginner’s mind is a state of keeping the mind in a fresh, learning, open state. It’s about forgetting or putting down what you thought you knew about something.

This kind of mind can be applied to anything and everything.

With beginner’s mind, you cast away assumptions, prejudices, any preconceived ideas.You’re always in a place to take in new information. In Zen practice, it’s always a process of going back to beginner’s mind.

Beginner’s mind.

Students hear me say all the time that in order to be good at kung fu you must always go back.

Back to the start.

Back to the fundamentals.

You must also go back on the inside.

Do the inner work on yourself, on your ego. On all the mental things that will keep you from getting any better. You may have fear, anger, lack of confidence, a fragile sense of yourself or an overblown sense of yourself.

If you can’t go back into yourself to do this deep inner work, you will never get better at the physical techniques.

Unexamined internal life holds us back.

Our ego holds us back.

These character issues? Ditto.

Because that’s the process. Train the physical skill long enough to get good, then go back: back to the beginning or the basics, and back into yourself.

Going back is key. Those that do the inner work find themselves not only better at the techniques, but becoming a better people as well. And THAT is what martial arts training does best. It makes us better people. Better physically and mentally. Better members of society.

And now, I’m going back again. This time to learn photography. And I’m fine with that because I trust this process. I’m very curious and don’t know where photography will take me. Maybe I’ll be able to show my pictures some day. But that’s down the road. Right now, I’m enjoying the journey.

I’ve always enjoyed the process of going back. I’ve seen the results in my Ving Tsun and in my life. Ving Tsun teaches me something new every day. And it will teach you too if you’re listening and looking.

THIS WEEK IN VING TSUN

Lots pf great training at the school last week. Here are a few snap shots of what folks were up to. Notice, the notebook! Taking notes is a really good idea.

Also note the long pole, which is very advanced practice.

Photos by Hillary Johnson

Why to Start Your Kung Fu Training Now

A Few Questions for you.

Did you make New Years resolutions that included fitness this year?

Would you like to be in better physical condition than you are right now?

Do you think that it would be good to be able to defend yourself or your loved ones, just in case, you ever had to?

Benefits of Ving Tsun Kung Fu Training

Improves cardio vascular fitness and over all health
Improves whole body physical condition
Teaches you to effectively use Ving Tsun for self defense purposes
Helps calm your heart and mind to reduce stress

Picture this…

Getting started is just as easy as getting started. If you can just begin, you are already on your way to a healthier, more fit and confident you.

Which means you are already on your way to making big changes, step by step, because in a gradual healthy way, when you attend your first class, you are making those resolutions real.

It’s that simple!

Call Sifu Matt and schedule your trial class. Start feeling great right now.

Because you have strength and beauty inside you.

Call 773-301-6257.

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Matt Johnson Ving Tsun Kung Fu is Growing!

Just had to share how psyched we are to welcome two more brand new folks to our Intro class on Saturdays and two new sign ups for our regular open classes!

We love to see new people coming through the door and see the look on the faces when they get started learning and getting to know their fellow students and feeling how different this place really is.

So thank you for joining us and please help spread the word! Don’t forget our Intro classes on Saturday! There’s still plenty of time to sign up for a whole month of kung fu for just $50!

The school is located in the heart of the Chicago Arts District at:
1839 S Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60608
Phone us at: 773/301-6257
Please note the CTA bus Route 8 stops right in front of the building.
There’s also plenty of free street parking all within short walking distance.

Overcoming Obstacles in Kung Fu Training Through Teaching

Almost inevitably, as time passes and kung fu training continues, day after day, hour after hour, after endless sweating and working of sore muscles, a practitioner may feel they’ve run into a brick wall or a plateau in terms of building and improving their skills. This is likely to manifest differently for each of us. We might experience a feeling of staleness, of boredom, or sense of lack of excitement which we associate with progress.

These plateaus are crucial times. When we don’t progress, we may have a tendency to worry. Many a kung fu player simply throws in the towel and quits. I’ve seen it time and again. During the last 27 years I’ve spent immersing myself in the art of Ving Tsun, I’ve definitely experienced some of those moments myself.

So what did I do? Well, in the years before opening up my academy and teaching students, it was sheer determination that kept me going. But in the years I’ve been teaching when it’s happened I find that just teaching to the best of my ability, breaks me through any barrier. Partly, it’s a matter of inspiration. Teaching inspires me because it always sends me and the student back to the basics. Revisiting them makes our kung fu better. Every. Time.

The Chinese have a saying, “to teach is to learn twice.” By going back and teaching beginners a practitioner teaches themselves as well. This is one of the keys to constant forward progress. Help teach. I know it works. I’ve seen it in myself and I’ve seen it in many students. So my advice to mid-level and advanced practitioners when they come to me with this problem is this: come into the class and help teach the junior students. Sometimes when I offer this advice the students don’t understand. They may wonder how teaching a student more junior to themselves will help them get better. But I tell them to just trust me, to trust the process.

Helping beginners helps us find where our own understanding of a technique or form may fall short. That leads us to ask our Sifus questions that gives us the missing concept or understanding and fills in that gap. And this can start a whole new growth spurt for you. So if you are an advanced student don’t be selfish with your knowledge. Help teach the junior students and watch your own kung fu take off again!

Introduction to Ving Tsun Kung Fu

We are super excited to announce a new class at the Academy.

Introduction to kung fu!

This is a four-class series beginning on the FIRST Tuesday or FIRST Saturday of each month. You will be introduced to basic elements of ving tsun kung fu (stance, hand techniques), theory (principles of ving tsun), meditation, and kung fu philosophy (Mo Duk). Elements of the kung fu are explained in easy to understand pieces — with emphasis on developing correct fundamentals, posture, and mindful execution of techniques. If you have any physical limitations, special conditions, or injuries, please advise us, so that we can help you learn to practice effectively and safely. This series is appropriate for those who have never been to a martial arts or kung fu class before, those who have completed the series and would like to continue their education, or those who desire a refresher on the fundamentals.

The tuition cost for the Intro class is $50 per month. Select either a Tuesday series 6pm-7pm, or a Saturday series 12pm-1pm

Sign up for the Tuesday series

Sign up for the Saturday series

Kung Fu in Winter

Yes, yes, polar vortex. Whatever. We know. In Chicago, it’s wicked cold. That’s winter for you!

But here at the Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy, the training goes on, no matter what. Class is still under way right now and despite the freezing temperatures outside, the wing chun kung fu training is going on like crazy!

We thought you might like a few photos of class. We’re extra excited because we have a number of brand new people in the school today as well as many veteran students. The senior students help the new ones learn the basics which is part of how we create such a supportive, friendly, family-like atmosphere.

So, here’s the pics. Enjoy!