Beginner and Intermediate students training together with some help from more advanced students.
Ip Man
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.
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.
Oh yes, also some gan da and tan da practice…
Kim here? She is very serious. She knows her ving tsun, trained right, will serve her right.
And over all, here’s what it looks like from here:
Everyone Trains Together at the VTSDA
Sifu Matt teaches a brand new student the first fundamentals of ving tsun.
Young students train together with everyone else, just like in Sifu Ip Ching’s class in Hong Kong.
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.
Sifu Matt and the VTSDA Demo at U of I Champaign for Mid-Autumn Festival
The Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy was invited to the University of Illinois to share a demonstration of Ving Tsun kung fu as part of the Mid-Autumn Festival, September 2012.
Please enjoy the video.
Many thanks to:
Mathew Mario Digiovanni
Humberto Flores Jr.
Aaron Harper
Whitten Hau
Christian Tillich
Robert Veitch
All the disciples and students of Sifu Matt Johnson
The University of Illinois at
Champaign/Urbana
Grandmaster Ip Ching
Great Grandmaster Ip Man
The VTSDA is the only school in Chicago and one of the few in the United States with a direct link to the Ip Man lineage of the Ving Tsun/Wing Chun system.
To learn Ving Tsun in it’s purest form, come to the Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy.
We teach you to train your body and your mind for self defense, fitness and to help you find peace of mind in daily life.
The VTSDA is the only school in Chicago offering comprehensive mind/body training for development of your physical, mental and spiritual capacities.
Come visit the school.
773-301-6257
mjvingtsun.org
Related articles
- Ving Tsun Students All Levels (mjvingtsun.org)
- Training the Mind in Martial Arts: Why is it Important? (mjvingtsun.org)
- Sifu Matt Featured in 2City News (mjvingtsun.org)
Saturday Training at the VSTDA
We had a great night….
…during the Chicago Arts District 2nd Friday last night. It was super busy and lots of people came by to check out Ving Tsun student, Rok Teasley’s new art work and to see what ving tsun is.
We followed it up with some mighty fine training. (Especially with some visiting members of our far-flung ving tsun family in town. Dr. Josh is in from Boston and Aaron, (who has a new school in the Champaign area) drove in so the kung fu brothers could have some time together training the ving tsun.
Here’s what some of the action looked like.
We also had some really nice new guys stop by to check the school out. Always nice to make new friends.
Impromptu Ving Tsun Demo
A gentleman stopped into the space tonight as part of the 2nd Friday art walk. He asked some good questions about Ving Tsun.
Sifu Matt Featured in 2City News
Sifu Matt Johnson and the Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy is in the news!
Recently, the local news group 2City News conducted a three-part interview with Sifu Matt Johnson. Here is part one, in which Sifu gives the audience a basic grounding in what ving tsun is and why it’s so effective for self defense.
The article focuses as well on the problem of understaffed, under-served urban areas in which residents often feel they must fend for themselves:
Check out the rest of the article and the first video segment. And of course, stay tuned for part two, tomorrow!
Thanks to Zack Isaacs and the whole 2City crew for focusing on the academy and such an urgent set of security and self defense issues. As one of the very few U.S. schools with direct links to the Ip Man lineage of Ving Tsun/Wing Chun, we are dedicated to teaching ving tsun in it’s purest form to those who wish to defend themselves and their loved ones. We extend an invitation to anyone who may be interested to come in for an interview, watch a class and if interested, attend up to a week of classes free of charge, to make sure the school is a good fit for you and your self defense goals.
Sifu Matt’s Level One Seminar in Iowa
Sifu Matt will be in Iowa this August 26 at Chris Kellner’s Ving Tsun Martial Art Association at 4551 SHERIDAN ST , Davenport, Iowa 52806. The Sunday afternoon seminar will cover Siu Lim Tau and all material up to and including don chi sau. Bring your notebooks and be ready to enjoy a very active seminar at the VTMAA. Tuition for seminar is $50. RSVP. Limited number of spots available.
New Student Begins Ving Tsun Journey
It’s always fun and exciting when a new student begins their study of Ving Tsun.
This was especially true this evening when Donald got started this evening. Donald’s uncle is the owner of the Chi Cafe in Chinatown, one of our very favorite spots to eat. They have terrific Hong Kong style food and are open till all hours. That means you can get late night congee any time you want!
Donald said he’s wanted to study for a while but between work and school, he had to wait until today.
Here’s what his first lesson looked like. (Pretty relaxed and friendly atmosphere, just like at the VTAA in Hong Kong.
First Sifu Matt taught him the opening to Siu Lim Tau…
Step by step, making little adjustments along the way.
Donald was focused all night and worked really hard.
It was easy to see how much he was enjoying learning at last.
The other students were glad to help of course. Humberto worked on punching with him.
Finally! Time to relax before heading out. Welcome to Ving Tsun, Donald! Glad to have you in the Matt Johnson Ving Tsun family.
Maybe you might want to try Ving Tsun too?
Matt Johnson Ving Tsun/Chicago 
