The martial art was developed more than 250 years ago in China by the nun NG Mui and the beautiful Yim Wing Tsun, after whom the martial art is named. Thanks to their highly developed martial art technique these two women could win fights with the strongest men of their time. Since then WT had been taught practically only within families and clans. The great master Yip Man who died in 1972, was the last Wing Tsun teacher who taught Chinese students exclusively. Today there are tens of thousands of members worldwide (in over 56 countries) who are learning this martial art system which was updated by Leung Ting, Yip Man's latest master-pupil. The European Chief-instructor, Dai Sifu K. R. Kernspecht, brought the WT system to Europe twenty years ago and has since trained several generations of highly qualified martial arts instructors in the European Wing Tsun Organization.

WT is self defense in it's most consequent form
WT is the smartest self-defense system ever thought of by humankind, because :
WT is not based upon physical strength or acrobatic ability and therefore allows a physically weaker person to defend him/herself.
WT teaches you to use the force of the opponent and turn it against him.
WT self defense movements derive from tactile reflexes that are mechanical and directly determined by the attack of the opponent.
In this way WT is not susceptible to optical manipulations meant to mislead the fighter.
WT can be learned fairly quickly and built upon.
WT meets the demands of "appropriate force" and therefore lends itself for use by law enforcement.
WT is a whole martial arts system. Its significance lies less in stylistic externals and tricks but in the revolutionary totality of the concept! Immediacy, the small number of movements used, etc., make Wing Tsun the fastest martial art system ever!

Motto: "Less is more."

Number Of Movements
WT is conceived in such a way that one can manage a fight effectively with just a few movements. The best self defense is one that can fend off the most attacks with the least amount of movements!

Movements That Are Used Simultaneously
We can perform up to three different movement patterns at the same time.

The Four Ways Of "Force"
In dealing with "force", there are four principles in WT:

1. Be free from your own "force".
2. Free yourself from the "force" of your opponent.
3. Use the "force" of the opponent.
4. Add your own "force" to the "force" of the opponent.

Through intense training WT students learn to "borrow" the energy of the attack by way of a sort of controlled and deliberate "giving in". The attacked body parts get "charged up" in such a way that they redirect the power of the opponent immediately and with the whole force of impact with which it was dealt out.

Chain Punches
Once a WT-fighter has gained his/her advantage by a punch he/she doesn't just give it up but lets other chain-punches follow the first. This is one of the most effective arms at all , traditional martial arts know of no means to counter them. The quick sequence of punches overwhelms the capacities of the opponent to process information as he is driven into a helpless defense.

The "Universal Solution", the "Lenter Line", Etc.
The economy of WT manifests itself in all corners and ends of this martial art and provides surprises and eye-openers to even the most advanced students.

What Else ?

Next to the emphasis on self-defense there are many more attractive benefits to the practice of WT. Following is a short summary of what a WT school can offer you.

• The best in self-defense
• Training of reflexes and reaction
• Concentration training
• Breathing and meditation exercises
• Fitness and conditioning
  
• Self confidence and relaxation
• A practical philosophy of life
• Meeting fun people
• A joyful pastime
• Health

"Unique"

Forms
"Forms" derive from the fundamental natural range of movements which have been integrated for self-defense purposes, and have also traditionally been acknowledged to be contributing to overall relaxation, meditation and well-being.

Chi Sao (Sticking Hands)
Wt is the only martial art that features the unique exercise of tactile reflexes which are determined by the sense of touch. Chi Sao defense reflexes are elicited in a very immediate and mechanical way by the attack of the opponent. Thus they are always exactly tailored and appropriate to the situation. Chi Sao reflexes are far quicker than reacting to visual input and they also allow for the WT-fighter to defend him/herself blindly. Chi Sao is the glue that integrates a number of single movements into coherent combinations that are not preconceived yet prove to exactly meet the needs of the given situation. Without Chi Sao WT would only consist of an accumulation of single technical bits or dead movement patterns. This makes Chi Sao is the very soul of Wing Tsun!

Lat Sao (Sparring Exercises)
The goal of Wing Tsun is to develop fighting-capability . In Lat Sao (which means "free style fight") the WT-student learns to fearlessly confront a one-on-one fight. He can check on the level of his work without fear of injuring his partner which makes Lat Sao a most significant and motivating part of WT.

"Wing Tsun is not only a smart martial art, it is also a smart way of learning"

The Five Distances Of A Fight
In a real self-defense-situation, rules of fairness (which could alter the outcome of a fight) don't exist! In Wing Tsun we derive from this the consequent importance of a training that is as full and complete as possible, and which acknowledges all of the five distances that are part of a fighting situation.

• 1st Distance: Fighting With Your Feet
• 2nd Distance: Fighting With Your Hands
• 3rd Distance: Fighting With Knees And Elbows
• 4th Distance: Grappling (Holding, Barring, Throwing, etc.)
• 5th Distance: Ground Fighting

In any of the above situations the WT-principles can be applied successfully, which is why so many martial arts practitioners turn to WT.

In a WT-training session the punches, kicks etc...are all executed with soft-contact so that the risk of injury is kept to a minimum.

"WT starts where most other styles stop:
the uncompromising close range fight!"

WT is less a compendium of many single techniques but a whole martial art system.
WT follows the strategy of aggressive defense (Latin: aggrediŠ - to come close to somebody).

On the highest level of the systems hierarchy are the four WT principles:

• If the way is clear forge ahead!
• If there is contact keep glued to it!
• If your opponent is stronger, give in!
• If the opponent retreats, follow!
  
  
  The Four Principles of WT - One by One
  
• If the way is clear forge ahead!
• If there is contact keep glued to it!
• If your opponent is stronger, give in!
• If the opponent retreats, follow!