Looking for Martial Arts Leeds? We are a Leeds based martial arts school offering tuition in Chinese Kung Fu. Classes run on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings in Leeds and Bradford. Wing Chun Kung Fu is a concept based fighting art based on economy of motion and minimum movement. Known for its fast hands and strong legs, Wing Chun has been made popular by the recent Ip Man films which chronicle the life of the late Grandmaster Ip Man, the modern day founder of the style. Bruce Lee was one of Ip Man’s most famous students. Wing Chun was Lee’s original style of martial art before he developed his own system which he called Jeet Kune Do.
Wing Chun’s style is characterised by fast straight line attacks and low kicks.
Martial Arts Leeds – Wing Chun Kung Fu
Wing Chun is the only martial art known to have been invented by a woman. It was designed to be direct, efficient, economical, using the minimum amount of muscular effort; never opposing force with force.
Training is broken into forms, drills and chi sau (sticky hands) practice. The system has three empty hand patterns (forms), a dummy form, and knife and pole forms. Each form teaches a different element of the system.
In the first form, you remain in a static stance and you are learning to become more aware of your positions and to relax the mind and body. The second hand pattern teaches how to connect your mass with the movement of the hands and arms. It uses stepping and turning techniques. In the third form we see other techniques and principles which teach application of force and power in different directions.
Chi Sau or sticky hands is the “cornerstone” of the Wing Chun system and connects all your training from the forms with a “live” partner where you can experience real time interaction.
The drills allow you to learn techniques and movements to the point of instantaneous reaction (without thought).
Martial Arts Leeds – Our Classes
Our classes are informal and friendly and we aim to teach you how to use the drills, forms and chi sau to investigate and learn at your own pace. We are committed to creating a friendly learning environment whereby everyone can learn through play and exchange. There are no ranks at the school. New students practice with those more experienced and the culture promoted is shared development and not competition.
Chinese martial arts differ significantly from Japanese styles such as Karate or Ju Jitsu. There are no ranks, belts and uniform is not required. Martial arts in China were traditionally passed down either within a family or within a village and hence training has a more informal and friendly feel. The term for teacher is Sifu, which can be translated as father.
After you join a class you’ll be shown the first form. It is recommended to make a habit of practicing the form on a daily basis. This will help you to get the most from your training. We will also explain the meaning of movements and put them into practice with testing and through playing chi sau and the various drills, to help “install” natural reactions which don’t rely on memory but rather spontaneous movement.
Safety
Practicing any martial art comes with a risk of injury and we aim to reduce this as much as possible. If we can remain injury free it means there’s fewer gaps in our training and we can improve our skill over the longer term without breaks at a much faster rate. If you have any health issues consult your doctor before joining a class. Always alert your instructor to any health issues or injuries you have before commencing a class.
