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Karen L
1 reviews on 1 places
Highly recommend Wing Chun MD for anyone looking to try something new or practice serious martial arts training. SiFu Michael Speights is the real deal. His teacher was trained by the now-famous Ip Man, and his passion is teaching Wing Chun (a style of Kung Fu from China). He will push you hard so you can see what you’re truly capable of. Be forewarned: this is not for the faint of heart.
Below is a review of the 3-week training for new people and then a review of what it’s like as a member.
3-week training:
If you’re the least bit curious, absolutely give it a try. It'll be novel and challenging. Even if you decide it’s not for you, at the very least you’ll be in better physical shape after 3 weeks and you’ll have the pride of seeing what’s possible when you push your body beyond perceived limits.
The class involves body conditioning, martial arts basics, punching & kicking drills, and learning a wing chun form (a choreographed set of moves that show you wing chun fundamentals.) Everyone new to Wing Chun MD must take this training. it’s offered roughly every 2 months so check the website to see when the next one is being offered. I suggest having some regular exercise regimen beforehand so you don’t get wiped out. But really, persistence is most important. Decide to do it and then prove to yourself that you can do something hard.
Being an ongoing member:
If you make it through the 3 weeks, you have the option to join as a member.
I’ve been a member for over a year and it is grueling but worthwhile. I’ve never trained in martial arts before this so I don’t know how it compares to other places but I’ll offer a few things:
1. To make it in this environment, you’ll need: a love of tough challenges, no fear of bruises, patience, persistence, time, and a ton of willpower. Being a member comes with an attendance requirement so you need to be able to commit and follow through, even when you’re tired or busy. Most classes involve pushing yourself beyond what you feel like doing. Most of us face the ‘why’ question at some point — why go to class? why put my body through this? You’ll need to find your own answer to the question. For months, I started class filled with dread and ended them feeling energized and accomplished. The trick is getting yourself out the door to go to class when your body is saying “it’s going to be hard, don’t do it.”
2: Training in wing chun is like the ultimate physical AND mental exercise. Martial arts in general requires so much physically: explosive strength in every part of the body, endurance, speed, flexibility. On top of that, martial arts is dynamic, one has to quickly respond to what’s happening moment to moment. Wing Chun, in particular, is described as a ‘thinking person’s art.’ It’s efficient, but it’s also counterintuitive, awkward, hard to learn, and it requires a great deal of precision. I compare the first few months of training to what it must be like for a toddler to learn how to walk.
3. Wing Chun MD focuses on practical fighting skills. There are no belts here and the goal is not to master a sequence of movements or be able to perform something cool in front of your friends. The goal is to become proficient in fighting (and also become a better person through discipline and rigor.)
4. It’s a nice and intimate community of people trying to support one another in getting better. There’s no machismo or big egos here. Particularly if you are a woman or person of color, it’s a welcoming place.
Below is a review of the 3-week training for new people and then a review of what it’s like as a member.
3-week training:
If you’re the least bit curious, absolutely give it a try. It'll be novel and challenging. Even if you decide it’s not for you, at the very least you’ll be in better physical shape after 3 weeks and you’ll have the pride of seeing what’s possible when you push your body beyond perceived limits.
The class involves body conditioning, martial arts basics, punching & kicking drills, and learning a wing chun form (a choreographed set of moves that show you wing chun fundamentals.) Everyone new to Wing Chun MD must take this training. it’s offered roughly every 2 months so check the website to see when the next one is being offered. I suggest having some regular exercise regimen beforehand so you don’t get wiped out. But really, persistence is most important. Decide to do it and then prove to yourself that you can do something hard.
Being an ongoing member:
If you make it through the 3 weeks, you have the option to join as a member.
I’ve been a member for over a year and it is grueling but worthwhile. I’ve never trained in martial arts before this so I don’t know how it compares to other places but I’ll offer a few things:
1. To make it in this environment, you’ll need: a love of tough challenges, no fear of bruises, patience, persistence, time, and a ton of willpower. Being a member comes with an attendance requirement so you need to be able to commit and follow through, even when you’re tired or busy. Most classes involve pushing yourself beyond what you feel like doing. Most of us face the ‘why’ question at some point — why go to class? why put my body through this? You’ll need to find your own answer to the question. For months, I started class filled with dread and ended them feeling energized and accomplished. The trick is getting yourself out the door to go to class when your body is saying “it’s going to be hard, don’t do it.”
2: Training in wing chun is like the ultimate physical AND mental exercise. Martial arts in general requires so much physically: explosive strength in every part of the body, endurance, speed, flexibility. On top of that, martial arts is dynamic, one has to quickly respond to what’s happening moment to moment. Wing Chun, in particular, is described as a ‘thinking person’s art.’ It’s efficient, but it’s also counterintuitive, awkward, hard to learn, and it requires a great deal of precision. I compare the first few months of training to what it must be like for a toddler to learn how to walk.
3. Wing Chun MD focuses on practical fighting skills. There are no belts here and the goal is not to master a sequence of movements or be able to perform something cool in front of your friends. The goal is to become proficient in fighting (and also become a better person through discipline and rigor.)
4. It’s a nice and intimate community of people trying to support one another in getting better. There’s no machismo or big egos here. Particularly if you are a woman or person of color, it’s a welcoming place.