am a fanatic martial arts enthusiast. I am also a Bruce Lee fan. Like many of my friends moving in and out of the many different styles of martial arts, I learned the traditional ways and the modern ways of various martial art school. For years I collected techniques from different styles. I picked up information, from good to bad without a proper understanding of the principle guidelines, I then studied Jet Kune Do and Bruce Lee's philosophy, yet I could not related what I learned, not in the depth that I wanted. I needed some actual guidance. Finally I found what I had been looking for in SiFu Wong's teaching. It was not easy in many ways. I know I have been selfish and like some of my kung fu brothers I did not want to share my fortunate experience in Wong's school of martial arts, until today. I have read others who have published articles about it. I think it is time for me to tell of my real experiences and perceptions of Sifu Wong .

I have studied martial arts for almost thirty years under many famous grandmasters, from karate, Hapkido, Jujitsu, JKD, to Wing Chun. When I met Sifu Wong at one of his demonstration in college, my intention was to convince him to become one of my students. But it worked out otherwise. When he said, "extraordinary comes from ordinary hard work" I was intrigued. He then demonstrated, in front of thousands college students, of breaking a board within a distance of an inch with his fist. He held the board with two fingers in his left hand and broke it with his right fist. The crowd was excited!

Then he had Mr. Gloss hold up two boards and broke it again within an inch of distance. Then he demonstrated his single hand one thumb push up......, the crowd cheered and whistle...... Later he show our class the same technique but by breaking the board with his finger tips. Then he let me hold out three piece board with one hand and breaking it with a sidekick. I was stunned and couldn't believe my eyes. How could anyone develop such explosive power in such a short distance? I wanted to discover his Wing Chun skills in other areas, so I told him I had studied from half a dozen Wing Chun schools through out the U.S. and I knew all the forms and I also told him I had taught over 100 students. He told me that practicing the forms alone would not make me understand the principles and applications of it. He also tested my sensitivity with his hands attached to mine, I was not able to sense or block his punches. Even though he had told me in advance where he would try to hit me. He did the same thing to every one I knew, I failed. It puzzled me but I couldn't do the same thing he did to me. Out of frustration and curiosity, I suggested we go under a freeway for an all out sparring. Since I was at my prime physical state, ten years older, heavier and bigger than him, I thought I had every bit of an advantage of winning the sparring contest. But in no time I became his punching bag. It went beyond my power of comprehension that he could generate such power, and threw me off in every direction. All I could see was the sky turning upside down. There was a blackout and from there on I couldn't remember a thing. Afterwards he explained to me in depth about sensitivity and "yee" -----intention and chi , trapping is only the beginning portion of stiky-hand in Wing Chun Kung Fu. We talked for hours, but at the time it didn't seemed like it. I realized a new way to understand kung fu. There is a lot more than just fighting and winning or losing at that moment. I had met many grandmasters who claimed that they could accomplish the same thing in a book, but not in reality. I have seen much abusive uses of the word ,'grandmaster'. I had met many of them who only mystify one with words, or make wonderful sense but could not demonstrate, the relationship between theory and action. I can see why Bruce Lee called it, "the classical mess" or the classical case of a mechanical student. In some cases, it is the immature practitioner who can not wait to become a master or founder of his own style. Of course Bruce Lee probably also meant the useless things for showmanship. I thought I had mastered certain techniques, but Sifu Wong showed me otherwise. There were a lot more facets to it. For example, he showed me the backfist (lap sao) technique with many different aspects of energy and ways of applications. There were many different kinds of finger grips I had learned in the past from different styles. However most of them were not designed to work with the Wing Chun applications. I know many instructors miss the importance of proper energy and only focus on what makes sense in appearance. Another example of the Wing Chun is the 'Bong-Sao'. In this technique though it looked simple in its application, none of his students could execute it as well as he did. We call these and other techniques "sifu techniques". Most of the students could not fully duplicate, the Sifu's executions. All of us saw it and felt it but could not duplicate it. Most of his students were basically talented, had backgrounds above black belt, were football players, boxers and wrestling champs. He explained that all had to do with the understanding of yin and yang. The conflict and coexistence of tension and relaxation coordinates with internal chi and external muscular mechanics. I had never seen any well-known grandmaster who had demonstrated the depth of ordinary techniques to be as successful as Sifu Wong. He knew so many sophisticated techniques and more stunning surprises as time went on, as we build a trusting relationship. His lessons are full of new and exciting information. He said if he had seen something interesting he would learn it, but I have seen things he had done many times and still can not fully understand it. Sometimes I feel it will take a life time to learn. I know so many people with a fraction of his knowledge who have taught hundreds and thousands of students. There are many different types of teachers out there, "philosophers" who know how to talk only, but who have no real experience and perceptions of what constitutes real fights, there are fighters who have no substance or dept of understanding the advance skill in a higher level, Then there are "chop-sue founders" who knows many styles but master of none or mostly base on wrong infomation without aware of it. Everything look similar to them. Finally, there are teachers who can related the philosophical theory and proper technical skill in application.

I felt very fortunate to have met Sifu Wong. Many people, as well as I, thought that Sifu Wong was too reserved and humble with his skills. In the beginning he was very old fashioned. But like he said, I would not appreciate his knowledge. I had spent much time and money on other martial arts schools and felt I had wasted my time. Due to my investment and ego. I showed much resistance in my early learning experiences. I did not even realize it at that time. I had formed my own perceptions of what is martial arts training. It was, like Bruce Lee said, "empty your cup of tea befor you can tast mine." It was more easy said than done. It took me quite awhile to change my perceptions of training. I began to see why some of Jerry Poteet's JKD students had mentioned that their teacher strongly recommended that Tom Wong was the best Wing Chun expert in America. Sifu Wong never accepted it. I was not convinced. It was not Sifu Wong's extraordinary speed and power of his hands and legs that impressed me, but it was my personal experiences of witnessing his skills which were often being tested in numerous challenged matches.

Once I witnessed him substituting at a noisy Kung Fu class for a friend of his in college. At that time he was 19 years old. He picked the biggest volunteer in the class and dropped him in a flash. That was the first time he met wrestling champion[8 times] Mr. Gloss. The whole class of fifty people was shocked. You could hear a pin drop! For years I have had countless challengers in many martial arts styles and have learned to appreciate his impressive close-quarter fighting skills. I had begun to understand and appreciate Sifu Wong's principles and fundamentals of the internal and external training techniques. Most importantly, I have learned the value and respect of my teachers as well as my fellow human beings. I also have a boarder vision of life which challenges me everyday.

I must admit it took me more than just a few good moves of Sifu Wong to impress me, although I was fortunate enough to witness more than a dozen fights Sifu has had with various challengers from different school of martial arts. I remember Bum Mi, a kick boxing champion who was very aggressive and experienced in his art. One day Bum Mi with his friend Carlos walked in and interrupted our class and challenged Sifu. Sifu said that Bum Mi would not be able to handle him. I did not know what sifu had planned, but we were all quiet and holding our breath, Sifu suddenly closed in with a series of kicks which overwhelmed Bu Mi. Sifu was only using one leg. The outcome was obvious. It was simple, but none of us could have done what Sifu did to Bum Mi.

Another time the amazing Danny, a Thai kickboxer who was a foreign student from Thailand was one day sparring with my Kung Fu brother, Choi. Danny whipped his kick to Choi's head in a flash, It was Choi's first day in training. Danny turned around and challenged Sifu, Most of us had not expected it to happen so quickly! We couldn't see what Sifu did. All we saw and heard was Danny's body slamming into the floor with a strong bang. Sifu explained what he did later. He said he used the throw from Bill Gee form, and he also said grandmaster Sum Neng had used the same throw once in a Hong Kong seminar, except the result was much more dramatic. At the time, a student had raised doubt about Wing Chun's throwing application. He challenged Sigung. As a result that student landed on his head and passed out. He probably never figured out what hit him.

I am a Bruce Lee fan. I have read many of his books and seen many of his movies. I am very much in favor of the late Bruce Lee and his followers, like Jerry Poteet, James De Mile, and others who possess a practical approach to martial arts. I have heard much about them, and I would be very interested in writing a book with Mr. Jerry Poteet or Mr James De Mile in "JKD and Wing Chun ". I know Sifu Wong had turned down many book offers in the past, He is a most humble person yet he is often criticized for his demeanor. Nevertheless, his friends, such as Jerry Poteet, James de Mile, Frank Joseph, and contributing writers of Inside Kung Fu and Black Belt Magazines encouraged him to elaborate on his true knowledge of wing chun and to shed some new light on this art. That was over 15 years ago. He declined.

I have been through the test for skill, patience, persistence, respect [for teacher and others], of the formal classical school. I have been through the modern school that emphasized only what is useful for fighting and sports competitions. I found both, and more, in Wong's teaching, but most important I have found the depth in skill and the link between the [Bruce Lee] philosophical cycle of "a punch--not a punch--just a punch" and the reality of it, which is also the meaning of Yin-Yang. It put me on a whole new horizon. I truly felt life is too short to learn it all!

Charles Ken and David Lee are currently teaching in Texas state, and can be reached by Email : dav168@hotmail.com More information on Yuen-Kay-San-Sum-Neng-Tom-Wong's Wing Chun can be found at Rene Ritche's www.WingChunKuen/sumnung website or www.yahoo.WingChunKuen. or contact Sifu Tom Wong's Wing Chun Head office telephone\FAX (626)571-8787 U.S.A., or Sifu Wong's WEB site and Email address: won7star@hotmail.com.