COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT VING TSUN KUNG FU
Below you will find some of the most popular questions about Ving Tsun Kung Fu. If you have questions that are not addressed here, or want to speak to someone directly, please contact us.

What is Ving Tsun Kung Fu?
Ving Tsun Kung Fu is a beautiful, simple, and traditional martial art from ancient times that is well suited to the needs of people in modern society. It is a complete system of training that has been preserved and passed down through generations in its authentic form. It is an amazingly efficient and effective system that does not rely on physical size or strength. Dedicated students acquire not only a high level of martial skill and self defense ability in a relatively short time, they also develop a sense of relaxation, peace of mind, and greater confidence in daily relationships.

Is Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu different from other martial arts?
Yes. Most martial arts are practiced as sports, requiring students to train for and demonstrate their fighting abilities in tournaments or other organized competitions. Conversely, Ving Tsun Kung Fu is not a sport and students in Moy Yat schools are not expected to compete in tournaments. Additionally, a Ving Tsun student does not receive instruction in a handful of self-defense techniques which may work in the controlled environment of a classroom or within the rules of an organized competition but may not work during an unpredictable street confrontation. Instead, Ving Tsun teaches principles of kung fu that can be applied in any number of situations and that have proven effective for over 400 years.

Moreover, while most martial arts schools require long-term contracts and charge fees for testing and rank promotions, there are no belt ranks, achievement tests, or contracts required at the School. Every student learns at his own pace. Finally, in contrast to the strict military-style hierarchy, ceremony, and protocol common in other martial arts, Ving Tsun students generally train in a relaxed and informal "family-style" manner.

What are some Ving Tsun principles?
Ving Tsun trains a student in the "Centerline Theory." Through a series of forms and drills a student is conditioned to occupy and control the body's centerline, the best position from which to attack and defend. The system also provides extensive instruction in the principles of economy of motion, simultaneous attack and defense, and relaxation.

What are the benefits of studying Ving Tsun?
Ving Tsun Kung Fu offers a way to promote health, fitness, and well-being while simultaneously teaching powerful and effective self-defense. Although the general public primarily regards kung fu as limited to a system of fighting, Ving Tsun goes well beyond martial skills. The system promotes personal growth as a student applies Ving Tsun principles to all aspects of life.

Is Ving Tsun the same martial art that Bruce Lee studied?
Yes. Grandmaster Moy Yat's sifu (teacher) was the late Grandmaster Yip Man. Yip Man was also Bruce Lee's sifu. Grandmaster Moy Yat was actually Bruce Lee's older kung fu brother (sihing). Ving Tsun is the system that Lee studied during his time in Hong Kong. Lee drew on and relied upon many of Ving Tsun's drills and principles to develop his personal martial-arts philosophy.

What do you do in kung fu class?
Typically, students arrive and begin their training by stretching and playing forms to warm up. Students then pair off and play various training exercises called two-man drills. Students will switch partners several times during class to give each student the opportunity to train with different people. Some classes include group conditioning workouts with stretching, punching, and kicking exercises. Other classes focus on the demonstration and application of martial skills. Still other classes involve brief conversations led by the sifu about kung fu training and kung fu life. Since taking breaks is also an important part of training, students rest several times during class.

lop sao application	sao bao	poi jong application

Is kung fu hard to learn?
No! Ving Tsun drills are simple and easy to practice. One of the amazing things about Ving Tsun is that it teaches advanced martial arts principles and techniques through exercises that anyone can learn in a relatively short time.

How long does it take to become an expert in Ving Tsun?
A student who trains diligently can become an expert in Ving Tsun in a relatively short time. During the first few years of study, the student is opened to forms and drills that lay the foundation for mastery of the system. After completing the basic program, a student has the opportunity to become an instructor in his school. Ving Tsun is unique in the sense that the system does not require a lifetime of study for a student to achieve a high level of martial skill; however, a dedicated student has the opportunity to spend a lifetime studying the system.

Is Ving Tsun a good martial art for women to study?
Yes! Ving Tsun is ideal for both women and men of any stature. The system does not rely on physical size or strength. In fact, the Ving Tsun system was developed and founded by a woman, Yim Ving Tsun, hundreds of years ago and has been preserved and passed down through generations in its authentic form.

Can kids learn kung fu?
Yes! Kung fu is a lot of fun for kids, and kids with sufficient physical
and mental maturity can begin kung fu training regardless of age.

What kind of uniforms do kung fu students wear?
The uniforms worn by kung fu students are similar to informal street clothes. The typical outfit includes a t-shirt decorated with a School insignia, a pair of lightweight pants similar to jogging pants, and thin-soled shoes. After students have been training for some time they often practice in street clothes instead of the uniform. Uniforms are available for sale at a moderate price at the School.

What training equipment is used in a kung fu school?
Two training tools commonly used in Ving Tsun are the sao bow, a sand bag for punching, and the muk yan jong, a wooden dummy. Schools with yards sometimes also have a field of gerk jong, wooden poles and stumps used for moving and kicking exercises. Ving Tsun Kung Fu is generally not trained with props that are commonly used in other martial arts such as padded floors and protective body armor.

chi gerk	gerk jong	moy fah jong

Does Ving Tsun offer weapons training?
At relatively advanced stages of training, students may train with the kwan (6 1/2 point pole) and bot jom doa (eight way chopping knives).

kwan	jong	focus mitt training

Does the School offer instruction in other martial arts systems?
No. The School is a training space dedicated to the practice of authentic and traditional Ving Tsun Kung Fu.

What is the kung fu lineage of the Omaha School?
Generations of dedicated disciples have passed the Ving Tsun Kung Fu system down in a direct line of succession to the modern student. The following is an Omaha student's lineage to Ving Tsun's founder and masters: Ng Mui, Yim Ving Tsun, Leung Bok Chau, Leung Lan Kwai, Wong Wah Bo, Leung Yee Tei, Leung Jan, Chan Wah Shan, Yip Man, Moy Yat, Moy Tung, Moy Yat Tung, the Sifu of the Omaha School.

From what language does Ving Tsun terminology originate?
It originates from the Cantonese dialect of the Chinese language. Many Cantonese sounds cannot be accurately represented with the English alphabet. Different authors may use different English letters to represent the same Cantonese sound, so you may see a term spelled several ways. For example, the "moving the horse" drill may be written as toi ma, toy ma, toy mah, and tsui ma.

How is "Ving Tsun" pronounced?
It is commonly pronounced "wing chun" in America although this is only an approximation of the Cantonese pronunciation.

How can I learn kung fu?
Simply contact us, send an e-mail, or call (402/592-1611) to schedule an appointment. We offer every interested person the opportunity to come to the School to participate in a class at no cost or obligation. Rather than have you sit on the sideline and watch other students train, the School allows you to participate in order to determine for yourself whether Ving Tsun is right for you.