Authenticity of a school.

[Jack]

Okay, so I have the email address to a Wing Chun sifu in my city. I am interested in Wing Chun and so would like to join a class, but I would like to know the school I would be joining is a good, quality one that teaches real Wing Chun, and not some watered down style. I would also like to check that the Sifu has good knowledge of his art.

 

I am going to e-mail the Sifu to start talking to him, but I was wondering if some of the Wing Chun practitioners here could lend me some good questions to ask to check his knowledge/authenticity, and then perhaps judge his responses and give me their opinions. What are some signs to look for in an authentic wing chun sifu? And similarly - signs of a less-knowledgable sifu?

 

And as a seperate question - how common is it for a wing chun school to be watered down or a McDojo? This is common with Karate and Taekwondo schools, but is it a common practice for Wing Chun?

 

Thank you.

[Tobias_Reece]

Be careful Jack....some people may take offence that you are testing them on their authenticity

[Jack]

I know Tobias, I do not mean to cause offence, which I why I am planning to ask general, open ended questions about the style, and not put him through a twenty-question quiz.

[Shaolin]

What school? Post some info about the Sifu. No it is less likely to be McMartial Art watered down just because it is Wing Chun which has safe guards built in - but that doesn't mean it is the best. There is nothing wrong with asking questions. The most basic questions one asks in the Chinese arts is about lineage - in other words who taught the teacher and who taught his teacher etc.

 

Jim

[rabid hamster]

hey post the sifu here, if he's good im sure someone will know him.

 

but i don't think there's as many fake schools in wing chun like TKD and karate, but wing chun is still a popular kung fu style so you never know.

 

One sign a wing chun school is good is that they have no belts or sashes. If they do it doesn't mean they're bad, because some sifus just add it in. It's just that wing chun traditionally never really had belts and stuff.

 

make sure the school does lots of chi sao.