We started off day one with the knowledge test, which has become the norm for our instructor courses. The format for these tests is settling in now, with us having to answer three questions correctly to pass, and only being allowed a maximum of six questions. If a question is wrong, it passes to the next person in the group, working its way around the circle until it finds someone who can get it right! Once you get a question right, you get to choose another — so if people answer all three correctly they are quickly removed from the order. With 32 questions in total there was a lot of knowledge covered, and the great thing about this way of asking is that the test and hearing the correct answer are combined — so we don’t need a test debrief at the end, we have already heard all the answers as they have come up.
After the questions we moved on to the demonstration part of the course, with Sigong demonstrating Warm up, Siu Lim Tao, Dan Chi Sau, Seung Chi Sau, and Tsum Kiu, with some interesting questions being asked about how efficient the forms are and whether they could be made any more so! Of course, the ancestors have already done such a good job of packing the forms with wisdom that it would be very difficult to condense them further without breaking something — but if we never think about it, we never see the lifetimes of work which have gone into the forms we do today.
From there however, for me the course took on an immersive twenty techniques focus! Christine and I started working on some techniques in the break before the last session, and my Sifu stepped in, to show us how there were better ways to do most of the things we were coming up with. Before long we had covered ten techniques and it was at that point that I looked up from what we were doing, and saw that everyone else on the course had abandoned their break as well and gathered around to watch! Sigong then added a 20 techniques group to the last polishing session, and we had what I can only describe as a quick seminar!
A common mistake many of us have been making with 20 techniques is describing situations where your partner has made a basic mistake which it is unrealistic to expect from someone who knows what they are doing. Starting your description of a technique with, “If my opponent is pushing” or “if my opponent drops his Tan Sau too low” is not good enough, because what if, in reality, your partner does not do any of those things!
Far better is to be able to describe a situation which comes about because you *made* it happen. Perhaps you are rolling on the outside and you give a little energy to your partner’s bong sau so that they push back against you. *Now* they are pushing, but it is no longer an if — you made it happen. You can then go on to show how you can lap sau the stiff bong sau, or hyun sau and withdraw slightly so that their push draws their hands down and out, or any number of other techniques.
The key observation which we made was that *you* are the Sifu teaching the technique, so you have to be able to show enough mastery of the skill to make it happen. Draw together your understanding of the correct hand, the correct position, the correct energy, the correct gong lik, and the correct timing — and your opponent drops into place exactly where you want them and the technique unfolds like clockwork.
Sigong came at this from the opposite angle the next day when I was fortunate enough to be a partner ‘dummy’ for people who were testing 20 techniques, and I got to see how it is to have your techniques tested by Sigong. Often people were forcing a technique when the energy wasn’t quite coming out how they wanted, and Sigong’s sharp eye picked this out immediately.
At the end of each test, Sigong went through every technique that he had rejected and explained where it went wrong, what would be a better situation, or even what would be a better approach. More than once, he pointed out if you use so much energy yourself to make a technique work, then actually it will not work. Nobody will just stand there whilst you haul their hands around, and using so much energy tips them off straight away to the fact that you are trying to do something. When he showed the right way, for example, to use a double tan sau, it was a complete contrast — from my partner pushing my hands aside with two tan saus, to Sigong having one tan sau already and then just gently rolling into a second one and changing the angle as he rolled, so that I had no idea at all that he was doing it. He was effortlessly completely inside my hands and able to do anything he wanted. “Be sneaky,” he said. “Don’t give away what you are doing”.
I ended up being a dummy for so many people on testing day! From my Sifu doing 24 leg techniques on me, to many 20 techniques and even a Seung chi sau partner! What a great learning experience. It was also amazing to me just how much more clearly my mind could come up with techniques when I wasn’t being tested myself! On my own test, I got to 19 and my mind just went blank — the same behaviour I saw from so many others when I was on the other end. A lot to think about!
The next test after 20 techniques is 10 star footwork, but from watching people test it and listening to them afterwards I can see that there is just so much knowledge in that test that we will have to be very comprehensive and clear to get through it. Already the knowledge from the seminar series we did a few years ago is not enough, as the Wing Chun Notes have added advanced details. For example, the notes have filled out both attacking and defensive applications for techniques such as Teui Mah and Yat Geuk Jong, which I don’t remember any of the groups I was in on the course managing to come up with. I was chatting to Eric in one of the breaks and he mentioned having a student from another Wing Chun school, and how one of the first things he noticed was their lack of footwork. With Sigong formalising the footwork for us all to understand, it is definitely one of the signature benefits of studying with our centre.
I feel like I have written so much already, but for me this instructor course really was an eye opening and totally immersive experience. I got that feeling back from the whole room as well, not just me. Sigong mentioned that the certificates will be moving online so that we can login to the website any time to confirm and check our progress, but if you keep your eyes and ears open on these courses you will progress in so many ways that a certificate alone cannot show. Bit by bit, drop by drop, and carry your improved skill with you in your life and of course in your hands!
Thank-you so much Sigong for a spectacular course — and everyone, keep your eyes on the website for the Wing Chun Weekend coming up in the summer!
Student Comments
Thank you everyone! What an amazing experience. Very much appreciate all the hard work that goes into these seminars, in particular online.
[26/01, 16:29] Wouter Van Zon: Always great to see everyone. The questions are always good and makes us be sharp and clear. The demonstrations, Q&A and polishing also fantastic, it helped a lot. Thinking about Chi Sau the way in how you can make the situations happen will help me a lot to make this better as well. Thank you Sigong, Sifu and everyone who made this weekend possible. Costa
Fantastic course! Time flew, and it’s already time to fly home. It was lovely to see everyone. Thank you to all the organisers and seniors who helped make this weekend happen. Thank you, Sigong, for sharing the skill and most of all for showing us how to cultivate a good heart. Paul Hogg
Thankyou TaiSigong for the Wing Chun instructor course. I feel very lucky to be invited and have learned alot this time. It was great to see everyone and catch up, and to have a special dinner to celebrate TaiSigongs birthday, with a very nice birthday cake. Thanks to everyone involved in setting it up and to TaiSigong for passing on the skill. Rod
An amazing course. We are lucky indeed to be able to learn the skills that Tai-Sigong teaches us. What really resonated was the fact that it’s not about passing forms etc, but more about gaining a deeper understanding and knowledge of the skill; focussing on theory, plus the nuances and intricacies of everything wing chun related. This information is priceless. Thank you 🙏🏽 Tai-Sigong, and all the testers for their wisdom and patience. See you all at the Wing Chun weekend in June ☯️. Eric P
I feel like I have absorbed so much knowledge I have been on two courses — first from the knowledge test on day one, and then from the end of day one to today I feel like I have been on a chi sau techniques masterclass! What a great course. Thanks Sigong! Lee
This had been an absolutely enjoyable and productive weekend, learning about our beloved techniques in incredible detail. I came out of this in person session much more enlightened and comfortable in using and understanding these techniques. Many thanks to sifu for organising this course!!! Leon
Thank you Sigong, Siba and seniors for organising a great weekend instructors course in the company of many Kung fu brothers and sisters polishing our skill and having so much knowledge shared. Sigong and seniors were pointing us to the right direction and it is really up to us to eventually improve our understanding by hard practice and by following the right principles.
Plus a great dinner with so much good food and an amazing birthday cake! Michalis A.
Thank you all for a great 2025 Wing Chun Instructors course. Every year I realise how much there is still to learn. There are not many arts were you can continually improve yourself and your understanding. It is still inspiring to see how everyone is improving and I am thankful to everyone who is involved in organising and running these courses. Lots of self improvement to do before next years. Great course. Thanks Peter W
Thank you Sigong and all organisers and testers for a fantastic Wing Chun Instructors course 2025. We are so lucky to have such a good hearted and sharing Wing Chun family, there’s so much skill, knowledge and fine detail, it’s truly enjoyable to keep working on improving together. Great to see everyone, have a wonderful meal, learn a lot, and of course, touch hands! Sam
Great course again this year! I always walk away with new lessons learned and points for improvement. A big thanks to Sigong, Siba and all the testers! Best, Tom Hogg.
A truly inspiring course. I’ve learnt much and been given new insight and inspiration to keep deepening my knowledge of Wing Chun. Thank you to Tai Sigong, organisers, testers and polishers for all their help. Great to see old friends and meet new faces. Many thanks and best wishes, Allistair Lomax
Thanks to Sigong, Sifu and all the testers for such a great course. After many online sessions it was really good to train together in person, see old friends and go deeper. Lots to take away, practice and reflect on. Looking forward to next time. Matt L
Huge thanks to Sigong, Sifu, the testers and everyone else for all your help, knowledge and kindness over the weekend. I had a great time with you all and have learnt so much more general Wing Chun knowledge as well as specific things to help improve my form and techniques. Now comes the work of putting it all into practice for next year. I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Ashli
Really good instructors course, meeting up with everyone to learn and deepening our knowledge of Wing Chun. Thank you Sigong, Siba and all testers for organising this course. Natasha
Every year at the Wing Chun Instructor Course I enjoy and appreciate all the effort and skill and caring that goes into making this possible for us. It was really great to go through the questions and further understand the Wing Chun skill in all its depths and subtleties. Thank you Sifu, Moy Sihing and all senior brothers and sisters for all your knowledge and skill and for helping us to improve ourselves and our knowledge of this great skill! -Radu
What a great indicator course. My thanks to Sigong, Siba ,Sifu and the testers who made the. Weekend a very memorable experience. Kevin
Really enjoyed the Wing Chun instructor course, meeting up with everyone, learning together and having a very nice meal too, topped up with a fabulous cake! Picked up a lot of knowledge and many things to think about. It is amazing how deep is the Wing Chun skill, and when looking in I can see many more layers that I need to work on. Thank you Sigong, Siba Darryl, Siba Mike and all the seniors for passing on all this knowledge. Christine
Doing the forms now feels different, the level of knowledge and understanding feels different, everything around Wing Chun is clearer. The level of detail to everything from the warm up, to the cake was really good. Thank you, Sifu, and everyone else for another great course. Saulis
I am constantly amazed at the level of skill and depth of knowledge that Sifu, the testers and seniors, and my fellow candidates have. Thank you all for your guidance and pointers. And for another very enjoyable, and also challenging, weekend. Kevin C
Thank you Sifu, seniors, and fellow students for making this year’s Wing Chun Instructors Course possible and a wonderful experience. Although not being able to participate in person, it was still an amazing course to attend. The level of expert knowledge and detail that was presented was profound. From theory, form explanation, application, polishing, everything was clear and precise just like how our Wing Chun should be. This year’s course also reminded me how grateful I am to be a part of this wonderful family, with everyone enjoying their time being together, learning, and cultivating their skills. Many thanks once again for a wonderful experience. Andrew O
Thanks Sigong and everyone that helped with this years Wing Chun instructors course. I would have to say that every year the standard improves – I learnt so much and took away so many great memories. I was part of a small group of us that tuned in online and we were looked after so well by the seniors that we were made to feel like we were there in person. An added bonus was the Siba Darryl Chi Sau camera tour! Again, while we couldn’t join the Chi Sau physically but we could still take it all in. Thanks again for making the whole experience so enjoyable. Tom Rogers