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I. Balance and the Present Moment

As in life, the study of Wing Tsun requires balance. Leung Ting once said at a seminar that there are two ways to lose a fight: being too slow to defend and being too eager to attack.

Whether you are a student or a teacher, you must find this balance. The levels of Wing Tsun laid out in the syllabus are not there to be conquered, but to be lived through. Each stage is as important as the one before or after it. In Wing Tsun, every new technique builds on something learned in your very first classes. Think about the teaching of the five elements — everything connects.

When you practise, do not be distracted by what comes next. Live in the present. Immerse yourself fully in what you are doing, even if you have repeated it thousands of times. The same Tan Sau, the same punch, the same step — even after ten years — can still be refined. Improvement never ends, and sometimes it leads you to unexpected discoveries.

One of my favourite moments in training is finding a teaching within Siu Nim Tao that I had never truly seen before. Those are the real gems.

My mother once asked how I can keep teaching the same material to beginners without getting bored. The short answer is: I never teach anything exactly the same way twice. There is always a better explanation, a clearer example, a deeper understanding.

Use your time wisely. Train with speed and intent, but think, feel, and constantly search for what you are not satisfied with — then solve it. Always go back. Always look deeper.

The best attitude is that of a student who wants to be the best Grade 1 in the world. There is nothing more embarrassing than a high-level student who does not fully understand their own grade. Trust me — I have been there.

Time is relative. If you rush, it flies past you. Enjoy the journey and do not obsess about the destination. Progress cannot be forced; it unfolds naturally when you allow it. When mind and body move at the same pace, clarity appears.

As teachers, we know where you are in your development. We know when to push and when to slow you down. Wing Tsun is not easy to understand. It takes years — often decades — of patient learning and listening.