SYLLABUS
Training is comprised of five disciplines that promote different knowledge, skill and understanding. Classes also involve a great deal that is not in the syllabus and we hope students develop an interest for much wider study, applying strategies for success to anything they choose.
The syllabus offers an insight into our basic physiology and how it can be refined for martial coordination. There are twelve student grades, each grade requiring three to six months training to basically understand. Details of the next grade are presented to students after success at a grading seminar. These take place every three months. After student grades come the Technician and master levels.
Basic Self Defence
Grades 1-3
Advanced Fighting Skills
Grades 4-8
Weapons
Grades 9-12
Technician Grades – Black & Red
After the student grades come the Technician Grades, there are four Technician or TG Grades. It is within the TG grades that the unarmed Wing Chun System is completed; the Biu Tze and Wooden Dummy training take place and the weapons are introduced. There are two weapons training systems in Wing Chun, the Long Pole and the Knives. All TG exams and grades are conducted and awarded by Sifu Benno Westra.
After the TG grades there are the master grades, of which there are two. Unarmed and Armed Master of Wing Chun. Wing Chun Masters wear Red, again these grades are awarded by Sifu Benno Westra.
Instructor Grades
The instructor grades are independent of the training grades, in addition to knowing the syllabus there must be an understanding of the deeper structure and philosophy that underpins Wing Chun. An instructor must also have undergone an apprenticeship period to ensure that he/she is able to effectively build rapport with students and be able to effectively communicate the syllabus and ideas of Wing Chun to the students.
There are four Instructor levels;
1. Assistant Instructor
2. Instructor
3. Head Instructor
4. Chief Instructor (Sifu).
The Winchester Wing Chun Syllabus is based upon the syllabus taught by Ross Sargent of the Cambridge Kung Fu club. He is a student of Sifu Benno Westra and bases his syllabus on Sifu Benno’s Jing Wu Yong Chun Quan System.