Shadowhand Wing Chun And Practical Self-Protection

I enjoy being relaxed and informal because I want students to feel welcome and comfortable. We begin working basics and gradually add layers of difficulty or intensity.

I have trained Wing Chun Kung Fu consistently since 2008, and I have taught students since 2011. I am an educator by trade (since 2006), and I am knowledgeable in pedagogy. Currently, I am a Shadowhand Wing Chun instructor under SiFu Robert “Doc” Savage, who is a student of SiFu Duncan Leung (a classmate of the late Bruce Lee and disciple of the late Ip Man).

Outside of Wing Chun, I have trained fighting principles since 2011 under Guru Thomas Lomax. Guru Lomax is an expert of Pencjak Silat under Maha Guru Cliff Stewart (student of the late Maha Guru Paul DeThours and bodyguard of the late Muhammad Ali). Under him, I learned scientific principles of hand-to-hand combat, i.e. the “how” and “why” techniques work.

Normal Wing Chun class is $50 per month currently, and are subject to change.

Private lessons are by appointment and are $50 per lesson.

My Wing Chun teacher in 2011 moved away and asked me if I would lead his class in his absence, stating that we would return periodically to give seminars and assess our progress. I reluctantly agreed and began leading the class. When it became too difficult for him to make it back to Memphis, I got his permission to find a new teacher closer to us.

I found a teacher in Huntsville, AL, and trained under him for three years (2011-2014). He agreed to let me continue teaching my class under the condition that he come to Memphis each year to conduct a seminar and that students would go to Huntsville to be assessed by him. Unfortunately, we had a falling out, and I no longer train under him. I currently train under his SiFu and have been an instructor under him since 2014.

I have worked with a variety of men, women, and children. I typically don’t train children who are much younger than 12 or 13.

Figure out what your goals are as it relates to martial arts. Do you want to learn the whole art, or do you just want some basic skills to call on when confronted with unavoidable violence? Do you want to compete in tournaments?

Having a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish will go a long way in finding a suitable teacher.

When you talk with a potential teacher, ask about his/her qualifications. Ask him/her what his/her life is like outside of martial arts. Try to get a feel for what his/her character is like.

Beware of teachers who only want to drain you of your money. There are many teachers who will sell you a black belt without helping you get the skill.

What are your goals? Do you want a skill set? A black belt? To become more flexible? Are you willing to do what it takes to acquire the skill when it comes to time and money? 

Martial arts is hard work, and you have to train your skills repeatedly over time to improve. Doing one class or seminar is simply ineffective. You have to put in the time to become good enough to be successful under pressure. And remember: “martial” in martial art means “fighting.” There’s bound to be some pain, bumps, bruises, and possibly blood. True skill requires sacrifice! Think about that as you consider the above questions.