AVTKF ADVANTAGE

Many may wonder, "What is the advantage of learning martial arts at the Academy of Ving Tsun over other karate, kung fu, or Tae Kwon Do... etc. schools?"  To help you with your understanding of what sets us apart from many of the other schools and chains of schools, please read the information below.

Many other schools relie on boasting how big and beautiful their school is, how many mats or technological "advantages" they have, or how many "blackbelts" they have on the floor.  The truth is that all of that is just marketing.  What should be the primary concern of the student is the quality of the program and the martial art that they are going to engage in the study of.  If that is what you are most interested in, then I invite you to come visit our school.  If you are interested in all of the "things" that take the focus off of the instruction, learning and system of martial art, then please go somewhere else. 

Style might be an illusion, but the system taught is not.  Do not be fooled by those who insist all martial arts are the same.   

1.  We teach you real Ving Tsun (often spelled wing chun) kung fu from a distinguished and traceable lineage.

We are the ONLY Yip Man (Bruce Lee's only formal teacher) Ving Tsun school in the greater Pittsburgh Area.  There is not another Ving Tsun school for several hundred miles from here.

2. You or your family members will learn directly from our chief instructor and owner, Sifu Dale Steigerwald, not some "Assistant."

Many schools allow unqualified instructors to run their classes in their place.  This does not happen at the Academy of Ving Tsun Kung Fu.  With the rare exception that Sifu Steigerwald is not able to run the class and the student leadership led night (Monday adult class only), from the youngest to the oldest student, all learn their Kung Fu under the DIRECT guidance of Sifu Steigerwald.  Many other schools allow children to teach the younger children - this is unacceptable!  This is not done in our school.

3. You will learn real Ving Tsun from day one.

Always ask the owner and head instructor of your chosen martial arts school DIRECTLY what type, style or system of martial art you are learning before becoming a student.  Beware, there are schools that will give the facade of teaching one thing, and yet teach another and justify it by saying, "You have to prove your loyality before you can learn the real stuff."  From our youngest to our oldest students - you learn Ving Tsun.  What varies is the instructional model used to reach the students at their ability levels, with consideration of physical, emotional and intellectual levels.

4.  What you learn on day one is applicable on day 100, day 1,000, and day 100,000. 

Your time will not be wasted learning a form, only to discard it later to replace it with another form.  What you learn from day one will always be important through out your entire journey.

5.  Ving Tsun is known through out the WORLD for its efficiency, and effectiveness.

Ving Tsun is not a sport.  It is not meant to be a sport.  Discussions of its usefulness in the Octogon or in tournaments is IRRELEVENT.  While we do have a Sanshou team, competition is not the focus of our Ving Tsun.  Ving Tsun is know for its usefulness when it is not watered down by "rules."  If you place rules on Ving Tsun, it is no longer Ving Tsun. 

6.  You will learn from  the same lineage and system of martial arts that Bruce Lee was instructed in.

Yip Man was Bruce Lee's only accepted teacher.  Our lineage is Yip Man's lineage.  Our lineage from Yip Man goes as follows:  Yip Man - Moy Yat - Pete Pajil - Jay Hitchman - Dale Steigerwald - AVTKF students.

7.  You will get to learn the real ving tsun wooden dummy form (muk yan jong).

The Ving Tsun wooden dummy (see picture below),  belongs exclusively to the Ving Tsun system.  Other systems try to incorporate the wooden dummy into their training, but it is most useful as a Ving Tsun training device.  Once you are qualified to do so, you will learn the Ving Tsun wooden dummy form.

8.  You will learn real "Sticking Hands" (AKA chi sao).

Many other martial art schools teach some variety of this.  But be warned, chi sao is a Ving Tsun exercise, and its use is not appropriate in other systems.  You will learn realy chi sao at our academy.

9.  You will have the opportunity to have access to a larger Ving Tsun family and community.

We are an active school, and you will reap the benefit of our activity by being a part of our school and having access to a network of martial artists that is literally worldwide.

10.  You will learn a martial art that does not require strength, size or a high level of natural speed.

Ving Tsun prefers to develop other attributes other such as timing, balance and co-ordination to overcome the attributes listed in bold, thus making it a perfect system for any one regardless of size or strength.

Be sure to check out the VT Blog for more information about the Academy of Ving Tsun and its philosophies.