Privacy Policy

Data protection declaration

General Information and Mandatory Information

Appointment of the responsible body

The responsible body for data processing on this website is:

CRCA-Lopez
Mario Lopez Varas
Atroper Street. 56
47226 Duisburg, Germany

The controller alone or together with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g. names, contact data, etc.).

Revocation of your consent to data processing

Some data processing procedures are only possible with your express consent. A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. An informal notification by e-mail is sufficient for the revocation. The legality of the data processing up to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right of appeal to the competent supervisory authority

As the person concerned, you have a right of appeal to the responsible supervisory authority in the event of a breach of data protection law. The responsible supervisory authority with regard to data protection issues is the data protection officer of the federal state in which our company is based. The following link provides a list of data protection officers and their contact details: https://www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/addresses_links-node.html.

Right to data transferability

You have the right to have data which we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfilment of a contract handed over to yourself or to third parties. It is provided in a machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another person responsible, this will only take place if it is technically feasible.

Right to information, correction, blocking, deletion

You have the right to free information about your stored personal data, the origin of the data, its recipients and the purpose of data processing and, if necessary, a right to correction, blocking or deletion of this data at any time within the scope of the applicable legal provisions. In this regard and also for further questions on the subject of personal data, you can contact us at any time via the contact options listed in the imprint.

SSL or TLS encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content that you send to us as the site operator, our website uses SSL or TLS encryption. This means that data that you transmit via this website cannot be read by third parties. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the “https://” address line of your browser and the lock symbol in the browser line.

Server log files

The provider of the website automatically collects and stores information in server log files which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:

Browser type and browser version
Operating system used
referrer URL
Host name of the accessing computer
Time of the server request
IP address

This data is not merged with other data sources. Data processing is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual measures.

Data transfer at conclusion of contract for purchase of goods and dispatch of goods

Personal data will only be transmitted to third parties if necessary for the execution of the contract. Third parties can be, for example, payment service providers or logistics companies. A further transmission of the data will not take place or only if you have expressly consented to it.

The basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual measures.

Registration on this website

You can register on our website to use certain functions. The transmitted data is used exclusively for the purpose of using the respective offer or service. Mandatory information requested during registration must be provided in full. Otherwise we will refuse the registration.

In case of important changes, for example for technical reasons, we will inform you by e-mail. The email will be sent to the address you provided when you registered.

The data entered during registration will be processed on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. An informal notification by e-mail is sufficient for the revocation. The legality of the data processing already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

We store the data collected during registration during the period you are registered on our website. Your data will be deleted if you cancel your registration. Legal retention periods remain unaffected.

contact form

Data transmitted via the contact form, including your contact data, will be stored in order to be able to process your enquiry or to be available for follow-up questions. This data will not be passed on without your consent.

The data entered in the contact form will be processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. An informal notification by e-mail is sufficient for the revocation. The legality of the data processing processes carried out up to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Data transmitted via the contact form will remain with us until you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage or until there is no longer any need for data storage. Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular retention periods – remain unaffected.

Storage period of contributions and comments

Contributions and comments as well as related data, such as IP addresses, are stored. The content remains on our website until it has been completely deleted or had to be deleted for legal reasons.

Contributions and comments are stored on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. An informal notification by e-mail is sufficient for the revocation. The legality of data processing processes already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

newsletter data

To send our newsletter we need an e-mail address from you. A verification of the given e-mail address is necessary and the receipt of the newsletter is to be consented. Additional data is not collected or is voluntary. The data will only be used for sending the newsletter.

The data provided during the newsletter registration will be processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. To cancel your subscription, simply send us an e-mail or unsubscribe via the “unsubscribe” link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing processes already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

Data entered to set up the subscription will be deleted in the event of cancellation. Should these data have been transmitted to us for other purposes and elsewhere, they will remain with us.

YouTube

For integration and display of video content our website uses plugins from YouTube. The video portal is provided by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA.

When a page with an integrated YouTube plugin is opened, a connection to YouTube’s servers is established. This will tell YouTube which of our pages you have visited.

YouTube can associate your surfing behavior directly with your personal profile if you are logged into your YouTube account. You can prevent this by logging out beforehand.

The use of YouTube is in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offers. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO.

Details on the handling of user data can be found in YouTube’s privacy policy at: https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy.

Vimeo

For integration and display of video content our website uses plugins from Vimeo. The video portal is provided by Vimeo Inc. 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011, USA.

When calling a page with an integrated Vimeo plugin, a connection to the Vimeo servers is established. This will tell Vimeo which of our pages you have visited. Vimeo will know your IP address even if you are not logged in to the video portal or do not have an account there. The information collected by Vimeo is transmitted to servers of the video portal in the USA.

Vimeo can assign your surfing behaviour directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out beforehand.

Details on the handling of user data can be found in Vimeo’s data protection declaration at: https://vimeo.com/privacy.

as explained under “Contradiction against data collection”.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies. These are small text files that your web browser stores on your device. Cookies help us to make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure.

Some cookies are “session cookies.” Such cookies are deleted automatically at the end of your browser session. However, other cookies will remain on your device until you delete them yourself. Such cookies help us to recognize you when you return to our website.

You can use a modern web browser to monitor, restrict or prevent the setting of cookies. Many web browsers can be configured so that cookies are automatically deleted when the program is closed. Deactivation of cookies may result in limited functionality of our website.

The setting of cookies, which are necessary for the exercise of electronic communication processes or the provision of certain functions desired by you (e.g. shopping basket), takes place on the basis of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. As the operator of this website, we have a legitimate interest in the storage of cookies for the technically error-free and smooth provision of our services. If other cookies are set (e.g. for analysis functions), these are treated separately in this data protection declaration.

Google Analytics

Our website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. Provider of the web analysis service is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google Analytics uses “cookies.” These are small text files that your web browser stores on your end device and enable an analysis of website usage. Information generated by cookies about your use of our website is transmitted to a Google server and stored there. Server location is usually the USA.

Google Analytics cookies are set on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. As the operator of this website, we have a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise our website and, where applicable, our advertising.

IP anonymization

We use Google Analytics in conjunction with IP anonymization. It ensures that Google shortens your IP address within member states of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area prior to transmission to the USA. There may be exceptional cases in which Google transmits the full IP address to a server in the USA and shortens it there. On our behalf, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to create reports on website activity and to provide us with other services relating to website and Internet use. The IP address transmitted by Google Analytics is not merged with other Google data.

Browser plugin

The setting of cookies by your web browser is preventable. However, some functions of our website may be restricted by this. You may also opt out of the collection of information about your use of the website, including your IP address and subsequent processing by Google. This is possible by downloading and installing the browser plugin available via the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.

Objection to data collection

You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie is set which prevents the collection of your data on future visits to our website: Disable Google Analytics.

Details on how Google Analytics handles user data can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.

Job processing

To fully comply with legal data protection requirements, we have concluded an order processing agreement with Google.

Demographic features on Google Analytics

Our website uses the “demographic features” function of Google Analytics. It can be used to create reports that contain information on the age, gender and interests of site visitors. This data comes from interest-related advertising by Google and from visitor data from third-party providers. It is not possible to assign the data to a specific person. You can deactivate this function at any time. You can do this through the ad settings in your Google Account or by generally prohibiting Google Analytics from collecting your information, as explained in the “Opt-out of data collection” section.

PayPal

Our website allows payment via PayPal. The payment service provider is PayPal (Europe) S.à.r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg.

If you pay with PayPal, the payment data you have entered will be transmitted to PayPal.

Your data will be transmitted to PayPal on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO (consent) and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO (processing to fulfil a contract). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. Data processing operations in the past remain effective in the event of a revocation.

Instant bank transfer with Sofortüberweisung (planned)

Our website allows payment via “Sofortüberweisung.” The provider of the payment service is Sofort GmbH, Theresienhöhe 12, 80339 Munich.

With the help of the “Sofortüberweisung” procedure, we receive a real-time payment confirmation from Sofort GmbH and can immediately begin to meet our liabilities.

When paying by “Sofortüberweisung”, your PIN and TAN are transmitted to Sofort GmbH. The payment provider logs into your online banking account, automatically checks your account balance and makes the transfer. An immediate transaction confirmation follows. Your turnover, the credit limit of your overdraft facility and the existence of other accounts and their balances are also automatically checked after logging in.

In addition to PIN and TAN, the transmission to Sofort GmbH also includes payment data and personal data. Your personal data includes your first and last name, address, telephone number(s), email address, IP address and any other data necessary for payment processing. There is a need for this data transmission in order to establish your identity beyond any doubt and to prevent attempts at fraud.

Your data will be transmitted to Sofort GmbH on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO (consent) and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO (processing to fulfil a contract). A revocation of your already given consent is possible at any time. Data processing operations in the past remain effective in the event of a revocation.

Details of Sofortüberweisung payments can be found at: https://www.sofort.de/datenschutz.html and https://www.klarna.com/sofort/.

Pinterest Plugin

Our website uses functions of the social network Pinterest. The provider is Pinterest Inc. 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-490, USA.

When calling a page with Pinterest functions, your browser establishes a direct connection to the Pinterest servers. Log data is transmitted to Pinterest’s servers. The servers are located in the USA. The log data may allow conclusions to be drawn about your IP address, websites visited, type and settings of the browser, date and time of the request, your use of Pinterest and cookies.

Details can be found in Pinterest’s privacy policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.

Google AdSense

Our website uses Google AdSense. The provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google AdSense serves the integration of advertisements and sets cookies. Cookies are small text files that your web browser stores on your end device to analyze the use of the website. Google AdSense also uses web beacons. Web beacons are invisible graphics that enable an analysis of visitor traffic on our website.

Information generated by cookies and web beacons is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers. Server location is the USA. Google may share this information with third parties. However, Google will not merge your IP address with other data stored by you.

AdSense cookies are stored in accordance with Art. 6 Par. 1 lit. f DSGVO. We as website operators have a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise our website and our advertising.

With a modern web browser you can monitor, restrict and prevent the setting of cookies. Deactivation of cookies may result in limited functionality of our website. By using our website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking

Our website uses Google AdWords. Provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States.

AdWords is an online advertising program. As part of the online advertising program, we work with conversion tracking. After a click on an ad placed by Google, a cookie is set for conversion tracking. Cookies are small text files that your web browser stores on your end device. Google AdWords cookies expire after 30 days and are not used to personally identify users. The cookie enables Google and we to recognize that you clicked on an ad and were redirected to our website.

Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. Cookies are not trackable through AdWords customer websites. Conversion cookies are used to generate conversion statistics for AdWords customers who use conversion tracking. Adwords customers can see how many users clicked on their ad and were redirected to pages with a conversion tracking tag. However, AdWords customers do not receive any information that enables personal identification of users. If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can object to its use. Here, the conversion cookie must be deactivated in the user settings of the browser. Thus no inclusion in the conversion tracking statistics takes place.

Conversion cookies” are stored on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. We as website operators have a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise our website and our advertising.

Details on Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/.

You can use a modern web browser to monitor, restrict or prevent the setting of cookies. Deactivation of cookies may result in limited functionality of our website.

Source: Data Protection configurator of mein-datenschutzbeauftragter.de

Physical Fitness in the CRCA System

Physical Fitness in the CRCA System

A critical element in the CRCA system of Wing Chun is the need for physical fitness. It is an essential part of how we train in all schools of CRCA worldwide. From flexibility, to developing strength, the need for the student to remain physically fit within the art of Wing Chun is an important part in developing one’s power and technique.

Physical Fitness Improves Execution of Technique

As I mentioned in last month’s article, establishing one’s root is the foundation of Wing Chun. Not only is it the keystone in mastering the system of Wing Chun, but it is also a critical part of mastering your body’s response to any self-defense situation. Likewise, physical fitness should be a part of the student’s training in order to master the system of Wing Chun.

Augmenting one’s martial arts training with cardio, strength, and flexibility training only serves to benefit the student through knowledge of one’s own body mechanics and limitations. All three forms of fitness mentioned above improve upon the techniques learned in CRCA and help the student develop and improve their power in performing techniques.

Cardio training, for example, helps a student improve their ability to endure long periods of increased physical stress as a result sparring.  Flexibility improves the student’s ability to perform techniques safely and properly by increasing the student’s bio-mechanical range of motion while also lowering the risk of injury to joints during technique execution. Strength training increases one’s raw power and can further improve one’s ability to root. Thus, physical fitness is not something a student should neglect if he or she is considering martial arts training – especially if within the CRCA family.

Physical Fitness Balances the Body with the Mind

Martial art is more than just theory and mental discipline. There must be practical application alongside it to flourish into something usable within any given combat situation. As such, a student’s body must be as strong as their mind. That is why physical fitness is important in CRCA Wing Chun.

When encountering a self-defense situation, the body undergoes a series of stress responses as a result of the mind’s increased alertness to the potential threat. Having the physical capability to dispatch an assailant helps in the mind’s ability to cope with the stress presented in such a situation. In fact, this is why soldiers in militaries all over the globe train in several forms of physical fitness alongside their technical abilities as warriors. It helps the body respond quickly, effectively, and instinctively to threats.

Furthermore, studies have shown that physical fitness enhances one’s cognitive function, and this can bring balance to one’s martial art discipline. Thus, physical fitness and mental fitness function within a yin and yang relationship that must be developed by the student.

Arms of Iron, Body of Cotton, Head of Glass

While not every Wing Chun School supports the need for a physical fitness program in the training of students, CRCA considers the physical conditioning of a student as just as important as the need for mental discipline. This is why things such as Iron Palm, kettlebell training, flexibility, and cardio are an important piece of what we teach in our lineage of Wing Chun. Indeed, it is considered an essential element in the Wing Chun proverb: Arms of Iron, Body of Cotton, Head of Glass.

 

Author: 

Barry Adamson II

Creative Writer/Editor

Rooting: Building the Foundation from the Ground Up.

In all forms of martial art there is a single principle that unites them: rooting. No matter what martial art you train in, the very first lesson a student learns is the art of rooting. It comes in the form of a basic stance. The body is sunk low, with legs spread to create a wide base, and the feet are heavy on the floor. The stance is trained to help a student develop his or her raw power from the ground up. Thus, rooting is the foundation from which all forms of martial art training flows.

Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma: The Root of Wing Chun

In Wing Chun, the stance that provides us with the root of power is known as Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma. This stance is referred to as our mother stance, for all things Wing Chun are born from this structure.  It provides us with the foundation necessary for simultaneous attack and defense, and gives us a base from which to build our Chi, or power.

That is why Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma is described as the basic, or rooting, stance of the art. It creates the most stable position from which to perform all techniques, including the more advanced footwork of the martial art.

Rooting from the Heels

Unlike many other forms of martial art, CRCA Wing Chun develops its rooting power from the heel of the foot. This may be foreign to many students, especially those trained in other arts, as many sink to the ground through the ball of the foot. However, CRCA Wing Chun anchors the body to the floor through the heel, creating an effective framework for proper development of the body’s bone joint alignment.

How Rooting Creates Unity

When the student first learns Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma, body unity is very much in its infancy. The student will shift in position, and will not be able to remain stable in any of Wing Chun’s dynamic footwork. However, constant training in this position – sinking the body downward with the pelvis tilted forward over the knees and the spine straight – will center one’s gravity, driving the heels into the ground and establishing a root that stabilizes the body in its entirety.

Thus, Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma forms a unified structure from which a student’s strength, speed, and timing are enhanced while never forsaking safety.

Training the Root

Training one’s root will take time and patience. For a student to become skilled in Wing Chun, it is not enough that he or she jump from one technique to the next without proper structure.  Doing so will only create slop; everything has to be perfect, and perfection begins with one’s root. Taking the necessary time to develop the root by constant, intentional practice will lead to a stable foundation and the potential for maximum mastery of the art.

Establishing a Root Through CRCA Wing Chun

All in all, rooting is an essential part of all martial art. Without it, the body remains disconnected and unable to generate the forces necessary to develop its maximum potential. CRCA Wing Chun creates unity through Yee Jee Keem Yeung Ma – a stance that develops a student’s strength, speed, and timing, while promoting the safety of a stable structure.

If you are interested in learning more about CRCA Wing Chun, please contact one of our instructors in your local area. We have instructors available throughout the globe who are willing to help you build a solid foundation for martial art training, no matter if you are a beginner, a novice, or a skilled expert.

 

Author: 

Barry Adamson II

Creative Writer/Editor

Sifu Mario Lopez

Mario Lopez est né en 1964, année du Dragon. Fils de parents espagnols vivant en Allemagne, c’était un enfant très actif.

Pendant les années 1970, la vie de Mario fut bouleversée à jamais après qu’il ait découvert le célèbre acteur Bruce Lee, la légende des Arts Martiaux. Comme beaucoup de personnes à ce moment-là, Mario voulu consacrer sa vie à l’art du Jeet Kune Do (JKD) de Bruce Lee, cependant il n’existait aucune école de Jeet Kune Do en Allemagne, mais ceci ne dissuada pas Mario et il entreprit de chercher un endroit où commencer à recevoir une formation. Dans sa recherche, Mario apprit que les techniques principales de Jeet Kune Do venaient de l’art du Wing Chun. Le 8 avril 1980, Mario commença sa première leçon de Wing Chun et dit: “un jour, j’enseignerai le Wing Chun.”

En septembre 1995, cinq mois après avoir rencontré Seef Randy Williams, Mario ouvrit sa première école. Elle était minuscule, à peine 35 m2, mais ce n’était que le début de son rêve et il pouvait commencer à enseigner le Wing Chun. Au fil des ans, et afin de poursuivre ce rêve, Mario dû changer d’emplacement. Sa population étudiante avait augmenté et sa salle de classe était trop petite et c’est en 1999 que son rêve d’enseigner le Wing Chun à temps plein se réalisa. Aujourd’hui, Mario est le chef Sifu d’une Académie d’Arts Martiaux de 470 m2 à Duisburg en Allemagne et il est le premier élève à avoir atteint l’objectif de compléter le système du Wing Chun CRCA.

 

Classement de Mario pour CRCA Wing Chun :

  • Ceinture Jaune, 1997 (Allemagne)
  • Ceinture Rouge, 1998 (Allemagne)
  • Ceinture Verte, 2007 (Royaume-Uni)
  • Ceinture Marron, 2009 (Allemagne)
  • Ceinture Noire I, 2010 (Roumanie)
  • Ceinture Noire II, 2011 (Roumanie)
  • Ceinture Noire III, 2012 (Mexique)

Après que Mario ait complété le test final de son troisième degré de la ceinture noire du Wing Chun CRCA, Seef a fait une annonce dans toute l’organisation CRCA: “Mario est le premier.” Son engagement et l’achèvement de l’instruction CRCA avait fait de Mario le seul étudiant admissible à succéder a Seef à la tête du CRCA. Le 21 février 2016, Seef Randy Williams donna à Mario son anneau de jade, symbolisant le transfert de direction et dit: “Que la force t’accompagne. Le CRCA est maintenant à toi.”

La vision et la mission de Mario est de faire grandir l’Académie Close Range entant qu’organisation constituée d’une équipe de personnes dédiées à son expansion et sa promotion. L’objectif est également de rendre l’école CRCA plus accessible.

Dans cette optique, Mario à entrepris d’utiliser les technologies d’aujourd’hui :  Facebook, pour communiquer avec les instructeurs du CRCA partout dans le monde, la création d’une chaîne YouTube afin que les membres-étudiants puissent pratiquer à la maison et l’ouverture d’une page officielle Facebook pour informer les membres du CRCA et leurs amis.

Le CRCA a maintenant un site Web officiel, accessible dans six langues, où chaque École CRCA, chaque membre, chaque Barn Member et chaque étudiant privé peut accéder à des documents d’étude et des clips vidéo pour leur formation. Mario a également développé une norme de test universelle pour tous les instructeurs, que vous pouvez trouver sous l’en-tête « Classement ».

Sifu Mario Lopez se consacre à la promotion de chaque école du CRCA dans le monde entier.

Pour toute question ou préoccupations, merci de contacter Mario: mario@crcawingchun.com

 

Sparring

Sparring is not a fight. It is the link between drills and actual combat . You can’t go from drills, collaborative and predictable, to free application with an opponent completely uncooperative. You will find yourself in a field that you do not know, here comes the strikes (and heavy) and for the fear to take too many strikes, you try to do your best, but all you can do is some uncoordinated movements. The free fight you have to get step by step. You have to gradually work out with less cooperative drills, in which you don’t train not train the technique itself anymore, but its application in terms of distance, timing and stress applied to the opponent. Sparring so becomes no a test, a fight, but a real study in which you get more and more familiar with a real opponent. Being one study, stress is controlled and adjusted, from time to time, on the single session

The study of sparring sessions are meant to learn to handle the opponent and combat stress. In this way, the practitioner learns to get rid of the drill and to implement them in a free context.   There are different types of sparring, and for each of them there are the right protections to wear.

Protections are very important when you really hit someone in training! To not become “slave” of protections, simply vary them, and sometimes spar in bare hands without touching hard your opponent. Sparring can be conditioned (situational sparring) or free (all-out sparring). In the conditional arising of the initial rules to which the two athletes have to follow. It can be trained, in a laboratory condition, strategies, distances and techniques. In free sparring you can use the entire technical and strategic fighting strategy of Wing Chun.   Conditional sparring is divided into: live drill, distances, strategies. The common factors to all groups are: – The speed and heaviness of the strikes is predetermined and protections are calibrated on them; – The opponent is never cooperative, so that even in conditioned sparring he has to do whatever he can to evade your technique. Protections depend on the type of sparring that you want to train. Always: shin guard, shell and mouthguard. The hand protections may be: 1) Mma gloves; 2) Gloves with open fingers but with extra protection of the knuckles; 3) Gloves from 10 to 16 ounces. If the particularly intense sparring, add an helmet. Let us now see in detail the groups of conditioned sparring. Live drill Studying Wing Chun you will learn a lot of drills. Each drill, from the simplest to the most complex, can be applied in a “live” environment with an opponent who does not cooperate. Pre-drill stage At this first stage the practitioner become more familiar with the attacks and simple defenses. For simple defenses now I mean coverings and dodges. For me is important to start with covering and dodges, because they come from instinctive movements, and when you find yourself unable to use “superior techniques” against your opponent, and stress become to get high, instinct will grow and you will find yourself to put your head inside your arms (covering) or going away from the strikes (dodging). So it is better to learn how to cover and dodge properly.

Someone tells me that Wing Chun doesn’t have covers and specially dodges (Wing Chun trains to get contact with the opponent).

I think that this is not always true. Yes, of course touching your opponent can increase your chances, but Wing Chun says also to “not collide with a strong arm bridge and to avoid it”. So, sometimes contact is not useful. More, every step in Wing Chun finish with the word “Ma” (Toh Ma, Syeung Ma, Seep Ma…), but two of them are called Loy Seen Wai and Ngoy Seen Wai and not Loy Seen Way “Ma” and Ngoy Seen Way “Ma”.

That is because Loy Seen Way and Ngoy Seen Way, to me, are more a relation to the opponent than simple steps. This means that I can assume that relation even without as real step but with a chest movement (dodge).

In effect we see a real dodge in the Chum Sun movement of the Biu Jee form.

So, in Wing Chun we can dodge when it is useful and/or another better technique can’t be applied,

At this level, sparring is single attack (arm or leg) and simple defense in covering or dodge. This will be the foundation on which everything else will be grafted. An example of Drill: Straight punch drill Purpose: Intercept opponent straight punches with Yang techniques (pock, jom, gum, etc.). Base training of trapping. Fotwork applied: in the basic drill only Choh Ma What happens to the center line: Does not change. The advantage of the center line is acquired through the Yang technique Partner A actions: Performs continuous direct punches, with rotation. Partner B actions: Performs Yang techniques with rotatiion to intercept (and deflect) the opponent’s punches. Live drill (A) The two practitioners are in free guard and in a fighting distance. The footwork is free. Fists are thrown to target. Partner A actions: Closes the distance and performs one or more straight punches. Partner B actions: Tries to apply the drill as many as many time as possible. If he fails to apply the drill, he can “go down” in the basic defense (dodges and covers). Live drill (B) The two practitioners are free guard and at fighting distance. The footwork is free. are thrown to target. Partner A actions: He closes the distance and throws one or more punches of any kind. Advanced practitioners  you can add leg techniques Partner B actions: He can attack too, but in defense he tries to apply the drill as many time as possible. If he fails to apply the drill, or to defend techniques other than straight punches, he can use the basic defenses (dodges and covers). This training structure can be applied to any drill. distance training Here we begin to go beyond from the “drill” concept “,and train a predetermined scenario. To do that practitioners can use all the drills in their knowledge. Exercise of the distances I mean dedicated sessions and fixed at a specific distance. By distance training I mean sessions at a specific distance: kicks, punches and chee sau, grappling, ground. That will teach a practitioner what happens at a particular distance. What are the strengths and what the weaknesses of that distance. Advanced practitioners will perform sessions of transitions from one distance to another (example from kick distance to chee sau, from punches to ground, from kicks to ground, etc…) Strategies training (A) Here we put together the previous works. We give a role to practitioners and we give them a particular strategy while the other guy tries to avoid it. Some examples: – Training of distances: here I mean trying to acquire a certain distance against someone who does not cooperate (eg. Close to someone who wants to keep long) – Try to apply trapping; – Try to press the opponent and get to use chee sau; – Etc.

 

Strategies training (B) – advanced strategies

Many people say that in Wing Chun we train instinct and that we don’t have proper fighting strategies as fighting sport have.

That is true, of course. Wing Chun theories, drills and main strategies are made to train our instinct so we can use proper techniques when we are assaulted from someone or when we are under stress.

But, if we want to be complete, in the kinds of fighting we have to include the “duel”.

By duel I mean, for example, the situation where the bad guy says us:”Hey, come outside and lets fight”.

It is not a sudden assault. It is a situation where you know you are going to fight.

And I don’t mean a sport fight. I mean a real street fight, with the only difference that you know you are going to fight.

Now you have two choices: you can still use instinct, or you can use a strategy suited for your opponent.

After all it is not true that Wing Chun does not use fighting strategies. For example the proverbs:

– Do not collide with a strong arm bridge, but avoid it and be the first to attack

– Do not collide with a strong opponent, but if the opponent is weak, use direct front assault

– Fast charging and thrusting attacks are well suited for “closing the gap.”

are examples that can be referred to strategies to apply after studying the opponent.

And we know that at high levels ” the application of techniques will vary according to the opponent”, that can be intended that sometime we can study our opponent, think a specific strategy for and use it against him.

Lot of times students have told me:”I don’t know what to do when I’m in front of my opponent”.

It is like playing chess: you can play just knowing the movements of the pieces and simply reacting to the opponent moves, or you can use some strategies as the better player do.

I divide this training strategies in two categories:

1- I take initiative;

2- Opponent takes initiative.

 

I take initiative.

I see the posture of my opponent, his movements and how he reacts to my attacks. Depending on these factor I build the right strategy.

I look for as bad guard position, if he exposes some targets, and if he does some mistakes in footwork.

If he doesn’t have this problem I see how he reacts to my movements.

 

He takes initiative

I see how he attacks and he exposes some targets in doing this.

For example if he throws only single attacks, if he has fixed patterns, if he attacks “assaulting” me and so on.

 

All these elements give me keys to build the right strategy for him and “aaccording me to him”,

 

(Text by Vito Armenise)

The progressive strategy

There can be the time when a student comes and says that Wing Chun doesn’t work because he tried to fight and he wasn’t able to apply with efficiency the “Wing Chun” strategy.

When you ask him what he tried to do, quite always he says:”Well, of course I tried to close the gap and fight from contact with his arms”.

It comes from the one of the 17 musts “trapping must be continuous”.

Of course it is right, because “trapping” is a situation (not only  a technique) where we can hit him and he can’t hit us.

To gain a trapping situation, contact is useful, because at least 2 proverbs say: “Touching the oppoment’s arm bridge improves the situation” and “by sticking and controlling the opponent, the chances of losing are reduced”.

But when we try to apply it in a non cooperative environment, free sparring or real  fight, with someone who is really good in fighting (expecially if he doesn’t do Wing Chun), we find that it is not so easy to close the gap, create a bridge and fight with a continuous trapping.

To improve this, it is better to split the “strategy” into progressive steps:

1) Only Yang techniques;

2) Complex attacks;

3) Complex sequences;

4) Close the gap and contiunous trapping.

 

Only Yang techniques

Here we apply the proverb:”If there is a bridge, counter it by parrying”.

Yang techniques are simple and fast and also the fastest way to gain centerline advantage.

Against someone who is really fast to close, hit and regain  distance, they can be used with efficiency.

When we are good in applying Yang techniques, we can go up a step.

 

Complex attacks

Now we react with complex techniques (Yin and Yang together)  to every opponent attack.

One attack, one single complex technique.

When we are good in this, we can go up step.

 

Complex sequences

Now things gets interesting. We do not do a single response to the opponent attack, but we try to link several moves with trapping principle inside.

We can use principle and techniques coming from “slow attacks” and “attack cycles”.

Now, for every attack, we try to use a combination of techniques (with trapping principle) that comes, for example, from the drill I mentioned (but other can be used).

When we are good in this, we can go up the final step.

 

Continuous trapping

Now we know how to stop an attack with Yang techniques, complex attacks, and link them in little trapping sequenses, agains a non cooperative opponent.

Now we are ready to continue the trapping sequence and use the “trapping must be continuous” principle.

Now we are ready to do it, because we know how to apply every element of the strategy.

Now we are ready to close the gap, create a bridge and continuous trap the opponent to his defeat.

 

 

Wing Chun split into Elements

Wing Chun is a big pool. How much water can you take, however, it is up to you. This is a good sentence indicating that the elements that make Wing Chun are many and which must amalgamate, so that each element is part of the whole and the whole is formed by the contribution of each element.
For analysis purpose, however, it is better  to examine the various elements individually and use a new structure: the pyramid.
The pyramid that I take into consideration is inspired by the Rooney’s and adapted by me to Wing Chun.

Here it is:

 

Pyramide

Why a pyramid structure? Because, as in a normal building, you have to start from the bottom by building one floor at a time and the lowest level must be so strong as to support the plans that are above.
Let’s see them one by one.


The base
Like any base, also the one our  pyramid must be solid. The more solid is the basis, the more stable will be the entire structure.
At the base we find different elements, some physical, some mental, some concerning the behavior.

Motivations  are the things that prompted us to begin the practice of Wing Chun. Everyone will have their own. Motivations are essential for understanding our goals and ensure that the training will  meet those goals. Note that “finish the system” to me is not a goal but an instrument, or an intermediate step to achieve a goal. It is like trying to learn to drive a car to keep it in the garage and drive  occasionally round the block.

Finish the system is a natural condition for anyone who begins the training.

Mental strength is what we need to bear the training. It can be a mental strength to withstand the fatigue (or pain) of the training or even the patience, very important in Wing Chun.

Motivations and mental strength combined, create the “reliability” of the practitioner in training.

For “reliability” I mean constant attendance at training sessions and commitment during the sessions.

We then go to purely physical / athletic attributes: coordination, flexibility, balance, strength, speed, power and endurance.

Injury prevention.

Here the responsibility is split between teacher and student.
For injury prevention I mean:
1) The achievement of awareness, and evaluation ability, of the point and the limits of physical ability in terms of strength, balance, flexibility and strength so the practiotioner doesn’t exceed and hurt himself;
2) Alternate adequately activity and rest/recovery period;
3) Use the appropriate kind of training  to your own physical and technical level;
4) Always use the proper equipment for the activity you’re doing;
5) Always keep the mind focused on what you are doing.

Diet

Wing Chun tell  us how and what should we eat? Of course not. What is meant here is that adequate food has a dual beneficial effect:
1) It improves our body and our health. It is said that we are what we eat;
2) Following a diet assumes that we adjust our  behavior to rules. It a behavioral training, an attitude that will be useful during practice.

But this means that the Wing Chun practitioner can never “go out of the rules”? Of course not. Let us remember that as a good Buddhist style, there is always the middle way. The ability to set and see if we are in the way to the goal is the real goal.

Technical specifications

Here we are in the real technical training.
At this level are covered:
1) All single techniques with the arms and legs;
2) The forms;
3) All the drills and all the patterns.

Impact training

The knowledge of all of the techniques and drills is not useful if at the first impact the wrist, the fist or any other part of the body that is hitting, will break.

That’s why at the upper floor there is the impact training.
This can be done:
– At the heavy bag;
– Using  shields, pao, focus glove…;
– Training  the Iron Palm sequence, or “conditioning” the various parts subject to impact.

Even if it is not the most important kind of training, even the wooden dummy can be used as impact training for  conditioning arms and legs.

Sparring

The next level is the practical application of techniques in a free environment.

Principles and strategies and/or “stress inoculation”
On this level, I put two very different elements together. I did it because they could be the crossroad that leads the practitioner to take one way rather than the other, emphasizing one of these elements.

Principles
Up to this point the practitioner has trained his body and the practical application of Wing Chun. He is now ready to understand the rules from which come techniques and drills. He is ready to understand the principles of Wing Chun.

his will allow him to break free from the chains of the drills. It will allow him to have personal applications that still will respond to the system principles.

Finally he stops being a robot and Wing Chun will become like a dress that will suit perfectly him.

By understanding the principles, the practitioner will also realize the various strategies in Wing Chun, which will enable him to adapt the fight to his opponents and not try to fit all the fights to a single strategy.

Stress inoculation

Many people learn Wing Chun for self-defense.
Wing Chun, as a tool to deal with other human being, can certainly also be used in for self defense.

There is a little problem, that sometimes is forgotten, until someone unfortunately is involved in that kind of event: an aggression, a “street fight” creates a high stress. Stress drives our body and our mind in a way completely different from how they work in the gym.

The greater the stress, the greater the psychophysical changes: adrenaline shot into the circulation changes functioning of the muscles, heart beats increases and the mind gradually decreases the ability to do “fine” movements.
The nice thing is that the amount of stress is personal, it depends on the individual evaluation of the danger.

It means that the same event can be traumatic for someone and a walk in the park for another one.

Training for years and not be able to fight when we need, could be  more traumatic than the event itself.

It ‘my opinion that those who approach Wing Chun for self defense should become familiar with the effects of stress on their body and their  mind.

But there is a little problem: the stress of a real fight  cannot be reproduced in the gym!

What can be done then?
Two things:
1) Train and repeat to exhaustion the correct techniques;
2) “Get vaccinated” to stress.

Let’s start from the first thing: repeat techniques and sequences.

This is one of the things that nowadays are criticized in Wing Chun. Why do I have to repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat …?

It is seen as something archaic and based on an outdated education system.

Instead the repetition has its own beneficial effect during stress: in a fight with a very high stress factor, you will not elevate yourself to the level of the comparison, but you will go down  the level of training.

It means that when things get really serious and you perceive a real danger, the mind and the physical adapts to it. If the danger felt  is really high, we take what we might call the “automatic pilot”.

If you have witnessed or have heard stories of people after a fight and they said they did not remember what they had done, you have an idea of the “automatic pilot”.

The good news is that the “automatic pilot” does it all on its own, even though we have retreated in the most protected corner of our mind to pray. The bad news is that the automatic pilot takes resources from instinct and instinct is  only built  by repetition of gestures.

If repetition is correct, the “autopilot” will act properly, otherwise it will do exactly the mistakes done in training.

“Get vaccinated to stress”

As we have seen, fighting is stress, and stress creates physical and psychological changes.

These changes are good until a certain point: the body prepares itself to do  2 of the 4 “F” – fight or flight.

These changes are good. Up a certain point, however, they start to work against us.

What can be done then?

We use the fact that the level of stress depends on our perception. If we change the perception, we will also change the level of stress.

To do this is a little as with vaccinations: we  put a pathogen element in a controlled manner so the body  can  recognize and fight it.

With stress is done exactly the same way. There are methods called “stress inoculation” that do just that: introduce stressors in a controlled manner, in order to raise awareness and   the practitioner becomes familiar with the new state.
The top: the mental training

Here we come to the last element, the top floor of our pyramid.

The top is dedicated to the mind.

We usually tend to think that performance depends only on potential of  physical and technical-tactical level.

Actually not. If we write the formula of performance, this would be:

Performance = potential + – convictions.

In performance,  beliefs that we have  play a big role.

Negative beliefs   subtract points to the performance:
Performance = potential – limiting beliefs
Positive beliefs are add  points to the performance:
Performance = potential + empowering beliefs
Since we can not turn off our minds and therefore our beliefs (except in case of “automatic pilot”), we should work in order to have empowering beliefs, increasing the level of our performances, rather than seeing it collapsing under the our limiting.
As  Ford said: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right”.

Mental training focuses on this: how to make sure that our mind plays with us by adding quality to what the body is able to do.

Check up your Wing Chun

Check up your Wing Chun
Sometimes you work out so much and  yet you don’t  see improvements. You feel stuck.

Or it happens  to train for a long time and  realize you’re not able to apply in a particular context  what you  have learned.
When one or both of these things happen, you feel downhearted.

You wonder why you can’t apply it and sometimes you end up blaming Wing Chun considering  ineffective, when the problem has  to be found somewhere else.
What I am about to present is a simple evaluation system, or self-assessment, taken from “Coaching”.
Before we begin, two clarifications:
1) Wing Chun is effective, but it is not the “cure for all our ills”. If it doesn’t work well how another system does, probably you are pulling it  in an environment in which another system is more specialized. Then, perhaps, the problem lies in the alignment between your objectives and instruments;
2)  Wing Chun does not make you unbeatable. You will always find a better fighter. If you lose the match, however, maybe is not  because you train Wing Chun.
The tool that we use for the assessment of  is the wheel into wedges.

 

 

wheel_into_wedges

 

A small description of the various segments:
1) athletic training: coordination, flexibility, balance, strength, speed, power, endurance…;
2) Technical Quality: As the name says, the quality of technical movements,  from the single technique, to the drill , to the more complex sequence;
3) impact Quality: The level  of conditioning of arms and legs from  by the Iron palm training, and  the ability to impact with power and precision on various pads/bags;
4) Sparring: The ability to apply drills in a non cooperative context.;
5) Combat Strategy: The ability to change fighting strategy to adapt it to the kind  of opponent and kind of fighting;
6) Stress Management: The ability to remain focused under pressure;
7) Motivations / beliefs: The reasons that led you to practice Wing Chun and beliefs on Wing Chun and about yourself;
8) System Knowledge: Knowledge of the principles and strategies of Wing Chun.
Now, for the analysis, just give a score from 1 to 100 for each sector and the paint   the corresponding wheel sector according to  this value. If in an area you feel perfectly satisfied, give 100 and paint the entire sector . Analyze the next sector and so on  until the entire wheel is covered.
When you finish, look at the entire wheel..
Example:
A Wing Chun practitioner has an excellent technical quality, he is good in drills in an uncooperative environment, he has an excellent knowledge of the system, it is motivated and with a great confidence in himself.
A great practitioner, right?
Still, let’s assume that he is not able to fight well and he begins  to think Wing Chun doesn’t work. Where the problem may lie?
If we analyze all sectors, we may see that he lacks  in athletic training (he’s not able to hit with power), he  lacks of  impact quality (his hands and shins are not conditioned), when he  is under pressure he panics and fails in applying techniques and his  strategy, even if is good , is not  good enough to adapt him to the opponent or to the kind of fight.

So, with a better analysis, we find that what we considered a good practitioner, is not so good, and we have found where he lacks and what he as to train more.

We also prove him that it is his fault and not Wing Chun fault.
The model we are examining is called the wheel because it should be able to roll. The first analysis to do so is the entire model.
Always ask yourself If this were a real wheel, would you  put it to on your car?

When everything is good, this is what you should have: A harmonic wheel.

CrossFit

What is Crossfit?

CrossFit is a regime of fitness developed by Greg Glassman over several decades. Glassman, founder and CEO of CrossFit, was the first person in history to redefine fitness, in a measured and sensible manner with the increase in performance through vast beaches of work varied and timed. He then created a program specifically designed to improve fitness and health.

CrossFit is a variety of exercises carried out at relatively high intensity. All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements, and these movements reflect the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing, and others.

These are the basic movements of everyday life. The crossfitters can move heavy loads over long distances, this are so movements perfect for maximizing the amount of work performed within a time course.

The intensity is essential for results that are then measured and divided by time or power.

More working time courses, greater will be the output power and more intense effort.

It is using an approach constantly varied exercises, functional movements and intensity you will get spectacular gains on your fitness.

That sense of community that develops spontaneously when people do the workouts together is a key component of the effectiveness of CrossFit. This community to gave birth today to a global network of over 11,000 affiliates.

Cultivate the natural camaraderie, the spirit of competition and the pleasure of sport gives an intensity that cannot be matched otherwise.

The CrossFit program is driven by statistics.

The use of whiteboards as dashboards, recording the results and records, the creation of specific issues, the timing of each activity, and then redefining clarifies rules and performance goals. It does not motivate only for the following results but also for the objective and analysis on statistics for each workout.

Overall, the CrossFit to designed a general fitness, supported by measurable, observable and reproducible results.

The program prepares students for any eventuality, not only physical, for the unknown, but for the unpredictable also.

Crossfit and Wing Chun: “by Carlos Sousa – CRCA-PORTO (Portugal) an active member”

I practice Crossfit for over 4 years now and in my case, it helped me a lot to improve my Wing Chun. The idea of Wing Chun is to pull, push, hit, run away from the opponent, to the opponent, be fast in our movements such as blocking and attacks and maintain its balance at any moment.

Control of the body is not only possible through the formation of Wing Chun, but for this it is necessary to improve our control to apply it against an opponent.

Wing Chun demonstrates how to use the strength of the opponent and hit back through his power. But do you think that all these concepts can be improved with training of power, cardiovascular, body control, etc…?

Over the years, I do a search on the street fights and competitions and I realized that in 90% of defeats combatants who lose, are out of breath and start to be very tired just before losing the fight. It is therefore of great importance for us (amateur martial arts) try to stay fresh as long as possible during a fight.

It is very difficult to plan an offensive tactic or to block the attack of an opponent if we are very tired or short of breath, this is why that I integrated into my training exercises to stay sharp as long as possible.

The type of training that I am stirring Crossfit and Wing Chun is based on these keys I’m talking about above. Here is an example of training to simplify your understanding:

To begin with, I am doing a normal warmup as everyone knows to do. Rotations of the arms, legs and the rest of the body with light stretching copying the movements of the body that I’ll use later under stress and effort, and then I do 1 km run or 5 minutes of jump rope.

Once the warm-up finished, I chained the following sequences to fatigue me: (based on the Crossfit program)

AMRAP 20′ (AMRAP means “as many series as possible in 20 minutes)

5 pull-ups

10 push ups

15 squats

Always try to give the best of yourself and always follow your results; in this case, your serial numbers. This way you can see your performance to improve day by day.

In the end, without rest, with a partner, I perform a blocking Tan Sau, and with another I give 5 demonstrations blocking Tan Sau against a Jab. Two blows, kicks, as in an attack then the ground fighting. I try to do this very quickly to try to end up tired and out of breath.

If I’m alone, I write on paper exercises, this has the same effect as creating a tactic when you are fatigued.

When I finished situations I choose a fresh partner and made 2 sets of 3 minutes of training of shots using only Wing Chun techniques.

On the first series I leave the opponent hit me punching or kicking in a free way using only complex attacks and attacks.

For the second series I freely use all the techniques of Wing Chun.

If I don’t have a partner, I use the Dummy, punch bag and double PEAR attached representing the opponent.

Remember the example here we give to aims to show how I associate the Crossfit and Wing Chun.

In the future, I will only give advice to the CrossFit workouts.

Assume you all know how Wing Chun works and how you can associate it with the CrossFit (if you have more questions about Wing Chun you can always contact Sifu Mario Lopez.)

ACRONYMS / abbreviations which will be needed.

AMRAP – as many rounds as possible

BP – benchpress

BS – back squat

BW – bodyweight

C & J – clean and jerk

DL – deadlift

DB – dumbells

FS – front squat

HPC – hng clean power

HS – handstand

HSPU – handstand push ups

KB – kettlebell

K2E – Knees to elbows

MU – muscle up

OH – overhead

OHS – overhead squat

PC – power clean

PJ – push jerk

PP – push press

PU – pull up

REPS – rehearsals

RM – repetition maximum

SDHP – sumo deadlift high pull

SJ – split jerk

TABATA – 8 round of 20 second workout and 10 seconds rest

T2B – toes to bar

WOD – workout of the day

For future workouts if you see a few abbreviations that you don’t know, go back to this list.

Sifu Mario Lopez

In the year of the Dragon, 1964, Mario Lopez was born. He was the son of Spanish parents living in Germany, and he was a very active child.

During the 1970’s, Mario’s life was changed forever after learning about the famous actor and martial arts legend, Bruce Lee. Like many people at that time, Mario wanted to dedicate his life to learning Bruce Lee’s art of Jeet Kune Do (JKD), however there were no schools where Mario could learn as the art was still very much in its infancy. Schools able to teach it, in fact, did not exist in Germany, but this did not deter Mario from searching for a place to begin training. Through his dedication to find a school, Mario learned that Jeet Kune Do’s main techniques came of the art of Wing Chun. On April 8, 1980, Mario began his first lesson in Wing Chun and it was there that Mario said, “One day, I’m going to be a Wing Chun teacher.”

In September of 1995, Mario’s first school opened five months after meeting Seef Randy Williams. It was a tiny school (only 35 square meters), but it was the beginning of his dream to teach Wing Chun on a fulltime basis. Over the years, Mario’s dedication to this dream led him to change locations. As his student population grew, so too did his classroom, and in 1999 his dream to teach Wing Chun fulltime finally came to pass. Today, Mario is now the chief Sifu of a 470 square meter Martial Arts Academy in Duisburg, Germany and he is the first student of CRCA to complete the Wing Chun system.

Mario’s Ranking Career in CRCA Wing Chun:

  • Yellow Belt, 1997 (Germany)
  • Red Belt, 1998 (Germany)
  • Green Belt, 2007 (UK)
  • Brown Belt, 2009 (Germany)
  • Black Belt I, 2010 (Romania)
  • Black Belt II, 2011 (Romania)
  • Black Belt III, 2012 (Mexico)

After Mario completed the final test for his third degree black belt in CRCA Wing Chun, Seef made an announcement throughout the CRCA organization: “Mario is the first in line.” The announcement declared that Mario’s dedication, commitment, and completion of CRCA instruction made him the only student eligible to succeed the Seef as the head of CRCA. On February 21, 2016, Seef Randy Williams gave Mario his jade ring, symbolizing the transfer in leadership of CRCA to Mario, saying “May the force be with you. CRCA is now yours.”

Mario’s vision and mission is to let Close Range Combat Academy grow up as an organization with a team of individuals dedicated to expanding the school’s influence, visibility, and access.

Already, Mario has increased these efforts thanks to today’s technology, using Facebook to communicate with CRCA Instructors all over the world, creating a YouTube channel so that member-students can practice at home, and opening an official Facebook page to inform CRCA members and friends about CRCA news.

As you can see, CRCA now has an official website, accessible in six different languages, where every CRCA School, member, Barn Member, and private student can access instruction documents and video clips for their training. Mario has also developed a universal testing standard for all instructors, which you can find under the header: Ranking.

Sifu Mario Lopez is dedicated to promoting every single CRCA school around the world.

If there is something you like with regards to CRCA, please let us know. For question and/or concerns, please contact Mario: mario@crcawingchun.com

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