Sparring is Meditation

Sifu Adam Williss on Instagram

Sparring is meditation not competition. It isn't about how you do against your opponent, it's about how you do against yourself. The key is to completely forget about what your opponent is trying to do to you and just focus on progressing to your goal. When you can block out the idea of a struggle against your opponent you see sparring as a way to connect on a spiritual level with the natural flow of energy. Punches are no longer punches. They are simply fluid efforts to fill empty pathways towards your goal. Pressure from your opponent is a chance to flow and empty it. Nothing is forced or manufactured. Everything happens in its proper time. Because sparring is not a struggle its a chance to harmonize.


Posted by Adam Williss, Founder of The Dragon Institute

There's simply no counter to Wing Chun done well

There's simply no counter to Wing Chun done well. No strategies, techniques or tactics will ever be able to overcome the brilliance of fluid, simultaneous reactions. 

Follow Sifu Adam Williss on Facebook

Not everyone has to like Wing Chun. I can't force you to have good taste

Not everyone has to like Wing Chun. I can't force you to have good taste. #wingchun #adamwilliss
Posted by Sifu Adam Williss

Posted by Adam Williss, Founder of The Dragon Institute

OC Kung Fu Camp - Orange County, CA

Scenes from the summer 2015 KUNG FU CAMP for kid's ages 5-10 years old here at The Dragon Institute.

#ockungfucamp #ockungfu #ockids #kungfukids #orangecounty #oc #kids #kungfu #camp

A 5 Year Dragon Journey

From our humble beginnings in a garage in San Clemente to our 5 year anniversary in Dana Point!

Posted by Adam Williss, Founder of The Dragon Institute

Forte & Foible in Dragon Family Wing Chun

Using fencing terminology (forte and foible) to explain the strong and weak division of the forearm (Wing Chun bridge) and how to react to pressure placed upon these parts (based on the understanding of substantial and insubstantial).

#brucelee #quotes #quotestoliveby #quotesaboutlife #quotesforlife #bruceleequotes

I'm going to change everything you thought you knew about fighting.

I'm going to change everything you thought you knew about fighting. I'm going to show you a way of looking at a fight as a conversation. One where questions are asked and answers are given. You will be able to cut through irrelevance and pinpoint only the essential facts of a fight. This change will open the door to overcome larger, stronger opponents. And because of this change, you will never be the same. I GUARANTEE IT! ~Sifu Adam Williss

"Ip Man on the Wooden Dummy" The Dragon Institute | Dana Point & Irvine "4X Awa...

"Ip Man on the Wooden Dummy"

The Dragon Institute | Dana Point & Irvine
"4X Award Winner of Best Martial Arts in Orange County"
(949) 542-8470 | dragoninst.com




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YOU DON'T COME HERE TO BE AVERAGE! You come here to #seekmore. You come here to...

YOU DON'T COME HERE TO BE AVERAGE!
You come here to #seekmore. You come here to take yourself to #newlevels. You know our reputation and you come here to surround yourself with the #best. You come here for #greatness and you #refusetosettle for anything less!

4X Award Winner "Best #MartialArts in #OrangeCounty"

Here I am with my main man Zach. So proud of this kid. Such a leader, even at 15...

Here I am with my main man Zach. So proud of this kid. Such a leader, even at 15. Does the right thing. Makes great grades. Stands up for others. Kicks ass and doesn't take names. Too humble for that. In addition to his own training, he is also "Coach Zach" to our little dragons ages 5-10. Commands the room. Handles a full class of kids with ease. It's a great honor and privilege to be his sifu!




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Jacky Chan on the Wing Chun wooden dummy

Jacky Chan on the Wing Chun wooden dummy


Amazing Wing Chun Jackie Chan With Wooden Dummy.mp4

http://youtu.be/HbwC8zBBtfI

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Internal martial arts dominates rugby tackles

Rugby VS Taichi (太極師傅親身示範同七欖洋將交手 四両撥千斤)

http://youtu.be/c3d39wCxVoQ

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Happy Wing Chun Wednesday #wingchunwednesday #wingchuneveryday #wingchuntrainin...

Happy Wing Chun Wednesday

#wingchunwednesday #wingchuneveryday #wingchuntraining #namethis #wingchun #kungfu #martialarts #jkd #gungfu #chinesekungfu #solotraining #orangecounty #oc #ocwingchun #ockungfu #ocmartialarts #ocselfdefense #ocfighting #danapoint #irvine #sanclemente #functionalart #practicalart #training #kungfuttaining




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Please "Like"/"Share" #investinyourself

Please "Like"/"Share"
#investinyourself




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Siu Nim Tao on the SUP's this past Saturday!

Siu Nim Tao on the SUP's this past Saturday!




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Our kids kung fu classes teach life lessons in a really fun way! Kids are taught...

Our kids kung fu classes teach life lessons in a really fun way! Kids are taught to work hard, laugh hard, when to be courageous and when to be compassionate.

Make no mistake, we are the best at what we do. Guaranteed! See more at ocwingchun.com




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The Teacher and the Student

The Teacher and the Student




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WOW! Ip Man 3 might be his last kung fu movie altogether!

WOW! Ip Man 3 might be his last kung fu movie altogether!


Ip Man 3 May Be Last Action Film for Donnie Yen | Wing Chun News
www.wingchunnews.com

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The art of Wing Chun is based on the idea that simplicity is the ultimate sophis...

The art of Wing Chun is based on the idea that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. It's a philosophy that tells you to let go of the inessentials and simply focus on your priorities. But simplifying your thoughts and actions are not simple. In fact, it's one of the most difficult things you'll ever try to do. Yet, the process of simplification is also one of the most worthy. It changes everything. A challenge is no longer a challenge. A conflict is no longer a conflict. A punch is no longer a punch. A fight is no longer a fight. When you learn to simplify, you can transcend what things appear to be and see them for what they really are. You clarity as you simplify. What once seemed chaotic now becomes logical. You establish a goal or a centerline and anything not directly between you and your goal becomes irrelevant (chasing hands). Simplicity is brilliance and I can think of no better process of discovering universal truth than through the martial art of Wing Chun. You name it, Wing Chun changes everything." ~Sifu Adam Williss (adamwilliss.com)




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"You just wait. I'm going to be the biggest Chinese Star in the world." -Bruce Lee

"You just wait. I'm going to be the biggest Chinese Star in the world." -Bruce Lee




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"Wing Chun is an internal martial art. It begins with Siu Nim Tao, a static post...

"Wing Chun is an internal martial art. It begins with Siu Nim Tao, a static posture training method known as Zhan Zhuang in the internal arts. The primary purpose of the postures in Siu Nim Tao are to train the feeling of connectedness into the brain and nervous system, as it is easier to cultivate this feeling standing still than moving. We have several major physical connections we train including the ground, knees, waist, elbows, shoulders, neck and eyes. A student works this posture and trains Siu Nim Tao until a feeling of unity develops. After this has been achieved, the student begins to move while paying attention to maintaining this unity in motion. This is when Chum Kiu is trained so the student learns how to move the body with this same unity." ~Sifu Adam Williss

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6 Harmonies of Internal Martial Arts

The Six Harmonies of internal martial arts refer to the harmonizing or coordination between three of the bodies joints (6 total) and the coordination of three internal harmonies.

External Harmonies
1) The hands harmonize with the feet.
2) The hips harmonize with the shoulders.
3) The elbows harmonize with the knees.

Internal Harmonies 
1) The emotions harmonize with the intention.
2) The intention harmonizes with the chi.
3) The chi harmonizes with the power.

“Coordination” or “harmonizing” the external harmonies includes good posture and the body parts moving in unison. It does not necessarily mean you are moving like a robot or that your limbs aren’t moving in different directions at times. There's much more to it.

One simple example could be your hand moving towards your opponent's centerline and your foot pointing in that same direction. Another example is beginning a movement in your knee at the same time you begin a movement in your elbow. In Wing Chun, we think of the knees and elbows driving the movement. Yet another example is when your hand places pressure on your opponent your foot should also place pressure into the ground. We call this having an associated foot.

You should prioritize your development of these harmonies. First you should work to unify the external harmonies of the hips and shoulders. At the same time, you are working to harmonize the emotions with your intention.

Posted by Adam Williss, Founder of The Dragon Institute

INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS

There has been a great deal of discussion over whether a martial art is internal or external, and the differences between the two. Most people familiar with Chinese martial art probably associate the internal with exercises for health, softness and "chi," and associate the external with strength, hardness and fighting. We should start by defining the criteria which qualify an art as internal or external. It is very popular today to talk about internal martial arts as being methods of cultivating the chi (intrinsic energy), whereas external martial arts favor building physical strength.

The first question is, "What exactly is chi?" And once we have come to what we believe is an adequate definition, the next question should deal with the relationship chi has to martial ability. Finally, we come back to the question of why internal martial arts would cultivate chi in some way that external martial arts do not. The point is, both internal and external martial arts talk about chi development; saying a martial art is internal because it "has chi" is not valid. The difficulty in defining chi has led some martial artists to conclude that chi doesn't exist at all, therefore there is no difference between internal and external martial arts. But there definitely is a difference, and it does not depend on whether or not one believes in chi.

Let's put aside the whole question of chi and talk about similarities and differences among the three orthodox internal styles (as representatives of internal styles in general) and external martial arts from a more tangible point of view. Let's compare and contrast the martial arts from the standpoint of body mechanics, mindset, and application. The real difference between the internal and external martial arts is not chi, softness/hardness, or which is better for health; rather, it boils down to how specific movements are done in a particular mindset, and how these apply to real fights.

The Internal Myth
The orthodox internal martial arts, namely Xing Yi Quan, Tai Ji Quan and Ba Gua Zhang , have all incorporated Taoist techniques of breathing, meditation and medical theory into their methods of power, development (nei kung) and fighting movements. Although the resultant arts are superior as systems of health cultivation and physical development, health was not the primary concern of the developers of these styles. The primary focus of any martial art is, by definition, martial. The wedding of Taoist practices and martial technique came about because the masters felt movement in accordance with natural principles performed in a meditative state of mind was the quickest way of realizing the goal of absolute potential as a martial artist (fighter).

For centuries, China has had a great variety of therapeutic chi kung and related health systems that are equally as effective as the internal martial arts for restoring, maintaining and improving one's health, and are far simpler to learn and practice than the internal styles. There was no need to invent complex and often extremely physically demanding martial arts to fulfill the same purpose. Although the internal martial arts may be practiced solely as exercises for physical fitness, they were not created with this goal in mind. The internal martial arts were developed for fighting, with their health benefits more or less side effects of training for martial ability.

Body Mechanics: An Overview
The most basic and important difference between internal and external martial arts is the method of generating power or "jing" (manifest energy). At the root fundamental level, the most important factor which qualifies an art as internal is the use of what the Chinese call "complete," "unified" or "whole body" power (jengjing). This means the entire body is used as a singular unit with the muscles of the body in proper tone according to their function (relaxed, meaning neither too tense nor too slack). Power is generated with the body as a singular unit, and the various types of energies (jing) used are all generated from this unified power source.

The external martial arts, although engaging the body as a whole in generating power sequentially, do not use the body in a complete unit as do the internal martial arts. The external styles primarily use "sectional power" (ju bu li), which is a primary reason they are classified apart from the internal arts. A variation of this sectional power in the external arts is the special development of one part of the body as a weapon (iron palm, iron broom, etc.). The internal tends to forego these methods in favor of even development of the whole body, which m turn is used as a coherent unit.

Xing Yi Quan, Tai Ji Quan and Ba Gua Zhang all have unified body motion as their root; hence, they are internal styles. However, since each of these styles emphasizes different expressions of this unified power, they are not the same style.

Xing Yi Chuan
Xing Yi Chuan provides perhaps the easiest example of the principle of unified movement in action, as motion is stripped to its bare efficient essentials. Traditional five-element based Xing Yi Quan was created on static posture training (Zhan Zhuang). The primary purpose of these postures is to train the feeling of connectedness into the brain and nervous system, as it is easier to cultivate this feeling standing still than moving. One stands until whole body unity becomes the natural state. Only after this has been achieved does the student slowly begin to move while paying attention to maintaining this unity in motion. Typically, a single move such as splitting (Pi Quan) will be practiced exclusively and repeatedly for several months until the student understands bow to move the body without losing its dynamic unity. Once the student "gets the feeling" with a single form, other forms can more quickly be mastered.

Because the ancient Xing Yi Quan masters knew that using the body in a unified manner produced the greatest amount of power, they developed five basic movements (the five elements) which allow one to issue power (fa jing) in a unified manner. These movements are splitting (issuing power downward), crushing (issuing power straight forward), drilling (issuing power upward), pounding (issuing power outward) and crossing (issuing power inward). The developers of Xing Yi Quan saw these five basic variations of unified power as covering the range of motions useful to fighting. Hie 12 animal forms of the style are further elaborations and variations of the five original "themes". The simple beauty and profundity of the art of Xing Yi Quan as an internal boxing style is in its logical development from a single principle, using the body in a unit, to the basic energies that can be generated from this unit, the five elements, to the further elaboration of these five basic energies into the 12 animal forms.

Tai Ji Quan
In the first passage of the Tai Ji Classics, Jang San Peng (the legendary founder of Tai Ji Quan) states that the body must be light and agile, and that it must be connected throughout (gwan chwan). This is the basis of Tai Ji Quan as a martial art. The most basic energy of this art is the ward off energy (peng jing). Ills energy is the same as using the body as a unit. As the masters say, "No peng jing, no martial art." The reference here is not to the actual technique of ward off from the forms, but rather to the ward off energy that must permeate the whole body connecting it with unified power, from which all subsequent variations in power are based.

The basic postural requirements for Tai Ji Quan practice (head floating up, shoulders sunk, chest lifted) are the physical prerequisites of unified body power. As in the other internal styles, the student begins by standing in static postures for a considerable length of time to cultivate the body's peng jing body before singular postures are practiced and mastered one at a time. Single technique practice (dan ba lian) and issuing power (fa Jing) are practiced until all the various postures of Tai Ji Quan can be executed with whole body power. Finally, the student is taught to link the postures into a continuous sequence that trains sensitivity to postural changes (listening energy or tingjing) and the ability to flow from one technique to the next without disconnecting the body. One of the fundamental reasons most Tai Ji Quan forms are practiced slowly is 'so the student can constantly adjust and monitor the body to make sure it is always moving in a unit. This is much easier to feel moving slowly than quickly.

Eventually, the student develops the body into a strong, supple unit which allows the frame to act as a spring against the ground (jyc di jr Ii), enabling the boxer to absorb incoming energy and rebound it into the opponent This type of power is impossible unless the body is always maintained in a unit, just as a spring is one continuous thread of steel.

Ba Gua Zhang
Although there are much older versions of Ba Gua Zhang, most of the variations of the art found today can be traced back to Dong Hai Chuan, who taught during the last years of the Ching dynasty. Dong Hai Chuan already was an accomplished martial artist before he learned the Ba Gua circling method of the Taoist school. As with the other internal styles, Ba Gua Zhang training begins with singular movements which develop unified power. Next, the student progresses to holding various postures while walking in a circle, Here again, the primary purpose of these exercises is to train the body to maintain a balanced unity in motion. Once the basic movements have been mastered and the student can walk the circle to complete the eight basic palm changes with unified body power, the necessary groundwork has been laid for martial application. Just as the Xing Yi Quan masters developed the five elements to represent the basic ways power may be produced and applied from the foundation of unified motion, the Ba Gua Zhang masters created the single palm change. The single palm change includes all the basic energies and footwork used in Ba Gua Zhang as a martial art. The single palm change, double palm change and eight mother palm changes are not fighting techniques in themselves, but rather methods of developing whole body power to be used in separate fighting techniques created around these basic types of power.

Although the three orthodox internal styles have very different movements, they all developed from the same fundamental principle of using the body in a unit. This is why, from a body mechanics point of view, these arts are classified as internal.

External Martial Arts
Although body mechanics and movements of external martial arts may vary greatly from style to style, the major difference between these and the internal styles is that external styles, while generating power through the coordination of the body as a whole, lack unity of motion in the internal arts sense. For example, many external martial arts strike using the power of the waist and upper body from the base of a stable stance, the blow would be relaxed during delivery, then tightened for an instant at impact This type of strike is capable of generating a great amount of power, with the force being produced mainly by the waist and striking limb. This whipping of a limb and tensing at impact is referred to as "sectional power" ju bu li) and differs from the whole body power of internal martial arts.

The sequence of training in external martial arts also differs in purpose. In the early stages of training, external martial arts place greater emphasis on increasing strength and endurance as the "raw material" to be refined later into precise technique. Whereas the goal of internal style stance training is to train the nervous system into the feeling of a unified body, the external martial artist stands to increase the strength, endurance and flexibility. As a consequence, external stance training is usually lower and wider than that of the internal. Although an oversimplification, it may be said that the internal martial artist stands to cultivate feeling, while the external martial artist stands to develop strength.

External martial artists often spend considerable time conditioning specific areas of the body, either to withstand impact or to increase sectional power. An external martial artist may especially condition the head, fists, elbows, shoulders, fingers, or emphasize a specific movement, resulting in the development of a specialized weapon. This is another example of the development of sectional power in the external martial arts. Once the martial artist has a strong foundation, form and technique training begins. Once again, the forms and techniques emphasized in external styles are designed around the sectional power developed through basic training.

Mindset of the Martial Arts
Another major difference between internal and external martial arts is in the approach they take to training the mind. The internal places great emphasis on mind/body unity. The Taoists realized that a relaxed body controlled by a quiet mind produced a holistic entity, capable of fulfilling its potential. At the outset of training, the internal arts place the greatest emphasis on refining and training the nervous system to control the body. In contrast, most external styles emphasize increasing strength and endurance (external power) as the base upon which martial technique will be built. Students of the internal, through mind/body unity, seek to balance the nervous and hormonal systems, thereby producing a power from within the body (nei jing or internal power). The unified power is completely dependent upon fine neuromuscular control, which is completely mentally directed. The internal martial arts also talk at great length about practicing with a quiet mind. It is often quoted that, "There should be stillness in movement," and internal martial artists seek to remain calm in spirit as they move. One of the primary reasons internal martial arts are good for health is that one may simultaneously exercise the body and rest the mind.

Turning to external martial arts, much less emphasis is placed on a quiet mindset. In many external styles, cultivation of a state the Chinese call the "killing air" (sha qi) is preferred. The spirit is raised and directed outwardly toward the opponent, rather than inwardly, much like athletes "psyching up" before an event. An externally observable manifestation of the different mindsets is apparent in the facial expressions of the individual practitioner: the external martial artist often shouts and grimaces fiercely, while the internal boxer looks calm and may even be faintly smiling during a fight.

In Application
The third major difference between the internal and external martial arts is in how they are applied to a live opponent, as well as the various methods of training martial application. The students of both schools first develop their power, balance, feeling and body mechanics from solo training. The next step is to bridge the gap between form and function. This type of training will be determined mainly by a particular school's theories of combat. The internal schools stress sticking to, following and going with the opponent's power, borrowing energy, the avoidance of force against force directly, and the issuing of power only after one has "the right opportunity and advantageous position." External styles vary greatly in theory (some following principles almost identical to the internal), but in general, whereas an external stylist may punch through his opponent's defenses, the internal stylist never fully issues his power until he has the opponent in an unbalanced position either physically or spatially.

Most internal styles also have some variation of "push hands" practice. The primary purpose of pushing bands is to develop "listening energy" (ting jing) or become sensitive to outside pressure from the opponent in relation to one's own balance. Finally, both internal and external martial artists practice footwork drills, repeated single-technique practice, issuing power on a live opponent, and eventually free sparring to develop practical fighting skill.

Conclusion
This article has shown the similarities and differences among the three orthodox internal styles of Chinese martial art and external styles in general. It's clear that external and internal styles are indeed different, in theory, practice and application, and the factors that classify an art as either internal of external are clear-cut and concrete. This classification of an art as either internal or external is based solely on adherence in practice and use to a specific set of principles, and not on particular forms or posturing. It is important to remember that all arts, both internal and external, were originally intended for fighting. Finally, no judgment as to the superiority of one art over another is intended. After all, any martial art is only theory until a human being moves, and the value of any art lies ultimately in the skill and understanding of the individual artist.


Original article "INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL: What Sets Them Apart?" By Tim Cartmell

"The world is full of mediocrity. What the world needs is more quality. If you'r...

"The world is full of mediocrity. What the world needs is more quality. If you're going to do something, do it right. Commit yourself to being excellent at it. What this means is that you're going to have to sacrifice in order to get there. You're going to have to do what others are simply unwilling to do. Persevere, work hard, dedicate yourself and respect your teacher's advice. Learn to ignore the suffering you must go through in order to accept the price you must pay for excellence." -Sifu Adam Williss (adamwilliss.com) #excellence




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Update on Zach's story - He didn't even tell his parents. We had to tell them....

Update on Zach's story -

He didn't even tell his parents. We had to tell them. Zach just said that "he didn't want any praise because he just did the right thing."

After finding out his wrote to us...

"I am very proud of Zach for having the courage and confidence to stand up for someone else. Also, it seems he stayed under control and didn't respond with an overpowering attack. He was dynamic with the situation and was a great example for the Wing Chun system. Most Importantly, You guys have done an amazing job not only providing Zach with the Physical Skill Set to respond automatically, but have taught him Courage, Judgement, Self-Control and Humility.We cannot thank you enough!!! We are surely Blessed with You being part of Our Family"
Angelo and Jane (Zach dad and mom)

Original story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdigQuzUS3I


Zach Stands Up to a Big Bully

15yr old Zach saw a smaller kid being physically bullied by a bigger kid and refused to be a bystander. When the bully then turned his anger toward Zach and ...

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The Little Dragons practicing their chain punches

The Little Dragons practicing their chain punches





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We couldn't be prouder of Zach for taking a stand against bullying!

We couldn't be prouder of Zach for taking a stand against bullying!




Zach refused to be a bystander today at school. Instead, he became a hero.

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What do you think of this spot for our new #Irvine institute? Yep. If you didn't...

What do you think of this spot for our new #Irvine institute? Yep. If you didn't know it yet, we're on the hunt for a new, permanent location for our Irvine classes (right now we rent out space at Primal Fitness Center). Once chosen, our new school with be the second Dragon Institute in Orange County, CA.




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(Video taken after Siu Nim Tao) Internal power development begins when the legs...

(Video taken after Siu Nim Tao) Internal power development begins when the legs start shaking. Stability, structure and root lead the path to sensitivity in the internal arts.





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When I founded The Dragon Institute...

When I founded The Dragon Institute, I wanted it to be WAY MORE than just another martial arts school. I wanted to make a REAL impact in the lives of my students. I didn’t want to accept just any person that came along. Only those individuals with unshakable INTEGRITY, dedicated to continuous EDUCATION with undying PERSERVERANCE should have the honor of calling themselves a member of Dragon Family Wing Chun. These are the values The Dragon Institute is built upon and we won’t settle for anything less! ~Sifu Adam Williss

Posted by The Dragon Institute | Orange County | Wing Chun Kung Fu

If you saw it in a commercial, we don't have it here! Welcome to The Dragon Inst...

If you saw it in a commercial, we don't have it here! Welcome to The Dragon Institute.

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When I founded The Dragon Institute, I wanted it to be WAY MORE than just anothe...

When I founded The Dragon Institute, I wanted it to be WAY MORE than just another martial arts school. I wanted to make a REAL impact in the lives of my students. I didn’t want to accept just any person that came along. Only those individuals with unshakable INTEGRITY, dedicated to continuous EDUCATION with undying PERSERVERANCE should have the honor of calling themselves a member of Dragon Family Wing Chun. These are the values The Dragon Institute is built upon and we won’t settle for anything less! ~Sifu Adam Williss




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#wingchun #wingchunconcepts #effectiveness #simplicity #efficiency #combateffici...

#wingchun #wingchunconcepts #effectiveness #simplicity #efficiency #combatefficiency #kungfu #wingchunprinciples




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Dragon Family Wing Chun Lineage :: Adam Williss : Bill Graves : Karl Godwin : Ke...

Dragon Family Wing Chun Lineage :: Adam Williss : Bill Graves : Karl Godwin : Ken Werner : Ben Der : Kenneth Chung : Leung Sheung : Yip Man





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Dragon Family Wing Chun Lineage :: Adam Williss : Bill Graves : Karl Godwin : Ke...

Dragon Family Wing Chun Lineage :: Adam Williss : Bill Graves : Karl Godwin : Ken Werner : Ben Der : Kenneth Chung : Yip Man ___________________________________________________ #dragonfamilywingchun #adamwilliss #billgraves #karlgodwin #bender #kennethchung #yipman





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Kenneth Chung 鐘萬年 (Chung Maan-Nin)

Kenneth Chung 鐘萬年 (Chung Maan-Nin)




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The Little Dragons practicing chain punching

The Little Dragons practicing chain punching





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#ipman3

#ipman3




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Every child needs a big-hearted teacher to show them how much they care and beli...

Every child needs a big-hearted teacher to show them how much they care and believe in them. Because this is where the dream begins within a child. The teacher's belief in them ignites a belief within a child that inspires hope. There's truly no limits to where or how far this goes within a person's life. What was once a small seed planted by a teacher grows on forever into eternity.




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Here's to the #crazy ones, the #misfits, the #rebels, the #troublemakers, the ro...

Here's to the #crazy ones, the #misfits, the #rebels, the #troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they #change things... they push the human race #forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. (Steve Jobs)




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BELIEVE! Believe in the power of children to exceed your expectations. Believe i...

BELIEVE! Believe in the power of children to exceed your expectations. Believe in their #compassion, #kindness and #generosity. Believe in their #honesty, ability to #workhard and their #amazing gifts. Children are our most valuable resource in this world. They have no limitations. Believe that!




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Our to do list! #wingchun

Our to do list! #wingchun




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One more shot off #donnieyen and #miketyson after wrapping up #ipman3

One more shot off #donnieyen and #miketyson after wrapping up #ipman3




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"They push, you pull" (in slow mo). Amy practicing lop sao with step to Jim's push

"They push, you pull" (in slow mo).
Amy practicing lop sao with step to Jim's push





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Dustin's story of how he lost 133 pounds!

Dustin's story of how he lost 133 pounds!


Two Years - My Story of Losing 133 Pounds the Natural Way (By G Dustin Sanborn) | Orange County...
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Two Years - My Story of Losing 133 Pounds the Natural Way (By G Dustin Sanborn)

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Two Years - My Story of Losing 133 Pounds the Natural Way (By G Dustin Sanborn)

Two years. It has been two years since I first started my diet. Never did I expect my life to go in such a direction as it has in these last two years. I started my journey on what I consider to be the absolute second worst month for any one on a diet to endure, or start on—December, with November being the worst month. I remember the day that I met Giselle Willeford, my dietician at the time. She asked me a question that I imagine a lot of people get asked: “What’s your weight loss goal?”

My answer was simply a pat on the belly and me saying: “I want to lose this.”

Before I started my diet, I weighed 352 pounds. I chose the non-surgical path in losing weight. I had two reasons for going this route: Fear of surgery and I didn’t want to take the easy way out. I had been told by some people that the surgery could reverse diabetes and you feel better quickly. But I never found it worth the potential risk—because frankly, I find even the most simplistic operation to have risks. I consider surgery to be the equivalent to letting someone lay siege to your body. With those reasons in mind, I began my journey.

At first, all I really did was drink the protein shakes and eat the protein bars for breakfast and lunch, with my dinners actually being what you could call a meal. I was told early on by Giselle that I would have to work harder to lose the weight as I began to shed the pounds. Before May of 2013, I had only plateaued once, but what Giselle had said had sort of stuck with me. My only real form of physical activity was my going to physical therapy twice a week. Now, two years later, my weight is 219 pounds.

On May 29th, 2013, my life really took a turn in the right direction. I began training in the martial art of Wing Chun under Sifu Adam Williss at The Dragon Institute. I always had an interest in martial arts, but I had never heard of Wing Chun before. I took Tae Kwon Do at a very young age—even got up to a green belt! It eventually fell through though, and I don’t quite know why. I hadn’t entirely given up on the martial arts though. When I was thirteen years old, I tried Karate, but after I had broken my left Tibia, the Karate eventually faded away as well. But at that point, I was already dealing with weight issues—doing even the easy exercises was very challenging for me and was quick to get me out of breath. Fast forward to 2013… I’m now doing martial arts for the third time. I’m twenty years old and still over three hundred pounds. And to top it all off, my body is riddled with physical limitations such as poor posture, lack of functional flexibility and more. It could sound like a recipe for another failed martial arts attempt. But what ‘s the difference between before and this time around? For starters, I was already very much committed to my diet. I wanted to go off of what Giselle said—to work harder to lose more as I shed the pounds. Additionally, I wanted to make this actually work. Lucky for me, my Sifu was very accommodating to my limitations. Sifu Adam has always given me the encouragement to dig deeper to find my inner power, something I refer to as a “sleeping dragon”. A “sleeping dragon” is always cultivating his or her martial skill and finding ways to incorporate the warrior concepts into their everyday life. Every morning, I go out onto the very small porch that I have, and practice. I REALLY wanted to make this work. Plus, there was just something about Sifu Adam’s approach that empowered me to want to strive to actually practice—something I had never done with the Tae Kwon Do or the Karate!

Then on June 19th, my life took yet another turn in the right direction. I decided to also take up Ballroom Dancing. Actually, I get asked about why I started dancing a LOT. Until very recently, all I could really answer was that it was completely spontaneous. I was sitting at home on a Saturday—feeling pretty bored actually. Suddenly, I got a mental image of a couple doing a dance, which I believe was a Corte from the Tango. On a whim, I looked at studios that were close to where I live. Sure enough, I found a place, which now goes by the name of Dance United LH. My instructor for the Ballroom, Katya Marshukova has been immensely supportive of me in my strides in Ballroom, just as my Sifu has been. Katya has always pushed me to be a better dancer and I couldn’t ask for more in an instructor. My answer as to why I took up Ballroom was, until very recently, “the most spontaneous choice in my life to date”. But I never elaborated on it that much. Over time, however, I slowly found better answers as to how I took my start. The first realization I had was that my footwork has ALWAYS been a very big issue in my life when it came to anything involving me to be active. I thought to myself “Hey! Maybe I can instill the fear of stepping on women’s toes to help my footwork out!” To be honest, I was never against the idea of trying Ballroom Dancing, but I never actually saw myself doing it.

At this point, I was less than a month into the Wing Chun, so to add Ballroom practice along with my Wing Chun seemed like it might overwhelm, but fact of the matter is that I had a want to lose the weight, I wanted to get out more and meet people, but I wasn’t in any rush to lose the weight. I had a motivation to lose weight! Before I started the Ballroom, I was practicing my Wing Chun every day in the morning for about a half hour roughly, but after I started the Ballroom, it went up to around an hour. The amount of time increased, but I still do it—everyday. There are exceptions though (there always are!) There have been times where I was sick and took it easy, or days where I had zero energy and could not do a thing. I always say to myself to know your limits and to push them, but never try and break your limits, because breaking your own limits can lead to more issues later on, but pushing your limits lets you gradually build up your stamina. The best way to describe it is if you were running along a straight line and came up to a wall, you could try breaking through the wall, but when you do, you find that there’s another wall behind the first one, whereas pushing your limits would be climbing the wall. Once you reach the top of that wall, you see the second wall as you reach the top and see that the second wall is sturdier than the first wall, as well as taller, but you feel ready to climb that wall as well. I found that with pushing my own limits, I’ve learned a great deal about myself—my strengths and my weaknesses. I was already aware of some of my weaknesses before starting both the Wing Chun and the Ballroom, but as I went along, I learned about my hidden strengths and weaknesses. I now have a more defining answer as to why I began the dancing. Wing Chun is what led me to Ballroom! The very first thing I learned in Wing Chun was Siu Nim Tao, which translates to “The Little Idea”. Ballroom Dancing is my Little Idea. A way to better understand this term is to think about a flower seed. It starts out very small and with time and care, blossoms above the ground. I never expected to be so involved with the dancing, but since Wing Chun and Ballroom Dancing go together so well, I have found so much motivation in honing them both.

I found that one of my biggest factors in keeping myself committed to my weight loss was that I never really thought about it. I still don’t to be entirely honest. I am aware of my progress, don’t get me wrong, but I have always felt—even from the beginning—that thinking about the weight loss progress was never really a smart idea. Some people out there really obsess over losing weight, and unfortunately, it can actually turn off people interested in losing weight. I just live my life one day at a time. I also have found that weighing myself once a month is plenty, and I don’t do it at home. I do it at The N.E.W. Program only. I never liked those square scales that you can buy for home—I always thought of the Garfield comics whenever I stood on one of those whenever I tried weighing myself. Plus, weighing oneself frequently can be demoralizing, which could lead to comfort eating. And that is bad.

Through this journey, I’ve had my ups and downs. There’s no denying it. Losing weight is never sunshine and daisies. To be honest though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve had times where I’ve felt that I’ve made no progress, but when losing weight, the one who is actually losing the weight is likely the LAST person to see their progress—because they’re with themselves for every second of their lives. Even if you happen to be living with someone else—they will be seeing the progress before you do! When I say that you are the last person to see the progress, I speak from personal experience. I was nearly a year into my diet before I noticed the difference. I COULD have seen it sooner, but I was too dedicated to what I was doing to see it. In a way, I sort of chose not to.

I feel that I have learned more about myself as I have shed the pounds. I gave my diet the nickname of “The Snake Diet” out of a small portion of my sometimes very twisted sense of humor. I call it that for two reasons: the first one is to get reactions from people. Then I explain the actual reason… because of the shedding that snakes do. When snakes shed their skin, it is a process for them. As they begin to wriggle themselves out of their old skin (with the assistance of rough surfaces, like a tree for example), they cast off the old skin like a sock. Like the snakes, I am “shedding” my weight! After the shedding process is done, the snake has brighter layer of scales. Although, I don’t have any bright and shiny scales to show, I feel more energetic and brighter, so in my case, the new layer of bright scales represents my new lifestyle. My old lifestyle—my old and dry scales--was pretty much to eat, sleep, and just stay inside—no socializing except online. My new lifestyle—the new scales—represent my change in weight, my commitment to Wing Chun and Ballroom Dancing, and my wanting to get out more and socialize with people I can see face-to-face.

Well, this has been my journey. In just two short years, I’ve lost 133 pounds. People and methods I used have played such an instrumental role in my success. I couldn’t have done it by myself. It has really made me treasure the symbolic nature of what it means to be on a journey. But despite the fact that I've been walking this path for two years now, I have a feeling that the journey is only beginning!

#donnieyen and #miketyson on the set of #ipman3

#donnieyen and #miketyson on the set of #ipman3




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Focused Little Dragons

Focused Little Dragons




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Wing Chun Against Bullying

Wing Chun Against Bullying


Timeline Photos


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Leung Sheung - Wing Chun Grandmaster. Ip Man's Numero Uno, his first and senior-...

Leung Sheung - Wing Chun Grandmaster. Ip Man's Numero Uno, his first and senior-most student in Hong Kong




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DROPPING BADASS DRAGON BEATS - SINCE 2010

DROPPING BADASS DRAGON BEATS - SINCE 2010




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"Don't let tradition stand in the way of logic. Tradition has its place. A good...

"Don't let tradition stand in the way of logic. Tradition has its place. A good healthy respect for it shouldn't be overlooked. But tradition can also over-complicate and stunt your growth. Some use tradition to control. Others to hide. Many see tradition as security or as a sense of belonging. But tradition is really just an illusion of permanence. Tradition must be constantly tested to sharpen its piercing ability. Therefore, our tradition must be one of constant testing. A place where truth and hard work are our tradition." - Sifu Adam Williss

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ocwingchun.com

ocwingchun.com




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Our Kids Kung Fu Program is Now Featured on OC Mom Blog

Our kid's program is now being featured on OC Mom Blog at http://ift.tt/1IxNAr7
Posted by The Dragon Institute | Orange County | Wing Chun Kung Fu on Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Posted by Adam Williss, Founder of The Dragon Institute

Our kid's program is now being featured on OC Mom Blog at http://ocmomblog.com/t...

Our kid's program is now being featured on OC Mom Blog at http://ift.tt/1IxNAr7


The Dragon Institute Kids Kung Fu Program Creates Well-Rounded Children | OC Mom Blog
ocmomblog.com
not about showing off or winning trophies. It’s about learning how to protect yourself. It is a vital practice and at the dragon institute

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ocwingchun.com

ocwingchun.com




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