Michael Papantonakis - Wing Chun PDF Εκτύπωση E-mail
 
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Drills and Techniques:

Drills

Chi Sao – Sticky hands (these drills are trained for enhancement of close contact reflexes, redirection of energy, and close range vision)
  1. Pak fut drill
  2. Bon larp fut drill
  3. Double arm chi sao rotations and traps

Techniques

  1. Against a round punch – from a front stance stepping forward with a Bil Sao block(thrusting arm) and simultaneous palm strike to the face/ followed by a knee to the body and then an elbow to the head.
  2. Against a round punch – from a Neutral side stance stepping toward the punch with a Bon Sao (wing arm) block/ followed by a low side kick to the knee.
  3. Against a straight punch- from a front stance stepping diagonally forward with a Pak Sao (slap block) and simultaneously punching the ribs/ followed by a take down.
  4. Against a straight punch – from a front stance stepping diagonally forward with a Bon Sao (wing arm) block/ followed by a Fut Sao strike(chopping hand) to the face and finishing with a take down.

Wooden Dummy Drills: Movements taken from the wooden dummy form in a drill like fashion to develop flow of movement/coordination/stability of stances/ and hardening of the palms and arms


Interview with Michael Papantonakis

A few words about you... when and where you were born?

I was born in Manhattan NY in 1961 and was raise in Baltimore Maryland. 

When did you start training in the Martial Arts?

I first began my journey in the martial arts with Shorin Ryo in 1979 and studied under a teacher named Howard Zachman. When my teacher decided to stop teaching and start a family I found myself searching for another school and ventured through various other styles such as Aikido and Tae Kwon Do, but never stuck to either.

I then started training with certain friends that were also involved in the martial arts, cause I couldn’t find an art that truly expressed me until I discovered Wing Chun Kung Fu.

When did you start training in Wing Chun?

I began training in Wing Chun in 1983

altA few words about your journey with Wing Chun and about your teachers in Wing Chun?

My first teacher in Wing Chun was Sifu John M. Clayton who was a 10th level Master and was one of Grandmaster William Cheung’s top  disciple’s in the United States.

Throughout my training with Sifu Clayton I also became a part of his “Wing Chun Fighting Team”. We traveled to several states on the east coast and participated in many open style tournaments.

Although, Wing Chun is not a tournament style due to it’s street fighting origin, Sifu John M. Clayton taught us how to modify Wing Chun to be able to compete with different styles of martial arts.

During my years with Sifu John M. Clayton I also participated in many of William Cheung’s seminars. I was very impressed by the phenomenal skill of Grandmaster William Cheung that in September of 1988 I decided to travel to Australia and train with the Grandmaster directly. It was my goal and main focus to advance my studies in Wing Chun and eventually open my own school in Greece.

In November of 1989 I opened my first school in Voula and became the first Wing Chun instructor to represent Grandmaster William Cheung’s organization in Greece.

The years that followed I dedicated myself to training and spreading the art of Wing Chun. In 1991 I organized Grandmaster William Cheung’s first seminar in Greece. It was very successful and it was the beginning of many seminars that would follow up until 1997.   

In 1993 I obtained my 10th and final level in Wing Chun by  Grandmaster William Cheung and it was then that the Grandmaster had appointed me as one of his elite instructors in Greece and in Europe.

 In 1998 I became independent and started my own organization in Greece. In 1999 I opened my second school in Dafni.

To this day, I continue to teach and promote Wing Chun internationally, and for the last 5 years I have been associated with NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists) which is an organization in the USA that provides all the latest training, events, and up to date cutting edge knowledge that exists in the martial arts industry.

NAPMA is one of the biggest organizations in the United States today and consists of over 2000 schools worldwide. 

What are the main characteristics of Wing Chun?

The main characteristics of Wing Chun are that it is a scientific method that was developed for practical purposes and for self defense only. It is based on economy of motion and how one can easily overcome bigger and stronger opponents by learning how to redirect energy and how to take advantage of your opponents strength.

In Wing Chun we use linear attacks and small circular movements that offers simultaneous blocking and attacking. It’s curriculum has many energy drills such as “chi sao” (sticky hands) that teaches a practitioner how to develop close contact reflexes, close range vision, and close range fighting. Wing Chun is also considered to be and internal style of kung fu which focuses on developing and cultivating your internal power,  otherwise known as “Chi”.

Where do you train Wing Chun?

I have 2 schools where my students train. One school is at Kalimnou 64 in Ano Voula and the other school is at Artemonos 90 and is located in Dafni.

What is your opinion of the fighting sports that are out there? Do you think that they can and should be affiliated with traditional martial arts?

I really enjoy all fighting sports, and although they are something completely different from traditional martial arts, I find them to be very entertaining and exciting to watch.

What is your opinion of MMA and all the grappling arts?

I really enjoy watching MMA and all the grappling arts cause it shows how each discipline can be combined in order to be an all around fighter.

Although, it too is just a sport with rules and regulations, as opposed to traditional martial arts, I like it,  because it shows how each athlete and art compares to one another, and how size and strength isn’t as important as technique and spirit.

Do you believe that Wing Chun is the most effective style for the “Real Fight” ?

I believe that Wing Chun is one of the most effective styles for the “Real Fight” simply because that is why it was developed. It has many moves in it’s curriculum that are specifically designed to disable an opponent and to cause bodily harm. Moves that aren’t very pretty, yet practical and effective and that are aimed to strike vulnerable areas of the human body. Also, “Chi Sao” (sticky hands exercise) training prepares a practitioner for the real fight. It trains the practitioner to not fight force against force and to learn how to take advantage of an opponents strength.

This exercise is very crucial to real fighting because it also teaches you not be afraid of close distances. It’s techniques, principles and philosophy can be easily applied to grappling and fighting on the ground. A Wing Chun practitioner can easily learn and incorporate movements from other grappling arts and combine it to his or her training.  

Do you have any exercises or strategies for having the right psychology on the street?

Yes. We train fighting with protective gear so that we can develop a better mindset for if that day ever comes when we need to defend ourselves. Also, our double arm Chi Sao fighting ( fighting without gear) also prepares us for having the right mindset under real circumstances. We watch certain points on the body that helps us detect and on coming attack, such as watching the elbows and knees.

The elbows and knees are much slower than the fists and kicks and because they are furthest from the eyes they can be observed much easier. Also , once we make contact we use feeling and eyes together to prepare us for what we need to do next.

All in all we try not to provoke fighting in the streets and our training enhances our perception and calmness which helps us to avoid fighting. Unless, we have no other choice.

Do you have any internal exercises?  

Yes. Our first form is one of the most internal exercises that we have. Our first form “The Sil Lim Tao” helps us with breathing, concentration, and with cultivating our internal power. It is through years of training this form that we develop the calmness to be relaxed with both mind and body. By training the Sil Lim Tao form a practitioner slowly develops power in his strikes and how to be like water.

I will paraphrase what Bruce Lee once said  “When water is put into a cup, it becomes the cup. When water is put into a pot, it becomes the pot. Water can be hard and it can crash, or it can be so soft that as you grasp it….it can slip through your fingers.  Be like water, my friend! alt

Thank you for this interview,
Sifu Michael G. Papantonakis

For any further details on me and my organization you can go to my web site. www.wing-chun.gr