I have been interested in the Martial Arts ever since I could remember. I remember spending Saturday afternoons watching Kung Fu theater with my father and mimicking the movements and of course with the sound effects. I was lucky enough to receive some very sparse informal training from a family friend when we had a gathering of some sort but I yearned for more formal training. As soon as I received my driver's license, the formal training began and my Martial Arts journey has not stopped from there.
I started out in the kicking arts but I have always felt like there was something missing. The art seemed a little watered down and there was more of the sporting aspect that has grown during those years. So after college, I started my search for a traditional family like martial art that focused on true defense instead of sparring to gain points. It took me many years and going through many arts before I was introduced to Wing Chun Kung Fu. I knew that this was Bruce Lee's first art and if that was the case, then it couldn't be half bad. The more I researched, the more I fell in love the with art. Finally in early 2003, I was lucky enough to start my training with Sifu Bryan's lineage under the very capable hands of then Jo Gau Dan Anderson. Mr. Anderson helped me greatly adjust my body into proper Wing Chun fashion as he knew of my prior Martial Arts experience. Soon after, I was able to meet Sifu Bryan Talbot and Master Ron Heimberger and it further confirmed and solidified my belief that Wing Chun was truly the right art for me. I trained hard and I was given the opportunity to teach Siu Lim Tao, under supervision, to the beginning students by early 2004. I continued the intensity in training and teaching classes of my own under both Sifu Dan Anderson and Sifu Bryan Talbot.
In 2009, 1 year after the untimely death of Master Ron Heimberger, I found that my 2 teachers were going in slightly different directions as far as their sifu's go and suddenly I faced a very difficult decision. No matter what decision I made, I knew that these two sifus have made a great impact in my life and my martial training and I would not be the Wing Chun Practitioner and Instructor that I am without them. I later discovered that Sifu Bryan was accepted as a student and disciple of Samuel Kwok. I heard a lot of great things from Sifu Bryan about Master Samuel Kwok and after a lot of research found that Master Kwok had a deep passion for preserving Grand Master Ip Man's Wing Chun. Because of this and many factors, I made the decision to train with Sifu Bryan. Soon after, I had the honor of Sifu Bryan graciously accepting me as his first student and disciple under the Samuel Kwok Lineage.
We hope to bring to the San Diego area a unique and authentic Wing Chun experience through the curriculum of West Coast Wing Chun. We strive to extend Master Samuel Kwok's knowledge, passion for Ip Man Wing Chun, and compassion to San Diego. For more information on classes in the San Diego area, call 858.848.5320 or email Sifu Choi.