About Us
| Sifu Richard Wonnacott
Richard first studied martial arts at the age of 13, where he studied Wado Ryu Karate at the local town hall in Glynneath, South Wales. He studied Wado Ryu for 3 years, before entering a boxing gym, which he loved and kept up until his last fight at the age of 27. During these boxing years, Richard looked upon other styles and systems, looking for something to do as he got older, as he knew the fitness levels needed for boxing meant he was going to end it at some point. During a visit to his local Y.M.C.A. in Swansea, he came across a poster advertising Wing Chun Kung Fu. Being a huge Bruce Lee fan, he knew a bit about Wing Chun.
So began his Wing Chun journey under the guidance of Sifu Mike Arnold, who in Richard’s words is, “one really nice, genuine guy with no ego,” and who is dedicated to Wing Chun and, “not only his Sifu but a very good friend.”
It was Sifu Mike that helped Richard’s dream come true of going to Hong Kong to train with some of the best names in the Wing Chun world: Ip Ching (Ip Man’s son); and Wan Kam Leung, who is a direct student of Wong Sheung Leung (Ip Man’s top student); to name but a few.
|
“Many thanks to all those who I have trained under; I will continue on my Wing Chun path.”
|
Bruce Lee statue (Hong Kong harbour)
with Sifu Mike Arnold
Training with Ip Ching