I learned the concept of minimum force a long time ago when my opponent walked straight onto my centre line punch. He was throwing a hook at the time! That didn't matter though because he ended up with extensive facial injuries and the police became involved. Thankfully they later dropped charges, though they remained convinced that to do the damage I did, I must have hit him with an iron bar! They were hostile and aggressive up until my solicitor told them I was a martial artist. Then they seemed to accept my story - that I didn't hit him with a bar.

With the title 'martial artist', I suddenly became Bruce Lee in their eyes. I might have been crap for all they knew but the label 'Martial Artist' and the hype surrounding it convinced the police. This is indicative of a general attitude about martial artist. Yet I know many non-martial artist who can do the business and many so-called martial artist who can't.

Many students join my club because of word-of-mouth recommendations based upon my no-nonsense reputation. But how can an inexperienced beginner tell if the club he is joining is really any good? In the end, there is no simple solution. In my view, too much emphasis is laid on learning from a top, well-known teacher. Only one person can be the best, so does this mean that all the rest of us are second rate? Would Yip Ching be second-rate if Tsui-Suen Ting was considered the best? Many teachers are worth their salt and in any case, even the best can't turn an unsuitable student into superman. Whatever the standard of the teacher, the standard of the student is also important and regardless of who teaches you, it will take a lot of sweat, tears and commitment. But as it is, the 'My Sifu is the best' remains the most common cause of all the politics. So my message is: be the best YOU can be! So when searching for a true master, treat such things as origins, training history and reputation as no more than sideshows. These say what he is and what he has done but they don't tell you the most important thing with any teacher, and that is, his ability to teach! It doesn't matter who he was taught by, or where he was born. My Cantonese teacher, Victor Appiah, suffers from a public perception that he cannot teach Chinese properly because he is not Chinese. When some European pupils first see a black teacher of a Chinese martial art, their faces say it all!

Incidentally, I study Cantonese in order to research the origin of, and the terms used in, Wing Chun. This has led me to a love of the Chinese language and culture. In Wing Chun, crucial concepts are contained within proverbs like for example, 'Lat sau ching choi', or 'Kil sau ma bo' which literally translates as 'Bridge hand horse stance'. The implication is that arms and legs have to be strong and ready when fighting. These proverbs are not easy to put into English and are often left untranslated - yet they still need to be explained to serious students because they embody fundamental precepts of practice. My next seminar will deal with Wing Chun forms and concepts, and their combative applications. The seminar will be a workshop open to all martial artists. No chi sau will be examined; rather we will concentrate upon speed, simplicity and directness. We will look at ways of finishing the situation before any chi sau is needed. I find that it only really goes further than this in the street if the aggressor is good enough to counter your attack. Only then do the benefits of chi sau come into play.

If you want further information about my Wing Chun and my clubs, or if you'd like to discuss any part of this article with me, then please contact me via the details on the Contact Us or Branches & Sifus pages.