All posts by Jason Miller

1st Escrima Seminar of 2022

Escrima returns to Austin Ving Tsun with our 2022 Escrima Seminars! These seminars are open to both AustinVT members as well as non-members. The Filipino weapons art of Escrima is a great companion to empty-hand skills of Ving Tsun (Wing Chun).

Our Next Austin Escrima Seminar will be held in the fall.

17th Annual Winter Seminar

Another Great Winter Seminar at Austin Ving Tsun Academy, this being our 17th annual Winter Seminar. The weekend startred with a select few advanced practitioners working on long pole training (6 and 1/2 point pole a.k.a. “Luk-Dim-Boon-Gwun”) Friday night, and then continuing into the weekend with 21 students and instructors, packing a months’ worth of training and hands-on practice into a single weekend of work and fun..

Congratulations to all those who tested and were promoted, including our three newest instructors:

Marco Romero Instructor 1st Degree,
Jacob Goldberg Instructor 1st Degree,
James Davidoff Instructor 1st Degree,
Katelyn Miller Student Grade 8,
Bob Lawinger Student Grade 6,
Alex Hirshfeld Student Grade 6,
Rachel Johnson Student Grade 6,
Damien Lumetta Student Grade 6,
Avery Hackmacn Student Grade 1 & 2,
Alyssa Miller Student Grade 2,
and Michael Gagnon Student Grade 1

Sifu Scott Tarbell earns Blackbelt in BJJ

(Belated) Congratulations to Sifu Scott Tarbell from the Wuxia Martial Arts Center who tested and was promoted to Blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on January 13, 2021.

In his words: “Tonight I tested for my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blackbelt! I am truly humbled and honored to hold this rank. I have been training for 15 years, starting out at Brazilian Top Team with Professor Daniel Mirel Gazoni and training under my current Professor “Coach” Brian Wade Caldwell for many years. Coach Brian has helped me to grow so much in the art and as a person. I’m so thankful to have him as my teacher and brother in the art. The struggle was so hard at times, but I just kept training. I thank God for giving me the strength to persevere. I’m so grateful to be a BJJ Blackbelt and live this BJJ lifestyle! This is the next step of a life-long journey! Oss!!”

Our Newest 3rd Degree Instructor

Congratulations to Sifu Eric Gaeta for testing and being promoted to Instructor 3rd degree. Great job sir.

In Eric’s own Words: 1/27/2021 – “A proud night of training. I was promoted to 3rd Degree Instructor rank in Ving Tsun Kung Fu! It’s been a journey of a little over three years to achieve and happy beyond words. When I first started Ving Tsun in 2009 in San Antonio, my prior sifu at the time was 3rd degree and I never thought I would reach that rank. I’m glad I found a great mentor in Dai-Sifu Jeff Webb to help me accomplish my martial arts goals. On to the next one!”

Sifu Eric Receiving his Certificate for his 3rd Degree in Ving Tsun
Wednesday Evening Class - Photo my Katelyn Miller

Training System

RANKING SYSTEM

The NVTO ranking system is broken into three different phases: Student, Instructor, and Master.

Student Phase

The NVTO student program consists of twelve student grades aimed at building foundational skills in striking, grappling and counter-grappling, footwork, reflex-training, and practical self-defense. Later in this program, students are also taught how to deal with multiple opponents, armed opponents, and even how to apply soft defenses for controlling an opponent without inflicting unnecessary harm. Depending on the individual and the training intensity, completion of the twelve student grades takes between three and four years. Building on this foundation, the advanced student is then exposed to the higher-level material taught in the instructor and master programs.

Instructor Phase

NVTO instructors are ranked from First through Fourth degree. After finishing the advanced chi-sau (reflex training) programs dealing with the first two Ving Tsun forms, Instructors progress through the techniques and concepts contained in the Biu-Tze (thrusting fingers) form and the Muk-Yan-Jong (wooden dummy) form. Instructors who have completed the empty-hand aspects of the system will then learn the two Ving Tsun weapons sets known the Luk-Dim-Boon-Gwun (long pole) and Bart-Cham-Do (double knives).

Master Phase

Ving Tsun experts ranked at Fifth Degree and above are known as Masters. In addition to having completed the technical aspects of the art, a Ving Tsun Master is capable of generating considerable striking power and speed. Owing to decades of chi-sau training, they also exhibit a very high standard of automatic reactions. As a true representative of the Ving Tsun system, a Master’s physical skills should be balanced by martial morality and knowledge. Beyond having a thorough understanding Ving Tsun’s foundational theories, a Master will also be knowledgeable in the general theories of other martial arts. Therefore, advancement in the Master ranks is also linked to one’s accomplishments as a teacher, the furtherance of the Ving Tsun system, and to continued growth as a martial artist.

The National Ving Tsun Organization (NVTO) is a professional martial arts association whose purpose is to pass on the traditional concepts of the Ving Tsun kung fu system with a modern approach to training and development. Our founder and leader, Master Jeff Webb, brings more than 36 years of international training and teaching experience to our network of affiliated schools around the country. From the basics through the most advanced levels, the NVTO represents the complete system of Ving Tsun kung fu with a particular emphasis on quality instruction and true martial values.

Every NVTO Certified Instructor is tasked with maintaining high standards of personal skill and instruction, as well as keeping up to date on the latest developments in the training program. An ancient Chinese proverb which speaks of having “many knives, but none of them sharp,” stands as a stark reminder to focus on high quality in one’s techniques rather than a high quantity of techniques.