Ving Tsun Self Defense Academy

Great school with a great training environment! Sifu Matt Johnson trains students in the traditional Ving Tsun methods as seen in Hong Kong and China. He is very patient and welcoming with all students who want to learn real kung fu. Many of the senior students have been training with Sifu Matt for more than ten years and are helpful if you are new to the martial arts.

I had the most awesome experience at Matt Johnson's Ving Tsun Self-defense Academy! The teacher was very patient with me to explain how anyone can this type of learn kung fu. The atmosphere in class was very focused and friendly to all the practicing students. I would recommend this school to anyone who wanted to learn kung fu and has a passion for the traditional teachings of Wing Chun Self-defense in Chicago!!!

Sifu Matt is an exceptional practitioner, teacher, and overall human being who embodies martial arts in his everyday life. He guides our practice every step of the way and fine tunes his teaching style to our individual challenges in the art of Ving Tsun. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in Chicago that has more skill, experience, and understanding of kung fu than him. At this academy, you learn far more than just self defense. You learn more about yourself, how to overcome everyday challenges, and how to be more mindful of and in-tune with your body. Every time I walk out of the school, I walk out a better person than when I came in.

Somewhat recently, I was asked what I have gained from practicing Ving Tsun with Matt Johnson over the last 10 years. I could state the obvious- self defense techniques, fitness, confidence, etc. But, upon further reflection I came up with so much more than that. Originally, I started learning and practicing Ving Tsun for self defense purposes. That is still my primary goal. But, I did not realize there was so much more to it than that. Of course, first, you have to learn how to throw a punch and block. But, what I learned after obtaining some of the skill was surprising to me. It's not as much about "How" to throw a punch as it is about "When." Or, rather, when not to, which is most of the time. Knowing the skill of kung fu, actually, puts you in a much stronger position that enables you to NOT use the physical attributes of it. You don't, actually, get into "fights" where you have to use blocks and strikes. You walk different. You look different. On a primal level you put out "signals" that you are not a victim and the "predators" sense that and stay away. Kung fu has, also, made me more compassionate. When I'm practicing regularly, I find I have more patience and tolerance in frustrating situations. I think this is because my tools are sharp and I feel a responsibility to not unleash them unnecessarily. I’m very fortunate to have found a school that fosters this positive kind of mindset. My original purpose of learning to defend myself remains. But, the additional perks were unexpected and are even more valuable than what I thought I was going to gain from this school. If you’re even just a smidge curious about this, I encourage you to come and check out the school for yourself. You have nothing to lose and more to gain that you realize.

This school is a true hidden treasure. I've been coming 2-3/week for almost 2 years now. The teaching is top-notch and the atmosphere and fellow students are among the best things about it. Ving Tsun/Wing Chun is adaptable for all ages (over 13 here), body types, levels of fitness, male or female. (I think the oldest student now is 67, and we range from 5' to 6'5".) While the style passed down here is very traditional Ip Ching/Ip Man Ving Tsun, there is also a focus on finding "your" Kung-Fu (developing your own technique and understanding) rather than a one-size-fits all approach. If you've been turned off from other schools in the past (as I have) this might be the right place for you. No one here is going to tell you to "grab my wrist" and then turn you into a pretzel; new (or old!) students are not ever used as punching bags. Sifu Matt Johnson is very patient and explains everything clearly and holds no "secrets" back. While I won't speak for him, I will mention that the "entrance interview" seems basically a formality to make sure you're not a hothead who is going to do ill, and that the style of the school is right for you. It's also worth mentioning that the class format is open Hong-Kong style training, so while classes run 5-9 Mon-Thur (and Sat 12-3), I might come from 7-9, someone else from 5-7, as our lives permit. There are also special seminars and social events (Kung-Fu movie night, potlucks, etc) -- a real Kung Fu family. There is also a trip organized annually to go train directly with Grandmaster Ip Ching in Hong Kong.