School(s) in: Oberath, Hennef, Cologne, Bonn and others.

Trainer 1 since: 1992

Motto:

The better is the enemy of the good. In WingTsun there is always development and that is exciting.

Why did you start with WingTsun?

I can still remember that time well. At that time, as a 14-year-old boy, there were some classmates and boys in the soccer club, who would always push the limits and impose their bad moods on the others. I had no desire for that at all. I needed some way to deal with these physically superior boys.
 I was simply looking for something that would help me. Kickboxing was okay, and anything else would have been fine in a pinch. At that time I owned several books by Bruce Lee. However, 
the fact that his system of Jeet Kune Do would be offered in a small village was out of the question, so I did not even dare to dream about it. My friend knew my wish and pulled out a small advertisement: “WingTsun-Kung Fu – the basis of Bruce Lee’s fighting style.” And it was in our town, on the street and house number where we were standing. We walked into the backyard and found the entrance. This I would never have dreamed of! The next day I started.
 At that time I experienced the training as traditional, combative and effective. Everything was solved with simple means. The conversational level was not trained. Therefore it went off, as soon as the other one came too near.
In this way, however, problems arose in the past where, from today’s point of view, there were none at all.

Why are you still doing WingTsun?

The initial motivation to be able to fight back was replaced at some point. It was a mixture of many components that always captivated me anew at different stages and motivated me to continue. On the one hand, I was able to observe my own inner development, and on the other, my students grew into real personalities alongside me. Observing this and sharing the path with them became an end in itself. Through this I enjoy WingTsun with many old friends.

What was your standout WT experience?

A training tour with my old teacher Emin through the USA, the loving words of my SiFus at the presentation of the 6th MG, advanced training trips and deep conversations with my friends Sifu Jürgen Küpper and Sifu Markus Wojewoda. And of course the moment when a charming woman entered the WT school in Overath, who then became my wife.

What do you like most?

The constant further development in WT. There is always something to learn and develop again. WingTsun will never produce a finished product. It is said: “The better is the enemy of the good”. So there will always be development in WT and that is exciting!

How do you see your own development?

Positive. 🙂
I used to love and seek the challenge. Loved to test the limits often. Fortunately, nothing ever happened. Today I have become 
more cautious and more overviewed.

How has WingTsun influenced your life?

The logic, the clarity and the directness in the WT have strongly influenced me. In WT, you internalize the principles so much that you adopt them in everyday life. Through the body, you have a second “lever”, through which you certainly get just as much movement. Both create a strong foundation for a good development.

Was it all planned that way or would you do something differently today?

Nothing was planned that way. I always decided things as they came up. In the last few years I only learned to program the “navi” in life. Everything turned out great, so I would hate to have done anything differently.

How do you see the development of WingTsun today and in the future?

It is difficult to estimate. In the past there were so many and good developments that it is not easy to say something about the future of WingTsun. The current development of inner WT is gigantic. It will bring out good skills in the students and that in quite a short time. So it remains exciting for us teachers.

What are your WingTsun goals for the future? What are you especially looking forward to?

For myself, I have no goals in WingTsun. I just keep on learning. In the next few years I prepare my master students for their exam. When that is completed, I am happy for them!

What tip would you like to share with your students?

Everyone has a low motivation sometimes. Then it is very important not to give in to the comfort impulse at that moment. If you ever don’t feel like going to the gym because of this, you should make an agreement with yourself. “I’m going to go one more time, and if I come home disappointed afterwards, I’ll quit.”

So you will have many years of pleasure in WingTsun.